fbpx

Diamonds are apparently a girl's ‘best friend,' but when and why did this saying come into fruition? And where do diamonds actually come from? How do they get from the earth's crust into selections of the finest jewelry to be worn? This piece will explore the history of diamonds and how they came to be one of the most treasured items.

The History of Diamonds

The first discovery of diamonds dates back to 1867 in the Cape Colony, South Africa

Erasmus Jacobs, a fifteen-year-old boy, while on his father's farm, found a transparent looking rock next to a river. After this finding, nothing would be the same again for diamonds.

No longer just a rock from the ground, diamonds quickly became a symbolism of wealth and status. The diamond production increased tenfold over the next several years, and this beautiful rare material found a new home in western society. This changed everything for the life of diamonds and pushed forward the beginning of alluvial mining in pursuit of finding more of these precious gems amongst the earth and water.

The History of Diamond Mining

There are many methods when it comes to mining diamonds, with the most historically well-known being alluvial mining. This method captures eroded kimberlite, which holds “rough diamonds”. This is done by using a large disc sieve. A man-made wall is made to keep water in, and the sieve is used to sift through clay, mud, and other debris in the water, and of course, the gravel. The gravel is where the rough diamonds lie; the matter is then collected for processing. 

Another common process of mining diamonds is pipe mining. Pipe mining is used when the primary sources of kimberlite pipe deposits are found and obtained, with kimberlite pipes being the most significant source of diamonds! Pipe mining techniques require “blasting” which allows fragments and diamonds to be collected and then processed.

How Are Diamonds Formed?

Diamonds are originally formed in the earth's crust, from around three billion years ago. A simple combination of extreme pressure and heat caused carbon atoms to crystallize, and these crystals are what is now known as diamonds. 

How Are Diamonds Cut for Jewelry? 

When made into jewelry, diamonds are cut and shaped to get their perfect appearance and then cast into different settings. Using either a saw or a laser, the diamond is cut into the ideal shape and then finally polished for that much-loved gleam.

The Cost of Diamonds

Considering the lengthy and quite dangerous process of accumulating diamonds, it is no surprise that they come with quite the price tag. Unsurprisingly, not all diamonds are created equally either, with carats and cuts all significantly altering the cost. However, there are options to lessen the cost when wanting to get that special gift. Look out for stores such as Zales, and use a Zales promo code to get money off that must-have piece of jewelry. This means the same excellent quality but at a fraction of the price. 

What Do Diamonds Symbolize?

Diamonds are the most popular gemstone, and that could very well be because of their association with love. They are often chosen for engagement and wedding rings, symbolizing a love that lasts forever. Interestingly, a diamond's molecular structure makes it the toughest and most invincible of all matter, which is a sweet notion when combined with its symbolism. 


INFOtainment News

Contributing authors to the INFOtainment News team. Let us know if you'd like to contribute as well.

View all posts

Add comment

Leave a Reply!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

INFOtainment News

Contributing authors to the INFOtainment News team. Let us know if you'd like to contribute as well.

Get The Newsletter

Enter your email address to subscribe to ITN and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Instagram

Instagram has returned empty data. Please authorize your Instagram account in the plugin settings .

Book Recommendations

Brilliantly

SAFE!

2022

Categories