Coloured diamond jewellery, a new trend in India

Coloured diamonds speak of a luxury that’s rare and unparalleled. The Hope Diamond that’s a natural blue diamond or the 185-carat natural pink Darya-i-Nur, bears testimony to the rare beauty of coloured diamonds. Of late, India is gradually waking up to the trend.

Take, for instance, the line of champagne diamond jewellery launched by Jaipur Gems. Beautifully crafted and set in contrasts with white diamonds, the pieces have found eager takers. Such diamonds, incidentally, come largely from the Argyle mines in Australia and there is a high international demand for it. In hues that range from a light cognac to rich brown, these are marked by their ability to absorb rather than reflect light. They possess a rare sparkle that helps make exquisite pieces of jewellery.

High on the list are black diamonds too, usually found only in Brazil. Scientists speculate that these diamonds may have extra-terrestrial origins, being part of meteorites that fell on the earth. They stand out in another sense too — these are those rare diamonds that do not sparkle. But they nevertheless are stunning when used in jewellery.

“My favourite coloured diamonds are pink, champagne and black. Pink has this romantic fairy tale like feel, whereas black can look very modern and distinctive, and I think champagne diamonds look muted and have this understated elegance,” says jewellery designer Pallavi Foley.

Incidentally, Pallavi holds her favourite to be a black diamond necklace, called Odyssey, she designed. “The necklace romances with the female body, wrapped from the neck to the shoulder, using black and white diamonds to bring out the contrast in the best possible way. The necklace has 4908 diamonds and is set in white gold,” she says.