Black Diamonds Are The Latest Jewelry Trend

One of the latest jewelry trends for both men and women is the dramatic black diamond. Skeptical? Victoria's Secret has just released a one-off bra adorned with 3,577 black diamonds, 2 of which come in at a combined weight of 100 carats, worth $US5 million. The November/ December 2008 Brides magazine issue has also featured a spread on black diamond rings, describing them as "the next big thing". Read on for some little known facts about this rarely seen, until fairly recently, diamond.

What is a black diamond?

* Black diamonds are rare, and considered to be fancy colored diamonds, along with the pinks, greens, oranges, purples, and reds.
* Black diamonds were discovered in 1840 and can only be found in Brazil and Central Africa.
* Black diamonds are colored due to the graphite contained in the stone.

Black diamonds may well be heavenly bodies.

According to New Scientist, scientists have been puzzled by the fact that black diamonds are porous, unlike conventional diamonds, and are created by millions of particles of diamond dust fused together. One likely explanation for this would be that a supernova exploded in space billions of years ago, forming an asteroid containing black diamonds, which then fell to earth when South America and Africa were joined as one land mass.

Using infra-red measuring equipment at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, US, scientists were able to ascertain that the hydrogen in the black diamonds originates in interstellar space, and is the same as that found in diamonds from space and other meteorites. This would explain why black diamonds do not have the composition of other diamonds which have been formed under immense pressure under the Earth's surface.

Celebrities seen wearing black diamonds:
* Victoria Beckham has been seen wearing her black diamond ring on and off for many years.
* Carmen Electra has a black diamond and platinum engagement ring (worthy of a repeat offending musician's fiancee).
* Adriana Lima modeling the black diamond bra for Victoria's Secret.

Black diamonds and men's jewelry.

Out of all the fancy colored diamonds, black is the most preferred by men. Black diamonds worked with the newest metals such as titanium, tungsten and carbide are all catching the eyes of men. The latest jewelry trends for men include stainless steel dog tags featuring inlaid black diamonds, and rings, both in titanium and stainless steel, set with black diamonds. Another jewelry item increasingly popular for men are bracelets inlaid with black diamonds.

Black diamonds are the latest jewelry trend for both men and women. Jewelry made from heavenly bodies, what more could a mere mortal ask for?

Popping The Question & Memorable Engagement Proposal Ideas.

Okay, you have decided that you cannot live without her. You have made the big decision to propose to your girlfriend. This is going to be a memorable event for the pair of you for the rest of your lives. Depending on the personality style of your girl, there are many ways to propose. Here are a few romantic, sporty, and original ways to say "Will you marry me?"

Romantic proposals.

For the girl who is a real romantic and absolutely adores all things involving love, including Valentine's Day, why not try one of these:

* Revisit your first date. Take your girlfriend back to your first date for a little reminiscing, and then pop the question. She will love the fact that you even remember where the first date was. (Only recommended for those guys who definitely know where the first date was.)

* Modify the menu. Take her to your favorite restaurant, or perhaps one that you have both been saving for a special occasion. Type up your marriage proposal on a piece of paper and have the restaurant stick it in the menu folder. Perhaps you could substitute it for the dessert menu?

* Change the fortune cookie. Remove the fortune from the cookie and replace with your proposal.

* Special opening of your favorite jeweler's. If you have a preferred jeweler, or you know where she would prefer to select her engagement ring, why not see if the staff are amenable to allowing you to come through at a special time before or after a romantic meal. She will be thrilled at the celebrity style service.

Proposal ideas for the sporty gal.

* Scoreboard. If you and your gal are sports fans, arrange for the scoreboard to flash up at half-time with "Will you marry me...?"

* Snorkelling and diving. Pop the ring in a big shell, and when you get out of th water, give the shell to your girlfriend. Let her shake the shell and have the ring drop out. (Only recommended in shallow water, or with possibly an imitation engagement ring in case the real thing gets lost.)

* Parachuting. Jump out of a plane together and have an instructor jump out later with a chute or banner saying "Will you marry me?"

Other engagement ideas.

* Decorate the Christmas tree. Invite her around to help trim the tree, or alternatively, decorate it while she is out. The twist? The only decoration is the ring dangling from a branch, or being used as the star on top of the tree.

* Cinema. Take her to the movies, and arrange for the management to show your proposal in amongst the ads at the beginning.

* Freeze the ring in an ice cube and have a special drink at the end of a meal.

* Word games. Play a game like Scrabble and spell out "Will you marry me?" Alternatively try Pictionary or charades to demonstrate your wedding proposal.

There are many ways to ensure that your marriage proposal is as individual or as romantic as you and your girl. A little thought and planning will make those 4 words a special memory to last a life time, along with the engagement ring of course.

Will You Marry Me? BYO Diamond

"Will you marry me" is probably one of the most longed for phrases for any girl in a stable relationship. While those 4 words may be very exciting and romantic for a girl, for a guy they can conjure up all sorts of logistical nightmares. Once a guy has decided to propose, and then thought up a romantic or original engagement proposal, then he is faced with another big issue: whether or not to accompany his wedding proposal with an engagement ring.

While some girls like to be presented with a fait accompli and an engagement ring in a box, others may secretly be a little fussy with their preferences. For those guys who have absolutely no clue as to what their girlfriends like, this may present a bit of a problem. While most girls will tell you that they love their ring, it can be quite an investment to purchase something that is not quite perfect. (Not to mention a lifetime of wearing an engagement ring that you don't especially like.) If you are unsure what your fiancee-to-be may like as an engagement ring why not go for this fail safe approach?

When popping the question why not present her with a loose diamond you have selected yourself? This way you still get to present her with that little ring box, but she still gets to select the style of ring setting that she prefers. Generally the diamond is the most costly part of an engagement ring, so this system can work extremely well for those fellas who would prefer to keep some part of the engagement ring cost to themselves.

Tacori jewelry is a company famous for their high quality and intricate engagement rings. Their engagement rings are selected in 2 stages, the ring setting, and the center stone. This can work extremely well for the guy who already has a diamond. Why not present her with the loose diamond and a Tacori catalog to look through for inspiration?

Alternatively there are many custom jewelers who will design an engagement ring around an existing stone. If you have purchased your diamond loose, as opposed to inheriting it or removing it from Granny's ring, then the jeweler you bought it from will probably have some helpful suggestions as well.

Presenting your fiancee with a loose diamond in a ring box at the time of the proposal can remove the awkwardness of inadvertently purchasing an engagement ring that your girl does not like. You still retain the romance of her receiving a diamond, but she gets to select an engagement ring setting of her choice. Romantic yet practical.