The BEST Information & Advice EVER on Buying a Diamond Ring
Not only do we sell British made diamond set wedding rings but also diamond engagement rings as well at Love2Have so this article, we're going to talk about diamonds. One of the rarest, most precious stones, in the world, and considered one of the prime signs of love, luxury, and swagger. No matter what changes happen to fashion trends, or how people show affection, throughout the centuries, a diamond has remained one of the most valuable objects all over the world, and in all cultures.
Here are 15 things you didn't know about diamonds
Number one. The largest diamond ever found was 3,106-carats or 1.33 pounds of pure diamond. The gem, which became to be called Cullinan, was discovered in 1905, in South Africa, and it was given by the mine's owner, and the South African leadership, to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, for his 66th birthday. The Cullinan was later cut into nine big pieces, and a hundred smaller ones. Today, eight of these stones are in Queen Elizabeth's collection, while the two largest stones taken from the Cullinan, are part of the crown jewel displayed in the Tower of London. The biggest stone cut from the Cullinan, from among the more than 100 stones or various sizes, is a stone called the Great Star of Africa, which was cut at 530-carats.
Number two. The most expensive diamond to be sold was the 24.78-carat Graff Pink. Graff Pink is the previous record holder for being the most expensive diamond to be sold, as it was sold at $46.2 million, back in 2010. There was an auction run by Sotheby's, the seller of Graff Pink in 2013, for a pink diamond called the Pink Star, which sold for $83.2 million. However, the buyer defaulted on the payment, making Graff Pink the most expensive one to be actually sold for the auction price.
Number three. The taste for diamonds is not new at all. People have loved diamonds for as long as we know. In India, evidence was found of people collecting and trading diamonds, as early as the 4th century before Christ. A Roman naturalist, from the 1st century, called Pliny, is quoted to have said, "Diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones but of all things in this world."
Number four. Diamonds are billions of years old. We all know that old is gold, but apparently, what is even older, is diamonds. Formed of nearly a hundred thousand carbon, pressed far below the Earth's surface, under immense heat, the carbon atoms bond together, giving us the stunning diamond crystalline allure that ages back up to 3.3 billion years ago. Such a timeless gem.
Number five. There is no natural substance harder than a diamond. Nothing beats diamond, is not just a fashion statement, but actually a scientific fact. The only thing able to scratch a diamond is the diamond. Diamond is four times harder than any of the elements coming right after it on the scale, which are sapphires, and rubies, et cetera. As a matter of fact, the origin of the word diamond, is the Greek word Adamas, meaning invincible, or indestructible.
Number six. Diamonds are not only a sign of beauty but also luxury. In many ancient cultures, diamonds were believed to give their wearer's strength and bravery, on the battlefield. For that reason, many kings had diamonds on their armours as they entered battle.
Number seven. The US buys around 40% of the world's gem-quality diamonds. Even though the US is not a producer of diamonds, but it is still the biggest market for diamonds worldwide.
Number eight. Diamonds were believed to be curative. Aside from being able to cure any emotional pain, because why would you stay sad after getting a diamond? Diamonds were actually believed to have healing properties back in the middle ages, and they were used to treat many illnesses, from mental illness to fatigue.
Number nine. Diamonds are technically cheaper in bigger chunks. To buy two single carats would cost you more than to buy one two-carat diamond. That doesn't apply to diamonds smaller than one-carat though. Three diamonds slightly less than one-carat placed on a ring can cost less than a one-carat ring. Basically, the bigger chunks are cheaper on a unit base, starting from the one-carat up.
Number ten. The process of mining diamonds is harder than most people think. If you don't why diamonds are so expensive, it is because they are extremely rare. To only get one single carat of this precious gem, we need to mine 250 tons of Earth. So if any of you Aluxers are wearing a diamond, while watching this, look at it and imagine how much digging was made to get you this beauty.
Number eleven. Romans and Greeks believed diamonds were tears of the Gods. The Romans and Greeks were so stunned to see the beauty of diamonds, that not only did they believe they were tears cried by the Gods, but also slivers from falling stars. Romans even believed that Cupid, the God of desire, love, and affection, had arrows that were tipped with diamonds. That is perhaps where diamonds started being a sign of love.
Number twelve. The first diamond ring proposal happened in 1477. 540 years ago, Archduke Maximilian of Austria became the first man we know of, to have proposed to a woman. It was Mary of Burgundy, with a ring encrusted with diamonds. The rings were customised so that the diamonds spelt the letter M. Archduke Maximilian started a trend, which until this day, remains the ultimate way to propose anywhere in the world. Click the top right corner to watch our video on the world's most expensive engagement rings.
Number thirteen. Diamonds are the birthstone for every April-born. All of you Aluxers born in April can consider yourselves the most precious of the bunch because your birthstone is undisputedly the most valuable gem in the world. You can also consider yourself the toughest of them all.
Number fourteen. Up to $100 million worth of diamonds were stolen in the 2003 Antwerp diamond heist. In 2003, a group of thieves were able to pass through 10 layers of security, including infrared detectors, a magnetic field, seismic sensors, among others, and smuggle $100 million worth of diamonds from the Antwerp World Diamond Center in Belgium. It was named the diamond heist of the century, and up until today, it is unknown how they managed to make the break-in.
Number fifteen. There is a big planet made of 33.3% diamond, floating in the Milky Way. In 2004, scientist discovered this beauty orbiting a star near to us, in the Milky Way. The planet is mostly made out of carbon, and one-third of it is pure diamond. We honestly think it would've deserved a fancier name.
For those of you who stuck around this far, we have a bonus fact for you. There is a star entirely made out of a diamond. The big chunk of crystallised carbon weighs five million, trillion, trillion pounds. That means that we have a diamond of 10 billion, trillion, trillion carats, floating somewhere across our galaxy. The scientist named that beauty, Lucy, after The Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. That is how you name a diamond star.
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