“I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back”
Zsa Zsa Gabor (American Actress, one of the glamorous Gabor sisters, b.1917)

Birthstone for April, every diamond is a unique complex constellation of factors that determine its rarity and value. Perfect diamonds are extremely rare and very expensive, but beautiful diamonds with no visible flaws to the naked eye can be purchased at relatively reasonable prices.

Exquisite, perennially fashionable, diamonds are quite simply in the chemical sense, pure carbon—just like the graphite used to make pencils. They are formed under intense heat and pressure deep within the earth, and are forced to the surface by geological events.

Diamonds have been at the heart of myth and legend since their discovery. Medieval knights wore them uncut on their armor in the belief that they could make a person invincible, a myth no doubt related to the stone's hardness. There are legends of a diamond that could reveal the guilt or innocence of a person. Diamonds could also drive away the devil, and in the days when gems were believed to cure disease and ill fortune, diamonds were thought to amplify the magical powers of other stones a person wore.

Almost universally, diamonds have been associated with virtue, purity, strength, wealth, power, and love and sex. So it was a small jump for diamonds to become the modern symbol of love and diamond wedding rings have been popular for hundreds of years. Diamonds were believed to ensure fidelity and strengthen emotional bonds. Today, they are the preferred gift for all romantic occasions.

Gem-quality diamonds are mined around the world, but the largest producers are South Africa and its neighbors. Russia, Australia and Brazil are also major producers. Diamonds come from the mines in crystals, often with eight sides. As much as 60 percent of the original crystal is cut away to create a round brilliant diamond.

Highly prized for eons, diamonds are wonderful in fashion jewelry and traditional favorites as engagement and wedding rings. Diamonds lend drama and excitement to multiple jewelry design configurations along with colored gemstones and all precious metals. For more extensive information about diamonds, from their formation to their gemological grading parameters, please refer to Jewelry Collecting at BellaOnline.
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