Diamonds: history and legend

Until the 15th century, only kings wore diamonds is a symbol of strength, courage and invincibility. Since then, diamonds have become the quintessential love-token. It was said that Cupid's arrows were tipped with diamonds, which were endowed with an incredible magical power. Since ancient times, diamonds have always been associated with love and legends. The word diamond comes from the Greek adamas “invincible”, which suggests the eternity of love. The Greeks also believed that the fire of the diamond recalls the constant fire of eternal love.
Millions of people all over the world feel that the fire, mystery, magic, beauty and charm of this simple stone personify everything that the heart feels but words cannot express.
The practice of wearing a ring on the ring finger of the left hand dates back to early Egyptian times. They believed that the vena amoris (the vein of love) led directly from the heart to the tip of the ring finger on the left hand.

3.3 billion years and four continents

The ancient Greeks believe that diamonds were fragments of stars which had fallen to earth. Others believed that they were God's tears. Legend also had it that there was an inaccessible valley in Central Asia carpeted with diamonds and guarded by birds of prey and snakes with killing eyes on the ground. The truth is that the exact origin of diamonds is still fairly mysterious even for scientists and geologists.
Millions of years ago, the natural forces of heat and pressure in the cauldron of molten magma deep under the earth miraculously transformed carbon into diamonds. Diamonds are rare since only a few have ever made the tricky journey up to the surface. All diamonds are rare, but those suitable for jewellery are even rarer.
Before a diamond can ever be worn on a woman's finger, it probably crosses four continents and is handled by hundreds of people. Indeed, experience of many skilled craftsmen is essential both for the complicated process of extraction as well as the finishing process of a diamond.
The precision and delicacy of the cut affects the brilliance and fire of a diamond and hence its beauty.
After a diamond has been cut and polished, it passes to the jeweller and expert designers and craftsmen. They create the mountings which set off the stones to their best.