Love the look of warm colored diamonds ? Then it’s very likely that champagne diamonds might interest you, as they’ve got both the name and the looks of something truly fancy and luxurious. But what are champagne diamonds, exactly ? Are champagne diamonds actual diamonds ? Are they expensive ? How can you style them best ? Should you go for a champagne or darker tone ? All this and more, coming right up !
Are champagne diamonds real ?
Yes, champagne diamonds are real diamonds and they are a type of colored diamond, in fact a fancy colored diamond with a brown color with slight yellow undertones. Champagne diamonds are fancy diamonds because they exhibit more color than the usual color grading scale (they are stronger than a Z color) and as such you need to adapt your search and know what you’re looking for.
It is unclear where champagne diamonds got their name from, but it’s safe to assume it ahs something to do with how chocolate diamonds got their name. After all, champagne diamonds are still brown diamonds but of a lighter, bubbly hue that reminds you of, yes, champagne, and thus the name kind of stuck.
Champagne diamonds are more common than white diamonds
As these are essentially a type of brown diamond, champagne diamonds aren’t that rare, especially when you compare them to the amount or colorless or near-colorless diamonds coming out of a mine. All diamonds have a slight yellow-brown tint, and only an incredibly small percentage of them actually have no noticeable color to them.
The rest have a yellow-brown hue and yes, are varying shades of champagne and chocolate. So finding yourself a perfect champagne diamond isn’t difficult, but not every jeweler will carry this kind of diamond because there is less demand for them than for colorless diamonds.
Read also: Best Color Diamond For Yellow Gold ?
A word on champagne, chocolate, and cognac diamond names
You’ve heard of champagne diamonds, cognac diamond, and chocolate diamonds. Are they all the same thing ? Is this a marketing gimmick ? Yes and no. Let’s take a closer look.
All three diamond color names refer tot he brown color of the diamond but there are differences between them. The original color name was chocolate diamond, actually trademarked by LeVian jewelry brand. Only a very small amount of brown diamonds qualify as something LeVian would sell as chocolate diamonds.
But the name stuck in the public mind, and now pretty much every brown diamond with a dark enough color is referred to as chocolate, whether it’s a LeVian or not. Perhaps not by jewelry companies for fear of legal troubles, but buyers have no such issues. And from that champagne diamonds kind of evolved as a color name, with the very light color chocolates being called champagne, and the in-betweens cognac.
Cognac diamonds are just a little different, because they have a higher color saturation, and their yellow hue is very strong, more towards orange.
So in the end is this all a clever way of making extra money ? Yes, you could say that. But regardless of that we all call these diamonds, the fact that we’re incorporating brown diamonds into our jewelry is a great move in terms of using what we already have, instead of insisting on that perfect colorless diamond.
Are champagne diamonds expensive ?
Champagne diamonds average at about $10,000 per carat, and this is in part because they still sparkle. Maybe not as much as a colorless or near-colorless diamond, but they sparkle more than a cognac or chocolate diamond. These diamonds are still affected by inclusions, so a highly included champagne diamond will be more cheaper than a clearer one.
Champagne diamonds are classed as fancy color diamonds, so this is another factor that will drive the price up. This means when you go looking for a champagne diamond you might want to go to a vendor specializing on colored diamond, not colorless ones.
Tips for styling champagne diamonds
So you’ve settled on a champagne diamond, good for you ! These diamonds are truly having a moment and we think they’re something that will definitely stick around. In a way they may remind you of some very beautiful rose gold colors, especially if you find a champagne diamond with a very slight pink hue (they exist, but are rare). Here’s a few tips on how to style that amazing champagne diamond !
Champagne diamonds go very well with yellow or rose gold
The warm color of a champagne diamond goes extremely well with warm metal colors like yellow gold and rose gold. This may lean towards a more romantic, boho style but it’s definitely something that appeals to a very large crowd.
A great thing about using yellow or rose gold is that you can influence the color of the diamond a little bit. All diamonds take on a bit of the surrounding colors, even colorless diamonds ! So if you want to impart a bit of pink into your champagne diamond, try a rose gold setting metal. And if you want a little more yellow, try yellow gold setting.
Of course, you can wear your champagne diamond in white metal, and it will likely look good, but the contrast may be similar to a white gold/yellow gold ring. If you’re someone who thrives on pushing the boundaries then go right ahead. You might just rock a white gold and champagne diamond !
Pair champagne diamonds with a white diamond halo for a stunning look
These champagne diamonds seem to just go with everything, and they go very very well with a white diamond halo, or white diamond side stones, or white diamond pave band… you get the picture. White diamond framing the champagne diamond, it would look glamorous and decadent. Make sure it’s in a yellow or rose gold setting and you’re done !
Swap morganite for a champagne diamond !
We’re very much aware that morganite is having its moment right now, but you cannot deny the fact that a champagne diamond is tougher than a morganite. For something that you might be wearing every day (such as an engagement ring( a diamond will hold up better than a morganite. Where a diamond has a 10 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, morganite scores an 8. Still tough, but definitely something you can scratch with a sapphire or another diamond.
So, while a champagne diamond may not have the same exact look as morganite, it comes pretty close. And we think the trade-off in color is worth it, considering the diamond won’t scratch. You do you though.
I’m the main author for jewelrymaterialguide.com. I started this site after we did tons of research before our wedding and noticed that there is information about rings, jewelry, and so on that is really hard to find on the internet.
