Diamond is the April birthstone and is also one of the most sought-after and historically important birthstones.

Ancient Hindu referred to “diamond” as vajra (sparkling light) because of the stone’s amazing refractive properties. With a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale, diamond is harder than any other natural mineral on earth. Industrial diamonds are used in all sorts of machining applications, and because of diamond’s strength, the only object that can scratch a diamond is another diamond.

April Birthstone - Diamond

The modern archetypal image of a diamond might be that of a faceted stone contorting light in astounding ways. But did you know that for most of human history people preferred diamonds uncut?! It wasn’t until the 1500s that craftsmen developed techniques to cut diamonds effectively.

Today, the influential DeBeers family controls a large percentage of the world’s diamonds. The business of mining and authenticating diamonds has courted significant controversy – particularly in Namibia and South Africa. Nevertheless, the diamond remains a source of enduring fascination. The stone is often given as a fiftieth wedding anniversary present — a tradition dating back to the time of Queen Elizabeth, who declared her 50th year of reign over England her “diamond anniversary.”

The appraisal of diamonds is a fascinating and complicated business in and of itself. Stones are evaluated based on their color, grade, cut, clarity, size (as measured in carats), and other aesthetic features.

Mineralogically speaking, diamonds are actually very simple. They naturally form when carbon buried deep in the crust and mantle gets heated up and pressurized. The carbon that comprises most diamond gemstones originated in plants and animals that roamed the earth millions of years ago.

To find your perfect diamond birthstone ring, check out the selection we offer here at Celtic Wedding Rings