Diamonds - Interesting Facts

Diamonds are the symbol that we use to show are undying love for someone. They are the traditional icon of romance and love. Most people may be surprised to learn that the majority of diamonds that are mined today are used for industrial purposes and not for jewelry.

Historians believe that diamonds may have first been used for industrial purposes not for their brilliant sparkle and allure. Peter Lu a Harvard physicist and his colleagues discovered that in the late Stone Age the Chinese used diamonds to polish ceremonial burial axes. Today about 80% of mined diamonds are used for cutting, drilling, grinding and polishing.

Most people might be surprised to know that diamonds are not the hardest substance on Earth. Diamonds are the hardest natural mineral substance, but they are not the hardest substance known to man. A substance called Aggregated Diamond Nonorods is about 11 % harder than a diamond.

The first diamonds were discovered by Indians over 3,000 years ago. Diamonds didn't get associated with love and romance until the 1940's when the De Beers Company began to advertise diamonds as the perfect item for a wedding or engagement rings. They did an all out media campaign and soon people were buying diamond engagement rings all over the world.

It is believed that most diamonds are over three billion years old and most are formed more than 100 miles below the surface of the earth. Before the sixth century, India was the only known source of diamonds and was the predominant source for over 2,000 years.

The Romans believed that diamonds had the power to ward off evil and wore them as talismans. It is believed that they inherited this belief from Indian mythology. In France in the thirteenth century it was decreed that only the king could wear diamonds.

The Gemological Institute of America was founded in the 1950's. It was the first internationally accepted diamond grading system. This system applied uniform criteria to grading the quality of polished diamonds. The GIA Gem Trade Laboratory Diamond Grading Report is the benchmark for the international gem and jewelry industry.

The Cullinan diamond was the largest rough diamond ever found and was 3,106 carats. It was discover in the Premier mine of South Africa in 1905.It was cut into nine major stones. The largest of the stones is the Star of Africa and is 550.20 carats. It is housed in the Tower of London and mounted in the British Royal Scepter. The most recent diamond discoveries have been in the Northwest Territories of Canada and in Colorado. Explorers found diamond pipes in both locations in 1990.

It wasn't until the late 13th century that diamonds were used in European jewelry. Diamonds were initially used for engraving other gems including sapphire cameos. They were also used for drilling holes in hard stone beads.

Diamonds have been around forever and are cherished by all. Diamonds have an exciting and lively history. These are just a few of the fascinating facts associated with diamonds.

By Lawrence Reaves