Salt & Pepper Diamond Engagement Rings

Salt & pepper diamonds are natural diamonds with imperfections. In the classic diamond market, they'd be viewed as a bad choice, since colorless diamonds are prized for their pristine, perfect clarity. But the same flaws and inclusions that make these unsuitable in the colorless diamond market can create a unique, beautiful look of its own. A slice of perfect imperfection, if you will. For someone looking to break the mold, a salt & pepper diamond provides an alternative that's absolutely unique, since no two salt & pepper diamonds are alike.

So what exactly are all of these imperfections? As a diamond forms, it might trap minerals or crystals inside it. It might also develop tiny fractures in its internal structure. These characteristics can result in black or white speckling throughout the diamond, the mix of which gives these stones their name. But the reality is that there's a broad spectrum of looks that inclusions can create, and that's the beauty of a salt & pepper diamond. We've tried to highlight examples on this page of just how many varied looks turn up. A perfect opportunity to pick a stone that's distinctive, stands out from the pack, and reflects your style and personality.

They're absolutely valuable! They're still diamonds, they continue to gain in popularity, and they're loved by those who wear them. They typically cost less than colorless diamonds, and, like any gem, their value reflects the characteristics that are more popular. But there's a challenge: unlike colorless diamonds, there's no standard system for grading or certifying the quality of these diamonds. And that's because this is a decision mostly about the look a person likes, rather than an objective evaluation of quality.

We'd say that makes two things particularly important. First, you should make sure to review high quality, detailed photos and videos of your diamond before you make a selection. Just as we recommend with colorless diamonds and other gemstones, you should trust your eyes to tell you what look you like. And second, you need to be a bit more mindful of ungraded characteristics like cut. Since these diamonds aren't graded, they will often be a bit rougher around the edges, a bit less symmetrical, and a bit more likely to have a cut that maximizes weight (and price!) rather than beauty. Again, if you've seen detailed photos, you should feel confident that you've seen and liked the way the diamond is cut. But we'd be careful about choosing something you can't see in detail! Our gem experts will always make sure you get a close-up detailed look at salt & pepper diamonds they show you, and they'll be happy to answer your questions until you're confident you're making a great choice.

Typically, your custom piece will be in your hands 2-4 weeks after we've finalized your design. However, because each project is different, the time it takes to complete your project may vary. Here's a rough breakdown of how long each part of our process takes:

When it comes to creating your design, we'll work at your pace. Some customers only need to exchange a few messages with us - we'll often be ready to make their piece within a few days. Others may prefer to design and iterate with us over many weeks, or even months.

Once you've approved a design, we'll manufacture your piece, finishing all the details by hand. When it's ready, we'll send you photographs of your finished piece so you can give us your seal of approval before we ship it to you.

We offer free shipping within the US via FedEx or USPS, and we ship international packages via DHL Worldwide Express, one of the fastest services available. Depending on location, international shipments can sometimes be delayed by local customs for inspection, which can extend the delivery time.

In general, our custom rings are the same price as similar rings off-the-shelf ('similar' meaning a comparable selection of metals and gemstones used, which are the biggest factors in price). Our aim is to make high-quality custom designs accessible to everyone.

Each ring we produce starts off as a brand new concept. Because of that, it’s difficult to know how much a piece is going to cost without knowing a bit more about the idea you have in mind.

The easiest way to figure out how much your ring will cost is to start a consultation with us and let our team know what you're looking for - we can provide an estimate with only a few details.

There's no charge to discuss your design, and price out options with our team. In many cases, our jewelry designers will also create artistic sketches of our design concepts for your piece. We request a deposit prior to producing 3D models and renderings of your design and that deposit goes toward the final cost of producing your piece.

Unlike most jewelers, we don't keep a huge inventory of gems. Since every piece we make is custom, we prefer to source each stone individually, to suit the design and the specific needs of each customer.

As with the rest of our design process, our team will guide you through the gem selection process. We start by figuring out what's important to you in a gemstone, whether it's budget, origin, size, color, or simply the overall look. With that in mind, we research and prepare a set of options that we think would work for you. Some come from our curated collection, others from a network of trusted suppliers, and in some cases, we may opt to have an expert lapidary custom cut your gem. You'll make the final decision on the option that best meets your needs, and we'll make sure you have everything you need to make the best choice.

Our primary goal with gemstones is transparency. The center stone is an essential part of the look of your ring and it can be a big financial decision. Trust is built on honest communication, so we work hard to give you all the information you need to make a confident choice.

We stand behind our jewelry 100% and we offer a comprehensive set of warranties so that you can purchase with confidence.

We guarantee our workmanship and take responsibility for any structural defects.

All the materials (metals, diamonds, and gemstones) we sell are authentic and properly specified in your proposal agreement.

If any small accent gems (<$100 value) break or fall out of their settings in the first year after we create the ring or within a year of us performing maintenance on the ring, we’ll replace them free of charge.

Read more about our warranties.