Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but how many fun facts about diamonds do you know? These sparkly tidbits are bound to interest you!
Diamonds really are a girl’s best friend, aren’t they? It’s amazing how a tiny precious stone can be so emotive, but we just love them.
People recognize diamonds for their brilliance and hardness. Almost everyone has heard that diamonds are the hardest substance on Earth. But did you know that we wouldn’t have these precious stones were it not for volcanoes?
True or false: dinosaurs likely saw diamonds when they were on earth? If you really want to know, you’ll have to keep on reading to find out the answer. There are so many fun facts about diamonds that may surprise you!
People around the world show commitment and love with a stone. In fact, many admirers think the bigger the stone, the deeper the feeling. We’ll let you decide whether that’s true or not!
Did you know that no two diamonds are exactly the same? Or what about the fact that you can only cut a diamond with a diamond? Keep reading to learn some diamond facts that will amaze you – fact no. 16 might just be our favorite!
Contents:
20 Fun Facts About Diamonds
1. Diamonds are really, really, OLD
Diamonds are just about as old as Earth. They take BILLIONS of years to form. This means dinosaurs were walking around as diamonds were forming.
It takes centuries for a diamond to travel from deep in the mantle where they’re formed to the surface. Then, volcanoes carry them to the crust where they’re mined.
2. The Romans were just guessing
In ancient Rome and Greece, people thought that diamonds were tears of the gods. Or perhaps rather a splinter from a falling star. They had a hard time understanding where these incredible stones came from.
Some Romans even thought that Cupid put diamonds on the tips of his arrows. Maybe this is where the connection between love and diamonds came from?
3. And the Greeks named this stone
The word diamond comes from the Greek word adamas. This word means indestructible or invincible. Now we all know why this ancient civilization gave such a strong name to diamonds!
4. Unique as a diamond?
No two diamonds are the same. Because it takes intense heat, pressure, and millions of years to form a diamond, each one is a different size and shape with unique inclusions and color. Consider it diamond DNA; no two are the same.
5. Diamonds are SUPER hard
Most people have heard that diamonds are the hardest natural substance ever found. In fact, diamonds rank a 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, which is the absolute highest score. In comparison, emeralds rank only 7.5
The only thing that can scratch a diamond is another diamond. So, professionals use diamond bits to cut this stone and shape them into the beautiful pieces we see. It’s amazing, isn’t it?
6. They might impart their strength
There are many ancient fun facts about diamonds. Many ancient civilizations believed that diamonds gave the wearer impossible strength and protected them in battle.
Warriors would go to great lengths to get their hands on a diamond for protection. Ancient kings would even adorn their armor with this precious stone.
Ancient Hindus would place diamonds in the eyes of statues they worshipped. They would also wear diamonds in the belief the wearer would remain safe from harm.
7. Diamonds were used to heal
Throughout the Middle Ages, people believed diamonds could heal everything from toothaches to mental illness. This belief led to a surge in the diamond trade and hoarding by the wealthy and nobles. If only this was true today!
8. Diamonds are fairly simple
These stones are almost entirely made of carbon. When this element is exposed to extreme heat and pressure more than 100 miles below the surface of the Earth, they bond in such a way that a crystalline structure forms. The result is stunningly beautiful and is why light reflects so well off the stone.
9. Sometimes diamonds are huge
When miners discovered it, the Cullinan diamond was over one pound. This translated to an astounding 3,106 carats. It was discovered in 1905 in South Africa and given to King Edward.
Ultimately, jewelers divided this diamond into nine large stones and 100 smaller ones, many of which are still part of the British Crown Jewel collection. You can see the biggest three in the Tower of London.
10. Diamonds have been valuable for most of civilization
There is evidence of diamonds being extremely valuable for thousands and thousands of years. In the fourth century BC in India, people collected and traded diamonds.
In Rome, Pliny remarked that diamonds were the most valuable stone and item in the world.
11. Diamond engagement rings are fairly new
And by fairly new we mean only 500 years are so. In fact, Archduke Maximillian of Austria was the first to offer a diamond ring to his intended bride.
Maximilian loved Mary of Burgundy so much that he used the most precious thing known to prove it. The ring he gave her was gold with diamonds in the shape of an M.
The rest, they say, is history. Today, diamonds are a leading part of the jewelry industry which you can learn more about here.
12. Diamonds can be colorful
Though most people think of a crystal clear stone when picturing diamonds, this stone can come in just about any color. Most commonly diamonds are pale yellow or cream-colored or colorless, but they can be blue, green, red, or black, among other colors. That’s the most colorful diamond fact we have for you!
13. Diamond carats are not for eating
The term carat refers to the weight of a diamond. This word derives from the Greek word keration (apparently the Greeks have the corner in naming diamond-related things.)
In Greek, keration is a carob tree in which the seed was used as the standard for weighing precious stones, like diamonds. In 1913, the carat made the switch from seed to metric and today a carat is .2 grams or .007 ounces.
14. Diamonds come from different places
Throughout history diamond sources have changed. India was the primary source of diamonds from the Middle Ages through the 1700s. Traders would sell these Indian diamonds throughout the world.
Then, their supplies declined, and Brazil took over as the leading supplier until the late 1800s. Ultimately, discoverers found a huge diamond reserve in South Africa.
15. You can make diamonds in a lab
To combat the growing trend of conflict blood diamonds, many in the business have turned to creating diamonds in a lab. Using a normal jewelry loupe, it is almost impossible to tell the difference between natural and lab-formed diamonds.
These stones are not cubic zirconia. They are real diamonds created with technology that mimics the natural process by which diamonds are formed. Plus, they are conflict-free and sustainable. That’s what we call win win!
16. There’s a diamond planet
If you want to hear a fun fact about diamonds that will really blow your mind, it’s this one. Scientists have discovered a planet almost entirely made of carbon and likely one-third diamond. HOW AMAZING IS THAT!?
Scientists discovered it in 2004 and named it 55 Cancri e, though we don’t think that’s a proper name for a diamond planet!
17. Even better, there’s a diamond star
Yes, there really is a star made out of diamond. This was the inspiration in the The Beatle’s song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.
Lucy is essentially a humongous diamond, ten billion trillion carats to be exact. And we bet you’re singing the song right now!
18. Diamonds can burn
Yes, diamonds are supposed to be the hardest substance on Earth. But it is possible for them to burn. If exposed to a temperature of 1,290 to 1,650℉, a diamond can break down.
House fires can potentially reach this heat, so be sure to insure your diamonds to protect your investment in case of a fire!
19. The stone in your ring is smaller than the mined one
This diamond fact should seem obvious, but we have to mention it. Cutting and polishing a rough diamond can remove up to 50% of the initial weight. Too bad rough and dirty diamonds are trendy.
20. Diamonds were once legally regulated
In the 1800s, due to the waning supply of diamonds, the French elite wanted to reserve this stone only for nobility. So they passed a law that reserved diamonds for the King and members of the royal household only.
If anyone outside of his household was caught wearing a diamond, there were serious penalties such as death. However, once diamonds were discovered in South Africa, everything changed and diamonds became available for plebs like you and me!
Who wants more fun facts?
If you’re looking for some recommendations, these are a few of our favorite fact books to buy. We use these when planning fun trivia nights with family and friends!
The diamond facts might have you gazing at any of these precious stones you own and considering their history. How different you might view them had you lived in another century!
Which of these fun facts about diamonds was the most interesting to you? If we’ve missed any, let us know your favorite and we’ll add them to this article!
