Everything about diamonds

Diamond is the hardest substance found on our planet earth and for many centuries it has been one of the most revered and sought after materials by humankind. For years these precious gems have been admired as a thing of ultimate beauty and a sign of supreme wealth, steeped in mythology and deeply rooted in ancient legends, but today in the hands of modern day alchemists these precious stones are taking on a whole new value.

National Geographic has a program Naked Science which examines the history of diamonds, and sheds light on how they may change the future. They meet scientists across three continents who are currently unlocking the secrets of diamonds and find that what they are discovering may have the potential to revolutionize technology. As a gemstone we know that diamonds are costly, but as a raw material technologically advanced super diamonds are priceless.

Creating a diamond is the 20th century’s alchemy – but this time, it works. Engineering and modern science have created diamonds greater than anything Mother Nature has to offer.

A package of rough diamonds gathered from mines across South Africa, ready for sale. Image courtesy Alex Hemingway

Few things about diamonds:
– they are about 4 billion years old, more than 600 times than our oldest ancestor.
– the diamonds are purely made off, for all their rarity, from one of the most familiar element on earth: carbon.
– carbon is formed in the core of dying Red Giants; when the stars explodes, they fling billions of tons of carbon into space.
– diamonds were found in South Africa in the 19th century; hundreds of thousands have been mined there.
– the word diamond came from the ancient Greek word „adamas” meaning „unconquerable” or „invincible”.
– the world’s first synthetic diamond was produced, after 5 years of attempts and millions of dollars, by General Electric which succeded in 1955.
– there are several traits which does not affect a diamond’s value; theese are: cleavage planes, natural weak spots in diamonds. But there are few which does affect, and theese are: color, clarity, carat weight and cut.
– the first diamond wedding ring proposal was in the year of 1477; the Archduke Maximillian of Austria gave the first recorded diamond wedding ring to Mary of Burgundy.