Diamond fun facts

The atomic weight of a diamond (carbon) is 12.0107.
The atomic number is 6.

The word Carat is thought to be derived from the Carab Bean - an ancient unit of weight.

Diamonds were first mined in India over 2,800 years ago.

Round cut diamonds have 58 facets.

The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to the earth.

A diamond has a melting point of approximately 4,000 degrees centigrade.

The largest diamond ever found weighed 3106 carats.

The largest Cut Diamond is the Great Star of Africa - 530 carats.

It is estimated that only 500 tons of diamonds have ever been mined in recorded history to date.

In India around three quarters of a million people work in the diamond industry.

25% of Israel`s total export earnings come from Diamonds.

Diamonds are known as symbols of strength, courage and invincibility.

It is said that Cupid's arrows are tipped with diamonds.

The word diamond comes from the Greek adamas meaning unconquerable.

Only one diamond in a million weighs one carat or more.

The tradition of giving a diamond engagement ring comes from Archduke Maximilian of Austria who gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.

The reason an engagement ring is worn on the third finger of the left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the vein of love (vena amoris) ran directly from the heart to the top of the third finger, left hand.

A rough diamond looks so much like a pebble that most people would pass it by without a second glance.

On average, each stone will lose 50% of its original weight during cutting and polishing.

Artificial diamonds are made by the application of heat and pressure greater than 125 kBar.

Plato wrote about diamonds as living beings, embodying celestial spirits.

It was said that diamonds could determine guilt or innocence. If the accused was guilty, the diamond, would become darker. In the presence of innocence, however, it would glow with increased brilliance.

Diamonds were believed to sweat in the presence of poison.

Diamonds where believed to be deadly if swallowed.

As a talisman, the gem would have to be given as a token of love or friendship. If bought and sold, it would lose its powers.

A diamond is four times harder then the next hardest material - corundum.

More than 250 tons of ore need to be blasted, crushed and processed to yield just one carat of rough diamond.

It is estimated that less than one percent of women will ever wear a diamond of one carat or more.

That Diamonds can be Clear, Yellow, Green, Blue and rare pink varieties.

Diamonds are very good conductors of heat, 4 times better than copper.

A single diamond of two carats is worth more than twice a much as 2 one carat diamonds.

That a diamond is a semi-conductor.

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