History of diamonds

Since time immemorial diamonds have instigated myths, shaped civilizations and enchanted people with its enigmatic charisma. The history of diamonds has been a very interesting one. What was once believed to be a mystic stone is now the corner stone of world economy! This magnificent transition reflects not only the evolution of an inanimate stone but also portrays how the outlook of the human race changed from conservative to progressive.

EARLY HISTORY

Diamonds were first discovered in India almost three millenniums ago. It was here that its value as a gem was recognized. The astonishing attribute to refract light, much more than any other gem, elevated the diamond to a class of its own. In this time period diamonds were mainly used as ornaments. Some people believed that the stone was heaven sent because nothing this beautiful could exist on Earth. Thus they used it as a talisman to ward of evil spirits or provide protection.

THE DARK AGES

During the dark ages, the fame of the mystic stone reached the western civilization. European doctors believed that the stone had miraculous medicinal powers. This belief was reinforced by the all powerful church. It was said that a diamond was capable of healing wounds and cure illness if you make a cross with it while clutching it in your hands. Stories of this sort gave the stone a holy dimension, sanctified by the pope himself! But such myths were soon dispelled after Pope Clement failed to recover from his illness despite resorting to diamonds as a cure

THE MIDDLE AGES

Soon man became more materialistic. The newly developed scientific outlook led man to focus on the diamonds material worth and physical properties like strength, refractive index, molecular structure etc. rather than its mystical powers. Hence awareness about the worth of diamonds began to increase. The increased understanding caused mine owners to resort to lies and propaganda to prevent mine workers from smuggling them. Many famous stones like the Koh-I-Noor and the Blue Hope were found during this time. The size and splendour of these diamonds led to a huge increase in popularity. Therefore, the demand for diamonds became more than ever!

As time passed by, India lost its monopoly over the diamond market. Small deposits were found in Brazil and Borneo, but they hardly, met the ever increasing demand. The next diamond revolution occurred in the nineteenth century in South Africa along the Orange River basin. This new find helped satisfy the global demand at least for the time being.

RECENT TIMES

Today the diamond industry is shifting its pivot from traditional suppliers like India, South Africa, Brazil etc. Geologists hypothesized that the island continent of Australia might have a rich deposit of diamonds due to geological isolation and late occupancy. But it wasn’t until the 1970’s that a concentrated effort was made into tapping this potential. The efforts were rewarded in 1979 when large deposits of this precious stone were uncovered in Argyle. The diamonds mined from this region accounts for nearly 33% of the diamonds mined each year globally!