15 mind-blowing facts about diamonds

1. The birthstone for people born in the month of April is diamond. An amazing reason for all the ladies to ask their better halves for the gift of fine jewelry.

2. In the past, the Romans and the Greeks believed that diamonds were tears that came from the cry of the deity or some pieces that fell from the stars.

3. The oldest relationship between diamonds and love came from the Roman belief that Cupid’s arrows were tipped with diamonds.

4. Diamonds are over three billion years old.

5. Diamonds form nearly 100 miles underground and are transported to the earth’s surface by deep eruptions of volcanoes.

6. The formation of diamonds is carried out from a single element, almost 100% carbon. Deep within the earth, where there is blistering heat and high pressure, carbon atoms bond in a unique way that is the reason for the exceptional crystalline formation of diamonds.

7. The nomenclature ‘diamond’ comes from the Greek word ‘adamas’ which means unsurpassed or indestructible.

8. Diamonds are such hard substances that the only thing that could scratch a diamond is another diamond.

9. Trading and collecting diamonds dates back to the 4th century BC. C. and began in India.

10. During ancient times, Hindus believed that the wearer of the diamond could be protected from dangers and it was also worn in the eyes of their deity’s statues.

11. Different cultures from medieval times believed that diamonds, if worn during battle, gave more courage and diamonds were embedded in the armor of some kings when they rode into battle.

12. In ancient times, diamond was used to cure ailments such as fatigue and mental illness, as it was thought to have healing properties.

13. In the early 15th century, diamonds came mainly from India and were traded in European trading centers. Later, in the 1700s, the world’s main source of diamonds became Brazil. This changed South Africa in the late 19th century when a colossal diamond mine was found in South Africa.

14. The largest diamond discovered to date is called ‘Cullinan’. The Culinan weighs 3,106 carats or 1.33 pounds and was found in South Africa in the early 20th century. This diamond was then cut into 109 pieces, of which 100 were small and 9 were large. You can see the three largest diamonds of these 109 pieces in the Tower of London.

15. It was in 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy the first diamond engagement ring. It was a gold ring with a letter M outlined in the form of diamonds.