Over the years the television-series-turned-movie-franchise, Sex and the City, has morphed into an international hit, able to easily induce commercial success. Michael Patrick King, producer of the series, once said that companies only wanted their products on the show if they were to be praised by the main characters, due to their somewhat unbelievably strong ability to influence mainstream fashion. And it seems they might have just done it again.
Black diamonds have become increasingly popular on the red carpet since Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, received a black diamond engagement ring from her husband in the second movie installment of Sex and the City.
Perhaps it is not fair to attribute the HBO series completely with the rise of the recent black diamond popularity, as they have been around for many, many years. Often called Carbonado, as they were coined by the Portuguese, black diamonds had been discovered as early as the 18th century, and are found only in Brazil and the Central African Republic. And although they absorb light rather than reflect it, producing less sparkle then a white diamond, they are incredibly strong gemstones.
They are also the perfect offset for lighter colored metals like white gold or platinum, due to their dark luster which is caused by inclusions of graphite within the crystal. The trend has recently made the move from fictional to real life with celebrities like Kelly Osborne and Tina Fey donning the dark diamonds this season as they hit the red carpet.
Colorless diamonds have traditionally been used for engagement rings, appropriate because the way the light creates a sparkle is the perfect symbol for a bright and shiny future, but black diamonds could create an interesting look for a wedding band.
Verragio’s Eterna 0394W could be the perfect setting to experiment with black diamonds, either by replacing all of the colorless diamonds with black, causing the white metal to stand out, or by alternating colorless and black diamonds, much like Kelly Osborne did at the 2010 Emmy’s.
Unlike other colored diamonds, which can have a bit more of a feminine appeal, black diamonds are the perfect custom detail for a groom. Verragio’s RUD-7906 men’s band is already detailed with black enamel to contrast with the lighter metal, and because Verragio’s rings are all made-to-order, the white diamonds can easily be replaced with blacks ones, adding a dramatic but masculine effect.
So although black diamonds may have been around for hundreds of years, it seems they are finally getting their public due, and I think it is safe to say we can expect to see a lot more of them in the coming season.