someone you love very much...for someone in the family...for yourself. It had to be a diamond - as unique and exciting as love itself. For like love, a diamond has a magic that nothing else equals.
The diamond has been the traditional symbol of love since the middle ages. The very word "diamond" comes from the Greek "adamas" meaning unconquerable - suggesting the eternity of love. The Greeks believed that the fire in a diamond reflected the constant flame of love. "A Diamond Is Forever" is internationally known to men and women of all ages and may very well mean something different for everyone. Aside from its status as the ultimate symbol of love, diamonds have been around for millions of years, thus in their own right symbolizing, "forever."
What many people don't know about diamonds is that they were formed under immense heat and pressure hundreds of miles below sea level. After 100 million years of formation, volcanic explosions forced them upwards exposing their natural beauty to the world.
Diamonds were first mined in India over 4,000 years ago, and the modern mining industry began with discoveries in South Africa in the late 19th century. Today, the top seven diamond producing countries, accounting for 80 percent of the world's rough diamond supply, are Botswana, Russia, South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Australia and Zaire.
Diamonds are also mined in Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Central African Republic, Tanzania, China, Indonesia and India. Diamonds are cut in many countries, but the major cutting centers are in New York, Antwerp, Tel Aviv and Bombay.
As the diamond is considered an awe-inspiring "symbol" in our culture, it was equally wondrous in ancient times. Though what we know about diamonds belongs more to legend than to fact, the tales exemplify the power of the diamond. In India, they were sometimes set in the eyes of Hindu statues. Monarchs competed with one another for the possession of renowned gems, using them as instruments of diplomacy. They wore them as symbols of status by sewing them into clothing or used them as a sign of power, by decorating their swords and scabbards.
Centuries ago, it was also believed that diamonds protected from harm and actually brought luck and success to the wearer, counteracting the effects of unfortunate astrological events and endowing the wearer with charm and the ability to attract others. Plato wrote about diamonds as living beings, embodying celestial spirits.Through the centuries, rings have perpetuated the talismanic role of the diamond. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, every ring that was set with a precious stone was not so much a piece of jewelry, but an amulet that conveyed the magic powers of the stone upon the wearer.
The diamond acquired its unique status as the ultimate gift of love as far back as the fifteenth century. It was said that Cupid's arrows were tipped with diamonds, which had a magic that nothing else could equal.
