Diamonds are made from pure carbon, earth's most common element and the hardest natural substance known to man.

Diamonds were formed eons ago under incredible heat and pressure deep in the earth. Great volcanic upheavals millions of years ago forced the "blue earth" containing diamonds to the surface where they were scattered along rivers and into the oceans.

The first river-bed (alluvial) diamonds were probably discovered in India, in around 800 B.C. The volcanic source of these diamonds was never discovered, but the alluvial deposits were rich enough to supply most of the world's diamonds until the eighteenth century.

Only about one-fifth of all mined diamonds could be considered of gem quality. From 40 to 250 tons of gravel and sand must be processed today to recover one rough diamond from the world's thinning diamond deposits. Experts estimate that all known supplies of diamonds will be depleted within 30 to 40 years. 75 - 80% of all diamonds mined are used for industrial applications such as drilling, grinding, or sawing. The remainder are used for jewelry or investment. Less than 2% are of such high quality that they may be considered investment quality.

On average, 250 tons of ore must be mined and processed to produce a one carat diamond of gem quality. When the mining operation is completed, sorters look at rough diamonds, separating them into small piles by shape, size, and quality, a long and laborious process.

The earliest record of diamond-polishing is Indian, and probably dates from the fourteenth century. The earliest reference to diamond cutting is in l550 in Antwerp, the most important diamond center of the period, where a diamond-cutters' guild was soon to be established.

The word "diamond" comes from the Greek word "adamas" meaning unconquerable, in reference to the eternity of love. In 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, thus, starting the tradition of diamond engagement rings, say Maloof experts. The reason a woman wears it on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the Egyptian belief that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran directly from the heart to the top of that finger.

In 1939 De Beers introduced the criteria for Diamonds determining the gem quality by a combination of four distinct factors. These are called the 4C's: Cut, Color, Carat and Clarity. Each diamond is unique, with its own individual beauty.

Many of the rarest diamonds occur by rare accidents of nature in shades of pink, blue, green, amber, or even red. These diamonds are referred to as "Fancy" diamonds and are evaluated by a different set of color standards. Fancy diamonds are the most expensive due to their extreme rarity. Some of the "Fancies" may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for diamonds of one carat or less!

Diamond Magic

Diamonds were once believed to hold many magical, mystical and medicinal properties. The phospherescence of certain diamonds (their ability to glow in the dark) was considered a proof of the stone's extraordinary powers. Diamonds were thought to calm the m entally ill, and to ward off devils, phantoms and even nightmares. They were supposed to impart virtue, generosity and courage in battle, and to cause lawsuits to be determined in the wearer's favor. A house or garden touched at each corner with a diamond was supposed to be protected from lightning, storms and blight.

The ancient Indians beleived the the human soul could pass through various incarnations, animating gemstones as well as plants and animals. And Plato, the Greek philospher, shared the belief that gems were living beings, produced by a chemical reaction t o vivifying astral spirits. Later philosphers divided precious stones into male and female specimens, and even claimed that they could "marry" and reproduce!

Minerals were among the first medicinal ingrediants. In the middle ages it was beleived that a damond could heal if the sick person took it bed and warmed it with his body, of breathed upon it while fasting or wore it next to the skin. A diamond held in t he mouth would correct the bad habits of liars and scolds. And diamonds were worn as a talisman against poisoning. Diamond powder administered internally, however, was a legendary poison. The Turkish Sultan Bajazet (1447 - 1513) was perhaps murdered by his son, who slipped a large quantity of powdered diamond in his father's food. In l532, his doctors dosed Pope Clement VII with fourteen spoonfuls of pulverized gems, including diamond, which resulted in death for the patient, as well as a very high bill for his treatment. In the same century, Catherine de Medici was famous for dealing out death by diamond powder, and Benvenuto Cellini, the famou s Italian goldsmith, described an attempt on his life by an enemy who ordered diamond powder to be mixed in his salad. But the lapidary resposible for grinding the diamond filched the stone, replacing it with powdered glass (thereby saving Cellini).

The association of diamonds with poison may have been promoted to discourage the practice of stealing diamonds by swallowing them, particularly during mining.