Black splits into two kinds of stone, and the difference decides how the design reads. A true black stone is opaque and reads as a solid dark shape. A smoky stone is transparent with a gray tint, so it still catches light and sparkles. Both are called black, and they do not look the same on a costume.

Jet is the true black and the most-stocked shade in the family. It reads as solid black from any distance and is the standard for black costumes, western work, and any design where the stones need to be a graphic element rather than sparkle. Jet Odyssey is a deeper variation with a shifting surface.

Black Diamond is the smoky option, a transparent gray-black that sparkles like a clear stone while reading dark. It is nearly as widely stocked as Jet and is the better choice when a design needs black that still moves in the light. Nightfall is a deeper smoky gray in the same family.

Jet Hematite and Hematite carry a mirrored gunmetal surface and also sit in our metallic range. Jet Diamond and Dark Rainbow shift between colors over a dark base. Black Diamond is also available with AB and shimmer treatments. Blacks are stocked in flatback across MAXIMA Crystals by Preciosa^®, LUX European Crystal^®, and PriceLess Crystal^™.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Jet and Black Diamond rhinestones?

Jet is opaque and reads as solid black. Black Diamond is transparent with a smoky gray tint, so it sparkles like a clear stone while still reading dark. Jet is the choice when the stones should read as black shapes. Black Diamond is the choice when the design needs black that still catches light. These are the two most-stocked blacks we carry.

Which black rhinestone is the darkest?

Jet. Because it is opaque rather than transparent, it stays fully black regardless of the lighting or the fabric behind it. Jet Hematite reads nearly as dark but carries a metallic sheen rather than a flat finish. Black Diamond will always read lighter than either, since light passes through it.

What is the difference between Jet Hematite and Jet?

Jet is a flat opaque black. Jet Hematite has a mirrored gunmetal coating, so it reflects light off its surface and reads as dark metal rather than as black. Use Jet when the stones should disappear into a black costume and Jet Hematite when they should catch light against it.

What black rhinestone works best on a black costume?

Black Diamond usually works better than Jet, because a solid black stone on black fabric can disappear entirely under stage lighting. The smoky transparency gives the stones something to catch. Many designers combine Black Diamond with crystal clear or Jet Hematite so the design still reads from a distance.

Do black rhinestones come in AB?

Yes. Black Diamond is available in standard smoky black and also available coated with an aurora borealis (AB) coating, in both Black Diamond AB and Black Diamond Shimmer AB. The AB coating reads particularly strongly over a dark base, since there is no base color competing with the shift.

How do I choose between black shades?
Order a rhinestone color chart and lay the stones on your fabric under the lighting the piece will be worn in. Dark stones are the hardest of all to tell apart on screen, because a monitor renders Jet, Jet Hematite, and a deep Black Diamond as almost the same pixel value.