What Are Salt And Pepper Diamonds?
If you have been reading style and fashion magazines recently, you might have noticed articles about Salt and Pepper diamonds. Some designers and jewellers are talking them up as the next big thing. But just what are Salt and Pepper diamonds? Are they a good buy? Should they be something for you to consider?
In this article, we will investigate the phenomenon. While we may not present any definite answers for you. In the end, you will have a better idea as to whether this phenomenon is a fad or something you might want to think about for future diamond jewellery purchases.
What Do Salt And Pepper Diamonds Look Like?
Salt and pepper diamonds have a grey tone instead of the brilliant white of a regular diamond. The tone comes from a myriad of inclusions (imperfections) within the diamond with white and black colours. Looked at closely, the effect is of a mixture of salt and pepper, hence the name. No two Salt and Pepper diamonds can look the same. Some diamonds will have a dark, moody appearance and others will have a lighter tone due to fewer internal flaws. The black and white come from the type of internal flaw. The black marks are usually due to impurities of ilmenite, and the white is from tiny diamond crystals within the main structure of the larger diamond.
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Many designers recommend that Salt and Pepper diamonds should not be used with other stones because of the difficulty of matching them. It is easier to match an almost flawless diamond with other diamonds than pairing up these highly flawed gemstones.
As you can see in the picture below, there is a massive variance between each diamond. If you fall in love with the idea of Salt and Pepper diamond jewellery, look out for solitaire designs featuring just one diamond.
Some people wonder whether Salt and Pepper diamonds are natural diamonds. The answer is an absolute yes! They are genuine diamonds, although some people have tried to sell pieces of quartz as Salt and Pepper diamonds. Quartz will always have a foggy appearance compared to these diamonds, so can be easily told apart. A Salt and Pepper diamond will always show as a diamond on a diamond tester. Because the production price of a Salt and Pepper diamond is so low, it is not economically viable to create them in a laboratory or fake them using moissanite.
Are Salt And Pepper Diamonds A Good Buy?
Assessing the value of any diamond for an individual is a hard, if not impossible, task. Buying diamond jewellery is always an emotional choice; however, some points should be considered.
1) It might sound brutal to say it, but all Salt and Pepper diamonds are gemstones that are too imperfect to be considered for use in diamond jewellery. These diamonds were worthless until somebody came up with the brilliant idea of recycling rejected diamonds with a new name.
This is much like the fad for chocolate diamonds, which had until recently been considered to be of such poor quality that they could not be used in fine jewellery. But, the heart wants what the heart wants and if a Salt and Pepper diamond is calling you with an irresistible siren song, who are we to say you should ignore the call!
2) Salt and Pepper diamonds should be relatively cheap to buy, much less costly than an equivalent sized clear diamond in the usual quality range for fine jewellery. On that basis, you might expect to grab a bargain. The problem is that I used the word 'should'. As Salt and pepper diamonds have become more trendy, prices have increased. These diamonds that, until recently, were rejected are more in demand and thus more pricey since a year or two ago.
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As an investment, diamonds will always take a long time to increase in value in excess of the price you paid for them in your jewellery. However, an increase in value is a reasonable expectation over the medium to long term. Salt and Pepper diamonds are a different story. Suppose their popularity as a fashion fad declines. In that case, these diamonds' value will fall to their standard value as rejects or industrial diamonds.
3) Buy Salt and Pepper diamond jewellery if you already have a collection of white diamond jewellery. White diamonds will always be the mainstay choice for diamond jewellery buyers and wearers. A piece of white diamond jewellery will always be the one that is picked up to suit any social event or outfit. You will never find yourself explaining why you are wearing a sparkling white diamond, no matter how big it is!
4) Don't choose Salt and Pepper diamonds because they are cheap! They cost less than higher quality diamonds, but that might not reflect their value. The 4Cs used to grade the quality of diamonds do not apply to Salt and Pepper diamonds because the quality of the gemstones falls outside of the grading standards used in white diamonds.
5) Buy Salt and Pepper diamonds because you want something very special and unique. Suppose you are after something very fashionable and none of your friends has. In that case, Salt and Pepper diamonds will set you apart! (until your friends buy into the trend, buy Salt and pepper diamond jewellery, of course!)
As you can see, there is a lot to consider before choosing to buy jewellery made with Salt and Pepper diamonds. They are absolutely not an excellent purchase for everyone. But if you are one of those who already have a large collection of diamond jewellery and the Chocolate diamond trend swayed you, perhaps a one or two carat Salt and Pepper diamond ring might be a good addition to your collection! On that basis, it might be the largest diamond in your collection, and it probably will not be the most expensive!
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All Diamond Jewellery
Like Chocolate diamonds, we understand that Salt and Pepper diamonds can be very attractive and have a place in the marketplace. We do not have Salt and Pepper diamond jewellery in our current jewellery collections. We prefer to offer great value natural diamond jewellery that meets the dreams and desires of a wide range of clients who also seek great value.
Please take a moment to browse our collections of exquisite fine diamond jewellery. We hope that you will be inspired by the work of our British designers and artisans!
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