Diamonds. A symbol of wealth. A favorite among people all around the world. A luxury only a few can afford. The diamond has been around for a long time. In fact the first diamonds were found in India in the 4th Century BC. Now the main supplier of diamonds in the world is Africa. Africa supplies over 90% of the diamonds in the world. This is a ridiculous amount. Finding a  diamond anywhere else is not a very usual thing. In fact, it is quite rare. Where we are, in North America, Diamonds are quite a rare spectacle. Today the largest diamond in North America has been found in the Diavik Mine. The Diavik Mine held the previous record holder for the largest diamond in North America. The Diamond is a 552-carat yellow diamond and is the size of a chicken egg. The largest diamond in the world, however, was found in as you might expect Africa. The Cullinan diamond was found in South Africa on Jan.2, 1905. The diamond weighs over an astonishing 3000 carats. Currently, the diamond is owned by the British Monarchy in the form of a crown.

Now let’s go into the history of diamonds. As I mentioned before The first diamonds are thought to be found in India 4th Century. Until the 18th Century diamonds were only thought to be found in India. Then a small deposit was found in Brazil during 1725. The diamond is associated with marriage. The classic diamond wedding ring is a staple with families.  The first record of a Diamond wedding ring being presented is in 1477  when Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed marriage to Mary of Burgundy. Diamonds were not common at all at this time period. They were a luxury reserved only to royalty and the elite.

Diamonds are now very commonly found. Now you may be asking, if they are so common, why are they so expensive? The answer is the economic term of supply and demand. Supply and demand is a term of describing how supply affects demand. So diamonds have a relatively high supply and a high demand. So to make money off of the industry, the supply of the diamonds to the market is limited. Limiting the supply creates higher prices higher prices meaning more money for the industry. In 1960, the price of diamonds were 2700 dollars per carat. In 2016, the price was 30,925 dollars per carat. That is a skyrocketing difference in just 56 years.

One interesting fact about diamonds is that their chemical structure is very similar to coal. Diamonds are a pure form of carbon whose molecules are arranged differently. Same thing with coal. You may see some videos on the internet saying that if you put coal in a hydraulic press you can make diamonds. This is a misconception. Although coal and diamonds have a similar molecular makeup that does not mean that one can be turned into another by simply applying pressure or heat. It is possible however to create artificial diamonds in a lab, using graphite. Although the artificial diamonds are far less quality than the real diamonds, the process is still very fascinating.

Diamonds are also known as one of the strongest material on earth. It takes diamond, to cut diamond. Diamond has not only fashionable uses but also industrial ones. Diamond dust can be coated on saws and other cutting tools to make them very sharp. Water jetstreams are used to cut materials. If you add diamond dust to that water, the water will cut through nearly any material.

In conclusion, diamonds are very versatile. They can be used for personal and fashionable reasons and industrial reasons. Diamonds have not only become a symbol of love but have also become a market that for what we know is unstoppable. If you want to learn more about the largest diamond found in North America click here and if you want to learn more about the history of diamonds click here.