Diamond Fact and Trivia

Here is some fun diamond trivia and interesting diamond facts you might not be aware about.

They are called "ice" because they rob the body of warmth when touched.

Each suit in a deck of cards represents the four major pillars of the economy in the Middle Ages. Hearts represent the Church, Spades represented the military, Clubs represented agriculture, and Diamonds…the merchant class.

America buys more than half of the world's total gem quality diamonds - accounting for the world's largest diamond market.

Love, Magic & Diamonds

It is believed that a diamond: endows the wearer with courage and fortitude; brings victory and good fortune; wards off evil; protects against the plague; promotes constancy in a marriage.

The engagement diamond is worn on the third finger of the left hand, because the ancient Egyptians believed that the vein in that finger ran directly to the heart.

Diamond is the birthstone for April and the anniversary gem for the 10th and 60th years of marriage.

The circular shape of a wedding ring symbolizes eternal love. Gold represents enduring beauty, purity, and strength, all appropriate marriage sentiments.

In Greek mythology, diamonds were tears of the gods; in Roman mythology, diamonds were splinters from the stars that Eros (the god of love) had made into tips for his arrows.

Famous Diamond Facts

On May 13, 1888, using a pen encrusted with diamonds and emeralds, the Princess Imperial Regent Dona Isabel signed the decree ending slavery in Brazil. With a single stroke, she liberated 1,500,000 men, women and children, and brought freedom to the last slave-holding country in the western hemisphere.
The largest diamond ever found was the Cullinan at 3,106 carats. Known also as the Star of Africa, it adorns the scepter of King Edward VII of England. The Tower of London is its current home.

The Taylor-Burton, 69.42 carat pear was, cut from a 240.8 carat rough found in 1966. It was sold at auction to Cartier of New York for $1,050,000 and purchased the next day by actor Richard Burton for his wife, at the time, actress Elizabeth Taylor.

“Big girls need big diamonds.”

Stories that link diamonds with poison have been widely circulated throughout history to discourage the practice of stealing diamonds by swallowing them. 


Diamond powder administered internally is a legendary poison prized for its effectiveness and “snob appeal.” Catherine de Medici was famous for dealing out death by diamond powder.

Polished Diamond Facts

80% of the world's diamonds are not suitable for jewelry.

Only one diamond in a thousand grow large enough to be cut into a high quality finished diamond weighing 1 carat or more.

If you were to gather all the diamonds ever polished since the beginning of time, they would fill only one double-decker bus.

Diamonds in Antiquity

Diamonds and its extreme hardness are known since the antique Greek age. An old Greek bronze statue with uncut diamonds has been found and is now on display in the British museum.

The word 'carat' comes from the carob tree whose seed was used for centuries as the standard for weighing precious stones.

Composition & Formation Diamond Facts

The Diamond is the hardest substance on earth.

Most diamonds found in nature are between one and three billion years old.

Diamonds are the only gemstones composed of just one chemical element, carbon. Although crystal-clear, it is black when reduced to dust.

Diamonds can be completely consumed by fire at temperatures ranging from 1,400° to 1,607° F., depending on the hardness of the gem.

The easiest way to spot the difference between a diamond and cubic zirconia (other then throwing it into the fire) is to weigh it. Cubic zirconia weigh 55% more than diamonds.

Return from Diamond Fact to Antwerp Diamonds