A Brief History of Diamonds: Part 1

In today’s modern environment, it can be pretty difficult to deny the association between diamonds and love. The epitome of the beauty is undeniable in nature, the light and fire in diamonds reflect those same characteristics in our hearts when we see a loved one. The wide spread availability consumer’s enjoy is a modern phenomenon. Diamonds are found in two primary ways: mined from deep within the earth, or alluvially, typically in a riverbank. The classic example of alluvial mining would be prospectors sifting for gold during the California gold rush.

The earliest records of diamonds being discovered originate from India in the 4th century BC, and were almost certainly alluvial. Lacking the technological advancements we enjoy, the diamonds of old were in many ways unrecognizable to the unparalleled brilliance experienced today. Diamonds are the hardest material found in nature, cutting and polishing them requires the utmost skill, concentration, and the correct tools. For centuries, this was done exclusively by hand, using tools coated in diamond dust (the only material that can cut a diamond).  Accordingly, many of the early jewelry featuring diamonds were merely polished surfaces of the shapes naturally occurring, the most desirable being an octahedral.

While the cutting technology did evolve, it took sourcing much longer. Until the 18th century, India was the only reliable/commercial source of diamonds. Due to India’s location in the center of the Silk Road, diamonds were still able to propagate amongst the wealthy of Europe and Asia.

All of this would change one fateful day in 1866, but that’s a story for another time.

-Matthew Raine