A Brief History of Diamonds
With April well under way, we thought it best to dedicate one of our articles to honor and celebrate the absolutely beloved April birthstone, the diamond!
We all know one thing is certain; that diamonds are a girl’s best friend! But diamonds are so much more than a beautiful birthstone, symbol of love, and fabulous, classic accessory. They have a deep, rich, and interesting history! Here are a few diamond history highlights for you to enjoy…
- Some of the earliest mentions of diamonds date back to nearly 400 B.C. in various Sanskrit texts. The majority of people in this time had a great admiration and fascination for crystals and stones due to the fact that they believed they held mystical powers. Some of these powers included the ability to heal. Diamonds, however, were thought to be the tears of gods. Other cultural and ancient texts reveal that many also thought that diamonds could cure ailments like brain disease, by bringing relief and clarity to those who owned and wore them regularly.
- While it is difficult to pin down exactly where the diamond originated, many scholars have noted that it gained in popularity throughout the 15th century as a good that was traded along various routes by shopkeepers, etc. However, the diamond trade really took off in the Moghul Empire in modern day India as there were large diamond deposits found along three major rivers in the country.
- The emergence of the birthstone tradition has been debated by many. The vast majority agree with the theory of using twelve different stones. Basically, any time a month would change, people would wear a different stone.
- The American National Association of Jewelers assigned the birthstones as we know today to each of the 12 months, back in 1912.
