This edition of my ongoing series of blog posts about gem and mineral fact, fiction and lore, features diamond.
Most people are surprised to find that diamond is crystallized carbon, and yet it is the hardest known natural mineral. The name is from the Greek adamas, for "invincible," or unconquerable. From which flows a good deal of the lore about it.
Prior to the18th century almost all diamonds came from alluvial deposits in India. It was 1867 when the first of many significant discoveries began in South Africa. The most famous, the Kimberley mine, was worked from 1861 - 1908. Creating a hand dug hole 1500 feet in diameter and 3500 feet deep. Today diamonds come from mines in at least 20 different countries.
Diamond is attracted to grease. As funny as it may sound, this principal is utilized to aid in sorting at the mines. Because of this characteristic it is recommended that you wash diamond frequently to remove cooking grease, body oils and the like. This will keep it shinning in all of its glory.
The universally known DeBeers advertising campaign "A Diamond is Forever" is considered to be the most successful in history.
Famous Diamonds in History
The Dresden (41 carats) Probably from India. Purchased in 1742 by the Duke of Saxony
The Cullinan I (530 carats) Cut from the largest diamond rough ever found
The Cullinan IV (63 carats) One of the 105 cut from the Cullinan
The Tiffany (128 carats) Found at the Kimberley mine - rough weight 287 carats. Purchased by Tiffany's (hence the name)
The Florentine (137 carats) Lost early in the last century and never found.
The Hope (45 carats) First appearance in the trade about 1830. It's prior history is not known. Probably a re-cut, stolen stone.
The Koh-i-Noor (109 carats) The Shah of Persia gave it its name, meaning "Mountain of life" One of the British Crown Jewels.
Lore
The king of all precious gems, diamond traditionally represents purity, fearlessness, invincibility and strength. Because of this diamond has seen extensive use as adornments for breast plates, shields, crowns and even swords.
During the Roman era it was believed that swallowing a diamond would counteract poison.
"The Hindus believed that a flawed diamond, or one containing specks or spots, was so unlucky that it could even deprive Indra of his highest heaven. The original shape of the stone was also considered of great importance, more especially in early times, when but few, if any, diamonds, were cut. A triangular stone was said to cause quarrels, a square diamond inspired the wearer with vague terrors; a five-cornered stone had the worst effect of all, for it brought death; only the six-cornered diamond was productive of good." 1
In ancient times diamond was worn solely by men. Agnes Sorel (1422-50), mistress of Charles VII, was the first woman to depart from this taboo. The earliest record of a man giving a diamond to a woman as an engagement gift was in 1477. The Archduke of Austria gave it to Mary of Burgundy. Today, thanks in large part to De Beer's hugely successful "a diamond is forever" advertising slogan, diamond is the stone of choice for engagement and wedding rings.
"When carried or worn, the diamond promotes selfconfidence in relations with the opposite sex. It is said to be potent for relieving or eliminating the root causes of sexual dysfunction." 2
"Originally, the diamond was said to protect its owner from the plague and ward off evil spirits. It was this belief that led, in the sixteenth century, to the giving of diamonds in rings as tokens of affection. The diamond is believed to drive away evil dreams, render poisons harmless, prevent enchantment, and repel wild beasts, demons, and evil men" 3
"The third stone of the second row in the Jewish High Priest's breastplate, according to Biblical translation, was a diamond, and in common with the others had the name of a tribe of Israel engraved upon it. . . .The supposed diamond might have been white zircon, topaz or rock crystal. If the stone was really diamond, the art of engraving diamonds must be one of those ancient arts which were later lost, for conclusive evidence does not exist of engraved diamonds earlier than the sixteenth century." 4
Diamond is one of the birthstones for April.
Diamond is the state gem of Arkansas.
1) George Fredrick Kunz "
The Curious Lore of Precious Stones"
2) Scott Cunningham "
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic"
3) D.J. Conway "
Crystal Enchantments: A Complete Guide to Stones and Their Magical Properties" pg. 84
4) J. Willard Hershey "
The Book of Diamonds: Their Curious Lore, Properties, Tests and Synthetic Manufacture" pg. 16
This member of the pyroxene family contains chromium, the element that provides its intense green color. Its name is derived from the Greek dis and opsis, "double vision", because crystals of diopside often occur with two sets of prism faces that appear to be similar.
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