DISCOVER LIFE'S PRECIOUS GEMS!

Black diamonds really do exist.  They are also known as carbonado, the Portuguese word for “charcoal.”  Carbonados are considered diamonds because they are almost pure carbon, like their clear or slightly tinted counterparts.

Black diamonds also contain tiny inclusions of other minerals, often iron and iron oxide minerals such as magnetite and hematite which can provide dark tones, as well as give them a magnetic quality. Black diamonds can be jet black or they can be a lighter or smokier shade.

Slightly tinted diamonds, such as yellow or pink, on the other hand, get their coloring from impurities within the carbon itself.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CLEAR, SLIGHTLY TINTED AND BLACK DIAMONDS

Before discussing their differences, one similarity is that all diamonds have a hardness of 10.

Black diamonds differ from traditional diamonds in color, composition and structure.  The crystalline structure of black diamonds is polycrystalline meaning it consists of many small grains of various sized and shaped crystals.  Clear diamonds are usually made up of one single large continuous crystal.

With black diamonds, light is absorbed into the small crystals of graphite as opposed to light being refracted with the brilliant diamonds.  Clear diamonds are cut to create “windows” that cause more sparkle and luster.

Black or dark grey diamonds usually have a pitted surface and their numerous inclusions can cause the diamonds to fracture very easily. These inclusions also make them more difficult to cut, polish and finish.

Black diamonds are also more porous than other diamonds.

HOW NATURAL BLACK DIAMONDS FORM

Black diamonds form differently than clear diamonds and there are different theories regarding their formation.

One belief is that black diamonds are clear diamonds with black pieces of coal inside that occurred during crystal formation.  Another belief is that black diamonds are a result of being mined when they are in between the graphite and pure diamond stages.  Analysis suggests that radioactive inclusions were present in the formation process of carbonado.

Conventional diamonds are typically created when the extreme high pressure within the Earth’s interior transforms organic carbon /graphite into diamonds. Traditional diamonds have been discovered in all areas of the world where they are mined from explosive volcanic rocks called kimberlites. There has never been one black diamond found in those volcanic rocks.  Black diamonds are typically found in loosely arranged sediment deposits.

WHERE BLACK DIAMONDS ARE FOUND

Black diamonds are only found in two locales, far away from other diamond deposits. They were originally discovered in Brazil in the mid 1800s and were subsequently found in Central Africa.

POSSIBLE EXTRATERRESTRIAL ORIGIN

Scientists have found trace amounts of nitrogen and hydrogen in black diamonds, indicating they can be extraterrestrial in origin. If that is the case, they most likely came from outer space and fell to the Earth as a meteor.

Here is one study…

In 2006, there was a study published about black diamonds. Stephen Haggerty and Jozsef Garai of Florida International University analyzed the hydrogen in black diamond samples using infrared-detection instruments at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. The researchers determined that the chemical properties of carbonado indicated that the mineral formed in a supernova explosion that took place prior to the formation of our Solar System.  As a result, carbonado is believed to be similar to carbon-rich cosmic dust, having likely formed near carbon stars. The diamonds were eventually incorporated into solid bodies that subsequently fell to Earth as meteorites.

The argument against this theory is that the shock of a meteorite impact normally creates a hexagonal diamond shape inside the samples and that is not the case with carbonado.

ENHANCED BLACK DIAMONDS

Many black diamonds are treated with radiation to create their black color. They appear black under normal lighting, however, they are actually a very dark green.  This very dark green color can only be seen when a fiber-optic light source is placed near a thin edge of the diamond, illuminating the interior.  Typically, when diamonds are enhanced, they become uniform in color.  Natural black diamonds never have a dark green coloring.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

In India, black diamonds are often associated with snakes because many believe they resemble snake eyes.

Many years ago, the Italians believed that black diamonds had the power to bring back a loving relationship to marriages.

Even though black diamonds are less common and not as popular as traditional diamonds, recently they have become more valuable. Recent interest and great marketing has kept the price of black diamonds almost on a par of white diamonds.