8 Unknown Interesting Facts About Diamonds You Should Know
Diamond is one of the most spectacular gemstones of all time. Due to its brilliance and sparkle, it has the ability to capture a person’s heart in just a few seconds.
Diamonds fascinate people not only because of their breathtaking beauty but also because they tell tales of a glamorous life. For many people, they are the ultimate symbol of love. People buy diamonds to mark the importance of a special event in their lives, like an anniversary, engagement, etc.
Sometimes people measure their self-worth by the valuable gemstones they possess. The size, quality, and price become the deciding factor of a person’s worth. Similarly, when gifted to someone, a diamond lets the receiver assess their value in the eyes of the presenter. You should consider many factors when choosing the right diamond, such as diamond shape, the 4 C’S, and sticking to your budget.
However, there is a lot more to a diamond than the fiery brilliance you see. Have you ever thought about the history and origin of a diamond?
Nearly as old as the earth, no two diamonds are the same. The clarity, inclusions, or the cut, something will always be different. The many fascinating facts about the discovery and creation of a diamond will make you fall in love with this magical gemstone even more.
Here are 8 unknown interesting facts about diamonds you should know-
1. Hardest natural substance
The word diamond comes from the Greek word ‘Adamas,’ which means indomitable. They are the hardest natural substances. They are about 58 times harder than the next hardest mineral on earth. They sit on the top of the Mohs scale of hardness with a rank of a perfect 10, while corundum which comes second to diamond, ranks 9.
A substance can be cut through or scratched only by something of equal or greater hardness. Therefore only a diamond can scratch another diamond.
2. Formed 120 miles under the earth’s surface
Diamonds are formed under extreme heat and pressure miles under the earth. During upsurges of volcanic molten lava, diamonds get pushed to the surface of the earth at an incredible speed. Some diamonds are even older than the stars, they were formed long before dinosaurs roamed the earth.
3. Not all diamonds are white in color
Not all diamonds are colorless. There are many natural fancy-color diamonds. It is rare for diamonds to come in shades of pink, green, orange, red, and blue. Out of 100,000 diamonds, only a handful will be these rare shades. Brown and yellow are the most common colors in naturally colored diamonds.
When a diamond is in the face-up position, a color should be noticeable for it to be called a colored diamond. The colors have intensity between very light to vivid. The price of the diamond depends on the color of the diamond. Usually, brown, gray, and black color inclusions are affordable whereas colors like blue, pink, or green which are rare, create intense buyer interest and sell for a very handsome amount.
4. Diamonds are made up of a single element
Diamonds are made up of 100% carbon. Carbon is the same element that makes coal or graphite used in pencils. Each carbon atom in diamond bonds with the four other carbon atoms. This arrangement in the lattice is held in such a tight structure that all light passes around them, which causes diamonds to look transparent.
The reason why carbon atoms bond differently in a diamond is because of the extreme heat and pressure. When the pressure is 50,000 times more than the surface of the earth, carbon atoms get squeezed so much that they bond with the other four atoms and give us a diamond.
5. Diamond engagement rings were invented in 1477
There is no doubt that women love to flaunt diamonds. People often spend a huge amount of money to give their partner a gorgeous engagement ring. A diamond on your engagement band holds a lot of personal sentiment.
Today, you can choose a beautiful ring from the various cuts, settings, sizes, and colors. However, the first known use of a diamond engagement ring took place in 1477. Archduke Maxmillian, a resident of Austria, presented a gold ring to Mary of Burgandy in which the letter M was spelled out in diamonds.
6. Candle flame contains millions of diamonds
Wuzong Zhou is a chemistry professor at the University of St. Andrews who discovered that around 1.5 million nanoparticles of diamond are created every second in a candle flame but are burnt away in the process. This astonishing discovery by professor Zhou can help in the research of making diamonds cheaper.
This has also inspired many poets and creative writers to compare the flickering flame of a candle to the gorgeous effect of a diamond. On a lighter note, it won’t be wrong to say that proposing to someone at a candlelight dinner holds greater meaning after this discovery.
7. Lab diamonds have the same properties as mined diamonds
Lab diamonds are called sustainable diamonds as they have a minimal environmental impact and require no new mining. They are created in a lab using advanced technologies that replicate the formation of a natural diamond that is formed miles under the surface of the earth.
Lab diamonds have identical physical, chemical, and optical properties as mined diamonds. They reveal the same fire and brilliance. It is not possible to distinguish between the two with the naked eye. Lab diamonds will test positive on a diamond tester because they have the same carbon composition as a natural diamond.
8. Diamond is also used in medical surgery
Diamonds are beneficial in the field of medicine because they are mechanically durable and biocompatible. They are used to make blades for surgical knives. If a diamond cutter is used to tear a surgical site, the wound edges are neater, the cut is precise, and it helps to heal the injury faster.
During the middle ages, it was assumed that diamonds have healing properties that can cure ailments ranging from fatigue to mental illness. Currently, they are used in neurosurgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and biological tissue sections.
It is safe to say that diamonds are not just beautiful gemstones adding shine and sparkle to your life but also have some very interesting uses. The world of diamonds is fascinating. The more you read about its history and purposes, the faster you will fall in love. If you think about it, there is so much you can learn from it. When life gets hard, you should remind yourself that even diamonds can not be made without going under pressure.
