What is a diamond?
A diamond is a gem of incredible rarity. Each one has been through an astonishing journey. Diamonds were formed from pure carbon that crystallised under immense heat and pressure hundreds of miles below sea level. 100 million years later, volcanic explosions forced them upwards to the earth's surface at intense speeds, exposing their beauty to the world. Again, they had to endure nature's wrath - water, wind, extreme cold - while they waited to be discovered.
"Since nature never repeats itself,every diamond is unique."
Diamonds are rare in that only a few survived this journey. And only about half of the diamonds mined today are of gem quality. Even fewer are large enough to be polished into a stone that is bigger than a match head. There is no gem as rare, indestructible, beautiful or magical, and it is these qualities that have made the diamond the ultimate symbol of love.
Diamonds were first mined in India almost 3,000 years ago. Today, they are mined in countries worldwide, including Africa, Australia and Russia. It's worth remembering that the youngest diamonds are 900 million years old, the oldest around 3.2 billion years old!
The magic of diamonds
Diamonds have fascinated us through the centuries and have adorned the human body since ancient times. Not only were they rare and beautiful, they were magical.
To the ancient Greeks, diamonds were tears of the Gods. They also admired the diamond's strength, naming it 'adamas', which means 'unconquerable'. The Old Testament book of Exodus lists adamas as being set in the Urim and Thummim, the breastplate of the Hebrew high priest.
For Indians, they were good-luck charms warding off illness and forces of evil and were set into the eyes of Hindu statues.
The Romans believed that diamonds were shards from fallen stars. Cupid's arrow was said to be tipped with diamonds. Plato wrote about diamonds as living beings, embodying celestial spirits.
"Women are drawn to diamonds not
only for their natural beauty but because of the history,magic and glamour associated with them"
Diamonds have always been sought after by the world's most wealthy and powerful people. Monarchs wore them as symbols of power in their swords and scabbards, and as symbols of status in their clothing. King Louis IX of France took this to an extreme and forbade commoners from wearing diamonds, reserving them just for royalty.
And, of course, Hollywood has long had an affair with diamond jewellery - no red carpet is complete without a glittering sea of brilliance radiating from the world's most desirable gem.
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