For years diamonds have signified love and affection. They are arguably the most sought-after gemstones in the world and are the most common stone used in engagement rings.
Diamonds can captivate a person’s heart and affection in a second. They signify perfection, strength, resilience and everything in between.
It’s no secret that these beautiful stones are made of compressed carbon, and they are the considered one of the hardest natural substances known to man.
Today, we’ll look into a few of the lesser-known facts about diamonds. These facts are sure to pique your interest.
100 KM Below Ground
It’s a bit ironic that one of the most captivating stones that can disperse light in unimaginable ways was formed more than 100 km below the Earth’s surface.
Underground diamonds are hidden within igneous rocks that form as a result of the cooling of magma.
Really Old Diamonds
Diamonds are really old substances, partly because their formation takes hundreds of millions of years. The oldest diamonds discovered are estimated to be over 4 billion years old, although most diamonds are between 1-3.3 billion years old.
Interstellar Diamonds
The fact that some diamonds might have originated from outer space is absolutely mind-blowing.
Carbonado diamonds are believed to have hitched a ride on an asteroid that impacted the earth over 3 billion years ago. These diamonds are commonly referred to as black diamond due to their colour.
Diamonds within Candle Flames
Candle flames are more than meets the eye. Within them lies around 1.5 million diamond nanoparticles.According to the University of St. Andrews Chemistry professor, Wuzong Zhou 1.5 million nanoparticles of diamond are created every second it burns.
Man-Made diamonds
Scientists have reportedly devised a means to turn the remains of humans into a diamond. You can have the ashes of a loved one compressed into a stunning man-made diamond.This is a perfect way for you to have a long-lasting connection with those that are no longer with us.
Lucy in the Sky
The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics discovered a 10 billion-trillion-trillion carat diamond in 2007. The scientists named the diamond Lucy after the Beatles song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.This planet’s core is comprised of carbon and oxygen. 75% of Lucy is pure diamond. She resides 50 light years away from us.
Carbon
Diamonds are made of nearly 100% carbon. Under unimaginable pressure, 100s of Kilometers’ below the Earth’s surface, carbon atoms form in a particular way that results in the diamonds iconic crystalline structure.
Invincibility
Everything about a diamond is impressive, from its structure, through its formation all the way down to its name.The name Diamond is coined from the Greek word “Adamas”. Adamas means invincible, untamed, and indestructible. The word Adamas represents the diamond in such a way that no other word can.
Ancient Diamond Trade
Diamonds have been cherished and valued for centuries. There is considerable evidence supporting the claim that diamonds were being traded and collected in Asia as early as the 4th century BC. This just goes to prove that diamonds have been captivating people for a long time.
Empire State Diamonds
Although the USA has little to no diamond reserves, it still controls a large chunk of the Diamond industry.Most rough diamonds get sent to Antwerp, Belgium where they get processed. Post-production, over 80% of the world’s diamonds make their way to New York City.
Image Pixabay CC0 License
