Every gemstone is beautiful in its own way, but there’s no doubt that those born in April are lucky for having diamond as their birthstone. In fact, quite literally so, since the April gemstone is believed to protect its wearer from misfortune and bring good luck. In fact, ancient Roman soldiers wore the gem in battle for protection and to ensure victory. If you ask us though, simply wearing a diamond is lucky enough, since diamonds must go through quite the process before reaching a jeweler’s display case.
Diamonds start forming deep under the earth’s surface (about 100 miles deep, to be exact) under extreme heat and pressure until they’re forced upwards by either nature or mining. Despite what you may have heard, diamonds are, in fact, rare. Did you know the average yield in most diamond mines is 1 part diamond to 1 MILLION part rocks? That’s crazy if you ask us!
Okay, so once diamonds are discovered, they then must go through the cleaving, cleaning and cutting process so that they are dazzling by the time you meet them in a jewelry store. This process is hard work because, as it turns out, diamonds are the hardest material on earth. So resilient are these colorless gems, that they get their name from the Greek word “adamas” meaning unconquerable.
Another distinguishing fact about diamonds is that they’re the only gem made of one single element: carbon. Although graphite is also made solely of carbon, it is created under conditions that are so different that graphite is soft enough to write with, while diamonds can only be scratched with another diamond.
All these factors combined give diamonds their high value and popularity, and because a diamond is so durable, it has also come to symbolize everlasting love and commitment. So strong is the association of diamonds and forever, that today, 4 out of 5 brides receive a diamond ring upon engagement. It’s interesting to note, however, that this is a tradition tracing back to 1477, when an Austrian Archduke presented his fiancé with a simple gold band set with a diamond. This royal tradition gained popularity around the world and continues strong today.
For those who believe in the healing agencies of gems, diamonds are thought to have exceptional abilities to cure depression, physical exhaustion, mental illnesses, nightmares, skin diseases, and many other head and heart ailments. Some healing rituals even involve placing a diamond on the corresponding chakra on your body where the pain resides for relief. Regardless of whether you’re saying forever or just treating yourself to this magic gemstone, next time you see a diamond, we hope you remember and appreciate the amazing journey it has undergone to find its way to you! It truly is a one in a million gem.
