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Neil Lane photo

Black diamond, white diamond and platinum bracelet by Neil Lane

Neil Lane Jewelry

The mysterious allure of black diamonds

I remember the first time I laid eyes on a black diamond. My initial thought was – what’s the point of that? Isn’t the magic of a diamond in its fire? In the blaze ignited from the careful cutting of a perfect white stone?

But over the years, black diamonds have grown on me. Yes, canary yellow is still the gem that makes my heart leap (and experts say everyone has one colour of diamond that sparks that sort of primal response). But black diamonds have an allure all their own.

There’s a mysterious, metallic gleam to a black diamond that is almost supernatural in character. One evening when dining in a moody Italian restaurant, I was surprised that I could see the sparkle of a friend’s black diamond earrings from across the room.

No wonder black diamonds have never been more popular. At a fraction of the cost of white diamonds, black stones can more readily be used in larger sizes and more dramatic designs.

Jewelry designer Neil Lane illustrates that perfectly with two bracelets worn by actress Maggie Grace to the New York premiere of Year One in June.
One bracelet feature eight large black cabochons surrounded and separated by white diamonds.

The second was a “belt” of black diamonds set in platinum and with a white diamond “buckle.”

To make matters even more interesting, Grace added a third bracelet that was completely different in colour and mood – a flowery white diamond and yellow gold bangle.

Given the versatility, the lower cost, and the subtle showiness of black diamonds, it seems their day has come.