Nivara - Timeless Jewelry for Every Occasion

Are you aware that diamonds can be grown? Yes, just like a tomato in a greenhouse but rather than water and sunlight, it will use pressure, heat, and an entire lot of scientific wizardry. Lab-grown diamonds don't grow legs and chase you around. Instead, they are just stunning and 100% drama-free compared to their mined cousins. So, when you think of diamonds, probably you will be thinking about its glamour, elegance and strength. But have you ever thought that these diamonds have a collection of surprising tales that you might have never heard of. From their radiant appearance to surprising uses in modern times, diamonds are full of secrets. Whether you are here for science or to have a good laugh, get ready to uncover 10 rarely known fun facts about diamonds.

1. The Cullinan Diamond is known for being the largest diamond to have ever existed which is 3,106 carats or 1.37 pounds in weight. It was discovered in 1905 and was originally an immense piece of rough diamond which was named after the owner of the mine Thomas Cullinan. It's really enormous and bright, so it has even become known to some people as the largest clear-cut diamond in the world. The Cullinan diamond was initially considered to be too large to cut, while the expert cutter named Joseph Asscher took up the challenge and successfully divided it into several brilliant stones.                           
2. Diamonds are sometimes found inside of other diamonds. This is a relatively rare occurrence in which a small diamond becomes trapped inside another, larger diamond in the mantle of the Earth at the time of their formation. These diamonds inside diamonds are commonly referred to as inclusions or nested diamonds. One of the most famous examples of this is a black diamond contained within a clear diamond. The process of finding a diamond inside another does not happen very often and thus is of high interest as well as commanding higher prices because of their scarcity and the intrigue of how they are formed.                                                                 
3. 30% of diamonds will fluoresce to some extent under ultraviolet light, and the most common color appearing in these diamonds is blue, but fluorescence can also occur as other colors: green, yellow, orange. And, blue is the most prized because it tends to hide the slight yellowish hue of lower color grade diamonds. The fluorescence may go as high as strong. However, the overall value of the diamond is usually not affected by fluorescence in most cases although there are buyers who have preferences for and against this.                                                                                
4. In ancient Greece, diamonds were believed to be tears of god or even the crystallized essence of the gods. The Greeks believed that diamonds were extremely powerful and had been born from divine creation. Indeed, the word diamond itself comes from the Greek word adamas meaning invincible. Other Greek myths claimed that diamonds were produced when the gods wept, and thus their tears traveled to the Earth and became these beautiful, indestructible stones. Because it was connected to the gods, diamonds were highly valued at that time. They became thought not only as precious treasures but also as a sign of the gods' favor.                 
5. Diamonds are considered almost indestructible due to their incredible hardness. They are the hardest natural material on the Earth. However, diamonds are not indestructible. Although they can resist scratching by almost any other substance, they can fracture or break if they are struck with a forceful blow at a right angle. Diamonds have a crystal structure that makes them particularly strong in certain planes. This explains why diamonds, despite being extremely hard, are also somewhat brittle, breakable, or shatterable in case of mishandling. Thus, while diamonds are particularly hard and resistant to wear, they can still sustain damage under the appropriate conditions.                                      
6. The Hope Diamond is popular because of its dazzling deep blue brightness as it is infamous for its reported reputation to bring misfortune to its owners. According to legend, this extraordinary gem is believed to come from the sacred Golconda mines of India which was cursed after being stolen from an idol, thus angering the gods. Through history, the diamond has traversed the hands of kings, merchants, and collectors, leaving a trail of tragedy and misfortune. Some owners are said to have faced financial ruin, untimely death, or mysterious illnesses, contributing to the myth surrounding its dark curse. Today, it is appreciated for its beauty while kept safely at the Smithsonian Institution, yet its history is a haunting reminder of the price of desire and ambition.                       
7. An artist named Damien Hirst has produced a work of art called For the Love of God. It is a platinum cast of a human skull encrusted with a total of 8,601 flawless diamonds. The skull is based on the remains of a European man from the 18th century purchased by Hirst. Also, the skull uses the actual human teeth. Among all those 8601 diamonds, a breathtaking pink 52.4-carat diamond encrusts its forehead. This piece is among the most expensive art pieces ever made which is priced at around £50 million or $100 million. It is a masterpiece that glorifies life and mulls over death, encapsulating luxury and existential philosophy in one breathtaking creation.          
8. When rough diamonds are polished to their final form, 50% of the original weight is lost. This is because cutting and polishing processes remove imperfections and shape this diamond into sparkling, symmetrical gemstone forms. It is thus a natural loss for creating high-quality diamonds we see in the jewelries.                     
9. There is this star named Lucy, scientifically known as BPM 37093, which is a white dwarf about 50 light-years away in the constellation Centaurus. Some people call it a "diamond star" because its core is primarily made up of crystallized carbon. It is a giant diamond weighing an estimated 10 billion trillion carats. Named after the Beatles' song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, this celestial shows how the universe can form spectacular diamond-like structures in space.