History of Diamonds

Diamond has been known for its aesthetic beauty and its history of diamonds is proof of it. However, people own diamonds for a number of reasons. Some people buy diamond products as a sign of wealth, some own as a signature of power. Some people own diamonds due to its aesthetic appeal while others buy diamonds on grounds of religious and superstitious beliefs.

Diamond got its name from the Greek word, “adamas” which means unconquerable.  The precious stone is a fantastic symbol of love, compassion and commitment and is so strong that it can’t be broken.

Earliest diamonds were detected and found in India; considerable amount of diamond diamonds deposits could be located in different parts of the country. Diamond was recognized in India way back 3000 years. However, some historians assert that it has been recognized for over 6000 years.

The precious metal has been mostly treasured as a gemstone due to its popular usage among kings and queens. Similarly, the use of diamonds as cutting instruments goes centuries back.

However, diamonds got big popularity in the early 1910s and 1920s due to increased supply, enhanced polishing proficiency.  Enormous growth in the global economy as well as successful promotional campaigns also contributed to the growing popularity of diamonds.

Chemical Contents of Diamond

Diamond is made of carbon. In the late 18^th century, Antoine Lavoisier conducted an experiment which proved that diamond is made from carbon. Today, diamond is primarily used for two purposes, as a gemstone for adornment and as a cutting tool.

Formation of Diamonds

Natural diamond is formed in very particular conditions – exposure of carbon bearing compounds to very high temperatures ranging between 4,500 and 5,000 degree centigrade. The formation of natural diamond occurs at considerable depth corresponding to the requirements of pressure and temperature.

Characteristic Features of Diamond

Diamond is a crystal of tetrahedral-shaped bonded carbon atoms. It is the hardest known natural substance on earth; hardness is defined in terms of resistance to scratching with 1 being the softest material and 10 being the hardest material.

On this parameter, diamond holds a hardness of 10.  However, the hardness of the stone depends upon its crystalline perfection, purity and orientation.

Gem-grade Diamonds in Modern World

Diamond has a large trading industry. As opposed to other precious metals, you can find substantial mark-up in the retail sale of diamond gems.

In the earlier part of the 20^th century, experts in gemology came up with innovative ways to grade diamonds and other gemstones.

The four characteristics namely, carat, color, cut and clarity are now the basic descriptors of gem diamonds. You can find diamonds in various jewelry rings, earrings,, necklaces, bracelets and lot more.

There is a well established market for resale of diamond gems. Common examples include pawn-broking, second-hand jewelry stores, auctions, bourses, diamantaires and many more.

Since diamond cannot be scratched with other elements, it succeeds in maintaining its polish for a longer period of time. Due to resistance to scratching, diamond is a perfect choice as a gemstone, and you can wear it daily without losing the sheen of the stone.

Diamonds enjoy certain hydrophobic and lipophilic properties which mean you cannot wet the surface of the diamond using water. However, the stone can be easily stuck using oil. This particular feature of the stone is used for extracting diamonds for making synthetic diamonds.

Diamonds do not react with any element or compound at room temperature. It can only be oxidized at very high temperature using certain oxidants. As a result, it is easy to refine synthetic diamonds using acids and bases.

Conclusion

Even today, many people are interested in learning History of Diamonds for Diamond Lovers due to aesthetic appeal and attraction attached with the precious material. Not only that, people like to know about diamonds also because of the importance it has gained in jewelry items like engagement rings, diamond earrings, pendants, etc. The luster, religious beliefs, antiquity all makes this stone lively and precious.