Mad About Jewellery Blog

Why Diamonds Are A Girl’S Best Friend

Posted on 02 September 2009

The first diamonds in history were discovered in India around 800BC and India continued to supply the world right up to the 18th Century. The next finds were in Brazil and in the mid-1800s South Africa came to the fore. One hundred years later diamond deposits were also found in Siberia, and today, Western Canada is the site for the world’s newest diamond mines.

WHAT’S IN A WORD?

The word “diamond” comes from the Greek word “Adamas”, meaning unconquerable or indestructible.

Unconquerable : Considered by many cultures to be mystical and powerful, the diamond was thought to hold the same power as the Gods. Which is why Kings would go into battle adorned with diamond-studded breastplates, believing that the physical presence and spiritual power of the diamond would bring them victory. Wearing diamonds in battle also had the added advantage that warriors avoided Kings and any other nobles who were sporting these fiery gemstones for fear of the God’s retribution.

Indestructible: Over the centuries, diamonds have become the universal symbol and gift of love, probably because marriage and love are seemingly as powerful and indestructible as the gemstone itself.

A BANKABLE ASSET

In 1953, Diamonds received massive publicity and kudos as they became every young lady’s gem of choice after the uber-blonde Hollywood Babe, Marilyn Monroe sang the infamous “Diamonds are a Girl’s best friend” in the much-acclaimed Hollywood blockbuster, Gentlemen prefer Blondes. The tongue-in-cheek get-what-you-can-while-you-can lyrics hit the spot with women worldwide and secured the diamond’s place as a bankable asset and for posterity.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

The French are glad to die for love.
They delight in fighting duels.
But I prefer a man who lives
And gives expensive jewels.

A kiss on the hand
May be quite continental,
But diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

A kiss may be grand
But it won’t pay the rental
On your humble flat
Or help you at the automat.

Men grow cold
As girls grow old,
And we all lose our charms in the end.

But square-cut or pear-shaped,
These rocks don’t loose their shape.
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

THESE ROCKS DON’T LOOSE THEIR SHAPE

As Diamonds are natural crystals of varying size and shape, formed in the earth over millions of years, they need the skill of a diamond cutter to transform an ugly, uninspired fossilised lump into a gem of spectacular sparkle and beauty.

Round Brilliant Diamonds
This shape has set the standard for all other diamond shapes and accounts for more than 75% of diamonds sold today. Each circular gem has been cut into 58-facets across its crown (top), girdle (widest part) and pavilion (base) and is cut to a precise formula to achieve the maximum in fire and brilliance.

Oval Diamonds
This even, perfectly symmetrical design is especially popular among women with small hands or short fingers, as its elongated shape gives a flattering illusion of length to the hand.

Marquise Diamonds
A marquise diamond has an elongated shape with pointed ends. Often used as a solitaire or enhanced by smaller diamonds, its shape was inspired by the smile of the Marquise de Pompadour and commissioned by the Sun King, France’s Louis XIV, who wanted a diamond to match his lady’s smile.

Pear Shaped Diamonds
A hybrid cut, echoing a sparkling teardrop, this diamond combines the best of the oval and the marquise. Like the Oval diamond, this shape flatters a hand with small or average-length fingers. It is also perfect for pendants and earrings.

Heart Shaped Diamonds
This ultimate symbol of romance is essentially a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the top. The skill of the cutter determines the beauty and clarity of the cut. Look for a stone with an even shape and a well-defined outline

Emerald Cut Diamond
An impressive name for a rectangular shape with cut corners. It is known as a step cut because its concentric broad, flat planes resemble stair steps.

Princess Cut Diamond
A relatively new cut, which is often featured in solitaire engagement rings. Square or rectangular in shape, the Princess cut has numerous sparkling facets. Extremely flattering to a hand with long fingers, it is often embellished with triangular stones at its sides.

Trilliant Diamonds
A spectacular wedge of brittle fire first developed in Amsterdam. The exact design can vary depending on a particular diamond’s natural characteristics and the cutter’s personal preferences. It may be a traditional triangular shape with pointed corners or a more rounded triangular shape with 25 facets on the crown, 19 facets on the pavilion, and a polished girdle. It is definitely for the adventurous.

Radiant Cut Diamonds
A square or rectangular cut combines the elegance of the emerald shape diamond with the brilliance of the round. Altogether, 70 facets maximize colour refraction. Because of its design, this cut requires more weight to be directed toward the diamond’s depth in order to maximize brilliance. Depth percentages of 70% to 78% are not uncommon.

THE FUTURE OF DIAMONDS

Innovative shapes for the now and the future include the flower, cloverleaf, triangle and kite. Nor does it stop there. Some cuts are variations on standard shapes, some spin off the natural crystal formation of the stone and others take the idea of shape to revolutionary new heights.

Imagination, individuality and taste determine the fashion while the hands and tools of the gem cutter transform each stone into a unique work of art.

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