Black Diamonds and Mythology

                                   

Ya'll must know by now, the extent of which I adore black diamonds. I think they are gorgeous and I’m seduced by the mysterious look black diamonds carry. 

 

(Image source: www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk)

Perhaps this "mysterious-ness" I get from a piece of jewelry encrusted with black diamonds comes from knowing that their history dates all the way back to the medieval times, and well, the medieval times definitely have a mysterious air about them.

Black diamonds, in their smoky, dark beauty give me the feeling of temptation, and something about them just screams "lusty."  Or maybe it’s my weird mind that causes me to see a piece of jewelry and associate it as  something “lusty,” “seductive,” or “mysterious.” 

It’s only jewelry! 

But I can’t help it. Don’t judge me.

If you look, don’t you notice that those three words suit a black diamond eerily well? See, it isn’t just me.

It is possible, also, that  I associate black diamonds with mystery because of the strange mythology surrounding them.  

For example , in some places, like  India, black diamonds were thought to be cursed and owning them could even result in death! Perhaps it's the black color that makes people think of death. It is true that dark colors, especially black, are associated with death (example: black clothing is worn at funerals).

Or it could also be that black diamonds are impure  forms of polycrystalline diamonds, and the word “impure” does somewhat indicate negative things, and well, death is about as negative as things can get.

Negativity aside, in Italy, black diamonds are a completely different story.

There, it was believed that black diamonds, when touched, had the ability to "fix" marriage problems for a couple by, basically, "absorbing" the troubles of their marriage after rubbing the  black diamond.

Mythology such as that surrounding black diamonds, (the creepy type) has always intrigued me, but throw in the beauty of black diamonds and you have me hooked! I could certainly find myself absorbed in a fiction novel of this topic.

Since we’re on the topic, let's have a look at some of the totally breath-taking black diamond jewelry (from Avianne and Co., of course!)

Black Diamond Jewelry has always stood out to me, and since Ribbons and Pearls often posts for Avianne and Co. I thought I'd dedicate this particular post to lovely black diamonds, starting with the almost retro-ish Heart Pendant with BlackDiamonds: 

And with what almost appears to be tiny slivers of silver ice sandwiched between rectangles of black diamonds, the Women's Diamond Pendant featured below took my breath away at first click.

This is what I call a one-of-a-kind statement pendant.

For those of you who never thought a black piece of jewelry could be so intriguing (or should I use the word "mysterious" again? It is fitting, you have to admit!), I present to you:

The Women's Diamond Onyx Ring

Okay, the glamorous Onyx ring does not feature actual black diamonds, but the gem is black and plenty gorgeous enough to make the list of breath-taking black jewelry!

 The onyx gem -- from that particular angle -- has a velvet-y appearance.

The onyx, lined with diamonds couldn't have been more perfectly crafted, from the shape to the texture to size.

The Onyx gem comes to a sharp point in the center, which is unique in itself, then you have the texture of the gem -- also unique.

Penhaligon's LP NO.9 For women

Ya'll my know that a good fragrance is something I hold very dear to my heart. So I was looking into new fragrances, something different from my everyday scents, which are pretty similar to each other. I wanted to try out something totally different. So I found several fragrances that really stood out to me from the lovely Penhaligon's. I want to share my experiences with the different samples of Penhaligon's perfume I ended up with. 

As you can see, the beautiful pink/black packaging of LP N0.9 For Ladies is very appealing to a younger girl like me (age 22). Although I am a perfume bottle collector,  I do try and not let the packaging sway my decisions. This one is hard not to just love as soon as you see it. 

Sample

Sample

This particular one is LP N0.9. Here's Penhaligon's marvelous description:

"Created in 1998, LP No. 9 for ladies is potent and addictive brew of sweet floral notes, spices and musk. It opens with a creamy accord of tarragon and lavender sharpened with a twist of lemon. The heart reveals the open sweetness of carnation wrapped in rich sensual base notes of cedar, spice & vanilla. The final effect is gorgeously soft and romantic, strange and beguiling."

Perfumer: Christian Provenzano

"Our fine fragrances are made in England using the finest rare ingredients; from hand-squeezed bergamot, to jasmine at twice the price of gold. Our signature Penhaligon’s fragrance bottle is to William Penhaligon's original design: clear glass with a distinctive ribbon-wrapped top."

 

LP N0.9 base notes:  

Cinnamon, Patchouli, Musk, Amber, Cedar and Vanilla

LP N0.9 heart notes: 
Carnation, Rose and Jasmine

LP N0.9 head notes:

Lemon, Geranium, Bergamot, Tarragon and Lavende

The way smells to me & when mixed with my own skin's chemicals:

My very first impression of LP NO.9   was powdery. The dry down is so sweet, smooth and with notes of lemon.

Words that come to mind when I smell LP No. 9 :

Femininity, pink, powder, lace, lemon, clean, energizing.









*Fore more info on sponsored reviews, see my disclosure page. I was not given any monetary compensation to review any of the products on my page. Everything is done at my own will and I've given nothing more than my true opinion/experience in hopes of helping others. See my honesty pledge at the top of page*