Champagne Diamonds
Champagne Diamonds are celebrated for their warm, alluring spectrum of brown hues and ambient sparkle. Champagne diamonds are a truly unique, beautiful choice for a forever piece.
What are champagne diamonds?
Champagne diamonds are part of the natural brown diamond family and come in a spectrum of hues. From pale honey-brown to rich cognac and chocolate tones. Like natural white diamonds, these are formed over billions of years, but we owe their unique colour to trapped nitrogen deposits in the crystalline structure. The higher the nitrogen content, the deeper the intensity of brown.
The term 'champagne' was first used to describe fancy-coloured brown diamonds by the Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia. While they coined the phrase 'champagne' and are certainly very well known for their diamonds of this nature, diamonds with these beautiful colourings can originate from diamond mines all around the world.
Are there cultured champagne diamonds?
The beautiful champagne colour only occurs when there is a presence of nitrogen in the earth when the diamond is forming. This cannot occur or be replicated in a lab setting, so while some brands may call cultured diamonds with coloured undertones 'champagne', they are not true champagne diamonds!
How are champagne diamonds graded?
There is no universal grading scale for champagne diamonds as they are often graded according to their intensity of colour on different scales depending on the certifying body. Unlike white diamonds, which are graded and valued according to the absence of colour, a champagne diamond's colour is graded by the amount and intensity of the colour present.
For example, certifying laboratories in Australia (such as AusCert, DCLA, and GSL, to name a few) measure colour on a scale starting from C1 to C7, where C1 is a light brown colour and C7 is a deep cognac.
Champagne diamonds graded by international certifying laboratories (such as GIA), use the colour scale from K - Z with descriptive terms, such as ‘Light Brown’ or ‘Fancy light yellow-brown’.
What is the preferred Champagne Diamond Colour?
While it’s ultimately down to personal taste, our preference is to source and design with champagne diamonds with a faint brown/honey undertone. Striking a balance with exceptional brilliance (to ensure enough light enters the stone for maximum sparkle) and colour.
Champagne diamonds are particularly arduous to cut due to their unique crystalline structure. This makes sourcing beautiful, high-quality stones increasingly harder, but all the more worthwhile.
How are Champagne Diamonds Valued?
The value of champagne diamonds, just like white diamonds, varies greatly and is based on clarity, carat, colour and cut. If you’re interested in sourcing a champagne diamond for your special piece please get in touch here.
