Diamond

The diamond ( from the ancient Greek ἀδάμας (adamas) meaning invincible ) is one of the best-known and most sought-after gemstones. Diamonds have been known to mankind and used as decorative items since ancient times; some of the earliest references can be traced to the Indians. Diamond's hardness and high dispersion of light make it useful for industrial applications and jewelry. One of the characteristics of diamonds that make them so desirable as jewelry is their tendency to disperse white light into its component colors, giving the diamond its characteristic "fire." Diamonds are such a highly traded commodity that multiple organizations have been created for grading and certifying diamonds based on the four Cs which are carat, cut, color, and clarity. Other characteristics, such as shape and presence or lack of fluorescence also effect the desirability and thus the value of a diamond used for jewelry. Perhaps the most famous use of a diamond in jewelry is its use in engagement rings. This use became popular in the early to mid 1900's due to an advertisement campaign by the De Beers company, though diamond rings were used to symbolize engagements since at least the 15th century. The diamond's high value has also been the driving force behind dictators and revolutionary entities, especially in Africa, using slave labor to mine blood diamonds to fund conflicts.