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Post by nurseypants on Feb 11, 2016 23:47:34 GMT
If you have any expertise in the gemstone area, would you mind weighing in on this? I keep seeing ads for "chocolate" diamonds. My instincts tell me that these are just dirty diamonds, enhanced to be more brownish. I'd love any info. Thanks!
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Feb 11, 2016 23:53:23 GMT
The term "chocolate," is a proprietary name. What they really are is brown diamonds. Diamonds naturally occur in many colors with the whitest, most colorless being the most valuable. That makes the brown diamonds the bottom of the barrel... or at least they were until jewelers figured out a way to market them to the gullible public. I would never buy a brown diamond.
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Post by Zee on Feb 11, 2016 23:55:23 GMT
I'm not falling for that "chocolate" crap. Brown diamonds--nope.
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Post by quinlove on Feb 11, 2016 23:58:04 GMT
The term "chocolate," is a proprietary name. What they really are is brown diamonds. Diamonds naturally occur in many colors with the whitest, most colorless being the most valuable. That makes the brown diamonds the bottom of the barrel... or at least they were until jewelers figured out a way to market them to the gullible public. I would never buy a brown diamond. I certainly don't know beans about diamonds. I think the "chocolate" diamonds are different and pretty. Hopefully, they are priced according to their real value.
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Dalai Mama
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Post by Dalai Mama on Feb 11, 2016 23:58:32 GMT
I'm not falling for that "chocolate" crap. Brown diamonds--nope. I agree. When I think of clarity and colour, brown would be on the wrong end of the scale.
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Post by gar on Feb 12, 2016 0:01:35 GMT
Its clever marketing, creating a market for the duff ones but they don't appeal to me. I suspect they'd seem less attractive if they were called shit colour diamonds:wink:
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Post by anxiousmom on Feb 12, 2016 0:03:29 GMT
A quick google and this is the first article that came up. I thought it was interesting. article about chocolate diamonds
I liked the end-that ultimately it is up to the purchaser to decide if that is what they want or not, just be informed and aware. That at the end of the day, jewelry is a fashion statement and a chocolate diamond may be in your fashion wheelhouse and that is okay.
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Deleted
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Jun 2, 2024 12:10:27 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2016 1:32:51 GMT
I have seen some very pretty pieces done , but the price is way to high for junk stones.
Actually I feel that way about clear diamonds too.
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Post by pierkiss on Feb 12, 2016 1:42:08 GMT
They're just diamonds that have a brownish hue. I'm inclined to think the Jewelers are trying to make money off a stone that has historically been worth nothing.
I think they are beyond ugly so we will not be participating in this ad campaign.
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Post by alexa11 on Feb 12, 2016 2:40:07 GMT
I've seen some pretty pieces- but I think they are way over-priced for the quality. I like brown stones- guess that's why they appeal to me somewhat.
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Post by smokeynspike on Feb 12, 2016 2:41:17 GMT
I think chocolate diamonds are hideous, at least to my own personal taste!
Melissa
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Nicole in TX
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Post by Nicole in TX on Feb 12, 2016 2:44:19 GMT
A quick google and this is the first article that came up. I thought it was interesting. article about chocolate diamonds
I liked the end-that ultimately it is up to the purchaser to decide if that is what they want or not, just be informed and aware. That at the end of the day, jewelry is a fashion statement and a chocolate diamond may be in your fashion wheelhouse and that is okay. That was very interesting. Thank you for sharing it.
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Post by AN on Feb 12, 2016 2:57:23 GMT
You might like this article. It is from the 80's, so it doesn't address brown diamonds, but it talks about why eternity bands were popularized (basically DeBeers came into a boatload of small diamonds they needed to move to keep down competition). The way they match their marketing to what supply they have (as any company would, you just don't think about it with diamonds) is fascinating and accounts for different style popularity over time. I assume chocolate diamonds are a similar case. www.theatlantic.com/past/issues/82feb/8202diamond1.htmPS: For anyone looking for alternatives that will still last many lifetimes, I have a moissanite engagement ring and wedding band and couldn't be happier with it. Still an inflated price but only about 10% of the cost of equivalent diamonds.
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Post by papersilly on Feb 12, 2016 2:58:02 GMT
Brown diamonds just look cheesy and dull to me. I've never seen them front and center at Tiffany and Co or worn as multi million dollar necklaces on the red carpet. It's always the cheesy chain jewelry stores that peddle them as being something remarkable. The thing about diamonds is the brilliance and sparkle. I don't care what they do to it , how they mount it, or how they market it, the "chocolate diamond" will never hold a candle to a beautiful, colorless diamond. Sure the pink and canary diamonds are beautiful too but the brown diamond a will always be the Hyundai of the diamond world.
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kate
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Post by kate on Feb 12, 2016 3:41:24 GMT
I think they are interesting. They differ from other stones of similar color because of their sparkle. A topaz just can't have the same fire as a diamond.
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scrapaddie
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Post by scrapaddie on Feb 12, 2016 4:55:04 GMT
Wow.... A lot of pretty strong opinions ;... Negative opinions. I happen to wear a chocolate diamond ring that I bought for myself because it is so beautiful. It has fantastic sparkle and a beautiful setting. It is Not dull, or cheesey, nor does it look like shit. And I am not gullible....
I understand that calling them chocolate was a marketing ploy by LeVian and they are not valued as much as white diamonds. But the price reflects that. It is also a souvenir of my trip to Australia where many native diamonds are brown.
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LeaP
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Post by LeaP on Feb 12, 2016 5:53:23 GMT
So chocolate diamonds are the labradoodles of gems?
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Post by papersilly on Feb 12, 2016 6:13:57 GMT
So chocolate diamonds are the labradoodles of gems? No, labradoodles are way cuter! And I'd rather have a labradoodle....
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AllieC
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Post by AllieC on Feb 12, 2016 6:50:15 GMT
Wow.... A lot of pretty strong opinions ;... Negative opinions. I happen to wear a chocolate diamond ring that I bought for myself because it is so beautiful. It has fantastic sparkle and a beautiful setting. It is Not dull, or cheesey, nor does it look like shit. And I am not gullible.... I understand that calling them chocolate was a marketing ploy by LeVian and they are not valued as much as white diamonds. But the price reflects that. It is also a souvenir of my trip to Australia where many native diamonds are brown. That is really interesting because I've never heard of them here, Im not a jewellery person though! i think you should wear your diamond with pride and think of the memories that it brings you of Australia
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Feb 12, 2016 9:48:44 GMT
A quick google and this is the first article that came up. I thought it was interesting. article about chocolate diamonds
I liked the end-that ultimately it is up to the purchaser to decide if that is what they want or not, just be informed and aware. That at the end of the day, jewelry is a fashion statement and a chocolate diamond may be in your fashion wheelhouse and that is okay. Good article! TFS!
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Feb 12, 2016 11:43:25 GMT
but the brown diamond a will always be the Hyundai of the diamond world. That made me giggle.
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Post by baslp on Feb 12, 2016 12:29:23 GMT
I guess I am the odd man out here. I have 2 of the rings. I like the colors. I have had quite a few people say they really like the one I wear quite a bit.
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Post by bbkeef on Feb 12, 2016 14:26:43 GMT
I'm kind of a jewelry person. I would totally get a ring if I thought it was beautiful. I change out my "accent" rings to match my outfits. I don't think I would personally seek one out because I have a list of what I would get first (a fire opal or sapphire), but if one was given to me I would absolutely wear a chocolate diamond.
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SweetieBsMom
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Feb 12, 2016 14:34:39 GMT
I'm not falling for that "chocolate" crap. Brown diamonds--nope. I agree. When I think of clarity and colour, brown would be on the wrong end of the scale.
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Post by Merge on Feb 12, 2016 14:35:20 GMT
If you like it, wear it. The value of anything, including diamonds of any color, is only what we put on it.
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Post by anxiousmom on Feb 12, 2016 14:40:37 GMT
I'm kind of a jewelry person. I would totally get a ring if I thought it was beautiful. I change out my "accent" rings to match my outfits. I don't think I would personally seek one out because I have a list of what I would get first (a fire opal or sapphire), but if one was given to me I would absolutely wear a chocolate diamond. ...and that was the final point of the article I read. If you like it, wear it. He said that there is no real good secondary market for the chocolate diamonds, but that applies for clear diamonds too. Which we all kind of know because how many times have their been threads about how shocked people are when they try to resell their diamond engagement rings? So if you like it, go for it.
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anniebygaslight
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Post by anniebygaslight on Feb 12, 2016 14:43:33 GMT
I'm not over keen on them.
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grinningcat
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Post by grinningcat on Feb 12, 2016 14:45:34 GMT
I like the look of chocolate or brown diamonds because they are different. Yes, I have diamond rings, I would have preferred coloured stones to having diamonds like almost everyone else on the planet but alas that part of the design was not left up to me. Yes blah blah blah colourless and flawless is best yadda yadda but it's so boring and so expected. A flare of colour to make the design different would have been lovely.
I tried really hard to campaign for black diamonds in my rings... but alas DH didn't go in that direction. I have a feeling his snobby aunts talked him out of it because it's "not right". Meh. I love what he chose, but a little colour, even brown would be nice.
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BarbaraUK
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Post by BarbaraUK on Feb 12, 2016 14:50:53 GMT
They were very popular here a couple of years ago and looked very pretty in the right settings. Haven't seen any around for ages now though - but there again I haven't looked in jewellers recently. I haven't got any but a friend of mine loves them......and they do get a lot of nice comments.
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Post by padresfan619 on Feb 12, 2016 14:53:19 GMT
I don't know what I hate more. Chocolate diamonds or those stupid spinning diamond pendant necklaces.
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