Black gemstones are rare. And we mean that in every sense of the word.
Be it in terms of pricing, production, refinement, designing, or even their mystical powers. Black gemstones stand out from the colorful array of over 300 gemstones.
If you’re shopping for gemstones, the rarity of these stones might’ve caught your eye. And that explains why you’re here reading this post.
The question arises here is; is the rarity hyped up or genuine? What’s special about black gemstones? How do you assess their special aspect?
Well, that’s what we’ll cover in this post. We’ll be sharing what makes black gemstones popular and how you can find the best black stones. Let’s get to it!
Popular Black Gemstones
Table of Contents
Historically, black gemstones have been linked to extremes:
- Death
- Life
Yes. You read that right!
Bits and pieces of history relate some black stones with evil, death, and the supernatural. For example, a black diamond is associated with death in India because these stones resemble the eye of a snake. Plus, there are elaborate histories on how these stones brought bad luck and lead to unfortunate occurrences.
On the contrary, some people have linked the black stones with healing powers in history. For example, in ancient Persian and Indian tales, the black onyx stone is believed to be a protector from evil. It is also believed to be a protector of harmonious relationships, which explains why an onyx engagement ring is more desirable today compared to a diamond engagement ring. The stone’s closely intact layers (often white) represent its strength against the most powerful of negative energy.
Similar symbolism exists for other black stones. But in any case, black stones seem to have a charm of their own. They have a mystic appearance that’s powerful enough to cause an impact visually and perhaps, spiritually.
The most popular black gemstones are:
- Black Diamond
- Black Sapphire
- Black Onyx
- Black Jade
- Black Opal
- Black Pearl
Apart from these, there are about 15 more. Altogether, there are 21 black gemstones.
How to Find the Best Black Stone?
Given the drastic contrast, how can you find the best black stone?
Well, that’s a challenging question. But rule number one here is: you don’t find the best black stone by means of its mystical powers! You’ve got to get to the practical grounds.
For that very reason, we’ve listed some of the aspects that can help you find your way to top-notch quality black gemstones.
Assess the Coloration
Color accounts for 60 percent of the price of any gemstone. The purer the color is, the higher the value of the gemstone will be.
So, when buying a black stone, make sure it is free of illusions caused by light as well as deeply embedded inclusions.
Gemstone color is defined by three things:
- Hue
- Saturation
- Tone
Based on these, you can come across black gemstones that may be termed as black, grey, black-grey, grey-black, pitch-black, etc. We advise you to pick the black stone with a clear black hue, balanced tone, and highest saturation.
With that said, it’s important to note that the grading of black gemstones is a bit different from regular gemstones. Unlike light and clear gemstones, clarity is not a priority metric. Saturation replaces it. So, the more saturated the black-colored layers of a black stone, the more valuable it is.
Check the Durability
Next, you ought to check the hardness of the stone on Moh’s scale. Ideally, a good gemstone should rank 7 or more on Moh’s scale of durability. If it does so, you can use it every day.
Black diamonds, sapphires, and garnets are the hardest black stones. Following this, we have black onyx, black pearls, and black opal as the strongest and toughest of black stones. These are better suited for occasional use.
Buy for Quality
A quality gemstone is one that possesses great durability and pure color without any external treatments. Although lab-created and enhanced black stones are good-looking too, they may not be as long lasting as their naturally-occurring counterparts. Hence, any black stone that’s purest without any chemical treatments is more worthy than others.
Note: We’re not talking about the physical enhancement of the stone at the time of selling. We’re talking about chemical enhancements.
Similarly, brand and price are also two determining factors when it comes to quality.
Final Words
All in all, black stones are not only what meets the eye. There’s a lot in these mystic little fellows that you ought to explore before you commit to carrying them with you.
