Diamond Facts
-
The word diamond comes from the Greek words "adamos" which means unconquerable and "diaphanes" which means transparent.
-
The Romans believed that diamonds brought courage and bravery during battle.
-
The Greeks believed the fire of a diamond reflected the flame of love.
-
Until the XV century, only kings and nobles used diamonds because they were symbol of tenacity, courage, power, invulnerability and invincibility.
-
Mary of Burgundy was the first woman to receive a diamond ring as a symbol of her betrothal to Archduke Maximilian of Austria in August, 1477.
-
The custom of wearing the engagement ring on the third finger comes from the Egyptians belief that the "vein of love" joined the third finger with the heart.
-
A ring symbolizes eternity and its use dates back to the Pharaohs of Egypt.
-
Diamonds were not discovered in Africa until 1866.
-
Diamonds have been mined as long ago as 800 b.c. in India.
-
India was the sole producer of diamonds until the beginning of the 18th century.
-
The main diamond cutting centers are New York, Antwerp, Tel Aviv and Bombay.
-
1 carat = 0.2 gram (1/5 of a gram, 200 milligrams).
-
The term carat comes from the ancient gem dealers of the Middle East. These dealers used the seeds of the carob tree, which are very uniform in weight, to balance their scales. The carat was the weight of the carob seed until the 20th century when the metric system was adopted.
-
The famous blue Hope Diamond, weighing 44.52 carats, is reputed to be unlucky for its owner. It is named after a former owner, Henry Philip Hope. The Hope Diamond is on permanent display in the Smithsonian Institution.
-
People of ancient India believed the diamonds had the power to make them invincible.
-
Through centuries diamonds have been a symbol of fidelity, love, and excellence. For this reason, it is customary to give a diamond ring as a present in an engagement.
-
The diamond is de hardest natural substance on Earth.
-
Most diamonds are found around 1 to 3 billion years olds by most accounts.