Give a Chocolate Diamond for Valentine's Day

Have you thought about giving your sweetheart a chocolate diamond for Valentine's Day? Nothing says it like diamonds and chocolate...yum yum, yummy.

For years the white diamond was all that might have been thought of traditionally when giving a diamond by the majority of diamond givers. Chocolate diamonds are gaining in popularity and prestige as celebrities begin to wear them and publicity is given to them.

Most chocolate diamonds come from mines in Australia. The shades of a chocolate diamond vary and the color is fairly dark. The range of shades begins with the light-colored champagne diamonds and then cinnamon, caramel, and chocolate diamonds ending with the darkest rich brown cognac diamonds.

A diamond's color is identified on a scale developed by the Gemological Institute of America. Pure diamonds are perfectly transparent and colorless. The color scale runs from D thru Z beginning with D as Colorless, moving then to Near Colorless, Faint Yellow, Very Light Yellow and Light Yellow. From there, diamonds that are of intense yellow or brown, or any other color are called fancy color diamonds and can be found in virtually every color of the rainbow: blues, yellows, oranges, pinks and purples, browns, steel gray and black.

Colored diamonds have the same hardness and other properties of white diamonds; only the color is different. The fancy color diamonds result from impurities and structural differences and the natural occurring brown color most likely may have occurred from intense pressure within the earth.

The cost of a chocolate diamond would vary, depending on it's size, color, clarity and cut but it would be less expensive than a white diamond with the same ratings. While the pure diamonds are rated by lack of color, the fancy color diamonds are rated by intensity of color.

When buying, it would be advised that you purchase your chocolate diamond from a reputable jeweler who is a GIA-trained Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) or Accredited Jewelry Professional (A.J.P.) and is affiliated with jewelry industry groups and professional associations such as the American Gem Society (AGS) and American Gem Trade Association (AGTA).

Additionally you should expect to receive a GIA Colored Diamond Grading Report. The GIA has two types of diamond grading reports for colored diamonds. The GIA Colored Diamond Grading Report has the same comprehensive diamond information on color, clarity, cut, and carat weight, ( known as the four C's developed by GIA). The color-only report, or GIA Colored Diamond Identification and Origin Report, gives a color grade and the nature of the color.

Whether you are an experienced buyer of jewels or a beginner shopping for just the right diamond, it could mean that you will be giving a beautiful and trendy chocolate diamond to your Valentine this year. Tis the season for chocolate and diamonds...all in one.