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Francesca Fearon

Far from all diamonds are bright and white. Beyond those graded as colourless, and others with just a trace of yellow to them, lie warmer tones that are a little less bling. Seen by some as more sophisticated, they have lately been catching the attention of jewellery designers and celebrities in the know.
Witness Kim Kardashian resplendent in a brown and white diamond necklace for the Jeff Bezos – Lauren Sánchez wedding in July, while Taylor Swift slipped on a vintage cognac and white diamond bracelet from Stephanie Gottlieb for the cover of her latest album Life of a Showgirl.

De Beers has recently christened these gemstones – spanning brown, ochre, cognac and champagne tones – desert diamonds, evoking the parts of southern Africa from where so many of them originate. Some of the earliest to be mined were found in South Africa and were formerly called Cape diamonds, which in tradespeak are graded M and upwards, signifying champagne to cognac colours. It is thought Taylor Swift’s engagement ring, for example, is an old mine-cut K-coloured diamond.
De Beers’ Talisman collection, originally launched 20 years ago, was distinguished not only by its use of rough-cut natural diamonds and finely polished diamonds in the same piece, but also by its palette of desert colours. For the anniversary in 2025, De Beers updated its assortment of pendants, rings and bangles, and now markets them using the new name.

One early A-list adopter to embrace these earthy tones was Scarlett Johansson, whose 11-carat light brown diamond on brown ceramic band – first sighted in 2019 – is thought to be by New York jewellers Taffin, and with its rare cut, is something of a connoisseur’s piece.

Another jeweller who has championed desert-coloured diamonds throughout his career is Beverly Hills-based Neil Lane, particularly in his early days when still working for De Beers.
“I have long appreciated these unique stones,” he says. “From my earliest ring designs, these earthy hues were part of my creative vision, blending beautifully with yellow and pink gold. I have found ways to highlight these coloured stones – what we now call ‘desert diamonds’ – in new and artistic ways.”

Lane has a passion for 18th- and 19th-century jewellery and is inspired by the jewellers of Old Hollywood. One of his proudest moments, he says, was Jennifer Hudson accepting her Oscar for Dreamgirls (2006) in a bold ring he designed, set with brown and champagne colours. Fast forward to today and Doja Cat’s promo video for “Gorgeous” has her wearing a retro pectoral pendant by Neil Lane Couture, set with a whopping 120 carats of desert diamonds.
The subtlety of these diamonds particularly resonates with contemporary designers like Hemmerle, Fernando Jorge and Dries Criel, as well as Nicholas Lieou, who has combined brown diamonds with mammoth tusk ivory in his Mr. Lieou Links collection. In addition, Beyoncé wore Shola Branson’s 18k single mine origin gold drop earrings, set with champagne and brown diamonds, for the London dates on her Cowboy Carter Tour.

The signature curves and sinuous shapes of Fernando Jorge’s designs are often inspired by the Amazon region of his native Brazil. His recent collections, including Deep Stream, use ethically sourced red louro wood with diamonds. “I’ve always loved brown diamonds for the combination of humble colour and glittering presence,” says the London-based jeweller.
Referring to his first collection, Fluid, he says “I started using brown diamonds in combination with rose gold as a more subtle and discreet alternative to yellow gold and white diamonds.” He also likes the way the stones almost blend with the skin and “become more nuanced and interesting when they catch the light”.

Belgian jeweller Criel created a collection based on warm brown diamonds that was a sell-out, and he has since added extra pieces like the Brute earrings. “It is a balance of contemporariness and timelessness,” he says of these diamonds. “These desert colours give more power and depth, and are more characterful.”

Munich-based avant-garde jeweller Hemmerle has a passion for playing with interesting colours and has subtle champagne, cognac, light brown and orangey-brown diamonds in its range, set in either bronze or aluminium for brooches and rings.
These intriguing colours are also a point of interest for another bold contemporary jeweller, Sarah Ysabel Narici of Dyne, who is more interested in a rich brown diamond than a white one for her limited-edition pieces that cleverly combine history with futurism.

Fellow New Yorker Jade Trau embraces these desert shades too, while admitting that they are not easy to source. “Not only am I generally searching for a variety of shapes, but colour plays a huge factor,” she says. “I like browns that lean more grey and less yellow generally, which I think are a bit harder to find.” Her clients are diamond people and so she thinks “the warmer tones add a layer of contrast to an existing white diamond stack that is visually interesting. I just love being able to use colour in my designs”.


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Jewellery

What are desert diamonds and why is everyone from Taylor Swift to Beyoncé wearing them?

Beyoncé wearing Shola Branson earrings on the Cowboy Carter tour. Photo: Handout

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl album cover. Photo: Handout

Scarlett Johansson’s engagement ring, featuring an 11-carat light brown diamond. Photo: Handout 

De Beers’ Talisman locket mixes yellow and brown rough diamonds with white polished diamonds. Photo: Handout

Doja Cat’s promo video for “Gorgeous” has her wearing a retro-inspired pectoral pendant by Beverly Hills-based Neil Lane Couture, set with 120 carats of desert diamonds. Photo: Handout

Deep Stream bracelet and ring by Fernando Jorge, featuring brown diamonds, 18k yellow gold and louro wood. Photo: Handout

Brute Diamanti earrings by Dries Criel. Photo: Handout

Hemmerle ring, featuring a fancy yellow-brown diamond. Photo: Handout

Oval brown diamond with white pear-shaped diamond on gold plié collar by Jade Trau. Photo: Handout

Antique-cut diamonds all the rage since Taylor Swift unveiled her engagement ring

Stacked Godna antique-cut earrings: part of a trend for older and more traditional diamond cuts, thanks to Taylor Swift and her engagement ring. Photo: Studio Renn

Ashley Zhang Rory engagement ring. Photo: Handout

Old-mine antique-cut rings from Hancocks London. Photo: Handout

Briony Raymond diamond ring. Photo: Handout

Studio Renn earrings. Photo: Handout

How Asian jewellery designers are embracing sculptural, story‑driven high jewellery

Austy Lee’s The Caduceus of Hermès necklace. Photo: Handout

Feng J Ginkgo Leaf of the Light brooch. Photo: Handout

Austy Lee The Pink Orchid from The Lunar brooch. Photo: Handout

Feng J Blooming Dragonfly Diva brooch. Photo: Handout

Feng J Pink Anthurium brooch. Photo: Handout

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Addison Rae, Olivia Dean and Chappell Roan at the Grammys 2026. Photos: Getty Images via AFP, EPA

Bad Bunny. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

Chappell Roan. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

Yoonchae Jeung, Megan Skiendiel, Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Sophia Laforteza and Daniela Avanzini of Katseye. Photo: EPA

Olivia Dean. Photo: EPA

Sabrina Carpenter. Photo: EPA

Tyla. Photo: Reuters

Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber. Photo: Getty Images

Audrey Nuna, Ejae and Rei Ami of KPop Demon Hunters. Photo: Getty Images

Zara Larsson. Photo: EPA

Addison Rae. Photo: EPA

Miley Cyrus. Photo: Getty Images

Doechii. Photo: AP

Lady Gaga. Photo: Getty Images

Billie Eilish. Photo: Reuters

Nicola Peltz Beckham’s fashion collaborations, from Balenciaga to Moncler and Pepe Jeans

Nicola Peltz Beckham has starred in numerous fashion campaigns, solo and with husband Brooklyn Beckham. Photo: @nicolaannepeltzbeckham/Instagram

Nicola Peltz Beckham in Genny’s spring/summer 2026 campaign. Photo: @nicolaannepeltzbeckham/Instagram

Nicola Peltz Beckham and Brooklyn Beckham in a shot for Pepe Jeans. Photo: @nicolaannepeltzbeckham/Instagram

Nicola Peltz Beckham in the GCDS tie-in for the fashion house in 2023. Photo: @nicolaannepeltzbeckham/Instagram

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Nicola Peltz Beckham and hubby Brooklyn Beckham recreated their I-love-you moment for Moncler. Photo: @moncler/Instagram

Express named Nicola Peltz Beckham and hubby Brooklyn Beckham icons of style last year. Photo: @express/Instagram

Nicola Peltz Beckham has maintained her ties with Genny. Photo: @nicolaannepeltzbeckham/Instagram

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Model Emily Ratajkowski led the recent trend in divorce rings. Photo: @emrata/Instagram

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Emily Ratajkowski made her toi et moi engagement ring into two divorce rings. Photo: @emrata/Instagram

Brooks Nader is seen out and about in Los Angeles in late 2024, sporting her new divorce ring. Photo: Getty Images

Brooks Nader repurposed her engagement ring into a divorce ring. Photo: Getty Images

Rachel Zoe’s divorce ring is centred around a giant oval diamond. Photo: @rachelzoe/Instagram

Drake, sporting his 42-diamond necklace on stage in Atlanta, Georgia, in late 2022. Photo: Getty Images 

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Luxury

These earthy warm-toned gemstones are appearing on everyone from Kim Kardashian to Emily Blunt to Doja Cat


These earthy warm-toned gemstones are appearing on everyone from Kim Kardashian to Emily Blunt to Doja Cat.


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Celebrity style

Hollywood

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Taylor Swift

Kim Kardashian

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Scarlett Johansson

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Kate Hudson

De Beers

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What are desert diamonds and why is everyone from Taylor Swift to Beyoncé wearing them?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}These earthy warm-toned gemstones are appearing on everyone from Kim Kardashian to Emily Blunt to Doja Cat

These earthy warm-toned gemstones are appearing on everyone from Kim Kardashian to Emily Blunt to Doja Cat