Diamonds are a symbol. They are a symbol of love in an engagement ring, value for its intrinsic worth, pure for its clear, clean complexion, rigid for its hard composition, and more. Their symbolism is different to each person, and each situation. But no one can argue their sparkling, magnificent splendor. Though most people know the basic facts about diamonds, here are some more peculiar facts about diamonds that you may not know.
- Age. Diamonds take a long time to form, and so many diamonds date back billions of years old. Most being between 1-3 billion years old.
- The first romantic association of diamonds with love starts with Cupid. Romans believed that cupid’s arrows tips were diamonds.
- Diamonds are only made of one element – carbon.
- The diamond is April’s Birthstone.
- The largest rough diamond ever found weighed 3,106 carats and was discovered in 1905. This diamond was named the Cullinan Diamond.
- Diamonds can be burned. But, In order to burn them, you have to heat them between 1290-1650 degrees Fahrenheit!
- Diamonds can be formed through volcanic activity.
- Diamonds can naturally be steel gray, white, blue, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, brown, and black. Diamonds turn these different colors because of an impurity that occurs when the diamond is forming, causing it to turn a different color. Most of the impurities occur from a different element mixed with the diamond in the formation process. Even though the color is an impurity, it creates beautifully unique diamonds. Blue diamonds are the rarest. They are blue because of the traces of boron in them or can be from the exposure to radiation.
- The Hope Diamond is one of the most famous diamonds in the world. It has a slight blue tint that gives it its unique look. The Hope Diamond has been passed down for almost four centuries. It originally weighed 112 carats but was cut down to 45.52 carats. The Hope Diamond is currently being displayed in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.
- The word “diamond” comes from the word “Adamas” which in Greek means “unconquerable and indestructible”.
