Glittering, luxurious and brilliant, diamonds have long dazzled us with their intense beauty and romantic symbolism. Long coveted by royalty, they have adorned countless crowns, and have graced the bodies of the beautiful, the famous, and the privileged. But guess what? The diamond was not always such a big deal. Indeed, it wasn't until the 20th Century that the diamond was officially affirmed as a precious stone.
Early History
They may be a girl's best friend now, but in the first century AD, the diamond was not ornamental at all, but was known simply for its hardness and resistance to fire and shock. In fact, early Chinese and Greco- Roman engravers used it as a tool to engrave cameos. The diamond has long been thought to hold magical properties such as the ability to protect its wearer from evil, and has always held an exotic mystique as a result of being so difficult to acquire. Indeed, the legend of the Valley of Diamonds holds that a King once sent his servants to retrieve diamonds from a snake-infested gorge.
In 1867, the Eureka, the first South African diamond (21.24 carats) was discovered, and soon after, the famous Star of Africa was found, weighing in at a hefty 83.50 carats. The news spread quickly, and prospectors from all over the world converged to mine the first of South Africa's diamond fields, including De Beers and Kimberly. The demand for diamonds in jewelry was now enormous in Europe, and the late 19th century became an extremely opulent period, with the sparkling stones so readily available.
In the mid-1870's, the value of diamonds suddenly plummeted, but Cecil Rhodes, the founder of De Beers, took the opportunity to buy up most of South Africa's mines, building a diamond empire. His monopoly was briefly challenged in 1905 by the discovery of the world's largest diamond, the Cullinan Diamond (3,106 carats uncut), found just north of his territory. Ernest Oppenheimer gained control of De Beers in 1929, and soon gained exclusive control of the principal diamond fields in South Africa.
The Great Depression hit, but rather than sell diamonds at reduced prices, Oppenheimer stockpiled them and patiently waited out the economic crisis. After he died, his son Harry took over, and with the help of an American advertising agency, coined the famous slogan "A diamond is forever." The diamond's place as the perfect symbol of love was now firm.
Color and Cut
Depending on its cut and quality, a diamond catches the light like no other gemstone. A diamond's quality is determined using the four Cs: carat, color, clarity and cut. While a pure white diamond (colorless) is rare, some colored diamonds are far more valuable, red and green being the rarest colors. For example, the Raj Red from India, a red diamond of 2.30 carats, has been valued at $42 million. The Dresden Green Diamond, at 40.70 carats, is incredibly unique for its vivid green color, as well as the fact that it survived the Dresden bombing of World War II.
For centuries, jewelers were limited on how they could cut a diamond. Historical cuts include the crude octahedral cut of the 14th and 15th centuries; the table cut of the 16th century; the Mazarin cut of the 17th century; the Perruzi cut of the 18th century and the mine cut of the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, there are many choices. Among the modern cuts are the popular round brilliant cut, the emerald cut, the lozenge cut, the Rectangular step cut, the Marquise cut, as well as shapes such as an oval, pear or heart.
Famous Diamonds
There have been many renowned diamonds in the world, some because of their size or color, and others because of their sensational history. Following are notable celebrity diamonds.
The Cullinan Diamond -- This diamond, found by Thomas Cullinan in 1905, holds the record as the largest colorless diamond ever found at 3,106 carats uncut. The diamond was sold and later given to King Edward VII of England as a birthday gift. The King commissioned the Asscher brothers to cut jewels from it, the most famous being the Great Star of Africa at 550.20 carats.
The Tiffany Diamond -- The largest golden-yellow diamond in existence, this 128.51 carat stone, valued at approximately $1 million, was cut from a 287.52 carat crystal found in 1887 in South Africa's De Beers Mine. The diamond is named after Tiffany's Jewelers, who bought the original uncut stone. It remains in their possession.
The Orloff Diamond -- This diamond is one of the largest and historically fascinating in the world. It looks like half of a large egg, and weighs 199.80 carats. Some believe the diamond is actually the Great Mogul, a famous diamond that mysteriously disappeared from India in 1739, while others believe it was once the eye of a Hindu god stolen from an Indian temple. At one point, Russian Count Gregory Orloff presented it to Empress Catherine II, in the futile hope that she might reinstate him to his previous position in the Court.
The Hope Diamond -- Many people assume that the Hope Diamond is famous for its size, but at 45.52 carats, it is modest compared to other moguls. Rather, its fame is due to its rare, deep blue color and its fascinating history and intrigue. Legend has it that it was stolen from an Indian idol nearly 300 years ago, causing a curse to be placed upon all subsequent owners. Many believe it is a recut, disguised version of The French Blue, part of the French Crown Jewels stolen in 1792. It is presently on display at the Smithsonian Institute, and got its name from owner Lord Henry Philip Hope, the renowned collector of art and precious gems.
Because a diamond lasts forever, it is easy to see how it is linked to romantic love. True love is as rare and precious as any gem, and anyone lucky enough to find the perfect mate knows they have found a diamond in the rough.