8 Little Known Diamond Facts You Probably Don’t Know

1. How They Got Their Name

Did you know that the name ‘diamond’ was derived from the Greek word ‘adamas’ which means ‘untamed’ or ‘unbreakable’?

2. Where They Discovered

Your first guess would be Africa right?

Sorry but no.

India and diamonds have a long association, as these precious stones were first collected from Indian streams and rivers. They were first traded among India’s rich and wealthy people.

It was only after Alexander the Great’s invasion of India in 327BC that he carried and introduced Indian diamonds to Europe.

This was the same time India had started using caravans to export diamonds to Europe.

3. South Africa had its very Own Diamond Rush

Did you know that the largest reservoir of diamonds is in South Africa?

It was way back in 1867 that some children found a rock, which was not an ordinary rock, but an expensive diamond.

This discovery was the trigger for the famous South African diamond rush, and many stones found there were used for making well-known Victorian diamond jewelry.

4. What Are They Made of

It was Antoine Lavoisier who had first proven that diamonds were made of carbon in the year 1772.

Being a scientist, he managed to prove this by focusing the sun’s rays on a diamond with a lens, in an oxygen-filled environment. The only resulting product was carbon dioxide, proving that diamonds are made of carbon.

5. Alternate Creation Theories

The Hindus of ancient India maintained that diamonds were created by a bolt of lightning striking a rock. They also believed that the stones attracted lightning and protected the wearer from harm.

This is why it’s said that wearing a diamond helps turn danger away.

6. How Engagement Rings were Born

The first recorded proof, or rather incident of a diamond ring used for a proposal as an engagement ring was when the Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. The ring was M-shaped using thin, flat diamond pieces.

7. Diamonds Help Build our First Cars

It was Henry Ford who first started using diamonds in the automobile industry. He paid for it’s research so that scientists could come out with lower grade diamonds to use for cutting tools.

8. Biggest Diamond Ever Found

‘Cullinan’ is the name of the largest diamond found so far, named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, whose mine the diamond was found in.

The 1.37 pounds stone was found 18 feet underground in Pretoria, South Africa on January 25, 1905 by miner Frederick Wells.

In case you crossed the number quickly, this is for sure not carat, it’s in pounds, that diamond weighs 3106 carat. In today’s market, that diamond is estimated to be worth $400 million.

Joseph Asscher was appointed by Sir Thomas to cut the stone, and the final result was a 971-carat diamond. He had actually spent six months studying the diamond before starting to cut it, and ended up fainting from exhaustion after making a few attempts.

Summary