By Lubna Abdel-Aziz They are billions of years old. They lie hidden in dark silence beneath the earth's surface, safely concealed at depths to 140-190km. If it were not for volcanic eruptions that raised them to outer plains, human eyes would have never viewed their dazzling beauty and hypnotic brilliance. Every young girl dreams of the diamond that will sit on her ring finger when prince charming comes calling. She flaunts it proudly for all to admire. If she knew that her precious ring was nothing more than an old piece of carbon, would her heart stop beating? No need for alarm. The superlative physical qualities of diamonds remain intact. Besides this piece of carbon sat for millions, even billions, of years buried underground sustaining grueling heat before it was gradually transformed into that exquisite piece of jewelry. The name "diamond" is derived from the ancient Greek "adamas" meaning unalterable, unbreakable. Diamonds are the hardest natural material known to man since antiquity, therefore the source of its name. Treasured for thousands of years, diamonds first appeared as religious icons in ancient India over 6,000 years ago. Besides being precious ornaments, they have a wide variety of industrial uses. Their earliest use in industry was an abrasive powder for sawing and polishing, and for grinding metal-cutting tools. They are also employed for cutting glass and porcelain, for fine engraving, for dental surgery and for bearings in watches. Not all diamonds were formed on our planet. The 'carbanado" diamond found in South America were probably deposited by an asteroid impacting earth about 3 billion years ago. These diamonds may have been formed in the intra-stellar environment -- shall we say extra-terrestrial! As of 2008 there is no scientific consensus on how carbanado diamonds originated. The colourless brilliance of natural diamonds has no match. Diamonds also come in a variety of colours caused by small amounts of defects or impurities, like blue, yellow, green, purple, brown, pink, orange or red. Because of its optical and mechanical properties, and mostly its highly efficient marketing, a diamond is the most precious and most popular gem stone. Among its most remarkable optical characteristics are its extremely rigid lattice, combine with wide transparency. Diamonds are found below the earth's surface, but also out there in outer space. They are found in white dwarf stars, the widest stellar core of 4,000 miles was described by the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysicist as a diamond. It was called the Lucy, after the Beatles' famous song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Below the earth or above, diamonds are precious dazzling, desirable and rare. Why? Approximately 130 million carats of diamonds are mined annually with a total value of $9 billion. Half of the world's diamonds came from Central and South Africa. Other sources are Brazil, Canada, India, Russia and Australia. Historically India led the world in diamond production from the time of their discovery about 9th century BC to the mid 18th century. When India's resources were exhausted by the late 18th century, Brazil took over. The first non-Indian diamonds were found in Brazil in 1725. Prospectors found endless mines in South Africa later, and continued to search the globe for man's most cherished ornament. Are diamonds that precious, that rare? The answer is a resounding NO. The image of diamonds as a rare and valuable item was reached through a clever well-studied campaign launched by diamond minors led by the famous mining firm of de Beers of South Africa. They created a monopoly of mining, buying, and selling, known as the diamond cartel. Their campaign never mentions their name, bur remains focused on the diamond itself. The catchy slogan "a diamond is forever," was created by their mammoth campaign, and has inspired many movies, songs, and stories, emphasizing the desirability and rarity of the gem. Royalty, celebrities, as well as men and women of the streets all seek a diamond to possess. Among the famous diamond lovers is the screen goddess of eternal beauty Elizabeth Taylor. Her beauty is only matched by the many diamonds she wpns. Stories of her appetite for the sparkling gem are legendary. She expect diamond gifts from her many admirers and husband. One of the most famous diamonds in history was purchased by husband number 3 and 4, Richard Burton, known as the Taylor/Burton diamond, weighing 68 carats. One of the most popular of her perfume cosmetic line is "Diamonds." Some of the world's most famous diamonds include the Aurora Pyramids of Hope. A display of 296 diamonds; the Chloe, the Largest round brilliant cut diamond, sold November 14th 2007 for $16.2 million, the second highest price ever paid. The Koh-i-Noor, 105.6 karat, white diamond of Indian origin, with a long and turbulent history, was taken away from Maharaja Duleep Singh of Lahore, and presented to Queen Victoria, and is now part of the crown of Queen Elizabeth. The highest price went to the "Luz de Dia," a 201 karat, first mentioned in a book of the 16th century. Sold for $24.5 million in 2004, it was stolen 2 days later and has not surfaced since. Forever surrounded by robberies, intrigues, and deception, diamonds bring out the best and the worst in us. Stories of conspiracy and intrigue, murder and romance have surrounded diamonds since their brilliance hypnotized man thousands of years ago. The de Beers group control 90 per cent of diamond production in the world. They have been accused of price fixing, human violations among others and have admitted as much, paying $10 million in fines. They continue to earn billions and remain the monopolizing power in the diamond industry. They are responsible for perpetuating the myth surrounding diamond's rarity and value. Should we condemn them or thank them. By inflating the value, rarity, and price, the diamond we own has become precious and valuable. As we look at it in admiration it sends chills up and down pour spines. As long as we are around at least, that sparkling stone on our finger, neck, ears, or wrist remains a sign of status. They are indeed "a girl's best friend," since only "diamonds are forever."
