Diamond is a perfect "10", defining the top of the hardness scale, and by absolute measures four times harder than sapphire (which is #9 on that scale).
Diamonds have been a source of fascination for centuries. They are the hardest, the most imperishable, and the brilliant of all precious stones. The word "diamond" comes from the Greek word adamas, meaning "unconquerable". A diamond is a transparent gem made of carbon, one of the earth's most common elements. The formation of diamonds began very early in the earth's history, when the condensation of solid matter into a sphere caused the centre of the planet to become subjected to incredible extremes of temperatures and pressure. It was these conditions that caused deposits of carbon to begin to crystallise deep in the earth. As the earth's surface cooled, volcanic activity forced streams of magna (liquid rock) to the surface, carrying with it the diamond crystals. Later, the diamond-bearing rock h...
From myths about valleys of diamonds protected by snakes, to the production of millions of carats in rough diamonds each year, the history of diamonds is one of mystical power, beauty and commercial expertise.
Business Review Weekly Vol.21, No.10 22 March 1999 Mines and marketing : Cheeky Argyle dazzles De Beers By Tim Treadgold BRW reports on Argyle Diamonds' subversion of the South African's carat-and-stick approach with the 'shocking' idea of giving people what they want. Click here to read the article: http://www.brw.com.au
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