Diamond Symbolism, Origin, and Colors

Diamonds are the most popular gemstone. They are used in all sorts of jewelry as they add shine without calling attention to themselves. They also work for any outfit, as there isn’t any worry about colors clashing. Despite their popularity, not many people know the diamond’s symbolism and history.

Though diamonds have been around forever, and do have some powerful symbolism, they weren’t as important or valued as they are currently. It’s only due to marketing in the 1900s that their popularity blew up to such enormous heights.

If you want to know about these stones that are available anywhere you look, then you need to keep reading below. This article covers the importance of diamonds, and the history of the clear stone, including the scandals.

Why Diamonds Are Popular

One of the main reasons why diamonds are so popular is due to consumerism. Thanks to a nearly flawless marketing strategy, diamonds have become incredibly valuable, despite not actually costing all that much.

The demand for diamonds went up due to a marketing strategy to limit the supply. In the 1900s, a mining company by the name of De Beers ended up absorbing and controlling over 90 percent of all diamond production. This allowed them to limit how many new diamonds entered the market.

However, to fully control the diamonds, they had to make sure they weren’t being resold at much lower prices. To do this, they created an ad saying the now-popular phrase, “Diamonds are forever.” They are also the company that led to the idea that an engagement ring should be worth two to three month’s salary. This pushed the sales onto men as well, who tend to spend more on wedding rings.

Finally, to solidify the demand, the mining company, along with Ayer, started sending diamonds to stars, socialites, and other famous people. When the everyday person saw their favorite stars covered in diamonds, the demand grew to incredible heights.

There is a reason that diamonds are in such demand though, besides this marketing strategy. Their hardness means that they are the perfect stone for everyday wear. Diamonds are the hardest mineral in the world. Only other diamonds can scratch them.

The History of Diamonds

Though they weren’t as popular as they are today for jewelry due to their difficulty in cutting, diamonds have been around for a long time. They were valued for their sturdiness and hardness.

Adamas

Diamonds aren’t a new thing. They’ve been around since at least Ancient Greece. They were known as adamas, which means “invincible.” They earned this title because diamonds are incredibly hard to scratch or break compared to other stones. Many warriors believed that this characteristic would pass from the stone to the wearer and help to make soldiers strong and safe from defeat in battle.

“Adamantine” was a word used to describe something invincible in old literature. However, many people believe that because it was so similar to the word for diamond, many items described as adamantine were actually diamonds.

For example, in Milton’s Paradise Lost, written in 1667, Satan is described as being cast out of heaven and held with “adamantine chains.” This could be used just to describe some heavenly, invincible material, or it could describe diamond chains.

Other Uses of Diamonds

In Buddhism, the throne of Buddha is purportedly made from diamonds. The stone was a symbol of perfection and the translucent shine was symbolic of enlightenment. Diamonds, like thunderbolts, symbolize endurance and spiritual forces.

In Greece, Plato argued that diamonds made up the axis of the world. Pliny the Elder said that diamonds could cure diseases and fight off evil spirits.

Poetry

Diamonds are often talked about in poems due to their symbolism and shine. However, one interesting tale to do with diamonds and poetry is that Queen Elizabeth I was said to have used a diamond as a pen.

When she was locked in prison at Woodstock during her sister’s (Mary I) reign, it was said that she used a diamond to etch her words onto the glass.

The poem is as follows:

Much suspected by me,
Nothing proved can be
Quoth Elizabeth prisoner

Queen Elizabeth I

There are hundreds more poems out there about diamonds, describing their brilliance or shaming them for being so famous despite providing little use.

The Symbolism Behind Different Diamond Colors

Though clear diamonds are the most common type, they aren’t the only color. There are several different colors, some more rare than others, each with their own symbolism.

Red Diamonds

Red diamonds are rare, and even more valuable than the traditional diamond. They symbolize courage. Like other red stones, they can also symbolize protection and life.

Yellow Diamonds

Yellow diamonds are the perfect gift to describe friendship and happiness. As far as colored diamonds, they are one of the most common. They are sometimes known as gold diamonds.

Orange Diamonds

Like red diamonds, these orange stones are incredibly rare. They are used to symbolize enthusiasm and energy.

Pink Diamonds

Pink diamonds are perfect for the artist or as an engagement ring. The stone represents romance, creativity, and joy.

Brown Diamonds

Brown diamonds are for humility, balance, and inner strength. They’re not quite enjoyed as much as other diamonds because of their rather muted color, but they can be a great stone for a reminder to have humility and always search for inner strength.

Like the earth, this diamond symbolizes being slow and steady and staying grounded in all situations.

Black Diamonds

Black diamonds symbolize passion, action, and energy. They are also the perfect stone to use to describe unchanging love. If you’re looking for an anniversary gift for your long-term partner, a black diamond can be a way for you to tell them that they are still as loved as they were on day one.

Black diamonds have a secondary meaning. They can represent mourning and a desire to reconcile with someone.

Clear Diamonds

In modern settings, clear diamonds symbolize love. They’ve become the focus of love and promise, as most engagement rings and wedding rings, especially for females, contain at least a few diamonds.

Clear diamonds are also used to symbolize purity and rarity, even though clear diamonds aren’t all that rare.

Blue Diamonds

Blue diamonds get their power from the symbolism behind the color blue. A blue diamond represents royalty and power. It is also a great way to represent respect and deep love. However, they are quite hard to find.

How to Use Diamonds

Diamonds are perfect for jewelry, obviously. However, that’s not the only purpose they serve. Since they are so hard, they also work well as tools. For example, they easily cut through glass.

When diamonds aren’t high-quality enough to work as a gemstone, they are put towards industrial purposes. Roughly 80 percent of diamonds that don’t make the cut go towards industrial purposes.

Even small, fine diamonds serve a purpose. They are made into a paste to use for polishing and grinding. Because they are so strong, diamonds are used for all sorts of cutting, polishing, and drilling purposes, even in the military and mining industries. They can even be used to cut other diamonds.