Rustic Diamonds: Guide, Facts and Where to Buy

If you’re searching for colored diamond engagement rings, you’ve likely come across rustic diamonds. These nontraditional diamonds come in a seemingly endless range of colors and patterns, perfect for couples looking for something different than the standard white diamond.

But with so many rustic diamonds available, where do you even start? We’re breaking down everything you need to know about rustic diamonds, from what makes them look so different to special considerations for price and durability.

What Are Rustic Diamonds?

Rustic diamonds are heavily included diamonds. Inclusions—tiny mineral deposits within the structure of carbon atoms—give the diamond a cloudy, smoky, speckled, or starry appearance. Rustic diamonds come in a variety of sizes, cuts, and earthy tones, making each stone visibly unique.

What Makes Rustic Diamonds Special?

Rough rustic diamonds used to be discarded by jewelers for their “imperfect” appearance. Today, those very imperfections are valued for their mesmerizing inclusions, beautiful colors, and stunning depth, that make white diamonds look practically boring in comparison. If you’re looking for an engagement ring that exudes character, mystery, or otherworldly beauty, look no further than the wide world of rustic diamonds.

How Do Rustic Diamonds Vary?

Color

A rustic diamond’s color is heavily influenced by the type, placement, and quantity of inclusions. Certain types of minerals cause different colors. For example, iron inclusions cause reddish tones, nitrogen inclusions cause yellow diamonds, and boron causes blue and grey diamonds. Diamonds with a green hue are caused by natural irradiation during the formation of the stone.

Here’s some colors of rustic diamonds you might find:

- Galaxy diamonds (black and white specks)

- Red diamonds

- Orange diamonds

- Brown diamonds

- Yellow diamonds

- Blue diamonds

- Grey diamonds

- Green diamonds

Cuts

The most common cut for rustic diamonds is rose cut. A predecessor of the classic brilliant cut, rose cut was invented in the 16th century. Rose cuts have a flat bottom and triangular facets, creating a stunning rose-like appearance. When combined with a rustic hue, rose cut diamonds are absolutely show-stopping!

Rustic diamonds can also be found in classic diamond cuts like brilliant cut and stepcut. They look especially striking when cut into other unique shapes like hexagons, shield cuts, and elongated geometric cuts.

Quality

Because rustic diamonds are heavily included, their “clarity” and “color” grades are not judged in the same way that colorless diamonds are. Rustic diamonds, like other  “fancy diamonds”, are not measured on the standard diamond color scale. Instead, they’re graded on saturation, ranging from “fancy light” to “fancy vivid”.

Rustic diamonds also score far lower than a standard white diamond on the clarity scale, which measures the quantity and visibility of inclusions. But for these stones, inclusions aren’t a bug. They’re a feature.

When determining the quality of your rustic diamond, you’ll want to primarily look at the quality of the cut and polish. A poorly polished rustic diamond may be more vulnerable to chips.

Learn more about the 4 Cs of diamond quality in our diamond guide.

Inclusions

Inclusions are small imperfections found within diamonds. Inclusions can affect both the color and contrast of a stone. While some rustic diamonds have a subtle, glowing appearance, others might look high-contrast, speckly, or opaque.

Every rustic diamond is different, and some feature inclusions that are absolutely jaw-dropping, so take your time to look at a wide variety of stones. Your future self will thank you.

What Are Galaxy Diamonds?

Galaxy diamonds are a type of rustic diamond characterized by their luminous, salt-and-pepper appearance. Clear facets and dark carbon inclusions create a stunning contrast, making these stones as captivating as starlight scattered across a night sky.

Rustic Diamond Prices

Rustic diamonds are far more affordable than their traditional white diamond counterparts. Prices can range from $400 to over $3,000 for a 1- to 2-carat stone alone. Some colors, such as red diamonds, are far more rare than more common colors, and therefore are more expensive.

Our Favorite Ways to Set Rustic Diamonds

Take a look at some of the unique settings we’ve created with rustic diamonds specifically in mind. These rings are one-of-a-kind from our Alpine Collection, so if you see one you love, act fast before it’s gone!

The Julian Rustic Diamond Ring puts the classic rustic diamond look on full display. It features a 1.45 ct oval rustic diamond set in a milgrain bezel for an Art Deco twist. A .015 cttw natural diamond side flare adds an asymmetrical splash of bling to contrast the smoky center stone.

Wear the rarest color of rustic diamonds with the Reese Rustic Diamond Ring. This 14k yellow gold ring features two red rustic diamonds with stunning saturation and depth.

Rustic Diamond Care and Cleaning

Rustic diamonds require extra care while cleaning, especially if they have surface-reaching inclusions. Soak pieces in warm water mixed with mild dish soap, then gently brush with a soft toothbrush. 

Rustic diamonds can also chip more easily than white diamonds, especially if they are very heavily included. Take care to remove rustic diamond rings when performing manual labor or during activities where the ring could get hit.

For more general diamond and jewelry care, read our care and cleaning guide.

Choosing Your Rustic Diamond

With so many rustic diamond varieties on the market, this choice is all about your personal style. That’s why we recommend reviewing a wide range of diamonds so you can find the one that truly makes your heart sing! An expert jeweler can help you source rustic diamonds you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to see on your own, and help you choose a diamond that’s free of surface-reaching imperfections that can cause chipping.

Ready to bring your rustic diamond dreams to life? Explore our Alpine Collection or Book an appointment with Sarah O. Jewelry today.

Get more engagement ring and diamond breakdowns on the Sarah O. blog.