A History of Diamonds

The mineral known as "diamond" is the hardest known substance to man. At the same time, it is one of the simplest, being composed of carbon. The first recorded history of diamonds dates back some 3000 years ago to India. Throughout history diamonds have been associated with mystical powers, great beauty and more recently, great value and wealth. The word 'diamond' comes from the Greek ‘adamas’ meaning unconquerable. These jewels have been worn throughout the ages by men going into battle as a sign of strength, courage and invincibility.

Many of today's diamonds come from Central and South Africa although there have been other significant diamond mine finds in Canada, Brazil and Australia. Today's largest diamond mine is located in Siberia. The diamond market is very much dominated by De Beers.

Diamonds are indeed very desirable objects and are worn throughout the world. One of the most common pieces of jewelery utilizing these rocks is the ladies diamond engagement ring. Diamonds have always been associated with romance and legend has it that Cupid’s arrows are tipped with diamonds because they possess a magic that nothing else can match.

Diamonds vary enormously in price according to size and quality so when choosing diamond rings it is important to consider your budget.

Diamonds are graded according to the 4 c’s which refers to cut, clarity, colour and carat.

The cut of a diamond is very important as it affects the reflective qualities, which will determine the brilliance of a diamond and how it looks to the naked eye. Cut should not be confused with shape such as pear, emerald, round etc.

Clarity refers to the number of flaws known as inclusions in the stone and the stones which have fewer inclusions are more highly prized and valuable because they have greater brilliance. Remember though that a diamond doesn’t have to be flawless to look absolutely stunning.

Diamond color usually refers to whiteness or colorlessness in white diamonds with those with least color being more valuable because of their ability to pass more light giving more sparkle and fire. Colored diamonds do occur naturally ranging from blue to green but they are rare and typically quite expensive.

Carat is the unit of weight for measuring the size of diamonds and in this case it really is a case of size does matter. The value of a diamond rises exponentially in relation to its size so the cost of a 4 carat stone for instance will not be double the cost of a 2 carat stone but very much more. So it is all down to your budget and not a measure of how much someone loves another.

Cost is important when buying a diamond ring but you will find that there is a huge choice out there that will fit within your budget. Remember that clever design and settings can make a diamond appear bigger but if you really want a larger stone on a limited budget you could decide to purchase a stone which is graded slightly lower in terms of clarity and colour.

Written by John Lewis of Love2Have who specialize in unusual diamond rings for wedding, engagement and everyday wear.