Captivating and Delectable Chocolate Diamonds

Chocolate diamonds.  Wow, my two favorite subjects, chocolate and diamonds…and I get to write about them today!  What could be better than a rich, luscious, chocolate diamond, I ask you?  Many celebrities have begun to wear them on the red carpet, drawing attention to them around the world.

What is a Chocolate Diamond?

Chocolate diamonds are actually brown diamonds.  They are the most commonly found color in diamonds.  The Argyle mine in Australia produced about one third of the world’s diamonds each year, and 80% of those are brown diamonds.  The brown color in chocolate diamonds is thought to occur from lattice structure deformations at the crystalline level in the diamonds.  Heat and pressure treatments have resulted in gemologists being able to turn brown diamonds into lighter colors, such as champagne and yellow, and sometimes colorless diamonds. As a side note, for those of you who are considering buying a traditional “clear” diamond, do check to see if your diamond was once a brown diamond.  This should be noted on the certificate accompanying the diamond. If the certificate indicates that the gem has been heat or pressure treated, it may have been a brown diamond.

Brown diamonds come in many different shades of brown, from light golden brown to fiery yellow-orange, to deep, dark brown. Lighter color brown diamonds are sometimes referred to as cognac or champagne diamonds. Diamonds designated as chocolate diamonds are generally darker in color, but are not so dark as to be muddy-looking.

Since brown diamonds are the most common color found in diamonds, they have in the past been priced lower than other diamond colors which are very rare, such as pink and blue diamonds.  That is still the case, but the recent demand for chocolate diamonds has kept the price for them somewhat inflated, so don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can head to the jewelry store and buy chocolate diamond rings or a chocolate diamond necklace for a song.  The basic economic principle of supply and demand definitely applies here.  Since the demand is up, the price is also up at this time!

What You Should Look for in Chocolate Diamond Jewelry

Chocolate diamonds are subject to the same grading criteria as other diamonds, i.e.: color, cut, clarity and carat weight. However, when it comes to grading fancy colored diamonds, instead of grading them according to their lack of color, they are judged according to the uniformity and intensity of the color that is present in the diamond. Not all colored diamonds are created equal! Some may have uneven or blotchy coloration, and of course there are many shades of the various colors found in diamonds.  Colored diamonds that have multiple colors included is considered to be inferior and should be priced much lower than one with uniform coloration.

The best chocolate diamonds have an even, milk-chocolate color. They should be transparent, not “muddy”, and of course the cut should be superior, also.  Any diamond can be ruined by a bad cut, or make, as it is called in jewelry circles. A poorly cut diamond will not have the brilliance of a well cut diamond and will look dull and lifeless, and it can also be susceptible to breakage or chipping.

Colored diamonds should always be accompanied by a certificate from a respected gem lab, such as GIA (Gemological Institute of America or IGI (International Gemological Institute). Always insist on seeing the certificate prior to purchasing any gemstone jewelry.

Get the Best of the Best in Chocolate Diamonds

The Le Vian company is be credited with bringing chocolate diamonds to the attention of the jewelry world.  A centuries old jewelry dynasty, the Le Vian family began designing jewelry around chocolate diamonds in the early 2000’s.  They are actually the company that came up with the name “chocolate diamonds”, which perfectly describes their beautiful brown color.  Le Vian chocolate diamonds, (sometimes mistakenly referred to as LeVian chocolate diamonds, or Levian chocolate diamonds) are part of their couture collections, and are worn by some of the most famous people in the world, including Halle Berry, Demi Moore and Hillary Swank, to name a few.  Le Vian jewelry worn by those women runs into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Thankfully Le Vian has a wonderful collection of rings and other jewelry that is priced more affordably.  When talking about chocolate diamonds rings seem to be the most sought after.  Chocolate diamond rings starting around $1200 can be found in 14K yellow gold settings, as well as white gold, if that is what your preference is.  Le Vian often pairs their chocolate diamonds with rose gold, which they call strawberry gold.  The result is breathtaking, with the subtle rosy color of the gold perfectly complementing the rich glow of the chocolate diamonds.  Chocolate diamond pendants and earrings are also a popular choice, and many modern brides are now choosing chocolate diamond engagement rings and chocolate diamond wedding rings. Any of these would look beautiful paired with yellow diamond engagement rings, or a Pandora bracelet done in gold.

If you are in the market for a classy, elegant, gorgeous piece of jewelry, then you owe it to yourself to take a look at Le Vian chocolate diamond rings.  They aren’t available everywhere, but you can find a wonderful selection of them online at many reputable online jewelry stores.  Be sure when shopping online that the store has a good return policy in case what you receive isn’t exactly what you wanted.  Le Vian jewelry is of the highest quality and I recommend that you start there, if you are just beginning your search for chocolate diamonds.

Happy Shopping!