"The word Diamond is derived from the Greek
word 'Adamas' meaning unconquerable or indestructible".
-Cape Town Diamond Museum
The birthstone for the month of April is Diamond. Let's dive into the origin of the diamond and some of the most famous diamonds in history.
The Diamond's Timeline:
800 BC
The first known records of mining diamonds took place in India.
1330
Venice, Italy, the beginning of the first major diamond cutting industry.
1477
The first recorded engagement ring is presented to Mary of Burgundy by Archduke Maximillian of Austria.
1600's
The Hope Diamond was discovered in the Kollur mines of Andhra Pradesh in India. Weighing 45.52 carats and is an estimated worth of $350 million, currently resides at the Smithsonian.
1866
A 15- year old shepherd boy named Erasmus Jacobs discovers a 21.25-carat diamond along the Orange River in South Africa.
1902
A diamond cutter by the name of Joseph Asscher introduces the highly sought after Asscher cut diamond.
1931
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is founded by Robert M. Shipley.
The GIA is a nonprofit organization that focuses on research and education about gemstones and gemstone jewelry.
1949
The universal diamond grading system, known as the Four C’s is introduced by the GIA in 1949.
Diamond color, clarity, cut and carat weight are collectively termed the Four C's.
1978
The Sancy, pale-yellow diamond in the shape of a shield, is one of the first large diamonds to be cut to symmetrical facets. The 4th Viscount Astor sold The Sancy to the Lourve in 1978 for $1 million and remains there today. It is currently one of two priceless diamonds.
1985
The Golden Jubilee was discovered at the prolific Premier Mine in South Africa, it was unearthed as a piece of rough originally weighing 755.5 carats. The Golden Jubilee Diamond is the largest faceted diamond in the world at 545.67 carats.
1990 +
The 1990s brought exciting new sources and encouraged the dramatic growth of some cutting centers.
Visit our Diamonds page to learn more about popular shapes.
Sources: GIA , Wikipedia , Brilliance