Important Diamonds Facts & History

Knowing the background of a diamond and what it entitles might help you make a better choice for your diamond rings, according to your individual taste. Here are some facts that you should know about diamonds:

• Natural stone considered to be the hardest.
• Diamonds are made of pure carbon crystal
• Traditionally used for engagement rings
• Can only be scratched by other diamonds
• Diamonds can be used to polish, cut or tear away any material used in drill bits, saws, or as an abrasive
• Have semi conductive abilities and are excellent insulators.
• More prone to breakage than others when they are cut into certain shapes rating only fair to good in toughness.

The first stage in the process of creating a new diamond ring would be mining. The earliest written evidence for extracting a diamond from the ground can be found around 296 BC, and because of the diamond's brightness and hardness, it quickly became associated with religious icons. Soon diamonds were popular only among the rich and powerful, whio could afford them and helped them in maintaining their status of wealth. Trade in diamonds started, being used within several different cultures, the Romans used it ornamentally as well as a primary tool for engraving. Diamonds also served to engrave jades. The only place in which diamonds were not able to make a big impact was in Europe, with the rise of Christianity and restriction in trade between Europe and other countries.

The Second Stage of the Diamond trade can be traced back to the Medieval Age, in which the development of different diamond cuts and shapes started to emerge, with several advances in technology for cuts, including table cut, briolette, rose cut and the Mazarin. Kings and Queens also increased the demand for diamonds in Europe and by 1477 diamonds were being used in wedding diamond rings. The popularity of diamond rings began to rise as new cuts were being developed.

The Third Stage for the diamond ring would be its manufacturing, as it exists in the last few centuries. There are two markets for diamondst: gem-grade diamonds, and industrial-grade diamonds. While a large trade in both types of diamonds exists, the two markets act in dramatically different ways. Perhaps the most relevant is the gem diamond industry, since this is where one will find manufacturing and distribution information about engagement rings and diamond rings. The manufacturing of diamond rings is very limited because diamonds are not considered a commodity and there are few active markets for resale of diamonds. Popular places one would find a high concentration of diamond rings would be Antwerp, New York, London, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, Gujarat, and South Africa. Before a diamond ring is finalized, the diamonds are inspected as rough diamonds by the distributor company and then sold in bulk lots still in the rough form to selected buyers around the world.

The Fourth Stage is the final journey for the diamond. The stone is to be cut and polished and prepared for sale as gemstones. Diamond cutting centers are mostly in close proximity to trading centers, especially in New York , Tel Aviv, and India (Gujarat). The cost of labor is also reflected in the diamond ring - depending on the size of the diamond and the skill of the laborer. Finally the loose stones are sold on diamond exchanges and prepared for the sale to the consumer as a set diamond ring.