What Exactly is a Diamond?

Timeless. Forever. These are just a few of the many words used to describe one of the world's most infamous stones - the diamond.

Derived from the Greek word "adamas" which means "invincible", diamond is the only known mineral that is composed of a single element. Diamonds are completely made of Carbon which is one of the most abundant elements on Earth. High pressure and temperatures, ranging from 900 to 1300 degrees Celsius deep underground near the Earth's core, liquefy then crystallize carbon atoms into pieces of rough diamond. Eventually, over extremely long periods of time, these rough diamonds are pushed towards the earth's surface, usually through volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and other geologic events. This is why rough diamonds, called octahedrons, are usually found in riverbeds and mines.

For the untrained eyes, a rough diamond would be easily mistaken for a piece of broken glass. However, a diamond is far from a piece of glass as it is one of the hardest substances on the planet. Although it can break, it can only be scratched by another diamond.

A diamond needs to be carefully cut and shaped to bring out its beauty and brilliance. The diamond's brilliance refers to its ability to radiate magnificent colors when tilted back and forth. The surfaces of the diamond, called facets, act as a prism to achieve this wondrous display of fire.

Over the past century many have debated the "correct" formula required to achieve the maximum brilliance in a polished diamond. In the next few articles we'll discuss the fascinating history of this remarkable stone.

Timeless and forever. No other stone shines as bright as a sparkling diamond.

By Eli Zabib

A Diamond Lineage

Diamond history is said to begin in India at least 3,000 years ago. The polishing and processing of diamonds is still predominantly done in India. The ancient Greeks provide the source of the name "diamonds" from the Greek word "adamas". The artistry and craftsmanship involved with setting precious stones goes back thousands of years, and has been passed on to the artisans of today.

There is one amazing diamond lineage that can be traced back to the time of Moses in the Bible. Some time around 1500 B.C., the ancient Israelis made their exodus from Egypt. As depicted in the Charlton Heston movie, The Ten Commandments, the Law was given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. In addition to the list of commandments, there were many instructions given to Moses regarding how the new nation would be organized.

The nation was divided into twelve tribes, according to the twelve sons of Israel. One tribe, made up of the descendants of Levi, was appointed to be a tribe of priests. The Levite who would be the High Priest was the only one who could approach the Ark of the Covenant to make sacrifices on behalf of the nation on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

The High Priest was given a special set of garments to wear, which contained many precious stones. In the book of Exodus, Chapter 28, jewelers and gem cutters from the tribe of Levi were commanded to fashion the priestly outfit to exact specifications. Included in the "uniform" was a breastplate on which were set twelve precious stones. The jewels were arranged in four rows of three. The third stone on the second row is a diamond. The gold and gemstone craftsmen were given the responsibility to fashion all of the precious metal and stones involved in ancient Israeli worship ceremonies.

One of the leaders today in the design and sale of champagne or chocolate diamonds is the LeVian family of jewelers. According to their posted history, Mr. A. LeVian founded the company in the United States in 1950 after immigrating from Persia. It was in that ancient land where he inherited a storied and famous trade from a long line of family jewelers who trace their lineage directly to the tribe of Levi.

Chocolate diamonds are birthed in the geologic history of the earth, but their human history is also a tribute to their staying power. Though their wild popularity may be relatively new, they are one of the least transient things on earth. Chocolate diamonds, relatively speaking, are indeed forever.

By Kenner Beckley

Brown Diamonds Look Great on You

Who wears chocolate diamonds? How about: Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Bhumibol Adulyadej Mahitalathibet Ramathibodi Chakkrinaruebodin Sayamminthrathirat Borommanatbophit. That is the full title to the King of Thailand (easy for you to say). King Bhumibol (for short) was presented the world's largest faceted diamond in 1997. The Golden Jubilee, as the stone is called, weighs 545.67 carats. It is officially graded as "fancy yellow-brown". Chocolate, or champagne diamonds have been worn by royalty and people in authority for centuries. Cardinal Jules Mazarin, the chief minister of France, was a collector of these stones.

Nowadays, check any "red carpet" event and you are likely to see some gorgeous brown jewelry on display from some of the best jewelry designers in the world. Jennifer Lopez wore a combination of shades of champagne and peach diamond earrings to the Academy Awards. Both the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress winners in 2007 wore champagne diamonds. Helen Mirren featured a 62-carat brown and white diamond brooch while Jennefer Hudson wore a champagne diamond on her right hand. Previous Academy Award winner, Hillary Swank, wore a 20-carat champagne diamond in her hair.

It is no exaggeration to say that Hollywood is infatuated with chocolate diamonds. Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Cate Blanchett, Jessica Simpson and Halle Berry have all been seen with dazzling chocolate diamond arrangements. E! reporter, Maria Menounos, captured everyone's attention wearing a gown embroidered with 2,000 champagne diamonds. A set of gold and champagne diamond earrings were recently worn by Eva Longoria and E! News host, Giuliana Rancic. Singers Kathleen "Bird" York and British pop star Natasha Bedingfield have been seen with champagne earrings and necklaces respectively. The feelings extend across the globe to Japan where the movie star, Mari Natsuki, is a collector of chocolate diamonds.

Everyone, from carriers of the most luxurious high-end jewelry to the local mall retailer, is embracing the hottest jewelry fashion on the planet, champagne or chocolate diamonds. Because of the unique color design options and blending with earth tones, there is room for unlimited design creativity and variation. The affordability of chocolate diamonds allows for price points to be dependent upon the artistry of the design and not just the value of the stones themselves. This creates greater selection and accessibility on the part of purchasers from one end of the economic scale to the other.

By Kenner Beckley