| The meaning of the word Diamond - very hard | | | | can understand why, they have adorned kings, |
| native crystalline carbon valued as a gem, | | | | queens, and movie stars, dazzled us all by |
| not a very glamorous description of something | | | | their beauty and when fashioned into an |
| so beautiful. | | | | engagement or eternity ring the diamond |
| | | | becomes a symbol of love, romance and |
| The word "diamond" comes from the Greek word | | | | commitment. Although diamonds are perceived |
| "Adams," meaning unconquerable. Diamonds are | | | | as a white colourless gem, they actually come |
| the hardest known substances on earth being | | | | in a spectrum of colour, these are called |
| one hundred and forty times harder then its | | | | "fancies". |
| nearest equal., which is how they earned | | | | |
| their name. Because of their strength, they | | | | Diamonds are measured in Carat-weight. The |
| were initially used for such purposes as | | | | standard measurement for diamond size is |
| engraving other gems, such as sapphire, | | | | equal to 200 milligrams. A good one-carat |
| cameos, and for drilling holes in hard stone | | | | diamond is one in a million. It takes 250 |
| beads. In France in the thirteenth century | | | | tons of ore to retrieve a 1ct diamond (cut |
| only the king could wear diamonds. They were | | | | weight), awesome statistics that is why it |
| not used as jewellery in Europe until the | | | | takes several years of training before an |
| late 13th century. | | | | apprentice is authorised to cut 1ct diamonds. |
| | | | Cutting diamonds, as you would imagine is a |
| They were born about 3.4 billion years ago | | | | highly skilled and specialised occupation. |
| and only became available to man through | | | | |
| volcanic eruption about 70 million years ago. | | | | Unlike gold diamonds don't carry a hallmark |
| Not all diamonds mined are of gem quality, | | | | and that is why in order to guarantee quality |
| only about 50%. | | | | you can buy a certified diamond. |
| | | | |
| Even fewer are large enough to be polished | | | | Being certified by an independent laboratory |
| into diamonds that are much bigger than the | | | | the quality and characteristics of your |
| head of a match. | | | | diamond are guaranteed. The report should |
| | | | confirm that: |
| Before the sixth century India was the only | | | | |
| known source of diamond and the predominant | | | | - The stone is a natural diamond |
| source for over 2,000 years, until the mid | | | | |
| eighteenth century. Romans inherited the | | | | - The carat weight of the stone |
| belief from Indian mythology. that diamonds | | | | |
| had the power to ward off evil and wore | | | | - It's colour |
| talismans. | | | | |
| | | | - It's clarity |
| In Greek mythology diamond were said to be | | | | |
| tears of the Gods. Whatever the meaning the | | | | - The cut of the diamond |
| evolution of this dazzling jewellery is | | | | |
| awesome. Who would believe that one of the | | | | Diamonds are for eternity. A sign of wealth |
| softest materials on earth, carbon, changes | | | | they can be passed from generation to |
| into a beautiful sparkling diamond? Mind you | | | | generation growing in value never losing |
| this happens between 75 to 120 miles below | | | | their appeal and bonding the link between |
| the earth's surface. | | | | past and future. Who wouldn't want to be the |
| | | | proud owner of such a formidable piece of |
| Often said to be a girl's best friend. You | | | | dazzling beauty? |