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Lessons in Black Diamonds

Yes, Virginia…diamonds come in black, too. Diamonds come in a wide array of colors, including yellow, red and blue. But a black diamond has a mystery and uniqueness like no other. Other than their inky hue, they also possess some other interesting traits:

According to Black Diamond Jewelry:

1) They’re porous.

2) Most of them are very tiny. Larger black diamonds, instead of being one large crystal, have a polycrystalline structure, meaning they’re made up of millions of small crystals which are all stuck together.

3) They are only almost exclusively in two locations- other types of diamonds are found throughout the world. Furthermore, diamonds are normally found in the mineral kimbertite. Black diamonds are found in newer and different deposits of a sedimentary nature.

4) They have a different carbon isotope (same chemical element with different atomic weights and physical properties) than other diamonds. These isotopes are commonly found in the earth’s crust, rather than inside the earth (mantle), where other diamonds originated.

5) Natural black diamonds are black because their unique crystalline structure absorbs light.

Black diamonds also don’t sparkle like traditional “white” diamonds. They absorb light instead of reflecting it.