History of Diamonds
A diamond ring is perhaps one of the most culturally recognized symbols of marriage. But what makes a diamond so special? Diamonds require very high pressure and low temperature to form naturally. These conditions are met far at the mantle of the earth and at meteorite impacts. Many of the diamonds have formed over several centuries beneath the earth’s surface; some diamonds have even been around since dinosaurs roamed the earth! Much of the world’s diamonds comes from Africa although there are also mines in India and Canada. Not only are diamonds old, they are also the hardest natural substance on earth. These two facts have created the most successful marketing tag line in history “A diamond is forever”. De Beers continues to be the leading diamond mining industry in the US.
Despite their hold on the diamond market, there are companies that have begun creating synthetic diamonds that are almost indistinguishable from real diamonds. One of those companies is Apollo Diamonds, headed by Robert and Bryant Linares. These diamonds are in fact created with a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and are lab-grown under similar conditions as those found under the earth’s lithic layer. The Linares, however, are not only looking to move into the jewelry business, but also the technology business. Diamonds have a much higher melting point than silicon and therefore can be used to create smaller and faster processors. Not only that, but diamonds can also be used as heat sinks or as a semi-conductor for microchips.
Diamonds have a third use, and that’s in industrial tools. Most of the diamonds mined d
o not have the necessary clarity or size for retail value, and therefore most are used for drill bits, saw blades and other items for grinding and polishing. Many companies have also utilized synthetic diamonds since its invention in the 1950s. Diamonds can also be used in lab settings to recreate pressures existing within planets. This high-pressure experiment utilizes the diamond anvil cell, which consists of two opposing diamonds with a sample compressed between the culets to measure pressure inside planets.
Not only have diamonds inspired the science and technology world but the art and fashion world as well. Recently Damien Hirst, an artist, created a diamond-encrusted skull that sold for over $100 million at Sotheby’s. Tobias Wong, a designer, created a “killer” engagement ring. The diamond was set in the opposite direction with the point facing outwards. Rough diamonds have also become popular. Rough diamonds are uncut and unpolished pieces. Many people find these diamonds have more “character” than their polished counterparts as you are able to see the imperfections.
As with everything else, there is a very large controversy surrounding diamonds. “Blood diamonds” or conflict diamonds come from mines that are taken over by rebel groups in Africa. These groups use the funds from the diamonds to finance their operations (buying guns, etc). With the creation of the Kimberly Process in 2002, diamond wholesalers must provide proper certification and identification for all the diamonds they are selling in order to ensure that the “blood diamonds” do not get intermixed with the “clean diamonds”. This has been moderately successful although around 2% of the diamonds on the market are potential conflict diamonds. Brilliant Earth, a diamond company in Canada, guarantees conflict-free diamonds as all diamonds are mined in Canada. Mining is also extremely detrimental to the environment. This has made synthetic diamonds more appealing to those that are ecologically-friendly as harvesting synthetic diamonds does not require mining.
Regardless, diamonds remain one of the most sought after gem due to its brilliance and clarity. Diamonds come in a variety of colors ranging from pink to black and are more popular than ever in the fashion world. After all, a diamond is forever.