DIAMOND. The images and symbols abound with just the mention of this mineral, a natural crystalline substance that exemplifies wealth, prosperity, status, and everlasting love. Even lightning, magic, healing, protection and poisoning have been associated with this gem.

The story of the diamond transcends numerous cultures and localities. It is the oldest item that anyone can own - it's three billion years in age, a strategic and high tech super material that is formed in the earth's interior and shot to the surface by extraordinary volcanoes. It is carbon in its most concentrated form, the chemical element fundamental to all life, thus it is a native element. It is also extremely pure, containing only trace amounts of boron and nitrogen. The diamond's nearest relatives are mineral graphite and amorphous carbon.

It should come as no surprise that our culture was not the first to be lured by the hypnotic spell the diamond casts. The cultures that played a role in bringing the diamond into prominence are numerous. They are Greek, Indian, Old English, French, German, Hebrew, Latin, Arabic, Polish, Japanese, American, African, Korean, and Chinese. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed diamonds were tears of the Gods and splinters from falling stars. The Hindus attributed so much power to these precious stones they went so far as to place diamonds in the eyes of some of their statues. In unraveling the history and associations of diamonds, we also need to know the history of the words attached to it: did the words spoken by the Indians and Greeks signify the same things they do today, or something very different? These cultures associated tremendous value with these stones and clues as to why may be found in the language associated with them. "Diamond" comes from the Greek adamao, transliterated as "adamao," "I tame" or "I subdue." The adjective "adamas" was used to describe the hardest substance known, and eventually became synonymous with diamond.

Knowledge of diamond origin starts in India where it was first mined. The first known reference to diamond is a Sanskrit manuscript, the Arthsastra ("The Lesson of Profit") by Kautiliya, a minister to Chandragupta of the Mauryan dynasty (322 BC - 185 BC) in northern India.

Small numbers of diamonds began appearing in European regalia and jewelry in the 13th century, set as an accent point among pearls in splendid wrought gold. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, every ring that was set with a precious stone was not considered as much a piece of jewelry, as an amulet that bestowed magical powers like fearlessness and invincibility upon the wearer. Not only was it believed that diamonds could bring luck and success, but also that they could counter the effects of astrological events. There were many that wore diamonds as charms believing in their ability to heighten sexual prowess and attract others. Plato even wrote about diamonds as living beings, embodying celestial spirits. These myths laid the groundwork for monarchs to begin wearing diamonds as symbols of power.

An act of Louis IX of France (1214-1270) that established a sumptuary law reserving diamonds for the king bespeaks of the rarity of diamonds and the value conferred on them at that time. Within 100 years diamonds appeared in royal jewelry of both men and women, then among the greater European aristocracy.

The earliest diamond-cutting industry is believed to have been in Venice, a trade capital, starting sometime after 1330. In 1456 Louis de Berqueur discovered how to cut facets of a diamond By the 16th century the diamond became larger and more prominent as the result of the development of diamond faceting which enhances brilliance and fire.

In the 17th and 18th centuries the diamond presided as the ultimate in representing all that was wealth, prestige and power, and the huge import of diamonds during this period was nothing short of revolutionary.

Until the 18th century India was the only known source of the stones, believed to be found only in the fabled mines of Golconda, though Golconda was in fact only the market city of the diamond trade and gems sold there came from a number of mines. Brazil then became the main producer after diamonds were found there in 1726. It was not until the 1867 discovery of diamonds near Hopetown, south of Kimberley in South Africa, that the modern diamond industry was born. The 1870s and 1880s in the Northern Cape saw a frenzied rush to the newly discovered diamond fields.

The world's largest gem quality diamond, the Cullinan, was found in South Africa in 1905. Uncut, it weighed 3025 carats. The Centenary, found in 1986, was polished from a 599 carat gem. The rough diamond was cut into various stones, the largest of which bears the name Centenary and, at 273 carats, is the largest modern cut, top colour, flawless diamond in the world.

Diamond Wedding Tradition

The custom of exchanging wedding rings dates back as far as the comic Roman poet Plautus in the 2nd century BCE. Wedding rings were then valued because of interior inscriptions recording the marriage contracts signed in the presence of the Emperor's image. The custom was continued and mostly Christianized by the 4th century by St. Augustine. Byzantine wedding rings are thick gold bands with round or oval bezels depicting the couple face to face, or receiving Christ's blessing of their union. The tradition of giving rings in the engagement and marriage ceremony as tokens of everlasting love has taken the diamond into its present-day popularity.