The lack of black gemstone availability could be owed to the morbid association with the colour black and the dearly departed. During the Victorian era, the variety of black gemstone options seemed almost endless, due to the heavily commercialization of black gems, though mostly for the production of mourning jewellery, and many of the materials were man-made.
In the present day, it would seem that black gems have long been forgotten and are no longer in production, but this is not the case. Black gemstones are still very much available, but like many other coloured gemstones, especially lesser-known or collector’s gemstones, you’ll need to look online and source them from specialized gem dealers.
When buying gemstones for your jewellery, it’s important to choose the right gem, which can depend on several different factors. Since jewellery is designed to be worn, one should always consider the overall durability of a gem when choosing a stone for a particular jewellery design. For example, when it comes to jewellery prone to daily wear and tear, choosing a tough gemstone is important; while for jewellery, such as earrings or pendants, which are less prone to hard knocks, any gemstone is perfectly suitable as long as some level of care is taken when it is worn.
Here are some of the best black gemstone varieties available today for your custom-made jewellery:
Black Garnet
Garnet is most popular for its red and green gemstone varieties, but there are a couple of varieties of black garnet gemstones available too. One specific black garnet belongs to the same garnet group as rare green demantoid garnet; black andradite. Green demantoid andradite garnet is considered to be one of the rarest and most valuable garnets, while black andradite is a much lesser-known variety.
However black melanite garnet is known to display an excellent lustre and high refractive index, just as fine demantoid does, thus making melanite one of the finest black jewellery gemstones available. Melanite is a glossy opaque black colour, which is caused by the presence of titanium, earning it the trade name of ‘titanian andradite’. With an excellent Mohs hardness and durability, black melanite is suitable for all types of jewellery, including earrings, rings, necklaces and pendants, charm bracelets, and anything else imaginable.
The black colour of melanite is comparable to that of black tourmaline, but it is not often faceted like tourmaline. Melanite usually has a more attractive lustre than tourmaline, but unlike tourmaline, melanite is not usually found in such huge sizes, with most average cut gemstones ranging from around 5 to 10 carats in weight. Melanite’s excellent hardness and lack of cleavage makes it extremely versatile, so it can be cut into a variety of different shapes and styles. Rose cuts are quite popular as the faceted tops bring out melanite’s best reflective qualities.
Black Tourmaline
The most common black gemstone on the market today is tourmaline. It is one of the most easily available gems and may sometimes be referred to as ‘schorl’. Almost all tourmaline is black, which is why it is one of most affordable varieties of tourmaline. Black tourmaline also has the advantage of massive size availability, so for anyone requiring very large black gemstones, tourmaline is the best option.
Cut gemstones can be easily found in weights close to 100 carats. Like all other colour varieties of tourmaline, black tourmaline shares the same excellent gemstone qualities which make it perfectly suitable for all types of jewellery. Black tourmaline is also one of the only black gems that are commonly given a traditional facet cut, rather than simple cabochons or rose-cuts with flat bottoms and faceted tops.
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Black Obsidian
Obsidian is a naturally occurring glass formed by lava extruded from volcanoes. As the material cools, it hardens without crystal growth, which makes it quite unique and not an actual mineral. Obsidian has been used for tools and jewellery since prehistoric times, and because it has such fascinating properties, it is a unique material that has a variety of applications, including surgical blades, as well as cut and polished gemstones (typically cabochons).
One variety of obsidian forms with small, white, radially clustered crystals of cristobalite, which result in a very unique black glass with blotchy snowflake patterns. In some cases, obsidian may also settle with various other impurities which can result in a highly attractive iridescence, often with a gold or rainbow-like sheen. Obsidian’s natural, dark glossy colour makes it ideal for fashionable jewellery, for both the young and the old, as well as for ladies or men. Obsidian can be easily shaped into gothic, vintage, Celtic or punk-inspired designs, or modern, edgy pieces.
Black Opal
Arguably one of the rarest gems on Earth, fine quality black opal is indeed one of the most stunning natural materials in the world. Black opal is the most valuable variety of opal, with fine quality gems demanding very high premiums. Almost all of the finest quality opal is mined from Australia, but as of recently, Ethiopia has also become an important opal provider.
However, material from Ethiopia often requires treatment to obtain the deep, dark colour of Australia’s naturally occurring black opal. It is the presence of iron oxide and carbon elements that are responsible for black opal’s stunning deep colour, which acts as a canvas from which the brighter and more vivid play of colour is exhibited. Black opal is rather soft like all opals are, but if worn with care; opal can be worn in cabochon ring designs. If choosing to wear black opal in a ring, it is best to choose a protective setting such as a bezel-set mounting rather than prongs.
Black Sapphire
Sapphire is one of the most valuable of precious gems, and black star sapphire is a respected member of the corundum family. Red corundum is traded as ruby, and all other colour varieties are referred to as sapphire. Although sapphire is mostly known for its blue colour, there is quite a demand for fancy colour sapphire too.
Black sapphire is not often found, and since it is opaque, it is cut into cabochons. Small needle-like rutile inclusions are known to result in attractive chatoyancy in the form of a 6-rayed asterism. The effect is best seen when viewed under a strong direct light source. Black star sapphire from Thailand is known for its golden coloured rays, and is especially unique since most other sources produce only white-rayed star sapphire.
The best specimens are those with sharp stars, and those that were properly oriented to maximize chatoyancy. All sapphire is strong but star sapphire is extremely durable and it is one of the hardest materials known to man, second only to diamond. Most star sapphires are used for men’s cabochon rings, but they are perfectly suitable for any jewellery design from earrings to pendants, and beyond.
Black Diamond
Last, but certainly not least, is the black diamond. Diamond is considered to be the world’s most precious and valuable gemstone, though it is not necessarily the rarest. Black diamond is composed of carbon, just like white diamond, but technically, it isn’t really diamond due to its polycrystalline structure.
Graphite is composed of pure carbon, but because it does not have the same crystal structure as diamond, it does not qualify as diamond. In fact, black diamond is actually the product of carbon formation between that of diamond and graphite. Black diamonds totally absorb light, so they do not sparkle like white diamonds, which refract rather than absorb light. Black diamond is sometimes called ‘carbonado’ because it is still pure carbon, but technically does not fit the definition of true diamond.
Most black diamonds sell for prices quite a bit lower than white diamonds. They are heavily marketed as ‘fancy’ diamonds, but still there is very little consumer demand for fine quality black diamonds. In many cases, the colour may seem to be very dark gray and near-black, rather than jet-black. Black diamond is quite rare and therefore, much of the material on the market today has been treated, usually with irradiation, to enhance the colour.
Almost all of the black diamond available is sourced from Brazil, but it can also be found in Central Africa. Black diamond is known to be very porous and pitted, and therefore, it can be difficult for gem-cutters. If you’re able to find a well-cut black diamond, rest assured you are wearing one of the most precious gems on Earth.
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