Salt and Pepper Diamond Engagement Rings: The NZ Guide

If you are looking for something truly unique, then a salt and pepper diamond may just be the engagement ring for you. Extremely difficult to find in New Zealand, they represent perfection in imperfection. But the buying process for one is tricky because they are not graded on the 4Cs. Instead, salt and pepper diamonds need to be graded on their appearance and durability. This article will walk you through everything you need to know about salt and pepper diamonds.

What are salt and pepper diamonds?

A salt and pepper diamond is a diamond that has black or white inclusions (hence salt and pepper) giving the diamond a speckled look. These inclusions can be subtle, or to the point they ultimately change the colour of a diamond from white to grey or yellow.

As the name implies, inclusions are impurities trapped within the diamond. These inclusions break the carbon lattice that form a diamond. The results are both structural and visual imperfections in the diamond.

Are salt and pepper diamonds real diamonds?

Salt and pepper diamonds are real diamonds. They are just lots of inclusions. So if you were to measure them on the 4Cs, then its clarity will be around I2 and I3. But because these inclusions are what make these diamonds unique, making the grading system irrelevant in the salt and pepper context.

Traditionally, salt and pepper diamonds were considered poor quality diamonds. However, only recently have people come to appreciate its beauty. And it speaks volumes about the fact that not all diamonds should be measured against the 4Cs. Another example includes coloured diamonds.

What should I look for in a salt and pepper diamond?

Salt and pepper diamonds should be treated more like a coloured gemstone; and a strong emphasis should be put on the durability and visuals of the diamond.

Carat

Salt and pepper diamonds can be measured against carat. It will be a measure of the weight of the stone.

Clarity

Most salt and pepper diamonds start around the I2 range in clarity. Our recommendation is to be very picky with your clarity and see if you can trade off clarity with colour if you are going for a brown hue or darker tone. The greater the number of inclusions, the more susceptible the diamond will be to cracking or chipping.

Colour

If you are still looking for sparkle, then you can get heavily included but still sparkly salt and pepper diamonds if the colour range is DEFG. The further down the colour scale you go, the more grey-brown the diamonds are likely to be. And because inclusions are literally other minerals in the diamond, you are more likely to get different colours. If you’re lucky, you can also find some two-toned diamonds.

Cut

It can be very difficult to get ideal or excellent cut salt and pepper diamonds because of their inclusions. It is also for this reason you will see more old fashion cuts such as the rose and pear cuts. It is also common to see hexagonal and trillion cut salt and pepper diamonds.

Durability

While diamonds do rank 10/10 on the Mohs hardness scale, salt and pepper diamonds are much more likely to crack due to the inclusions. The difference between a poor and high quality salt and pepper diamond is whether its inclusion is surface reaching. Surface reaching inclusions means that a crack exists from within the diamond to the surface making it more likely to chip.

So when you buy a salt and pepper diamond, it is important to discuss what you are looking for with a respected jeweller so that they can pick out a durable stone. At Four Words, we can help you understand if a salt and pepper diamond was cut in a way to both enhance the effect of the inclusions and not compromise the integrity of the stone.

Are salt and pepper diamonds as good as flawless diamonds?

Because salt and pepper diamonds have so many inclusions, it does mean that they are less durable than less included diamonds. The impurities mean that the diamonds essentially have cracks or “weak points” which can make salt and pepper diamonds prone to cracking or chipping. It is also for this reason that you will typically see salt and pepper diamonds with more prongs, claw prongs or in full bezel.

Are salt and pepper diamonds expensive?

Salt and pepper diamonds are typically more affordable than high quality white diamonds. In saying that, salt and pepper diamond engagement rings still cost between $3500 - $6000 NZD depending on the size because they can be difficult to source, and even more difficult to get a high quality salt and pepper diamond.

What is the meaning behind salt and pepper diamonds?

Salt and pepper diamonds are best known for beauty in imperfections. The “salt” and “pepper” is symbolic of love and life itself — containing both light and dark, and that beauty can be found in both.

Are salt and pepper diamonds more ethical?

Salt and pepper diamonds are typically naturally sourced. But because they contain inclusions, they are a lot easier to find than those without so many inclusions. They are not as rare as a whole (but each individual salt and pepper diamond is genuinely unique due to the number and type of inclusion) meaning less mining needs to occur for each salt and pepper diamond.

Do salt and pepper diamonds hold their value?

Salt and pepper diamonds don’t hold their value, like any other diamond or gemstone. In saying that, salt and pepper diamonds are cheaper than “high” quality mined diamonds. This makes it a more financially sensible option.

What are the different types of salt and pepper diamonds?

There are three main ways to characterise a salt and pepper diamond and it comes mostly down to the intensity of the inclusions and the colour of the diamond.

Sparkly salt and pepper diamonds

If we were to measure these diamonds on the 4Cs, its clarity would be between I2 and I3 but their cut would be ideal or excellent. The “pepper” in these diamonds make them beautiful and interesting.

Salty diamonds

Mostly white, these are the lightest coloured salt and pepper diamonds. They range from milky white to dusty grey.

Balanced salt and pepper diamonds

With a bit of salt and bit of pepper, these diamonds are balanced between the two. They are typically light grey and have speckles of salt and pepper throughout the diamond.

Pepper diamonds

These diamonds are mostly dark grey; and sometimes even tending towards black. The salt in these diamonds give it its allure.

Looking to buy a salt and pepper diamond?

There is definitely a range in quality and price when it comes to buying a salt and pepper diamond. So if you are just starting out on your journey and looking for advice, you can book in a time with Four Words for a no obligation conversation about your piece. We will walk you through what to look out for when buying a salt and pepper diamond. At Four Words you can also customise your salt and pepper diamond engagement ring or fine jewellery by choosing which stones to use and its colour and design with our custom bespoke design process.