Salt and Pepper diamonds are becoming increasingly sought-after by bespoke jewellery designers, manufacturers and retailers, observes Bjorn Halpern, founder of London-based Bjorn Diamonds, who sources supplies from India, the world’s leading diamond manufacturing centre.
Salt and Pepper diamonds, featuring black and white inclusions giving a grey tone, are becoming very fashionable as part of a celebration of “Imperfection” seen across jewellery and fashion design trends.
They also have the advantage of being much cheaper than traditional white diamonds.
The inclusions throughout the stone are celebrated as one-of-a-kind patterns that reveal the stone’s history and natural composition.
Inclusions
The cause of their colour and appearance are numerous opaque mineral inclusions like graphite, hematite, and pyrite. These inclusions create the black and white marks that give Salt and Pepper diamonds their name.
They are sourced from Canada, Botswana and South Africa.
In jewellery, Salt and Pepper diamonds look best when standing alone, and not combined with other stones.
Bjorn Diamonds, based in the London diamond jewellery district of Hatton Garden, specialises in Salt and Pepper Diamonds, supplying full cuts in round and fancy shapes, which are very difficult to find as a steady source.
Founder Bjorn Halpern has obtained supplies from India, the world’s leading diamond manufacturing centre.
Bjorn Diamonds will be exhibiting at the postponed INHORGENTA MUNICH taking place from April 8-11, 2022.
“We are consistent and only stock what we can repeat again,” Bjorn says.
“Salt and Pepper diamonds are considerably cheaper (than white diamonds.) The idea is almost the same concept as why people are going for rough diamonds: with rough diamonds, one can get a large stone, say a 2-carat, and still have some life (in the stone), also stressing the beauty of nature untouched, and the same applies with Salt and Pepper diamonds.”
Bjorn added: “One can get a lively, 2-carat stone and be mesmerised by the fire of the diamond together with the inclusions, forming a greyish look stressing the beauty of nature.”
Fashionable gems
Asked what types of buyers would be interested in acquiring Salt and Pepper diamonds, Bjorn said, “Although they may be cheaper than traditional white diamonds, that is no reason to choose Salt and Pepper diamonds. Once considered undesirable, rough and inferior, Salt and Pepper diamond jewellery has now become highly sought-after and fashionable amongst those looking for something truly unique, mysterious and veering on the avant-garde.
“The key point is their uniqueness and so the interest in Salt and Pepper diamonds comes from jewellery designers, high-end fashion jewellery designers, as well as some of the leading manufacturers and brands.”
Bjorn said that someone wearing Salt and Pepper diamonds is also wearing white diamonds: salt and pepper diamonds can come across as more natural and less perfect than the traditional image of white diamonds – and they offer great value!
With Salt and Pepper diamonds, the inclusions can be large, dark and smoky, creating their distinctive characteristics and individualism.
No two Salt and Pepper diamonds ever look the same at any distance, their personalities defined by the unique graining and crystallisation of each stone.
As a supplier of Salt and Pepper diamonds, Bjorn has “perfected” imperfection by supplying only the very best, most expressive, diverse and intense stones available.
“We are recognised leaders in our field and supply to jewellery designers, manufacturers and brands around the world,” he said.
“Most of them have come to us because their customers are seeking an alternative to tradition or conformity, that is both affordable and celebrates beauty.”