Editor’s Note
This excerpt traces the diamond’s journey from ancient Indian riverbeds to its status as a symbol of European aristocracy, highlighting its enduring allure as both a commodity and a cultural icon.
The fascination with this April birthstone originated in India, where diamonds were gathered from rivers and streams. As early as the 4th century BC, diamonds were traded as commodities and sought after by royalty and the wealthy. Later, caravans brought Indian diamonds and other exotic goods to medieval markets in Venice.
By the 15th century, diamonds had become fashionable accessories for European elites. In 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy with the first historically recorded diamond engagement ring. Recent evidence confirms that the legendary 45.52-carat blue Hope Diamond originated from the Golconda mines in India and was purchased in 1668 by King Louis XIV of France (then known as the French Blue).
In the early 18th century, India’s diamond supply began to decline, and Brazil emerged as another significant source. Gold miners discovered diamonds while sifting gravel in the Jequitinhonha River in Minas Gerais. Brazil then dominated the diamond market for over 150 years.
The discovery of diamonds near Kimberley, South Africa, in the 1860s marked the beginning of the modern diamond market. Entrepreneur Cecil Rhodes founded De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited in 1888, and by 1900, De Beers controlled approximately 90% of the world’s rough diamond production.
The largest diamond ever found, weighing 3,106 carats (621 grams), was mined in 1905 at the Premier Diamond Mine in South Africa. It was cut into the 530-carat pear-shaped Cullinan I diamond, also known as the “Star of Africa,” now set in the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and housed with other Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.
A second-century poet of unknown name believed diamonds warded off the “evil eye” – the belief that a malevolent glare could cause illness, poverty, or even death. Some even attributed healing properties to diamonds. For millennia, diamonds were used as antidotes to poison and talismans against plague. Some claimed diamonds bestowed longevity, strength, beauty, and happiness.
Beyond being the April birthstone, diamonds are also the gemstone for 60th and 75th wedding anniversaries. Of course, the diamond engagement ring has now become a nearly universal symbol of love and marriage.
Diamonds are now mined worldwide.
By the early 21st century, other African nations had joined South Africa as major sources of rough diamonds. These include the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) and Botswana. The Soviet Union opened its first major mine in 1960, and Russia’s diamonds are now among the world’s best in both volume and quality. Diamond mining expanded dramatically with the opening of Australia’s Argyle mine in 1983 and the discovery of several diamond deposits in northern Canada in the 1990s.
Diamond mining in Eastern Siberia, Russia, reads like an adventure novel. Setting: tundra permafrost, extreme cold, short daylight hours. Tools: jet engines and explosives are used to heat and soften the ice covering kimberlite pipes (large, vertical, carrot-shaped igneous rock formations), the primary source of diamonds. Plot: In 2013, Russia’s main diamond mining company, Alrosa, estimated there were still 970 million carats of diamonds beneath the permafrost.
Botswana’s diamonds typically lie beneath the hot, semi-arid regions in the east of the country. These prolific mines have been an economic boon, fostering a growing middle class. The country is also a diamond trading hub, where about 40% of the world’s rough diamonds are sorted and valued.
With a Mohs hardness of 10, diamonds are durable and can be cleaned in ultrasonic devices. However, if your diamond has many inclusions or has been treated, it’s best to clean it with a lint-free soft cloth, or use warm water, mild soap, and a soft-bristled brush, or commercial jewelry cleaner. You can also have a professional jeweler regularly clean your diamond jewelry and check its settings to maintain its beauty and integrity over the long term.
Given your newfound knowledge about diamonds as the April birthstone, you will be a more informed buyer. You may also develop a greater appreciation for this most durable of gems. Whether colored or colorless, large or small, diamonds will continue to captivate those fortunate enough to be born in April, as well as those lucky in love who give or receive diamond engagement rings.
Source: GIA