The Enigma of Black Diamonds
You may have seen the media reports over the sale of The Enigma black diamond. It is 555.55 Carats which sold for £3.16m at auctioneers Sotheby’s. Not just amazing for its size, or amount sold for, but also for the fact it was paid for in cryptocurrency.
Causing a renewed interest in black diamonds, we take a closer look at them, and share fascinating facts about them.
Natural black colour in diamonds typically comes from the presence of many small, dark coloured inclusion fractures, and inclusions of minerals such as graphite. Many so called black diamonds on the market are actually heat treated and should be marked as such.
One of the rarest black diamonds are made of carbonado, which is the toughest form of natural diamond. an impure, high-density, micro-porous form of polycrystalline diamond, containing osbornite, which is a mineral found only in meteors, therefore such black diamonds are believed to originate in space. They are exceptionally rare, having been found in only Brazil and Central African Republic.
Unlike diamonds, carbonados are never found in igneous rock formed deep in the earth. Instead they occur in alluvial sedimentary deposits.
Other famous black diamonds include;
The Black Amsterdam Diamond, found in South Africa in 1972, it was 33.74 cts after being cut. Its name comes from the city it was cut and polished in, which was celebrating it 700th anniversary at the time. It was set in in a pendant with fifteen bright white diamonds. Contrary to most black diamonds, the Amsterdam Diamond is remarkably opaque, giving it a lustre not often seen in black diamonds.
The spirit of Grisogono originating from Central Africa, was 587 cts when mined and 312.24 cts once polished and cut. The honour of cutting it went to Swiss Jeweller named Grisogono, who gave the stone his name. It is in a white gold ring with 7902 white diamonds. There has never been a statement ring like it!
The Rembrandt Diamond is on display at the Diamond Museum Amsterdam this 42.27 ct diamond took three years to cut and polish as it was so extremely hard. Revealed to the world by Rembrandt specialist Gerry Schwartz who gave it its name.
The Black Orlov also called the Eye of Brahma, as it was stolen, so history says, from the eye of the Hindu God Brahma’s statue in Southern India. Story says it is a cursed diamond. The diamond merchant who brought the stone to America, committed suicide. One of its subsequent owners was a Russian princess name Nadia Vygin-Orlov - giving the stone its name. She also committed suicide, adding to the story of a curse on the Diamond. To ‘break the curse’ the next owner Charles F Winston, split the stone into three pieces. Which were then set into a brooch.
Today the diamond is on display at the Natural History Museum London.
The Sergio is another black carbonado diamond, containing large amount osbonite, this 3167ct diamond was found in Brazil and caused a great scene in the diamond world due the size of it when found.
The Karloff Diamond, this famous black diamond was cut twice in its life, first to a weight of 110 cts, and then again to reach its current weight of 88cts. Now with the Karloff jewellers in France.
