Why Desert diamonds are Our New Obsession

Colorless and blemish-free have become benchmarks for diamonds. While these qualities in natural diamonds are celebrated because of their rarity (very few diamonds end their journey from deep within the Earth’s mantle to the jewelry store with no marks or discoloration to show for it), the rise of laboratory-grown diamonds (known as LGDs) means that gemstones with top-tier color and clarity grades are no longer unusual.

That’s where Desert diamonds come in. Naturally reflecting the soft, sunbaked tones of desert landscapes, they shimmer in shades like champagne, honey, sand and whiskey. Not exclusively recovered from deserts but reminiscent of them in their color and earthly beauty, Desert diamonds radiate character.

As more things in life become increasingly homogenized – fashion, interiors, beauty standards – Desert diamonds provide a break from the norm. Crafted by Mother Nature, with hues as individual as fingerprints, desert diamonds are one-of-a-kind.

When perfection becomes predictable

LGDs are often 30-50% less expensive than natural diamonds¹ and so, on paper, might sound like a great idea: more diamond bang for your buck.

Because they’re created in labs or factories using industrial processes, LGDs can be made flawless and colorless. The subtle warmth of champagne, ochre and amber are still nature’s domain².

LGDs are made in huge batches³, which, unlike natural diamonds, means they’re not rare. Consequently, their long-term value is still uncertain, especially as more enter the market⁴. Right now, they’re affordable – but whether they hold their worth is a different question entirely.

Technically brilliant? Yes. Emotionally? Undecided. If self-expression and individuality are important to you and your values, a diamond that’s made on repeat just won’t cut it.

Why individuality and character matter more than ever

Algorithms have a lot to answer for! Sure, they can be super helpful at times, but perhaps they’ve made our outfits more alike, our social feeds similar and our sense of self a little harder to define.

It feels like the tide might be turning, however, especially in how we approach luxury goods. According to global management consulting firm Bain & Company, a whopping 82% of consumers now expect fashion and luxury to help them express their true selves⁵.

It tracks, too: 2025 has already been dubbed the year of personalization in interior design⁶, and at Prada’s spring catwalk show late last year, anti-algorithm energy ruled – think clashing textures, disjointed silhouettes and outfits that felt joyfully off-script. ‘New’ luxury is emotional, relatable and deeply personal.

Natural diamonds are perfectly placed within this shift. Formed deep within the Earth’s mantle billions of years ago, they own their inclusions and peculiarities. These are all part of their charm, like freckles on cheeks or the aged patina of vintage leather.

Brown diamond solitaire engagement ring in leather box

Desert diamonds: the opposite of cookie-cutter

Warm, earthy and completely one-of-a-kind, desert diamonds achieved their color from naturally occurring nitrogen that interacted with their crystals during the formation period or from structural variations (also known as distortions in a diamond’s crystal lattice) that affect how they absorb and reflect light. The brown tones you see in darker champagne and whisky-colored gems are almost always the result of lattice distortions.

Colorless natural diamonds, which sit at the start of the GIA’s D-Z diamond color scale, are hugely covetable. However, desert diamonds, which sit further down the scale, are not only just as beautiful but also offer a little more personality.

Ranging from K-M on the color scale are sun-lit whites and cream-hued gems, and from N-Z (known as Cape diamonds), you’ll find champagne, honey and sand-colored diamonds.

Also classed as desert diamonds are fancy color yellow and brown diamonds, which sit under a different color classification all together and dazzle in shades of ochre, amber, sunset and whisky.

Diamonds with personality, character and meaning

Desert diamond shades aren’t just for aesthetics, though – the toasty palette has a grounding energy and carries deeper meaning.

Cream and champagne colors are said to represent warm-heartedness and openness, while shades of yellow are traditionally linked with joy, abundance and vitality. On the darker end of the desert diamond spectrum, whisky and mocha brown are said to bring wisdom, protection and inner power.

Sure, you can choose a Desert diamond because it’s your favorite color or complements your complexion, but you could also make your decision based on the energy you want it to channel.

Female olive-skinned hand with desert diamond ring on middle finger

A new era of diamond desirability

Desert diamonds deviate from the norm in that they’re unusual but also stand for something more expressive. They’re leading a quiet revolution in diamond buying.

The beauty of Desert diamonds lies in their nuance, not uniformity. Their varying shades (each one being entirely individual) are a sign that they haven’t been engineered to ‘perfection’, instead shaped by nature, with all its mystery and unpredictability.

In 2025, this feels less like a trend and more like a turning point, one that reflects a broader shift toward individuality and personal expression in how we wear, gift, and connect with ourjewelry⁷.

Nothing cements a movement like celebrity endorsement. Are desert diamonds approved by the A-listers? Absolutely. Country Music legend Carrie Underwood has a five-carat, round-cut yellow diamond engagement ring that beams with sunshine, while Scarlett Johansson said “yes” to an 11-carat, pear-cut light-brown diamond, set on a brown band, from SNL’s Colin Jost in 2019 (pictured below right).

Scarlett Johansson’s engagement ring — Image courtesy of Taffin Jewelry on Instagram

Why meaning always outshines perfection

Desert diamonds step away from the precise and carry an individual mood, story and energy – and we love it. Each one with subtle differences; their warm tones not hiding their origin but celebrating it. Each one brings its own kind of glow.