Jewelry Discount House

Diamond Jewelry

Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring mineral. As such, they are almost scratch-proof, only other diamonds or a couple of man-made materials are capable of marring its surface. Diamonds disperse light and occur in almost every color, with yellow and brown being the most common. The most pure diamonds are colorless and transparent. Almost half of the world's diamonds are mined from southern Africa although Canada, India, Russia, Brazil and Australia are also major sources. Diamonds are rated using a scale based on "the four Cs": cut, color, clarity, and carat. The value of a particular diamond is based on its ratings.

Diamonds have been cherished as decorative gemstones for well over two millenniums but mostly owned by the aristocracy and members of upper class society. Their general popularity has risen over the last 200 years due to improvements in supply, cutting, polishing, advertising and the rise of the middle class income. In 1938, the DeBeers Company started a marketing campaign focused on the use of diamonds in engagement rings. Prior to that point, wedding bands utilized any gemstone. Today, diamonds are synonymous with love and eternity and often are an integral part of engagement rings and wedding bands. Read more about purchasing a custom diamond engagement ring from Jewelry Discount House.