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The word diamond is derived from a Greek word "Adamas' that means 'indestructible and unconquerable'.
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Ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were actually little stars that had fallen to the earth's surface, or that they were tears of the Greek gods.
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Ancient Romans wore diamonds to ward off evil - something they learned from Indian mythology. They also believed that Cupid's arrows had diamond tips.
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In ancient times diamonds were worn to promote courage, invincibility, and strength.
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In the Middle Ages it was believed that diamonds had healing abilities, and that they could cure mental illness.
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Diamonds often come to the surface of the earth following volcanoes that push them upwards.
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Most diamonds are between 1 billion and 3 billion years old, but some may be older still.
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When a diamond is cut and polished it loses approximately 50% of its original weight.
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The diamond is the birthstone for people that are born in April.
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The first diamonds were discovered in India, followed by Brazil.
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In France in the 1200s only the King was permitted to wear diamonds.
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Although originally found in India, Brazil and various African countries, diamonds are also now being discovered in Canada, Australia, China, and Tanzania.
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While popular for jewelry, 80% of the mined diamonds are used for industrial purposes, because of their hardness.
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The first record of a man giving a woman a diamond dates to 1477 when Austria's Archduke gave Mary of Burgundy a diamond.
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Diamonds can be different colors ranging from colorless to black. They can be yellow, pink, red, orange, blue, green, and brown.
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The term 'blood diamond' refers to diamonds that are sourced from unstable regions, when the diamonds are mined in unsafe conditions, resulting in deaths and murder, and when the money earned from the diamonds is used to finance war.
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The movie Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly brought the issue of blood diamonds to the public's attention, helping to change some of these practices.
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There are four very famous diamonds including the Hope Diamond (45.53 carat), the Tiffany Yellow Diamond (128.54 carats), the Koh-i-Noor, and the Regent Diamond on display at the Louvre (140.64 carats).
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Diamonds are the most popular gem for wedding jewelry.
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Synthetic diamonds can be made through detonation synthesis, chemical vapour deposition, and high-temperature high-pressure synthesis.
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