Copyright c 2007-2010 Robert Vayner Diamond Jewelry! What does that phrase bring to mind for you? Do you imagine an engagement ring? Perhaps it makes you think of a great King or Queen. You may even picture a burglar trying to gain access to a closely guarded museum exhibit. Just the mention of diamond jewelry sparks the imagination in many different ways. Diamond jewelry has been an inspiration to cultures all over the world throughout history. The fire that sparkles within it is a highly coveted prize. Forged by extreme volcanic
heat and pressure over billions of years, the brilliance of a diamond has long been a symbol of wealth, prosperity, status, power, or everlasting love for its wearer. Mystics associate the magic of healing, protection and poisoning with this gem. Even the origin of the word used to name this magnificent stone suggests the high regard we hold for it. Diamond comes from the Greek words adamao, meaning I tame or I subdue, and adamas, which was used as unconquerable or indestructible. These eventually became a description for the stone we now know as a diamond. Diamond jewelry most likely made its debut in human society at the time diamonds are thought to have first been mined over 4,000 years ago in India. Since, diamond jewelry has been embraced as an object of great value. Diamonds were considered symbols of eternity in ancient Egypt, where the bereaved would adorn those who had passed with diamond jewelry to ensure everlasting life. In the thirteenth c
entury, France enacted a law prohibiting all but the king from wearing diamond jewelry. In 1477, Archduke Maximilian
Its not some made up event by conspiracy theorist. And its certainly
not something dreamt up for a Hollywood movie…
of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy a sparkling diamond ring as part of his marriage proposal. Today, we know this as the tradition of giving a wife-to-be diamond engagement ring. Some diamonds have intriguing histories. French Blue, a 112 carat diamond, was purchased in India by Jean Baptiste Tavernier. Tavernier later sold the diamond to King Louis XIV of France in 1668. French Blue gained its name based upon the description provided by King Louis XIV. This large diamond remained a part of the French royal court until the French Revolution in 1791, when King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette attempted to flee from France. The entirety of the royal treasury became property of the government, including the French Blue. Not long after the French Revolution, the great French Blue diamond was stolen. Years later, in 1812 a deep blue diamond weighing 44.25 carats emerged as the possession of a London diamond broker, Daniel Eliason. Much stigma surrounded Eliason
s prize. There is much evidence to indicate that the enigmatic jewel was part of the re-cut French Blue. It became
part of the collection of King George IV of England, and was again sold at the time of his death in 1830. Eventually, it belonged to a well known gem collector named Henry Philip Hope. Today, this historically famous piece of diamond jewelry sets on display at its permanent place of rest in the Smithsonian Institute of Washington, DC. We know it as the Hope Diamond. From ancient mysticism to modern glitz and glamour, diamond jewelry has always been important to us. We will, no doubt, remain enamored by its luster and brilliance for as long as we exist. No one can just glance at a beautiful piece of diamond jewelry. You must take a moment to admire, and imagine what wonderful, billion year story could be behind it. We will always love diamond jewelry.
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Robert Vayner is CEO/Founder of FashionPenny.com, a purveyor of fine wholesale diamond jewelry. http://www.fashionpenny.com/diamond.html http://www.fashionpenny.com Read More Articles From Robert Vayner: http://thephantomwriters.com/recent/author/robert-vayner.html