The Ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to earth. It was even said by some that they were the tears of the Gods. Another legend has it that there was an inaccessible valley in the Central Asia carpeted with diamonds. 'Guarded by birds of prey, from above, and by snakes of murderous gaze, on the ground.' However the truth is that the exact origin of diamonds is still something of a mystery, even to scientists and geologists.
'Across 3.3 billion years and four continents to a woman's hand'
Even though the diamond is the hardest of all gemstones known to man, it is the simplest in composition. It is common carbon, like graphite in a pencil lead, yet has a melting point of approximately 4000 degrees centigrade. Billions of years ago the elemental forces of heat and pressure miraculously transformed the carbon into diamond in the cauldron of boiling magma that lay deep below the surface of the earth. The volcanic mass in which this crystallization took place, then, thrust upwards and through the earth's surface, to cool in kimberlite or Lamproite pipes. It is these pipes, that most diamonds are found today. Unlike other coloured gemstones, which this very moment are still being created (and destroyed), deep below the earth's crust, all the diamonds we will ever find were created millions of years ago and no more will be made. So it is a finite source.
Not all diamonds are created equal, in fact the quality can vary hugely. And despite what you may be told by some salespeople, size should not be the governing factor of your diamond purchase. Rather you should put quality ahead of size every time - remember quality not quantity! As a symbol of your love for another, it should always be the best 'quality', you can afford to buy, at that time.
When you purchase a diamond there are only four factors you need to take into account when judging quality. The colour and clarity grading system for diamonds is international, and the prices for diamonds in New Zealand are as competitive, if not in many cases, cheaper, than purchasing overseas.
