champagne diamonds: everything you need to know
if colorless diamonds have never quite done it for you, you're in the right place.
warm, unexpected and completely individual, champagne diamonds range from the softest hint of golden warmth to rich honey, cognac and deep brown. no two are exactly alike—and that's precisely why we love them.
at not your mom's diamonds, we're all about diamonds that feel personal: unique cuts, rare colors, unexpected shapes and pieces designed specifically for you. and while we'll never say no to a beautiful diamond, champagne diamonds will always have a special place in our hearts.
so, what exactly is a champagne diamond - and what should you know before choosing one?
what is a champagne diamond?
a champagne diamond is a diamond with a naturally warm body color that falls somewhere within the brown-to-yellow-brown color spectrum.
instead of the icy white appearance traditionally associated with diamonds, champagne diamonds can have shades of beige, golden brown, honey, caramel, cognac and everything in between.
and here's the important part: the warmth isn't a flaw. it's the point.
for decades, the traditional diamond industry trained consumers to equate "colorless" with "better." but diamonds don't have to be colorless to be beautiful - or valuable.
champagne diamonds offer something different: depth, warmth and character.
why are champagne diamonds brown?
a diamond's color comes down to what happened while it was forming - or, in the case of lab grown diamonds, the conditions under which it was grown and any subsequent treatment.
brown coloration is commonly associated with distortions in the diamond's crystal lattice. these structural irregularities influence how the diamond absorbs and reflects light, creating the warm brown tones we see.
the result can be anything from nude champagne to rich cognac.
and because color can behave differently from one stone to another, choosing a champagne diamond is much more nuanced than simply picking a letter on a traditional d–z color scale.
what color is a champagne diamond?
this is where things get fun.
"champagne" isn't one single color.
some champagne diamonds are pale and creamy with just a touch of warmth. others lean golden, peachy or honey colored. some have deeper caramel or cognac tones, while others can carry subtle undertones that completely change their personality.
that's one of our favorite things about working with them.
you aren't just choosing a carat weight and shape. you're choosing a specific shade, personality and mood.
and when we're sourcing a diamond for a custom piece, that's exactly what we're looking for.
champagne vs. cognac diamonds
you'll often hear champagne and cognac used to describe brown diamonds, but they generally refer to different intensities.
champagne usually describes lighter to medium warm brown diamonds, while cognac is commonly used for diamonds with deeper, richer brown coloration.
there's no universal line where champagne suddenly becomes cognac, though.
think of it more like a spectrum:
nude → honey champagne → caramel → cognac
and somewhere along that spectrum is your color.
are champagne diamonds real diamonds?
yes.
a champagne diamond is still a diamond.
the term "champagne" describes its color, not a different gemstone or diamond simulant.
champagne diamonds can be natural or lab grown, and both are chemically and physically diamonds. the distinction between natural and lab grown refers to their origin - not whether one is a "real" diamond.
natural vs. lab-grown champagne diamonds
both natural and lab grown diamonds can display beautiful warm colors, but they arrive there differently.
natural champagne diamonds formed within the earth over immense periods of time, with their coloration resulting from conditions and structural changes that occurred naturally.
lab grown diamonds are created using technology that replicates the conditions under which diamonds form. depending on the growth process and any treatments performed afterward, they can also develop or be given beautiful champagne, brown and golden tones.
neither category automatically produces a prettier diamond.
for us, the individual stone matters more than the label.
we look at its actual color, undertones, cut, proportions, light performance and overall personality.
because two diamonds described as "champagne" on paper can look completely different in person.
are champagne diamonds less expensive than colorless diamonds?
sometimes they’re less expensive, but sometimes they’re sold at a premium.
pricing depends on whether the diamond is natural or lab grown, its carat weight, cut, clarity, color, rarity and overall desirability.
more importantly, we don't think the reason to choose champagne should be price.
choose champagne because you want champagne.
choose it because you love warmth. because you don't want the same ring everyone else has. because honey, caramel or cognac looks incredible against your skin. because you saw the stone and couldn't stop thinking about it.
that's a much better reason to choose a diamond.
what cuts look best in champagne diamonds?
technically? whatever cut you love.
but this is where champagne diamonds can get especially interesting.
warm color paired with an unusual cut can create a diamond that looks completely unlike anything you'll find in a traditional jewelry case.
we're especially drawn to champagne diamonds in:
antique and old mine-inspired cuts
elongated cushions
antique ovals and movals
emerald and step cuts
old european-inspired cuts
hexagons and octagons
portrait and geometric cuts
one-of-a-kind custom cuts
different facet patterns interact with color differently. some cuts create broad flashes of light and emphasize depth, while others create more sparkle and movement.
that's why we don't believe there is one universally "best" champagne diamond cut.
the best one is the combination of color, shape and personality that makes you stop scrolling.
what metal looks best with champagne diamonds?
we love champagne diamonds in yellow gold.
the warmth of yellow gold can complement the diamond's golden and brown tones beautifully, creating a rich, tonal look.
but that's far from the only option.
white gold and platinum can create more contrast, allowing the warmth of the diamond to stand out. rose gold can emphasize peachier undertones. mixing metals can create an entirely different effect.
the setting itself matters too.
prongs, bezels, galleries and surrounding stones can all influence how you perceive a diamond's color once it's set.
that's why we prefer to think about the diamond and jewelry design together, rather than treating them as two completely separate decisions.
why we love champagne diamonds
because they're not trying to look like every other diamond.
they're warm. they're individual. they're a little unexpected.
and perhaps most importantly, choosing one tends to feel incredibly personal.
there isn't one universally "correct" shade of champagne. one person might fall in love with a barely-there creamy stone while someone else wants the deepest honey brown diamond they can find.
that's exactly how we think buying jewelry should feel.
less about following rules.
more about finding the thing you can't stop thinking about.
finding your champagne diamond
if you already know exactly what you want, amazing.
if all you know is "i want something warm and weird and i haven't seen it yet," we can work with that too.
at not your mom's diamonds, we specialize in bringing diamond dreams to life from sourcing unusual stones to creating custom cuts and designing completely bespoke pieces around them.
tell us the shape you've been imagining. send us the color you saved six months ago. show us the antique ring you love but want to completely reinvent.
we'll take it from there.
because your dream diamond doesn't have to already exist.
sometimes we get to create it.
and if it happens to be champagne?
even better. 🥂
