Education About Diamonds

How Are Diamonds Formed?

Created at the very dawn of time, the diamond is the oldest gemstone in creation. Diamonds were born in the fiery depths of the earth over 3 billion years ago. Most are over 100 million years old. The diamond you buy today started out as coal millions of years ago deep within the earth under high temperatures and extreme pressure. The heat and compression made carbon crystals that bonded to 4 neighboring carbon atoms. These bonded carbon atoms that form a diamond are what makes diamonds the hardest known naturally occurring substance known to man. It is hard to realize that the beautiful diamond you see today is composed of 99.95% carbon ( the rest is minerals that make its color).

Where Does a Diamond Come From?

Diamonds are mostly found in Africa, Russia, Australia, and they are mined. It is not a process without problems. No other gemstone is so hard to find or difficult to mine. The diamonds are about 75 -100 miles under the earth’s surface and hard to reach ,plus there is always much strifebetween the miners and the mine owners. De Beers company at one time had over 80% of the diamond business and used its monopoly to manipulate prices. In the late 90's Canadian prospectors discovered several rich sources of diamonds. Now there is nosuch monopoly.

What Makes a Diamond So Special?

Rare and elusive, diamonds are called the King of gems No two diamonds can ever be the same. Each diamond is unique, endowed with a personality and character all its own; a complex blend of subtle characteristics that cannot be imitated. The brilliance, the sparkle, the dance of light and color released from every diamond is the miraculous reflection of the very fires of creation. It isn't what a diamond is made from that gives it such allure, but its elusive rarity, brilliance and beauty after being cut into a gemstone. .Due to their unsurpassed hardness, diamonds have long been prized as a constituent of jewelry. No other natural substance can match the hardness of a diamond which is 2000 times harder than either rubies or sapphires - 3000 times harder than man-made imitations such as synthetic cubic zirconia. Hardness denotes resistance to scratching; a diamond’s toughness, however, is only fair to good. Unfortunately, diamonds can break from falls or impacts and should be protected from these. See Diamond Care.

Symbolism of Diamonds

It is said the Greeks believed diamonds were teas of he Gods; the Romans believed they were splinters of fallen stars; the Hindu devotional statues had diamonds for their eyes. Betrothal jewels incorporating diamonds were used as early as 1370.The point at which diamonds assumed divine status is not known, but early texts indicate they were recognized in India since 400BC.

Western culture traditionally has seen diamonds as emblems of fearlessness and virtue. Today, diamonds are used to symbolize eternity and love, often seen adorning engagement rings. Since Maximillian gave his bride-to-be a diamond ring in 1477, it has been widely known as an expression of devotion and betrothal.