What Are Salt & Pepper Diamonds? Everything You Need to Know

If you've been seeing more speckled, smoky, galaxy-like diamonds showing up in your feed lately — those are salt and pepper diamonds, and they're having a very well-deserved moment. At LaRue & Co., we've been obsessed with them for years. Here's everything you need to know.

What Is a Salt & Pepper Diamond?

A salt and pepper diamond is a natural diamond that contains a high number of inclusions — tiny minerals, crystals, or fractures trapped inside the stone as it formed deep in the earth. In traditional diamond grading, inclusions are considered flaws that lower a stone's value. But in salt and pepper diamonds, those inclusions are the whole point.

The result is a stone that looks like a tiny galaxy, a storm cloud, or a piece of the night sky. No two are alike. Ever.

Why We Love Them

Honestly? Because they're real. A flawless white diamond is beautiful, but there's something deeply compelling about a stone that wears its history on its surface. Salt and pepper diamonds feel alive in a way that perfectly clear stones sometimes don't.

They're also significantly more accessible price-wise than their flawless counterparts, which means you can get a larger, more dramatic stone for the same budget. We're big fans of that math.

Are They Durable?

Yes — they're still diamonds, which means they're a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale (the hardest natural material on earth). The inclusions don't make them fragile. They're completely wearable as everyday jewelry, including engagement rings.

What Do They Look Like?

Salt and pepper diamonds range from mostly white with dark speckles (more "salt") to mostly dark and smoky (more "pepper") with every variation in between. Some look like storm clouds. Some look like the Milky Way. Some have a single dramatic inclusion that runs through the center like a lightning bolt. Each one is completely unique, which is exactly why we love them.

Salt & Pepper Diamonds at LaRue & Co.

We work with salt and pepper diamonds in several of our pieces, including the Athena Ring — our salt and pepper diamond ring set in 14k yellow gold. Because we source and set each stone individually, every piece is truly one of a kind.

Interested in a custom salt and pepper diamond piece? Let's talk. We love building something completely unique around a stone that speaks to you.

— Charlotte, LaRue & Co. New York