In order to trace the history of diamond jewelry, one must also look at the history of jewelry itself. While diamond jewelry may be a commonly thought of type of jewelry in the modern day, jewelry can actually be made of many materials. In the history of what jewelry has gone through since it first began, to what it is today, crosses the course of thousands of years.
Early Forms of Jewelry
While most jewelry in modern countries today is made of metals, jewelry in the earliest times was actually made of natural materials that were usually easier to work with. For example, stone, wood, bone, and animal teeth were used to make jewelry in ancient times.
Evidence points to the fact that jewelry has mainly always been used for the same purpose it is used for today. That purpose of course is to demonstrate wealth and adorn one's body for cosmetic reasons. Throughout history jewelry has been used to show social status, in many cases people are actually buried with their jewelry still on. Although that is less common today, it was very common in the past. One extravagant example of this practice is seen with the ancient Egyptian pharaohs.
Jewelry’s Uses
In the past jewelry has also been used as a way to store wealth. In ancient times, especially, banks and similar institutions were not available or not readily available to everyone. Jewelry provided a convenient way to store wealth, while taking up less space than other methods. Conveniently, this method of storing wealth provided a great way for individuals to showcase their wealth as well.
Jewelry Materials
As mentioned previously, in ancient times materials such as stone, wood, bone, and animal teeth were used to create jewelry. Other materials that have been used through the centuries to create jewelry include metals such as gold, iron, bronze, silver, platinum, and titanium. Diamonds and other gemstones are also commonly used in the creation of jewelry, and have been for centuries.
Diamond jewelry, can trace its roots back centuries. However, it is only been commonly used in jewelry since the 19th century. This is when a large diamond trader named De Beers Group started extensive marketing campaigns to promote diamond jewelry. This diamond jewelry campaign conducted by De Beers group was very successful. One of the most well-known marketing slogans of all time can be traced to this campaign. The slogan is, of course “a diamond is forever”.
The Rare And Beautiful Blue Diamond
It is a very good chance that you have never known anyone in your lifetime that owns a natural blue diamond. Colored diamonds are extremely rare and finding a natural blue diamond is a very difficult task. To offer their customers blue colored diamonds many jewelers offer a colored blue diamond that was created by a diamond manufacturer. A standard diamond is transparent. These are called white diamonds. In nearly all white diamonds there is a slight brown hue to them that is caused by their natural creation process. To find a white diamond that is pure white is very rare. Finding a blue diamond is also very rare and true blue diamonds are among the most expensive in the world.
Colored diamonds are actually created due to imperfections or impurities in the creation process. So in a world where everyone is looking for the perfect diamond it is very strange the most desirable gems are those that are brilliant with imperfections. Naturally colored red diamonds are the most rare of them all. One of the most valuable, and rare, diamond collections in the world is the Aurora Diamond Collection. The Aurora collection consists of 297 diamonds with a collective diamond weight of over 260 carats! The Aurora Diamond Collection has a natural diamond of every color that has ever been found and that makes for one very valuable set of gems!
Stealing The Ice
One of the single most famous blue diamonds ever is the Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond is a natural blue diamond that weighs 45 carats and is estimated to be worth over $200 million American dollars! King Louis XIV of France had the gem mounted as a ceremonial pendant to be worn around his neck in 1668. Because of its time spent in the French monarchy the Hope Diamond became known as the Blue Diamond of the Crown until it disappeared for a time. It resurfaced in the collection of Henry Philip Hope in 1824 and that is where it gets its current name of the Hope Diamond. The diamond went from family to family for years until a gem collector named Harry Winston bought it in 1949. In 1958 Winston donated the diamond to the Smithsonian Institution.
It is said that there is a curse on the Hope Diamond as many of the previous owners had met suspicious deaths. The curse traces back to Jean-Baptiste Tavernier who was the man who sold the gem to the monarchy of France. It is said that Tavernier stole the diamond from the eye of a statue of a Hindu goddess and that the priests of the temple it was stolen from put a curse on the diamond. Harry Winston died of natural causes in 1978 so maybe he was able to break the curse of the Hope Diamond.
Colored diamonds are actually created due to imperfections or impurities in the creation process. So in a world where everyone is looking for the perfect diamond it is very strange the most desirable gems are those that are brilliant with imperfections. Naturally colored red diamonds are the most rare of them all. One of the most valuable, and rare, diamond collections in the world is the Aurora Diamond Collection. The Aurora collection consists of 297 diamonds with a collective diamond weight of over 260 carats! The Aurora Diamond Collection has a natural diamond of every color that has ever been found and that makes for one very valuable set of gems!
Stealing The Ice
One of the single most famous blue diamonds ever is the Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond is a natural blue diamond that weighs 45 carats and is estimated to be worth over $200 million American dollars! King Louis XIV of France had the gem mounted as a ceremonial pendant to be worn around his neck in 1668. Because of its time spent in the French monarchy the Hope Diamond became known as the Blue Diamond of the Crown until it disappeared for a time. It resurfaced in the collection of Henry Philip Hope in 1824 and that is where it gets its current name of the Hope Diamond. The diamond went from family to family for years until a gem collector named Harry Winston bought it in 1949. In 1958 Winston donated the diamond to the Smithsonian Institution.
It is said that there is a curse on the Hope Diamond as many of the previous owners had met suspicious deaths. The curse traces back to Jean-Baptiste Tavernier who was the man who sold the gem to the monarchy of France. It is said that Tavernier stole the diamond from the eye of a statue of a Hindu goddess and that the priests of the temple it was stolen from put a curse on the diamond. Harry Winston died of natural causes in 1978 so maybe he was able to break the curse of the Hope Diamond.
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