April Birthstone - The Diamond

by Judy Ellis

Diamonds - They might be more than just a girls best friend! As the April birthstone, diamonds are the ideal gift for a loved one.

Thought to be one of the hardest substances on the globe, diamonds date back billions of years. The diamond is the traditional birthstone of April and holds significant meaning for those born in that month, thought to provide the wearer with better relationships and an increase in inner strength.

Did you know that both the modern and traditional birthstone for the month of April is the diamond? "April-ers" are the only ones that have the lucky privilege of receiving the "King of Gems" as a birthstone. Additionally, diamonds are valued extremely high and its demand is ongoing. Today, the diamond is viewed as a symbol of love, courtship, and marriage, and is the most widely purchased engagement ring.

Judy Ellis's April Birthstone - The Diamond - , General Education, Design, , Crystal Chaton Swarovski

Wearing diamonds is purported to bring other benefits such as balance, clarity and abundance. It's also symbolic of eternal love, and those fortunate to call April the month of their birth will enjoy the following history behind this rare gem.

Adopted from the Greek work "adamas," meaning invincible, diamonds come in a wide range of colors such as black, blue, green, pink, red, purple, orange and yellow.

Faceted diamond prices vary, and are valued according to four main determining factors (known as the 4 c's): color, clarity, cut, and carat. Diamonds can be found in many colors, although the white or colorless is most popular. Other natural colors include yellow, orange, brown/cognac, pink, light green, lavender, deep blue, and dark green. The deep blue and green are the rarest and most expensive of the colors.

The color is dependent upon the type of impurities that are present in the stone. Yellow stones have minuscule traces of nitrogen while blue ones contain boron.

It's uncertain how the specific months became connected with the various stones. This started the tradition of wearing a colored stone each month as a sort of good luck charm. Initially people wore all twelve stones, rotating according to the month of the year to derive the greatest benefit of each stone.

Judy Ellis's April Birthstone - The Diamond - , General Education, Design, , Colored diamonds

History surrounding the Diamond:

Sansktrit texts dating back before 400 BC found that people associated significant value with crystals. The diamond trading business floursished around the 15th century with the opening of the Eastern trade routes.

Folklore/Metaphysical properties: The diamond is considered a stone of innocence and promotes purity. The diamond is also known to enhance trust and loyalty in relationships. In ancient times, it was used to guard against cowardice.

Healing Powers of Diamonds:

Durring the middle ages, diamonds were thought to hold healing powers and to cure ailments from the brain and by heating the crystal and taking it to bed, it was thougth to drawout the harmful toxins that were crippling the body.

The Love of the Diamond:

The diamond as the April gemstone has garnered the hearts of many and is the most coveted crystal to date. Deemed as the King of all birthstones, diamonds make the ideal choice for an April birthday gift.

Other Interesting facts:

Over half of all the world's diamond production and distribution is controlled by a cartel known as "De Beers." Although white diamonds unquestionably remain as the most notable gemstone in the jewelry industry, they are not in actuality "rare". Diamonds are mined on a massive scale, but the distribution by the cartel is controlled in a limited manner in order to keep the price of the diamond high. Because of the high cost and appeal of diamonds, many imitations are available on the market. The cubic Zirconia, Zircon, YAG, Moissanite, and Fabulie are commonly used as such imitations.

The diamond is a 10, according to the Moh's hardness scale, and is the hardest mineral on Earth. Major sources can be found in South Africa, Zaire, Russia, Canada, Nambia, Botswana, Australia, and Angola.

The more famous diamonds include the Dresden, Hope, Cullinan I (or Star of Africa), Cullinan IV, Nassak, Tiffany, Sancy, Florentine, and the Shah diamond.

Over 250 tons of rock is blasted for every finished diamond carat.

April Birthstone - The Diamond

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