Diamond Facts

There are many diamond facts that are based more in myth and legend than pure scientific fact. Diamonds have been seen as a status symbol throughout history with origins dating back to the pre Christian era. Diamonds throughout history have symbolized purity and invincibility, as evidenced by the origin of the word diamond from the Greek name, adamas, meaning invincibility. Ultimately, however, these properties come from the physical properties of diamond. Even before science was able to fully analyze the properties of this gemstone, ancient people recognized it for its rarity and incredible toughness. For thousands of years people have recognized that the properties of this rare mineral are exceptional. By reviewing diamond facts one can understand why this gem is so valued and so common for use in jewelry, decoration, and everywhere else to symbolize longevity and wealth. Extensive diamond mining first began in India.

Over 75% of the mined diamonds go to industry each year, with such applications from windows to phonograph needles and just 25% are of gem quality.

Diamonds are available in all colors and shades of rainbow. Diamonds colored to saturation are called Fancy Colored. Colored diamonds are extremely rare and therefore very expensive.

Twinkling in the sky is a diamond star of 10 billion-trillion-trillion carats, astronomers have discovered. The cosmic diamond is a chunk of crystallized carbon, 4,000 km across, some 50 light-years from the Earth in the constellation Centaurs. It's the compressed heart of an old star that was once bright like our Sun but has since faded and shrunk. Astronomers have decided to call the star "Lucy" after the Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. – BBC News

Diamond is the hardest known substance. A diamond can be scratched and cut only by another diamond. There are only two substances known to be harder than diamond, Aggregated diamond Nan rods and Ultrahard Fullerite.

Diamond’s thermal conductivity is higher than other colorless gemstones, and four times higher than copper!

The world’s Biggest Hole is actually a diamond mine in Eastern Siberia near the town Mirna in Russia. It is 525 meters deep and 1.25 km in diameter. Flying of helicopters and other planes over the hole has proved to be risky due to the suction produced by its depth!

While exploring diamonds, good indicators of its presence are olivine and red garnet.

Extensive diamond mining first began in India.

Diamonds were formed 3 billion years ago under the earth’s surface in High pressure and temperature conditions from primeval carbon.

An emerald cut diamond is the cheapest cut.

Bigger Diamonds are not necessarily better than smaller diamonds which may be of far better quality.

Diamond is a mineral composed of pure carbon.

Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring known substance on earth.

Diamonds are 75% lighter than a cubic zirconium, and can easily be told apart.

Diamonds are a good investment. Only if you know very well what you are doing, and have very good insurance.

Diamonds are ground to shape, not chipped.

Diamonds are in fact quite common.

Diamonds are not the most expensive gemstones. A best quality ruby gemstone can be over 30,000 dollars per carat!

Diamonds though the hardest, are not the toughest substance and can therefore break, chip and fracture.

The Centenary Diamond - 273.85 Carats - Weighing almost 600 Carats in the rough, a master-cutter took 3 years to transform the stone into the largest modern-cut flawless diamond. Also a part of the British Crown Jewels, it was first presented at the Tower of London in 1991.

The Great Star of Africa - 530.20 Carats - The largest polished diamond in the world, this gem which is among the British Crown Jewels has 74 facets

Diamonds were formed 3.3 billion years ago.

Most diamonds were formed more than 100 miles below the surface of the Earth, some from 400 miles down.

Diamonds are carried to the surface by volcanic eruptions through a magma conduit known as a kimberlite pipe or diamond pipe. The most recent kimberlite volcano eruption was approximately 53 million years ago.

Diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth.

To produce a single one-carat diamond, 250 tons of earth will be mined.

Only 20 percent of the diamonds mined in the world are of gem quality diamonds.

Australia accounts for producing the most diamonds in volume.

America buys more than half of the world’s total gem quality diamonds, accounting for the world’s largest diamond market.

Diamonds come in a spectrum of color. Colored diamonds are called “fancies". Blue and pick diamonds are among the rarest, yellow and brown are among the most common.

The most recent diamond discoveries were made in North America in the Northwest Territories of Canada and in Colorado.

The largest rough diamond ever found was the Cullinan, 3,106 carats, discovered in January 26, 1905 in the Premier mine of South Africa. It was cut into 9 major stones, including the largest gem diamond, the Cullinan I, or the Star of Africa, 550.20 carats. This is mounted in the British Royal Scepter and housed in the Tower of London.

The largest diamond ever found in the US was discovered in 1924 in The Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas – the “Uncle Sam Diamond" that weights 40.23 carats.

The most publicized romantic diamond gifts in modern times have been the jewels given by Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor. These include a 33 carat diamond worth over $14 million and the pear shaped 69 carat Taylor-Burton diamond.

To produce a single one-carat diamond, 250 tons of earth will be mined.

Gem-quality diamonds are made up from less than 20 percent of the diamonds mined worldwide.

In their purest state, diamonds are brilliant and entirely colorless.

Diamonds are found in a variety of colors. Blue and pink diamonds are among the rarest, and yellow and brown as among the most common.

Although the U.S. accounts for less than one-percent of total global gemstone productions, America buys more than half of the world's total gem quality diamonds accounting for the world's largest diamond market.

Today, the top seven diamond-producing countries, accounting for 80 percent of the world’s rough diamond supply, are Botswana, Russia, South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Australia and Zaire. (From DTC website www.adiamondisforever.com)

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The Romans believed that diamonds brought courage and bravery during battle. Jewish high priests used diamonds to decide the innocence or guilt of the accused: A stone held before a guilty person dulled and darkened; a stone held before an innocent person glowed with increased brilliance. The Hindus believed that this brilliant gem was created when....

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