SECRETS OF DIAMONDS
What are these sparkling, harder-than-rock gems? Where do they come from and why are they so special?
WORDS ANDREW MAY
DID YOU KNOW?
The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars that had fallen to Earth
Diamonds are the most sought-after and admired gemstones, with a sparkling brilliance that sets them apart from other gems. That’s as true today, with diamonds mined on an industrial scale, as it was thousands of years ago when they were much rarer. As Roman historian Pliny wrote in the 1st century CE: “Diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones, but of all you know? things in this world.”
Did you Know ?
A perfect, flawless diamond is called a paragon
The gems were first discovered around 2,500 years ago in India, where they were prized as divine objects. These diamonds weren’t mined in the modern sense – they were simply collected from the sediment in rivers and streams. Their striking appearance made them highly desirable, and by the 4th century BCE they were being traded with other parts of the world. Their extreme rarity meant that only the very wealthiest could afford them, and diamonds became the ultimate status symbol among the medieval elite. It was only in the 19th century, when more extensive diamond deposits were found in South Africa, that they became accessible to the general public.
Diamond crystals are made from just one chemical element: carbon. The same is true of graphite, a much more common mineral that couldn’t be more different in appearance and properties. Graphite is what pencil lead is made from, and it’s so soft that it rubs off onto the page when you write with it, leaving its mark. Diamond, on the other hand, is one of the hardest known substances – so hard it can only be scratched with another diamond. The difference lies in the arrangement of carbon atoms. In graphite they form planar sheets, which can easily glide against each other, while in diamond they form a rigid three-dimensional structure. The hardness of diamond means it has other more practical uses besides jewellery, particularly for polishing, cutting and drilling.