From Ancient times diamonds have been considered as stones that came from Gods and assigned supernatural powers. Among all the beauty created by Nature diamonds have mostly attracted and charmed people by their extraordinary lustre and brilliance. However, apart from being a worthwhile and valuable investment diamonds can boast by a heap of interesting facts and curiosities that can be a real revelation to the majority of people.

Do you know that:

• The name diamond derives from the Greek word “adamas” meaning “unconquerable and indestructible” and applied by the Greeks to any hard stone.

• The earliest written reference to diamonds occurs in Roman literature of the 1st century AD and the first record of a diamond given to a woman as an engagement ring dates back to the 15th century when the Archduke of Austria gave a diamond to Mary of Burgundy to ask for hand in marriage.

• On average, diamonds are some 3.4 billion years old which is two-thirds the age of the Earth. Still there are some youngsters which are about 100 million years old.

• The diamond is the hardest natural substance found on the Earth.

• The diamond is virtually fireproof and can withstand extremely high temperatures. The diamond can be burnt only at a temperature of 1292 degrees Fahrenheit.

• India was the only known source of diamonds right up to the 18th century, when diamonds were also discovered in Brazil and South Africa.

• Only 20 % of mined diamonds are gem-quality diamonds while the rest 80% are committed to industrial use, cutting, drilling, grinding and polishing in particular.

• To produce a one-carat diamond, 250 tons of earth will be mined.

• In one-thousand polished diamonds, only one will weigh more than one carat.

• Most diamonds were formed as deep as 100 – 400 miles beneath the earth’s surface under remarkable conditions – tremendous pressure and temperatures of 2000 – 3000 degrees Fahrenheit and carried to the surface by the kimberlite magmas.

• The largest diamond ever found, 3,106 carats in its rough state, was discovered in 1905 in the Premier mine of South Africa and called after Thomas Cullinan, the president of the mining company.

• Diamond can be in a variety of colours including blue, pink, yellow and brown. In the purest state diamonds are entirely colourless.

• The world’s only diamond mine open to public is the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.

• Australia produces 66% of the world’s diamonds nowadays.