Diamonds have been a source of fascination for hundreds of years in cultures around the world. They are the hardest, the most imperishable, and the most brilliant of all precious stones. The word "diamond" itself comes from the Greek word adamas, meaning "unconquerable".

From myths about valleys of diamonds protected by snakes, to the production of millions of carats in rough diamonds each year, the history of diamonds is one of mystical power, beauty and worldwide marketing expertise.

How Diamonds Are Formed

A diamond is a transparent gem made of carbon, one of the earth's most common elements. The formation of diamonds began very early in the earth's history, hundreds of millions of years ago, when the condensation of solid matter into a sphere caused the center of the planet to become subjected to incredible extremes in temperatures and pressure.

It was these conditions that caused deposits of carbon to begin to crystallize deep in the earth. As the earth's surface cooled, volcanic activity forced streams of magna (liquid rock) to the surface, carrying with it the diamond crystals. Later, the diamond-bearing rock hardened, encasing the diamonds in vertical volcanic " diamond pipes", as they are known in the industry.

But not all diamonds are found where they first came to the surface. Subsequent erosion of the Earth’s soil and rock over millions of years has washed some of the diamonds into streams and rivers, and sometimes as far away as the ocean. It is highly probable that they were first discovered in areas such as these, far away from their original location. Diamonds are also recovered as loose stone down by the bedrock after centuries of erosion. Diamonds “mined” in this way are called alluvial diamonds.

Early History

The first recorded history of the diamond dates back some 3,000 years to India, where it is likely that diamonds were first valued for their ability to refract light. In those days, the diamond was used in two ways: for decorative purposes, and as a talisman to ward off evil or provide protection in battle.

The Dark Ages

The diamond was also used for some time as medical aid. One anecdote, written during the Dark Ages by Saint Hildegarde, relates how a diamond held in the hand while making a sign of the cross would heal wounds and cure illnesses. Diamonds were also ingested in the hope of curing sickness. During the very early Middle Ages, Pope Clement unsuccessfully used this treatment in an attempt to aid his recovery from a chronic illness.

The Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages more attention started to be paid to the intrinsic worth of diamonds, rather than the mystical powers surrounding them. Due to the increased public awareness of the value of diamonds, mine owners perpetuated myths that diamonds were poisonous. This was to prevent the mineworkers swallowing the diamonds in an attempt to smuggle them out of the mines.

The popularity of diamonds surged during the Middle Ages, with the discovery of many large and famous stones in India, such as the Koh-I-Noor and the infamous Blue Hope diamond, discovered by French explorer Jean Baptiste Traverniers. Click here for an overview of the intriguing history of the world’s most famous precious gem.

It was during this time period that other traditions related to diamonds and engagement rings were started. For example, it is common in most cultures for a woman to wear her engagement ring on the third finger of her left hand. Click here to learn how this long tradition got started.
Recent Times

As the Indian diamond supply dwindled, smaller finds occurred in Borneo and Brazil, but these were not sufficient to meet the ever-increasing demand for diamonds. In 1848, the DeBeers brothers discovered diamonds near the Orange River in South Africa and a dynasty was born. This was followed by subsequent discoveries in West African nations such as Sierra Leone and Guinea.

This sparked the world's biggest diamond rush in history, and has helped to satiate the world's ever increasing appetite for diamonds. DeBeers, known for their brilliant marketing and branding tactics in the diamond industry, coined the famous tagline “A Diamond is Forever”, which sealed the diamond’s fate as the world’s most revered and sought after gem. The diamond has since become synonymous with being the ultimate expression of love and commitment to another.

The Curse and The Intriguing History of the Blue Hope Diamond

Tavernier's diagram of the Hope's 112-carat rough form.

The 45.52 carat steel blue Hope Diamond was found in India back in remote times as a rough crystal weighing 112 carats. It first came to light when Jean Baptiste Tavernier, the noted French traveler of the 17th century, was said to be approached in India by a slave who had a very secretive manner about him.

It turned out that he had in his possession an intriguing steel blue stone which at first look seemed to be a large sapphire, but the well-experienced Tavernier soon realized it was a diamond – the largest deep blue diamond in the world.

Legend has it the diamond came from the eye of an idol in a temple on the Coleroon River in India. If that is so, one can only conjecture that the eye must have had a mate, but the fate of "the other eye" has never come to light. It would not be the first famous diamond that started it's notoriety in a religious idol. The Idol's Eye and the Orlov both came from idols, according to legend.

Regardless of its origin, Tavernier purchased the stone and smuggled it to Paris, where he later sold it to King Louis XIV. It was cut there into a triangular-pear-shaped stone weighing 67.50 carats, and was then known as the French Blue or the Tavernier Blue.

The legends of the ill-fortune following each possessor of the Hope Diamond are many. From the start Louis XIV, for whom Louisiana was named by La Salle who was later killed by his own men certainly had ill-fortune follow him, perhaps deservedly.

Louis XIV gave the diamond to Madame de Montespan, but she soon went into royal discard. Then came a day when a great festival was given in honor of the King. The Director of Finance, Nicolas Fouquet, had planned well for the occasion, hoping to impress the court. He “borrowed” the diamond all the while thinking the king would be pleased with such a man of impressively good taste. It didn’t quite work out that way. After the party, Louis XIV had Nicolas arrested for embezzlement, regained the diamond, and Fouquet was made a “quest” of the Crown at the Fortress of Pignerol where he died 15 years later.

Other wearers of the jewel at the Court of France might well have given credence to the legendary curse. Princess de Lamballie, and Marie Antoinette followed, and both were guillotined during the French Revolution.

At this point the diamond disappeared, and for many years it was not heard from at all. However, in 1830, a large steel blue diamond of a different shape, and weighing only 44.50 carats appeared on the market in England and was purchased by Henry Thomas Hope, an English banker. In 1851 the diamond was shown at a London exhibition and was insured for a million dollars, an insane amount of money for the time period.

This photo by Dane Penland is the most well-known of the Hope Diamond in the world. Penland is a photographer for the Smithsonian and has taken photos of many of their gems.

It was later inherited by a descendant, Lord Francis Pelham Clinton Hope. Lord Hope eventually went bankrupt and again, the diamond vanished, only to be discovered by the estate trustees after it had been sold off as a piece of costume jewelry.

The next owner was Abdul Hamid II, Sultan of Turkey, Caliph of Israel, Prince of the Faithful, Master of the World (plus a few more self-given titles). His subjects called him Abdul the Damned and he did not take lightly to his despotic rule. He squeezed $450,000 out of his subjects and paid the sum to a syndicate of diamond dealers. He then gave the diamond to Subaya, one of the four wives and 233 concubines who shared his harem.

She wore the diamond well, but not well enough, and started palace intrigue against the Sultan, who found out and had her executed. One day, Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean attended a Turkish Court function and saw the famous blue diamond. She longed to possess it.

Years passed and finally Abdul realized that his subjects had some rights, and the pressures of the political system were upon him. He had the jewel smuggled to Paris to be sold. Meanwhile, he was dethroned and received not a penny for the jewel…the proceeds were seized by his successors in government. Mrs. McLean bought the stone in January, 1911 and frequently wore it at her famous Washington parties. In 1949, two years after her death, Harry Winston purchased the McLean collection which contained not only the Hope Diamond, but the Star of the East Diamond as well.

Winston later gave it to the nation, and it is now on display today in Washington D.C.

How Engagement Rings Are Worn

Circles and diamonds alike have always enjoyed a universal perception of having strong magical properties. And with such magical power, a diamond ring around the heart would surely protect a person from evil spirits.

But even in today’s advanced medical world, it's not easy to put a ring around the heart. So in the old days they had a simple answer: they put the ring on the third finger which physicians in the 1600’s believed had a vein, artery or nerve that ran directly to the heart. And as the left hand is a bit closer to the heart than the right, they placed engagement and wedding rings on the third finger of the left hand. (However, in some cultures the ring is worn on the right hand, since the right hand is considered more righteous.)

In chiromancy (a combination of astrologyand palmistry), the third (Apollo) finger also relates to the heart. Wearing a ring on that finger would not only protect the heart from evil spirits, but also enhance the life of the wearer by transmitting energy to the heart.

Following this line of reasoning, it was the custom for physicians, herbalists and other healers throughout the Middle Ages and even into more recent times, to use their third finger when applying medicinal ointment or powder to their patients. Using this finger was believed to strengthen the effectiveness of the cure.