The name "diamond" comes from the Greek word "adamas" meaning unconquerable - suggesting the eternity of love. In fact, diamonds have been the traditional symbol of love since ancient Greece. Discovered about 2,500 years ago in India, the ancients believed they were splinters from the stars, perhaps crystallized lightning or hardened dew drops.


The Diamonds Symbol of Love
The Beauty of Diamonds
Why are diamonds so Valuable?
The 4 C's of Diamonds
A Diamonds Shape
The Art & Craft of Diamonds
How to Care for you Diamonds
Famous Diamonds

The Diamond-Enduring Symbol Of Love

Until the 15th century only kings wore diamonds as a symbol of strength, courage and invincibility. Over the centuries, however, the diamond acquired its unique status as the ultimate gift of love. Indeed, it is said that Cupid's arrows were tipped with diamonds which have a magic that nothing else can ever quite equal. Since the very beginning, diamonds have always been associated with romance and legend. The very word "diamond" comes from the Greek "adamas" meaning unconquerable, suggesting the eternity of love. The Greeks also believed the fire in the diamond reflected the constant flame of love.

But it wasn't until 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy, that the tradition of diamond engagement rings began. Even the reason a woman wears it on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran directly from the heart to the top of the third finger, of the left hand.

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How A Diamond's Beauty Is Revealed?

An uncut diamond so resembles a pebble that most people would pass it by without a glance. It is the skill of the diamond cutter that unlocks the fiery beauty that lies within. The knowledge required for this incredibly demanding art has been passed down over the centuries from generation to generation. And a precise and demanding art it is, for the diamond cutter cannot afford to make a single mistake. Ultimately, the diamond itself is at risk if a single step is miscalculated. This can take anywhere from several hours to several months of work, for that is what is required in the cutting and polishing of each stone. During this time consuming process it is also interesting to learn that, on average, each stone will lose 50% of its original weight.

The beauty of a diamond depends on the way it reflects light, and the cutter must shape the stone in such a way as to admit light through the top of the stone, so it will bounce around inside and come back out at the top. In this way, the maximum amount of light is reflected, and the diamond sparkles with fire, brilliance and scintillation.

The places where diamonds are found and where these skilled craftsman are found may lie thousands of miles apart, for the diamond industry is truly international. Diamonds are cut in many places around the world, however, the most significant centers are New York, Antwerp, Tel Aviv and Bombay. Indeed, the diamond market is very important to these countries. For example, some 4000,000 cutters are employed in the cutting industry in India alone. In Israel, 12,000 cutters are employed in the trade that generates about 25% of Israel's total export earnings.

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Why are Diamonds so Valuable?

Anything extremely rare is also precious. Diamonds, formed billions of years ago are rare in that only a few survived the hazardous journey from the depths of the earth to reach the earth's surface. Indeed, you may be surprised to learn that even though diamond production has increased in recent years, it is estimated that as little as 350 tons have ever been mined in recorded history to date. Of diamonds mined today, only about 50% are judged to be of gem quality. Even fewer are large enough to be cut into diamonds that are much bigger than the head of a match.

To recover the relatively small amount of both gem quality and industrial diamonds is not easy, even with today's technology. Approximately 250 tons of ore must be mined and processed from the average Kimerlite pipe in order to produce a one carat polished diamond of gem quality.

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The 4 C's

Carat Weight
As with all precious stones, the weight - and therefore the size - of a diamond is expressed in carats. The word carat originated in a natural unit of weight: the seeds of the carob tree. Diamonds were traditionally weighed against these seeds until the system was standardized and one carat was fixed at 0.2 grams (one fifth of a gram). One carat is divided into 100 "points" so that a diamond of 25 points is described as a quarter of a carat or 0.25 carats. Here are some other examples that show the approximate size of the diamonds in question.

Color
It sometimes surprises people to learn that diamonds can cover the entire spectrum of colors. The majority, however, range from those with a barely perceptible yellow or brownish tint, up to those that are very rare and are described as colorless.

Some even rarer stones are naturally colored and are often referred to as Fancies. These diamonds are only found very occasionally and can come in tints such as green, red, blue or amber.

Clarity
Almost all diamonds contain minute traces of non-crystallized carbon, the element from which they were born. Most are not discernible to the naked eye and require magnification to become apparent. Called inclusions, they are nature's finger print and make every diamond quite unique. however, the fewer there are, the rarer the stone will be.

Cut
Of all the 4C's, cut is the one most directly influenced by man. The other three are dictated by nature. The cut or make of a diamond will dramatically influence its fire and sparkle, for it is the cutter's skill and releases its beauty.

D to F
Colorless
G to J
Near Colorless
K to M
Faint Yellow
N to R
Very Light Yellow
S to Z
Light Yellow

Confidence In Your Jeweler
When you are ready to choose your diamond, see a reliable jeweler. Erik Runyan and his staff are diamond experts and will be happy to explain the Four C's to you. They will tell you the difference between various qualities of diamonds and how these differences affect the price.

Don't expect to find "bargains" in diamonds, quality has its price. An established jeweler prizes his good reputation and will help you choose the best quality diamond, because he knows you are looking for quality when you are making one of your most important purchases. Erik Runyan Jewelers has been in the diamond business for four generations. Their longevity and reputation give you the confidence in knowing they are trusted experts.

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The Shape Of A Diamond

The precision and delicacy with which your diamond is cut will determine its brilliance, its fire, and its ultimate beauty. The shape you select is a matter of individual taste and today your choice is only limited by the skill and imagination of the craftsman. The round brilliant is the most popular shape, but there is a wide variety of others that range from the more traditional marquise, pear, emerald, oval, baguette or heart to the more fanciful and creative.

The round brilliant is the most popular of all the polished diamond shapes.

The oval is an adaptation of the round brilliant and appears larger than a round stone of the same carat weight.

The marquise is the name given to the diamond shape that is long and pointed at both ends.

The heart shape is perhaps the most romantic of what are known as the fancy shapes.

The emerald cut diamond is rectangular, with facets on each of the sides and across the corners.

The pear shape is the English name for the French "pendeloque" which is related to our word pendant.

The Art & Craft Of The Jewelry Designer

After a diamond has been cut and polished, it passes to the jewelry manufacturer and his staff of skilled designers and craftsmen, who create the settings that will show off the diamonds to their maximum effect.

They will probably use precious metals such as gold and platinum which contrast particularly well with the icy brilliance of nature's most precious gem.

The Range of diamond jewelry designs is so vast that it would be unusual if your jeweler could not show you a piece that complemented your taste and lifestyle. Today the emphasis has shifted away from ornate and complicated pieces to the more elegant. Designs that highlight and focus on the almost magical fire and entrancing beauty of the diamonds themselves. Of course, a great many diamonds are still set in traditional diamond engagement rings or diamond anniversary/eternity rings-the circle of diamonds that says "my love will run out at the circle's end"- for the custom of giving these unique symbols of love is stronger and more powerful now than it has ever been. A more recent innovation, that has excited and inspired the designer's creativity, is diamonds for men. As a result, more and more men are discovering just how ell diamonds enhance and suit both formal and informal dress.

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How To Care For Your Diamond

The Detergent Bath
Prepare a small bowl of warm suds with any mild liquid detergent. Brush pieces gently with a tooth brush while they are in the suds. Transfer to a wire strainer and rinse under warm running water. Pat dry with a soft, lintless cloth.

The Cold Water Soak
Make a half and half solution of cold water and household ammonia in a cup. Soak the diamond for 30 minutes. Lift out and tap gently around the back and front of the mounting with a small brush. Swish in the solution once more, and drain on paper. No rinse is needed.

The Quick Dip Method
Buy one of the brand-name liquid jewelry cleaners with its kit, and follow the instructions.

Some of the Worlds Most Famous Diamonds

	Hope Diamond The unusual Blue diamond that became the Hope, appeared in Europe in 1669 and is believed to be from Golconda. In its original state it is believed to have weighed 110.5 metric carats. After being cut into a heart of 69.03metric carats, the Stone disappeared in a robbery in 1792, possibly reappearing in Spain 7 years later. A dark blue diamond appeared in London in 1812 and is reputed to weigh "above 44cts". It acquired its name from Henry Philip Pope a banker, It was displayed in 1851 and 1855 but was sold in 1901. It was sold again in 1909 and again in 1910, by Cartier who had repolished it and set it. The new owner, a Mrs McLean immediately had the stone blessed. At her death in 1947 it was valued at $176,920 Harry Winston purchased the stone in 1949 and he presented it to the Smithsonian in 1958
	Cullianai II Diamond The Cullinan Diamond was discovered on a Thursday, Actually 26th January 1905 and when weighed immediately after discovery tipped the scales at 3106cts (metric) It was actually thrown out of the window initially, dismissed as being far too big to be a diamond but recovered by Fred Wells, the mine manager who had actually dug the stone out himself after his attention was drawn to it by the workers. The stone was cut into 9 principle stones and the Cullinan II yielded a cushion cut of 317.4cts. It is now set into the British Imperial State Crown
	Cullinani III Diamond Cullinan III is the pear shaped stone shown left and weighs 94.4cts and together with Cullinan IV were originally set in the Crown for Queen Mary on the Coronation of GeorgeV in 1911. When Queen Elizabeth inherited them they were affectionately called "Granny's Chips".
	DeBeers Diamond Found in March 1888, weighing in the rough 439.86 metric carats. After cutting, which reduced this to 228.5carats, it was exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1889. It was at this time called the Victoria. It is the fourth largest cut diamond in the world. Cartier set it in 1925 when it was first purchased and it was sold again in he 1930s when its present owners acquired it. In 1982 it came up for auction but was withdrawn at £1,750,000 which was below its (undisclosed) reserve
	Eureka Diamond The stone that has become known as Africa's First Diamond although this is somewhat inaccurate. It was found in December 1866 and was a childs plaything. It was originally given away as its identity as a diamond was unrecognized. It was pronounced to be a diamond in 1867, weight at that time was stated to be 21.25 carats and worth £800 if cut and £500 in the rough at which figure it was sold. It eventually returned to Africa having been most of its polished life in England and is now on display near the old Kimberly Mine. It now weighs a "mere" 10.73cts, is off color, has numerous internal imperfections and is not even well cut, but its historical importance cannot be overemphasized.
	Hortensia Diamond An unusual pale pink diamond, originally owned by Louis XIV. It weighs 20.53metric carats and was stolen, along with the Hope in 1792 but recovered a year later. When the Crown Jewels were sold in 1887, this stone was excluded on historic grounds and is on display in the Louvre
	Idols Eye Diamond A confused history surrounds this stone, It has been stated that it was set in the eye of an idol in Benghazi, however, as the city has been Muslim since the eighth century, there are no temples or idols in Benghazi. It weighs 70.2 metric carats and is obviously a Golconda stone, having a slight bluish tint. It was bought by Harry Winston in 1946 having been in a bank for some years after disappearing from the collection of Abd al-Hamid of the Ottoman Empire. It is reported that the subsequent buyer, Mrs May Bonfils Stanton, wore the stone to her solitary breakfast every morning. The stone was sold in 1962 after her death and again in 1979 when it was acquired by Laurence Graff of London. After a display in New York to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Harry Winston in 1982, the stone was sold as part of what is said to be one of the highest diamond transactions ever.
	Jubilee Diamond A colorless cushion cut stone weighing 245.35 metric carats, ranking as the third largest cut stone in the world. It weighed 650.8 carats in the rough and was discovered in 1895. Originally called The Reitz, It was renamed The Jubilee in 1896 in honor of The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897. It was planned to present it to her but this never happened. Shortly after being displayed in The Paris Exhibition of 1900, the stone was sold at a value of 7,000,000 francs to an Indian Industrialist and Philanthropist, Sir Dorabji Jamsetji Tata
	Kor-I-Nor Believed to have been presented by Sultan Ala-ed-in to two brothers but captured on 4th may 1526 by Humayin, at which point it was stated to be valued at half the daily expense of the whole world. It arrived in England in 1850 and was presented to Queen Victoria on 3rd of July. It originally weighed 186 carats(190metric). and took 38days to cut to its present form at a cost then of £8000.  It is currently an Oval Brilliant of 108.93metric carats. The name means Mountain of Light. The stone is currently set into the Maltese Cross in the crown made for the Queen mother in 1937.
	Marie Antoinette Diamond When Marie Antoinette arrived in France she brought this stone with her, a greyish blue heart shaped diamond of 5.46 metric carats. As private property it never went with the Crown Jewels and was not not therefore stolen in 1792. Just before her execution the Queen presented the stone to a close confidant who was Polish and the stone went to Poland where, other than occasional appearances it lived until being sold in 1967 to a private European buyer.
	Red Cross Diamond A typical South African Diamond, found in 1901 at the De Beers Company Mine. It now weighs 205.07 carats but is reported to have weighed 375cts in the rough although contemporary records do not support this. It was sold in 1918 on behalf of the British Red Cross Society and brought a massive £10,000 for that worthy society. It came up again in 1973 but was withdrawn at £820,000, it had been expected to fetch over £2,000,000, It appeared again in Geneva later that year and again in 1977 but its present whereabouts and owner is not clear.
	Regent Diamond A wonderful stone of Indian origin, this was originally known as the Pitt Diamond after Thomas Pitt who acquired it after 1701 under circumstances that remain murky to this day. He claimed to pay £20,000 for it and it cost £5000 and took 2 years to cut. The cleavage and dust from this process was valued at between £7000 and £8000. It finally came to France in 1717 where it was sold for £135,000, in installments. It was renamed the Regent at this point. After being stolen in 1792 (see above) along with the Hope and the Sancy (see below) it was recovered a year later and became The National Diamond of France and was pawned and became part of many complex financial deals during this turbulent period. When Napoleon Bonapart came to power it was mounted in the hilt of his sword and after his downfall in 1814, the stone traveled around quite a lot but by 1824 was back in France and worn at the coronation of Charles X. The stone is now on display at the Louvre, fortunate indeed not to have been sold with many other stones in France in 1887 and having survived the Second World War hidden behind a stone in a chateaux at Chambord.
	Sancy Diamond Another diamond with a very confused and chequered history, there have been 3 and possibly 4 stones with this name but the stone we know today as The Sancy is an Indian stone of 55.23cts, named after Nicholas Harlay de Sancy. It is believed that this stone was sold to Henry III of France as part of a larger deal in 1589, the year he was assassinated but even that part of the history is muddy. After 1642 it became part of the Crown Jewels of France and was known as Mazarin I and in 1691 was valued at 600,000 livres. The stone, like the Regent above has been pawned at several times, usually to finance wars, and after passing through several hands was purchased by Garrard & Co of London for £20,000. In 1867 it was exhibited in Paris and was on offer at 1,000,000 francs. It would then appear that the stone was sold to William Waldorf Astor and was worn by his wife who became Lady Astor in 1917, in a Tiara. In 1962 It was exhibited at the Louvre with the Hope and the Regent and in 1978 the fourth Lord Astor sold the stone to The Banque de France for a reputed $1,000,000 and it is now on display at The Louvre again with the Regent.
	Shah Diamond As the photo shows, this is not a cut diamond in the usual sense, it has been polished from its original 95cts to its present 88.7cts  and has been variously described as Table Cut, Portrait Stone and bar Shaped. It is unique because 3 of its polished faces are engraved with the names of 3 rulers who have owned it. The oldest dates the stone to around 1591 (AD) or 1000 in the Muslim calendar and refers to Burhan II. The second inscription reads "Son od Jahangir Shah, Jahan Shah 1051" (1641 AD). The third inscription is that of the Persian Ruler Fath Ali Shah (1797-1834). The stone was probably acquired when Persia invaded India in 1739. There are many stories about how the stone then traveled to Russia and became part of the Russian Crown Jewels. In 1914 the stone was taken from St Petersburg to Moscow for safekeeping and it was found after the Russian Revolution in 1917 and put on display in the Kremlin.
	Star of South Africa It is hard to imagine, now that almost 140 years have passed since the discovery of the first stones in South Africa, that The Cape was being dismissed as late as 1868 as not being at all likely of bearing any diamonds. Those few found, were dismissed as being "salted" in order to enhance Farm Values or simply as "being dropped by ostriches" It is ironic then that in 1869 the stone we now call the Star of South Africa was discovered, weighing at that time 83.5cts, valued at "between £25 and £150" in the initial accounts but eventually sold for £11,200. It has been said that the stone was placed on a table before the SA parliament and the words "This diamond gentleman, is the rock upon which the future prosperity of South Africa will be built" were said. Its finding led in 1888 to the founding of De Beers and the hords of diggers who sweated for a living in that inhospitable land. The stone was cut in Amsterdam into a flawless pear shape of 47.69cts. It came up for sale in Geneva in 1974 expecting to fetch £100,000 but sold to an undisclosed buyer for £225,000, mounted as you see it here.
	Tiffany Diamond The company was founded in 1837 by Charles Louis Tiffany and quickly recognized the diamonds in South Africa were viable, being in the forefront of the buyers in the late 1800s.It is believed that this stone was found either in 1877 or 1878. It certainly went to France to be cut, yielding a cushion cut brilliant of 125.51cts. It was purchased by Tiffany & Co for £18,000 and the stone was shipped to the USA in 1879. It is one of the largest rare Deep Canary Yellows in the world. It has been on display almost continuously since 1896 at the Tiffany Store in New York and exhibited at many great international shows. In 1951, the new Chairman of Tiffany & Co decided to sell the stone for $500,000, a decision which shocked the board but fortunately the deal fell through. The stone was advertised again in 1973 for $5.000,000 but a story circulated that one salesman was asked what he would get if he did sell the stone and replied "Fired". The stone was valued again in 1983 at $12,000,000
	Whittlesbach This unusual stone was first recorded in the late 17th Century and must certainly be of Indian origin. It is of an unusual and rare dark blue color and is believed to possibly  be part of the famous French Blue Diamond weighing 112.5cts, the principle remains of which is now called the Hope. This is a little unlikely. This stone weighs 35.5cts and has been cut in an unusual oval of 50 facets. It was sold in 1931 in an attempt to assist the fortunes of the deposed Royal family of Bavaria in whose possession it had been until the Republic was formed. It sold for £5400 and at that point it vanished. There were rumors but it was finally spotted in 1962 by a cutter who had been asked to view it with an eye to recutting it. Realizing that this would be unwise, he formed a consortium and purchased the stone for £180,000 and the stone was eventually sold to a private collector in 1964.