Diamonds have an allure that makes them the most sought-after gemstones in the world. They say that "diamonds are a girl's best friend," and more than likely, that sentiment is due to their brilliance, sparkle, and how they make a person feel when wearing one. But, what we know as these clear and beautiful gemstones start their lives as bare rocks. They must be mined, honed, and crafted into what we know as diamonds.

 A diamond is a form of carbon, and its extreme hardness and light diffusion qualities make it a beneficial stone for industrial purposes and pleasing aesthetic qualities. Diamonds make excellent abrasives because other diamonds can only scratch them. Therefore, they are incredibly durable and retain their brilliant gleam wonderfully.

 The earliest known reference to the diamond comes from a Sanskrit text dating back to approximately 296 BCE (before the Christian Era), which described the diamond's qualities. It is generally accepted that diamonds were first mined in India, where they quickly became symbols of spirituality and holiness, decorating religious idols. Early in their history, diamonds were traded in all directions of India for their different industrial uses, including engraving and drilling, as well as for their aesthetic purposes, such as for ceremony, decoration, and adornment.

 There was a strict prohibition against cutting diamonds. This taboo started with the early traditional uses in India and ended in the Middle Ages. By 1375, a guild of diamond cutters and polishers was established as the technology of reshaping diamonds began to develop. The different shapes developed through the years only worked to exemplify the diamond's beauty and brilliance, increasing its allure. Today, diamonds are most familiarly used for adornments, such as jewelry.

 4 characteristics are used as primary description devices of diamonds and are used to determine the ultimate value of a particular diamond. These are known as the "4 C's", or carat, clarity, color, and cut. The carat is the weight that measures the mass of the diamond. One carat equals approximately 0.007 ounces. The value of a diamond increases significantly relative to its carat weight because large diamonds are exceptional and in high demand for jewelry.

 The clarity of a diamond measures the number of inclusions of a diamond or its internal flaws. The foreign matter inside the diamond or cracks causing a cloudy appearance is considered inclusion and tends to decrease the value of a diamond. There are grading systems used to assess clarity based on certain factors, including the inclusions' number, size, color, and visibility (diamonds is usually graded from flawless to imperfect). The higher the clarity rating is, the rare the diamond (and the more valuable) is.

The color of a structurally perfect diamond and one free of chemicals is almost transparent and color-free to the naked eye. This doesn't necessarily affect the value of a diamond; however, Some pink or blue diamonds (like the Hope Diamond, for example) are considered spectacular and, therefore, highly valuable. A rating system of D to Z (D=colorless and Z=bright yellow) is used to aid in the color assessment of diamonds.

Diamonds are unique and the ultimate souvenirs from the Earth, which adds even more allure to owning one. The diamond's cut describes how it has been shaped and polished from its original mined state. The "cut" represents the artistry that has gone into the diamond and the angles to which the diamond is cut. This is different from the shape of the diamond, which describes its shape. Shapes such as pear, round, marquis, and princess are all familiar terms for diamond jewelry. When shopping for diamond jewelry, fine jewelry stores will be aware of the 4 C's of the diamond they carry and can provide information about which gems you are interested in.