For years, the rule was simple. The clearer the better. Flawless was the goal, and anything visible inside a diamond was treated as a problem to be minimised or priced down. Lately, that rule has quietly flipped, and some of the most sought-after diamonds right now are the ones with something going on inside them.
So What Changed?
A big part of it comes down to lab-grown diamonds. Perfect, clear white stones are now genuinely easy to get, which means "flawless" doesn't feel quite so special anymore. When perfection is available on demand, people naturally start wanting the thing that isn't, something that couldn't simply be ordered to spec.
That's where inclusions come in. Those tiny natural markings inside a diamond, once seen as flaws, are now proof that a stone formed naturally, deep underground, over millions of years, with a pattern nobody could ever replicate on purpose. No two are ever the same, which is exactly the point.
Salt And Pepper Diamonds Lead the Charge
The clearest example of this shift is the rise of salt-and-pepper diamonds, stones scattered with visible black and white inclusions that give each one a unique, almost galaxy-like look. A few years ago, these were considered lower grade. Now they're often chosen deliberately, over clearer stones, purely because of that individuality.
Not About Settling For Less
Choosing an imperfect stone isn't a compromise anymore; it's a genuine style choice. It tends to suit a more relaxed, organic look, and it usually comes with a friendlier price tag than an equivalent flawless stone too, which makes it an easy trend actually to try.
Worth Seeing In Person
If your only image of an included diamond is dull or lower quality, it's worth having a proper look at one before deciding. Once you see how the inclusions catch the light, it's easy to understand why people are choosing them on purpose now.
Visit us at Azzallure and see a few in person. Chances are you'll leave with a very different idea of what makes a diamond special.