What You Need to Know about Chocolate Diamonds
Over the past few years, chocolate diamonds have become a popular trend for engagement rings. Many women are drawn to these diamonds because of their unique physical appearance. Chocolate diamonds can make interesting centerpieces for many ring settings because they look nontraditional and unexpected. We get a lot of questions about chocolate diamonds at our jewelry store so we figured we would answer some questions and clear up some misconceptions.
Unfortunately, chocolate diamonds are actually a major misrepresentation in today’s jewelry market.
What are Chocolate Diamonds?
The first thing you need to know about chocolate diamonds is that they are actually just brown diamonds. “Chocolate Diamonds” is a registered trademark term, limited to the use of one jeweler. However, this term has grown into an explosive marketing gimmick by jewelers throughout the diamond marketplace. In other words, this small phrase is now being used to make brown diamonds seem more alluring to the general public than they actually are worth.
What are brown diamonds?
At this point you are probably wondering, so, what are brown diamonds? Sometimes diamonds can have brown undertones or discoloration. These brown diamonds occur naturally in the earth. In fact, brown diamonds are actually the most common colored diamond found in nature. Like other diamonds, brown diamonds are mined from the soil and then sold.
How are Chocolate Diamonds and Brown Diamonds different?
Here’s where it gets interesting…. To make brown diamonds appear more lustrous and beautiful, many jewelers have begun color treating chocolate diamonds. Imagine that someone is in a store shopping for a chocolate ring. What do they expect? They expect sparkle. Unfortunately for jewelers, a brown diamond does not have a natural sparkle. In fact, they are often quite opaque. Color treating the diamond deceives shoppers into a belief that they are naturally this bold and beautiful, and so, therefore, they must be worth a great value.
Are chocolate diamonds real diamonds?
Yes, chocolate diamonds are real diamonds. They are simply brown diamonds which are the most common color of natural diamond. What makes them different from brown diamonds that they are often color treated to enhance their color and sparkle since brown diamonds are not naturally sparkly.
So what does this all mean?
We believe if you like it and you’re educated about it, go for it. We certainly aren’t writing this post to say that brown diamonds are ugly and you shouldn’t buy them. We simply want to highlight some of the many misconceptions that can arise when buying this kind of diamond. You should always know what you are buying.
Where to buy different kinds of diamonds in West Michigan
At Jensen Jewelers, we sell a wide selection of diamonds. We have the largest selection of natural diamonds, and lab-grown diamonds in Grand Rapids area. No matter what shape, style, or your budget we can find the perfect diamond for you.
Are you thinking about proposing soon?
If so, check out our blog post about the best proposal spots in West Michigan.
