What do you know about the history of diamonds?
How did diamonds enter into the mainstream? How did they become the beloved jewels that so many people value today? When were they first placed on engagement rings? Well, it didn't happen overnight.
The word "diamond" comes from the Greek word "adamas" which means unconquerable. A diamond is composed of pure carbon and is the hardest natural substance known to man, hence the origin of the phrase "diamonds are forever." Deep deposits of carbon evolve under extreme heat and pressure to form what will be the most precious stone on earth - the diamond. The first riverbed (alluvial) diamonds were probably discovered in India, in around 800 B.C. It is thought that the volcanic source of these diamonds was never discovered but the alluvial deposits were rich enough to supply most of the world's diamonds until the eighteenth century, when Indian supplies were dwindling. It probably spurred the exploration that led to the discovery of diamonds in Brazil which became the next important diamond source.
The first known engagement ring was given by Archduke Maximilian of Austria in 1477. Those who knew the Archduke described him as quite the character. The wife to be, Mary, wore it on the third finger of her left hand, now known as the ring finger. This was done so that the ring touched a vein believed to go directly to the heart. In those days, people's belief systems saw no bounds. Today, more than 200,000 diamond engagement rings are happily placed on ring fingers every year.
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