| When it comes to diamonds, the general | | | | - Cinnamon (light brown) |
| consensus is that color detracts from their beauty | | | | - Clove (olive brown) |
| and value. They are perceived to be most | | | | The Rise To Fame |
| valuable when colorless. Such was the case with | | | | Known as the rejects of diamonds, brown |
| brown gemstones. Once deemed "low color | | | | gemstones are by far the most abundant and the |
| diamonds", these stones are now gaining in | | | | least desired. Because of this, they were used |
| popularity. If you are looking for something | | | | mainly for industrial purposes. After a big |
| unconventional, chocolate diamonds might be for | | | | discovery at the Argyle mine in western Australia |
| you. Let's take a look at how these warm colored | | | | during the early 1990's, they were first offered to |
| gems become widely known. | | | | the trade and marketed as champagne diamonds. |
| The History | | | | Since they were small and marked with internal |
| Chocolate colored stones have been around for | | | | flaws, they were disdained by retailers, the |
| as long as any other diamond and have adorned | | | | gatekeepers of the jewelry industry. It wasn't |
| royalty and authoritarians for centuries. It is said | | | | until the year 2000, when Eddie Le Vian, of the |
| that cardinal Jules Mazarin, the chief minister of | | | | Le Vian jewelry company introduced a collection |
| France was a collector of brown diamonds in the | | | | of "Chocolate Diamonds" that these gemstones |
| 1600's. In 1967, a 115.59 carat African pear shape | | | | became widely known for their deep color and |
| was discovered and reportedly sold for $900,000 | | | | unique beauty. |
| in 1987. In 1997, the Thai monarchy, King | | | | The Choices |
| Bhumibol was presented with the world's largest | | | | Chocolate stones come in a wide range of styles. |
| faceted diamond named the Golden Jubilee which | | | | They are available in white or yellow gold settings. |
| weighed 545.67 carats. Today, these gems can | | | | Many pieces feature white diamonds as well, and |
| be seen gracing celebrities and stars alike on the | | | | the contrast between light and dark sparkling |
| red carpet. | | | | gems can look very attractive. Turquoise and |
| The Coloring | | | | chocolate pearls are also striking additions that can |
| Browns get their coloring due to tremendous | | | | compliment these diamonds. Indeed, the negative |
| pressure of the earth when they are buried deep | | | | has turned in to a positive, but the best part is |
| inside. When nitrogen atoms are evenly spaced | | | | brown diamonds are less expensive than their |
| throughout the stone, the color will vary from | | | | white counterparts, therefore they offer an |
| canary, or yellow to brown or chocolate. These | | | | excellent cost of savings for those on a budget. |
| atoms absorb blue and green light from the | | | | With chocolate diamonds, it's not about what's |
| spectrum, which gives them their rich color. The | | | | beautiful to everyone else. It's about what speaks |
| actual shade is determined by the concentration | | | | to you and your personal sense of style. At the |
| of the atoms in the carbon lattice within the stone | | | | end of the day, a diamond is a diamond. During |
| itself. Chocolate diamonds can be found in the | | | | the mining process, approximately 20 percent of |
| following shades: | | | | colorless stones are gem quality. And out of that |
| - Chocolate (pure brown) | | | | 20 percent, 1 out of 10,000 is naturally colored. So |
| - Cognac (deep reddish orange) | | | | are they really low color gemstones or a rare and |
| - Champagne (warm golden brown) | | | | beautiful occurrence? Evidence would suggest the |
| - Honey (deep orange yellow) | | | | latter. |