The Story Behind Chocolate Diamonds

By Elton Camp

The current fad for “chocolate diamonds” seems to well illustrate the principle
that one will never go wrong by underestimating the bottled-water-buying mentality of
the public. Advertising and promotion are the keys to their success.

All through history, the perceived value of a diamond has been based on the
“Three Cs” of cut, color and clarity. Those that were clear or some rare color such as
pink or blue have been deemed the most valuable. The Hope Diamond is the prime
example of a blue diamond.

Colorless Pink Blue Hope Diamond

At the bottom of the scale in desirability and value were the common brown
diamonds. Nobody wanted them and they had little value as jewelry. That changed
beginning in the year 2000 when the retailer LeVian came up with the name “chocolate
diamonds” for a particular color of those previously unwanted gems that had, with
contempt, been called brown diamonds.

Le Vian well understood the value of advertising and lavished millions on

television, radio, magazine, catalog and billboard promotions. Celebrities began to wear
chocolate diamonds to public events.

Eva Mendes Wearing Chocolate Diamonds

 A Chocolate Diamond

A few other retailers have tried to market “chocolate diamonds” without the
permission of Le Vian’s, but with little success. In the public mind, high quality brown
diamonds are desirable only in connection with the name Le Vian. What a success story
for the company and its marketing!

What’s next? Will somebody come up with the idea to sell faded, worn and
tattered blue jeans at a premium price? Surely not. Nobody could be that gullible.