Article for Women Issues

In the past
the Greeks and the Romans thought that the diamonds were tears of Gods and small pieces of stars. There were also the Hindus
who thought that the diamonds had so much power that they put diamonds in the eyes of some of their statues. Other people believed that an unapproachable valley in Central Asia covered by diamonds existed. One said that this valley was "kept by birds of prey and protected by snakes of mortal stare".

Besides believing that diamonds could attract luck and success
people also thought that they could defy the astrological events. Many people used them as jewels
supposing they would be increasing their sexual power and capacity to attract. Even Plato wrote about diamonds
describing them as living creatures
impersonating divine spirits.

Until the 15th century
only kings were allowed to use diamonds
having them as a symbol of courage
power and invincibility. But as the centuries passed by
the diamond started to acquire its status of sublime proof of love. Currently
they are related to the love
romance and myth.

We probably will never know when the first diamond was discovered
but we do know that
from the ancient times to the 18th century
all the diamonds of the world came from India. From the period of the Roman Empire to the appearance of the first Europeans to India
in the beginning of the 16th century
the commercial relations between Europe and Eastern Asia bloomed.

One of the main routes of the diamond commerce was in Venice. The city became the most important mercantile republic of the western world. It enjoyed the monopoly of the commerce of the diamond course to the main cities of the south of Germany until its final destiny
Brussels. Since this city became the final phase of the commercial route
it became a promising centre of diamond stature
and the reputation of the city in this sector did not stop increasing. Even though Brussels maintained their predominance until the end of the 14th century
they began to decline in a lapse of fifty years. The diamond trade and numerous other economic activities of Brussels were moved progressively to the city of Ambers
which offered more recent and better facilities for the communications and the commercial exchange. In 1866
the first diamond in South Africa was discovered. Following this was the discovery of the deposits of Kimberley few years later
giving birth to the fabulous era of Kimberley.

The word diamond comes from the Greek word ' adamas '
meaning invincible
and ' diaphanes '
that means transparent. In the past centuries
people believed that a diamond could reattach a wrecked marriage. It was used also in battles as a symbol of courage.

Even though the diamond is the hardest rock known by men
it is the only precious gem with only one element: carbon. Nevertheless
it can only be melted when exposed to a temperature of 5500 degrees Celsius! Billions of years before
the basic forces of heat and pressure miraculously transformed the carbon into diamond through volcano lava underneath the earth. In some way
this volcanic mass was expelled out of the earthly crust
cooling soon to be found as diamonds in rudimentary form. No acid can destroy them
and they are capable to cut anything on Earth
therefore
they only can be cut with themselves.

However
are the diamonds really forever? If they appeared miraculously
can they be destroyed? As incredible as it may seem
the small diamond that adorn the ring that you gave your wife will probably last forever - at least while Earth exists. They are the most resistant minerals of the planet
and only can be melted when displayed to a temperature of 5500ฐC. The problem is that the global atmosphere will never achieve this high temperature
even if it was to be hit by an enormous meteor that would eliminate all forms of life. They only would melt if
one day
the planet literally entered the Sun
which has a temperature of 5800ฐC. The curious thing is that
according to astronomers
in 7
5
billion years our planet will actually enter the Sun
when the star will be next to death. If you think diamonds will disappear then
you might be wrong. When such episode happens
the temperature of the Sun will lower to about 3000ฐC. That means that even when Earth reaches an atmosphere as hot and dense as Mercury’s atmosphere
we will still be able to find some small diamonds spread around.