Diamond Facts You Probably Didn't Know

July 25, 2015

Fact #1: Outer space is conducive to diamond formation. In fact, tiny diamonds known as nanodiamonds have been found embedded in meteorites. These diamonds are too small to be used as gems, but they are present nonetheless. They are thought to have formed as a result of high-speed collisions. But there's more. A planet composed almost entirely of carbon exists, one-third of which is pure diamond. It goes by the name 55 Cancri e. And if you happen to be more of a star gazer, one star, Lucy, in the constellation Centaurus is essentially a ten billion trillion trillion carat diamond. Just how big is this diamond star? "You would need a jeweller's loupe the size of the Sun to grade this diamond," one of the astronomers that discovered it explains.

Fact #2: The largest ever-found diamond is the Cullinan. In its rough state, it weighed a whopping 3,106 carats. Nine major stones and 96 smaller stones were cut from it. The largest of these was the Great Star of Africa. Weighing in at 530.20 carats, it still bears the distinction of being the largest cut diamond in the world. It can be seen on display at the Tower of London as part of the Crown Jewels, at the center of the Royal Scepter. It can be removed from the scepter to be worn as a brooch.

Fact #3: Almost all diamonds have slight imperfections. A truly flawless diamond is extremely rare. Referred to as inclusions, these blemishes can range from barely detectable all the way to visible with the naked eye. No matter how noticeable, they share this trait in common: they result from the presence of foreign mineral crystals and cleavages.

Fact #4: The diamond made its first purported appearance in an engagement ring over five centuries ago. In 1477, Archduke Maxmillian of Austria presented a gold diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy. The ring featured diamonds in such an array that they formed the letter M for Mary.

Fact #5: The ability to affordably purchase diamond engagement rings was brought to the masses when Sears & Roebuck introduced them to its famous mail-order catalogs in the 1890s. Guns, phaetons (horse carriages) and even drugs were some of the other items being sold by the retailer through the mail at that time.

Fact #6: Americans love their diamonds. The United States is authorized to buy 400,000 carats of rough diamonds annually from Russia, the second largest producer of diamonds in the world. Even more telling, however, is the fact that the USA makes up almost 50% of the world diamond jewelry market.

Fact #7: De Beers, an American company, is the largest diamond miner in the world. The company continued to increase its diamond market share until the 1980s, when it neared 90%. That is no longer the case today. The De Beers diamond monopoly is no more and diamond prices are now driven by supply and demand.

Fact #8: The famous Hope diamond, deep blue in color, weighs 45.52 carats. It is cushion cut with a VS1 clarity, according to the Gemological Institute of America. In December of 1988, the institute made a special trip to the Smithsonian, where the Hope diamond is housed, to grade it.

Return to blog home