adamo, vajra, thunderbolt, indrayudha… Despite Australia, Botswana, Russia, and Congo, South Africa still remains the main producer of diamonds—both in volume as well as value.
History of diamonds
A diamond becomes what it is, only after it undergoes tremendous stress and pressure. The history and evolution of diamonds is an exciting story. Once it reaches the jewelers showcase probably nobody thinks about the conditions it has gone through that leads it to get ejected near the surface of the earth. However, did you know where this brilliant stone was first discovered? The love for diamonds originated in India during the early fourth century BC. Back then, only the wealthy class had access to this stone but with increasing popularity, this precious stone found its way to Western Europe and by 1400s, it had reached almost all the elite living throughout Europe.
Diamond and its origin
The name diamond derives its origin from The Greek word “adamo”, used to describe the hardest available substance or “I subdue”. Owing to its origin in India, diamond in Sanskrit was called “Vajra”, “thunderbolt” as well as “indrayudha” or Lord Indra’s weapon. According to the Vedic scriptures the diamond is significantly mentioned as thunderbolt.
The history and evolution of diamond from just a precious stone into a warm emotion. Photo by Jack Millard on Unsplash
The history of diamonds as an engagement ring
When diamonds were first discovered, they were not just valued because of their brilliance alone but were also used as a talisman that was believed to ward off evil. They were also used as a cutting tool and also as medical aid believed to cure illness. Diamonds were also thought to heal wounds when consumed. Until the 18th century India was considered to be the only country producing diamonds but soon enough the diamond mines in India were depleted of its precious stones. Hence the quest for other sources began and Brazil was discovered as another producer in 1725.
Rings made from twisted copper or braided hair were worn on the third finger (vena amorous) of the left hand as a sign of commitment, especially during the Roman civilization. The significance of wearing a ring on this finger is that it is believed a vein in this finger is directly connected to the heart. The idea behind the engagement ring is to seal a commitment between two people. The history of the ring dates back to 1215 when Pope Innocent III had declared that there should be a waiting period between engagement and the wedding ceremony. These rings were used as a symbol of a person’s intention of marriage. Diamond rings were also used by the elite and represented a higher social rank.
Today some of the major producers of diamonds include few more African countries, Siberian Russia as well as Australia. The production of diamond has significantly increased during the 20th century. During the 16th century, India produced about 50,000 to 100,000 carats diamond annually which is quite a small number compared to the current production which is approximately 100 million carats.
Diamonds have been appreciated for centuries now. They have gained popularity quite rapidly where the major production today comes from Australia, Botswana, Russia as well as the Congo Republic. However, South Africa still remains as the main producer both in volume as well as value.