Diamonds were formed thousands of years ago under enormous heat and pressure deep in the earth. Great volcanic eruptions many years ago forced the earth containing diamonds to the surface where they were scattered along rivers and into the oceans. |  |
The earliest diamonds were discovered in India, in around 800 B.C. These deposits were rich enough to supply most of the world's diamonds until the eighteenth century.
Only about one-fifth of all mined diamonds could be considered of gem quality. On average, 250 tons of ore must be mined and processed to produce a one carat diamond of gem quality. When the mining operation is completed, sorters look at rough diamonds, separating them into small piles by shape, size, and quality.
The earliest record of diamond-polishing is Indian, dating back to the fourteenth century. The earliest reference to diamond cutting is in l550 in Antwerp, the most influential diamond center of the time, where a diamond-cutters' guild was subsequently established.
Today, approximately 90 percent of all diamond jewelry, including diamond engagement rings, wedding engagement rings, and diamond rings, are made from diamonds mined in African countries. The remaining diamond rough is mined in Australia, South America, Canada and Russia.
The word "diamond" comes from the Greek word "adamas" which means unconquerable. This was a reference to the eternity of love. In the year 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy. Most diamond experts agree that this marked the beginning of the tradition of diamond engagement rings. The reason a woman wears her diamond engagement ring on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the Egyptian belief that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran from the heart to the top of that particular finger.
In 1939 De Beers created the criteria for loose diamonds to asses the gem quality by a combination of four factors. These are called the 4C's, referring to the diamonds Cut, Color, Carat and clarity.
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