Champagne Diamonds: A Modern Guide to Warm-Toned Diamonds in Australia If you love the idea of a diamond but you’re not drawn to the icy-white look, champagne diamonds are worth a closer look. They sit in a warm spectrum that can range from soft honey and caramel through to deeper cognac and rich brown tones. The result feels modern, flattering, and a little more distinctive than the classic colourless centre stone. This guide covers what champagne diamonds are, how colour is graded, what affects pricing, and what to look for when choosing one for a custom piece. What is a champagne diamond? “Champagne diamond” is a widely used trade term rather than a strict laboratory grade. Most champagne diamonds fall within the brown diamond family and can show golden, yellow, peach or orangey modifiers depending on the stone. On a grading report, you’ll usually see this presented in one of two ways: A diamond graded on the traditional D to Z colour scale that shows noticeable warmth, often further down the alphabet. A fancy colour diamond, where colour is described using hue, tone and saturation rather than letters. Either way, the appeal is the same. Warmth, depth, and colour that feels intentional. Champagne, cognac, brown — what’s the difference? Think of these words as style language, not hard rules. Champagne usually describes lighter warm browns (honey, beige-gold, soft caramel). Cognac tends to be deeper and more intense (amber, toffee, richer brown-orange). Brown is the broad category, and you’ll often see modifiers like yellowish, orangy or reddish in formal grading language. What matters most is how the diamond looks in real life and in multiple lighting environments. Natural vs lab-grown champagne diamonds Both exist, and both can be beautiful, the “right” choice depends on what you value most (origin story, budget, size goals, colour precision, availability). Natural champagne diamonds Natural brown diamonds occur due to specific conditions during formation and can show a wide range of tone and colour modifiers. Australia is part of champagne diamond history too. The Argyle mine in Western Australia was globally known for producing natural coloured diamonds, and it ceased mining in November 2020. Lab-grown champagne diamonds Lab-grown diamonds can be grown using common methods such as HPHT and CVD. Colour can also be influenced during the growth process, which means champagne tones can be quite consistent when sourced carefully. You can see everything from pale peachy champagnes through to deeper browns depending on the stone. What affects the price of a champagne diamond? Pricing works like any diamond, but with a few champagne-specific twists. In many cases, they can be more affordable than a colourless white diamond of the same size and comparable cut and clarity, simply because demand is different across the market. The main drivers: Carat weight (size changes price quickly) Cut quality (cut controls brightness and how colour presents) Clarity (how visible inclusions are without magnification) Colour tone + intensity (lighter vs deeper champagnes can price differently based on how desirable the colour is) Certification (a report gives you a shared language to compare stones) Two champagne diamonds can share the same “headline specs” and still look completely different. That’s why selection should be visual, not just based on what the report tells you. Certification: what you want to see For a centre stone, a recognised laboratory report matters. Not because a piece of paper makes a diamond beautiful, but because it clarifies what you’re actually buying. A report can confirm whether the stone is natural or lab-grown, document colour and clarity details, and disclose treatments where relevant. It also makes it easier to compare stones properly, especially if you’re deciding remotely. Commissioning a custom piece with a champagne diamond Champagne diamonds shine when the design is built around the stone. The goal is for the warmth to feel deliberate and balanced, not accidental. Yellow gold often accentuates the warmth in champagne diamonds. If you’re considering a champagne diamond, we can source options across natural and lab-grown, compare them side by side, and guide you through what matters for daily wear, colour appearance once set, and the trade-offs between size, tone and budget. If you’d like help sourcing the right champagne diamond, book an appointment in our Adelaide studio or submit a bespoke enquiry. Quick FAQ Are champagne diamonds “real” diamonds?Yes. Champagne diamonds are diamonds as the term refers to colour. Can lab-grown diamonds be champagne coloured?Yes. Lab-grown diamonds can be produced in a range of colours, including champagne and brown tones. Do champagne diamonds suit engagement rings?Absolutely. They're a warm alternative to ice white diamonds and the key is choosing a tone you love and a cut that presents it beautifully.
