5 Fun Facts About Diamonds

The diamond, gem among gems, has always been a great symbol of beauty and value. Such a precious jewel cannot but hide some legends, curiosities and peculiarities. Today we will discover together 5 curiosities about diamonds , the most precious among jewels!

The name

The term diamond derives from the Greek adamas , meaning invincible . This meaning would seem to lead back to the fact that the diamond is in fact a precious stone of extreme hardness that, according to the ancient Greeks, was generated by fragments of stars that fell to earth. The Hindus, however, called this jewel vajira , a term that also means lightning: they also attributed to it the epithet of "fragment of eternity".

Magical Powers

In the past, this very rare precious stone was attributed with considerable magical powers. To name a few, the use of the diamond would be able to neutralize any poison, bring the mad to their senses and banish nightmares, dominate wild beasts, give wealth and keep the devil away. At the same time, it was believed to be able to regenerate the energy of its owner, in a sort of boomerang effect : negative thoughts would bring back negative events. In short, a precious stone carrying positive and negative powers, as only a rare object can do.

The material properties

Although the origin of diamonds is shrouded in mystery, according to scientists and geologists, this precious stone is the hardest gem known to man. Its composition is actually very simple: carbon (like the graphite in a pencil!), but with a melting point of 6900 degrees Farenehit , exactly two and a half times higher than steel. The most relevant characteristics of diamonds are their extreme hardness, high thermal conductivity and very high melting point. In short, however, we could define a diamond as a transparent crystal made up of carbon atoms with a tetrahedral structure. The parameters taken into account in the appreciation of a cut diamond are indicated with the overall term of the "4 Cs", from the initials of the English words: Carat (Carats), Colour (Colour), Clarity (Internal Characteristics), Cut (Cut).

The production

Billions of years ago, some elementary forces such as heat and pressure, would have miraculously transformed simple carbon into diamond, inside a volcanic mass. This mass, rising to the surface, would then have cooled forming craters of kimberlite (from Kimberly, a place in the South African Republic where some specimens have been found). It is precisely in these craters that diamonds can still be found today. Currently, the countries that produce rough diamonds are Australia, Zaire, Botswana, Russia and then South Africa, followed by Namibia, Angola, Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Central African Republic, Tanzania, China, Indonesia and India. Of the diamonds mined today, only 50% are destined for jewelry .

Symbolism: love

An ancient legend tells that the arrows of Cupid , the Greek god of love, had a tip made of diamond, a stone with an unparalleled magical power. The same Greek etymology, invincible, would lead back to the sense of eternity of love. The Greeks also believed that the fire of the diamond (that is, the set of vivid colored reflections emanating from the gem) reflected the constant flame of eternal love. Coming to more modern times , the diamond in the engagement ring became a tradition in 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy . A tradition that shows no signs of ending even today, when the diamond is still considered the precious stone dedicated to love more than any other. And it couldn't be otherwise, for such a rare jewel! I hope you enjoyed this little article and that it helped you discover some more curiosities about the world of precious stones! See you here again, very soon Olga

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By Olga Navarin https://www.ferrogioielli.com https://www.facebook.com/FerroGioielli [views]