The Unsung Heroes. A Guide To Natural Diamond Melees
Melee diamond jewellery is everywhere, but chances are you didn’t know about it. What are melee diamonds and what makes them the perfect starter to your fine jewellery collection?
CHARM FAITH BY ASM
Melee diamonds are tiny natural diamonds that are the perfect initiation into fine jewellery.
Thinking about adding some extra sparkle to your jewellery collection? Pieces with melee diamonds make for an easy, affordable, and instant jewellery update. While natural diamond jewellery designs with melee diamonds have been popular for ages, they’ve never been more popular than right now.
Melee diamonds allow for more creativity and intricacy in the way fine jewels are imagined. For younger individuals or those marking significant moments in their early careers or personal lives, melee diamond jewellery offers a versatile and accessible entry point into the world of fine jewellery.
Melee Diamonds: What Are They?
Traditionally, melee diamonds were used in an artful single, double or triple halo setting to hem a solitaire in rings, pendants and studs. Popularly seen in pavé settings, as halos, or interspersed within the design itself, they contribute to a sophisticated and cohesive look for the piece.
Melee diamonds serve as a luminous frame that accentuates a bigger stone, design or motif. Small, round melees are strategically placed around the stones or incorporated to embellish the jewellery, while fancy cuts such as marquise and pear have gained momentum in recent years. “Melee is mostly round but it is also available in all the fancy shapes. Whether used as pavé or to accent larger stones, melee diamonds bring beauty and life to jewellery designs,” says Morgane Winterholer, General Manager-Strategic Brands and Sustainability, Dimexon, an international natural diamond supplier, who specialises in calibrated melee diamonds.
Small But Great Sparkle
The sparkle of a melee diamond goes a long way, and designers are now deploying natural diamond melees, not merely in statement pieces and traditional styles, but also as the bolder step to offer thoroughly modern and minimal styles with melee diamonds as the only stone. “The rise of melee diamonds in design can be attributed to their increased accessibility, versatility and compatibility with modern aesthetics, and customization options,” observes Suzanne Kalan, the Los Angeles-based designer famed for her signature baguette-cut fine jewellery.
As with larger diamonds, the price of melee diamonds depends on the quality of the cut, the clarity (VVS/VS higher grade) and the size of the diamond. “Round melee diamonds are small and weigh no more than 0.20 carats,” says Morgane. “What makes them so special is that – despite their size – each melee is cut to the same exacting standards as larger round, brilliant diamonds.” The facets ensure brilliance and the diamonds are graded using the 4Cs – colour, cut, clarity and carat weight. The non-round melee can be either single cut or full cut and employed in high jewellery and high jewellery timepieces to enhance the beauty of the pieces and also serve as a crucible for the designers’ creativity.
Creativity and Versatility in Design with Melee Diamonds
Designers across the board concur that melee diamonds may be small but they indeed offer immense freedom in design. When cut into tiny rounds and set as subtle accents or elaborate embellishments in the design, they can be as small as 0.001 carat.
In Agaro’s enamel-focused modern collections, melee diamonds serve as accent pieces, enhancing the overall aesthetic. They play a key role in elevating the design, offering a subtle yet striking contrast to the vibrant enamel work. “On average, we use around 0.05 to 0.10 carats of melee diamonds in our smaller jewellery pieces, ensuring a perfect balance between elegance and cost-effectiveness,” says Roshni Singhal, founder and designer of Agaro Jewels.
A Buying Guide for Melee Diamond Jewellery
Melee diamond pieces are ideal for starting or expanding a fine jewellery collection, especially for Gen-Z consumers or those marking early milestones. They also help designers create thoughtful, modern, wearable, and versatile pieces, traits highly valued by the younger generation.
Here Is a Fine Jewellery Guide Featuring Melee Diamonds, Just for You:
Everyday Brilliance
What better way to get in on the everyday sparkle trend than by picking up pieces where the rules are more relaxed? Add visual volume through linear, floral, geometric and asymmetrical patterns with cluster set melee diamonds, single or double halo settings, or interspersed with precious metal. Ear cuffs, ear climbers, or rings with melee diamond accents nicely tie in with an everyday jewellery collection.
Whimsical Patterns
A quirky result of the pandemic, whimsical designs are especially popular and well on their way to becoming a symbol of self-expression. Choose pieces with motifs of eye, kite, infinity, heart or good luck peppered with tiny diamonds or add pops of cheer through delicate jewellery in diamonds juxtaposed with bright or pastel-coloured gems and enamel.
Maximalist Pairings
If you crave some extra sparkle, invest in lighter gold pieces with greater surface area and a liberal sprinkling of natural diamonds. A piece with negative spaces that help supersize the jewellery works wonders for maximalist pairings. Veer towards designs that play with melees in cluster forms or asymmetrical patterns. Mixed-cut diamonds add an element of style to the design code.
Personalised Pieces
Who doesn’t love making their jewellery style personal? The best way to go about it is with personalised pieces that you can really have fun with. Diamond-encrusted or accented initial and letter bracelets, necklaces, charms and studs can cause a stir. These can be worn singly or stacked.
Coloured Stone Combos
Colour is an obvious way to personalise your jewellery. It offers a lively take on the design, especially when the hue used in the design is a beloved colour. Melee diamond-dusted pieces combined with enamel, coloured gems as well as varied finishes create contrast.
An ideal way to celebrate a journey and aspiration, melee diamond pieces can become the ‘first piece’ as you embark on your diamond jewellery journey. Build up a delightful assortment dusted with natural melees that you will always want to wear.
