Recently, and in the same week, two ladies came in to have their diamond-set rings cleaned. With any stone-set ring we will inspect the stones, check the claws and collet, review the shank and then clean and polish the ring until it looks like new again. On our inspection, however, both ladies’ rings had a smashed diamond in them. A broken diamond doesn’t sparkle and shine, it can appear frosty and glazed over or dull. Of course, it is our duty, and the right thing to do, to point problems out to our customers so they are aware. We can then talk to them about what might have caused it and consider their options for repairs. Needless to say, the ladies were shocked, upset and angry. “But diamonds are indestructible and last forever!” they exclaimed.

Well, no. That’s not entirely true. It is and it isn’t depending on how you care for them. This inspired us to revisit this topic (see our last post with photos of smashed diamonds) and challenge where this belief that 'diamonds are forever' comes from whilst putting together a diamond care guide to help inform our lovely readers on how to handle their precious stones in order to avoid getting unpleasant surprises when they come in to see us to have their jewellery cleaned and checked.

The tagline ‘diamonds are forever’ has been around for what seems like, well, forever and this has been ingrained in our subconscious and passed down through generations. But where does it come from? And how has this led to people misunderstanding the meaning and misunderstanding diamonds? Well, wonder no more because here we will tell you all about the famous slogans and why diamonds may or may not be forever.

Welcome to a lesson on diamonds!

Once upon a time De Beers created a powerful marketing campaign and had a monopoly of the diamond market

Diamonds were first found and mined in India over 4000 years ago and were believed to serve as a talisman against evil and protect the wearer in battle. Alexander the Great brought diamonds to Europe from India around 327 BC.

The first diamond that was presented as an engagement ring was in 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Hamburg presented his wife to be, Mary of Burgundy, with a diamond ring as a symbol of his love. Like any prominent celebrity figure people admired this and wanted to replicate it. It became popular with royalty and the very wealthy but diamonds were still extremely rare, expensive and were not easily available. That is until the mid- to late 1880s when the Age of Industrialisation took hold and more diamonds and the technology to cut them became accessible.

During the Renaissance views about diamonds changed slightly and some cultures believed that when ground down, diamond dust was actually a poison and you could ward off enemies by secretly sprinkling diamond dust into their meals or making them inhale it. This suggests that even back then people realized that diamonds could be ground down and crushed and somehow they managed this with the little tools and technology they had!

It wasn’t until the De Beers mining and marketing business started back in 1888 with Cecil Rhodes in Africa that the diamond market really took off. The De Beers Group soon grew to become the sole large-scale diamond company in the world and for a long time held the monopoly until other countries like Canada, Russia and Australia etc. started discovering and mining diamonds. After the Second World War in 1947 N.W. Ayer & Son advertising agency came up with the revolutionary marketing campaign for De Beers ‘A diamond is forever’ which was hailed as the greatest marketing slogan of the century. Within a year it became the official logo of the company.

Why did De Beers use the slogan ‘A diamond is Forever’?

It was simply an idea — created by the copywriter Mary Frances Gerety (1916-1999) it represented the eternal emotional value surrounding the diamond and the size of the diamond being proportional to the love felt for someone. It emphasized both emotional eternity and sentiment like it had in 1477 with Archduke Maximilian of Hamburg.

De Beers worked with this concept that a diamond represents endless love and marketed this as the only way to show someone how much you love them. This symbolic always-and-forever love story was at the heart of marketing what a diamond represented.

Over the years this has continued to be one of the most famous slogans worldwide and with more understanding of diamonds, the 4 Cs and their properties, the image of eternal love has become linked with the physical characteristics of diamonds being durable and long lasting.

“The slogan referred to a diamond’s timeless appeal, to its icy beauty, to the symbolism of representing intangible eternal love and later on to its durability.” GIA.edu

The Moh’s Hardness Scale

Hardness: How well a gemstone resists scratches and abrasion
Toughness: How well a gemstone resists breaking and chipping
Stability: How well a gemstone resists chemicals and thermal shock

The word diamond comes from the Greek word “adamas” which means indestructible and/or invincible. They believed diamonds to be ‘tears of the gods’ and splinters of falling stars. ‘Adamas' was later translated into Latin as ‘diamas’ which today has become ‘diamond.’ Diamonds, we now know did not come from the sky and although very hard, can still be cut and polished from their rough states into beautiful twinkling sparkling gemstones. Technology, tools and knowledge back then didn’t exist so to the Ancient Greeks diamonds were indestructible but this is a common misconception that people still hang on to today.

Whilst they are the hardest mineral on the Earth with a hardness of 10 and being 58 times harder than sapphires and rubies (hardness is measured in how easily is it scratched, bent or deformed), the way their chemical bonds are structured still allow the stone to cleave and break so, actually, they aren’t very tough. It is along these cleave lines that a lapidary (gemstone cutter) will cut the diamond. Depending on the level of inclusions, or the stone’s birthmarks as gem lovers like to refer to, will also determine the stones internal structural strength.

Diamonds are held together by four carbon atoms in a tetrahedral shape to create a very solid structure. The bonds of this structure are held very tightly together and can't be separated keeping the diamond intact. This is what gives a diamond its hardness, yet because it can't absorb any energy and cannot alter its structure to compensate energy flow, it is brittle. Therefore, a hard knock at the wrong angle will definitely damage your stone!

Watch this video on a guy taking a hammer to a diamond to see what happens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0EXgYA7ve8

Hardness depends on the object you are measuring it against. A diamond is hard but it is brittle and cannot absorb energy without fracturing and splitting. Consequently, a large impact will shatter the diamond. It might be the hardest mineral on Earth but there are other materials that are tougher because their chemical compositions and how they can absorb energy and movement are different –click here to read Forbes’ article on 6 materials that are tougher and stronger than diamonds!

Pop culture

So, couple together the famous De Beers slogan with the Moh’s hardness rating of 10 that many people commonly misunderstand, remember the Ancient Greek word for indestructible and then push diamonds via celebrities on TV and in the media and you’ll see how the idea that diamonds are forever and are indestructible starts to take hold.

In 1956 Ian Fleming wrote the James Bond novel “Diamonds are forever” with permission from De Beers to use their slogan as the title. Later, the 1971 film adaptation with the theme song sung by Dame Shirley Bassey quoting the slogan of De Beers further reinforced this belief that diamonds are eternal. The film and song were such big hits gaining elevated status for the De Beers slogan and giving them free publicity that it further cemented their slogan into people’s minds. Add in glamorous stars in Hollywood being frosted like a cake in an array of gorgeous stones and revealing exclusive high couture pieces on red carpets, movies like Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen prefer blondes” and fun spy, thriller and crime movies featuring exciting diamond and jewel heists and you inspire and create desire for these iconic beautiful stones for both men and women.

Even when society started changing and women became more independent with divorce more widely recognised, diamonds and their marketing also adapted. The last two lines of Dame Shirley Bassey’s rendition of ‘Diamonds are Forever’ reflect this shift perfectly:

“Men are mere mortals who are not worth going to your grave for
I don't need love, for what good will love do me?
Diamonds never lie to me
For when love's gone, they'll lustre on
Diamonds are forever, forever, forever”

Diamonds outlast relationships. Even today, modern day women do not need to have a man buy her diamonds, ladies these days are buying their own jewels and marketing is always evolving to create that desire whilst still reinforcing the “Diamonds are forever” idea/slogan. It is very clever.

Famous diamonds and heirlooms

Diamonds, physically, though can last forever. They take billions of years to grow, form and be found and mined so why shouldn’t they last multiple lifetimes? As our last post shows – some sadly don’t. But if you look after them, are careful, and have them cleaned and checked regularly and also store them properly, there is no reason why they cannot be passed down to many generations in the future to be enjoyed, worn and adored.

Here are just three of some famous diamonds that are still alive and in one piece today:

*Discovered in 1878 and still in perfect condition despite being recut and remounted into different jewellery* | *Image courtesy of Somethingaboutrocks.com*

The Tiffany Yellow Diamond
Weight: 128.54ct polished, 287.42ct rough
Shape: Cushion Cut
Colour: Yellow
Origin: Kimberley, South Africa

The Tiffany Yellow Diamond, one of the largest fancy yellow diamonds ever discovered. It weighed 287.42ct in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa, and was cut into a cushion shape of 128.54cts with 90 facets – 32 more than a traditional round brilliant – to maximize its brilliance. It appears in the ‘Bird on a Rock’, setting designed in the early 1960s by Jean Schlumberger, loaned by Tiffany & Co., New York.
https://www.tiffany.com/high-jewelry/the-tiffany-diamond/

*Discovered in 1966 this necklace is on the top famous diamonds list* *| Image courtesy of Veranda.com*

The Taylor Burton Diamond

Weight: 69.42ct polished, 240.80ct rough
Origin: Premier Mine

By far the best known of Richard Burton’s purchases was the 69.42 carat pear-shape, later to be called the Taylor-Burton Diamond. It was cut from a rough stone weighing 240.80 carats found in the Premier Mine in 1966 and subsequently bought by Harry Winston. After the rough piece of 240.80 carats arrived in New York, Harry Winston and his cleaver, Pastor Colon Jr. studied it for six months. Markings were made, erased and redrawn to show where the stone could be cleaved. This piece of rough weighed 78 carats was expected to yield a stone of about 24 carats, while the large piece, weighing 162 carats, was destined to produce a pear shape whose weight had originally been expected to be about 75 carats.

The Hope Diamond

Weight: 45.52 carats
Color: Fancy Dark Greyish Blue
Cut: Antique cushion
Country of origin: India, Kollur Mine

The Hope Diamond is one of the earliest mentioned blue diamonds, it is also infamous with its curious and superstitious history and omens of bringing its owners bad tidings. It certainly has outlived multiple lives. Weighing 45.52 carats it has a beautiful dark-greyish blue colour. It was first discovered in India but written recordings date its presence back to 1666 by French gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. It was previously named the Tavernier Blue after him. After cutting the stone it was renamed "the French Blue" (Le bleu de France), Tavernier sold it to King Louis XIV of France in 1668. It was stolen in 1792 and re-cut, with the largest section of the diamond appearing under the Hope name in an 1839 gem catalogue from the Hope banking family, from whom the diamond's name derives. Harry Winston bought the stone in 1949 and later in 1958 he donated it to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., where it remains on permanent exhibition today.

So are diamonds forever? Well, that’s entirely up to you!

Diamond Care and Prevention

How diamonds can be damaged?

Generally, diamonds are pretty hard. Whilst you do need to be careful with chemicals, chlorine and long exposure to salt water, it is more the impacts and scratches that will do it. They can chip, crack, or scratch if subjected to a significant impact. Everyday activities like knocking the ring against hard surfaces can lead to these issues. The setting and mount they are nestled in can be affected which in turn can lead to diamonds falling out and being more exposed and vulnerable to impact shocks. Take a look here at some photos of cracked, chipped and broken diamonds that our customers have brought in to us.

Nicole Kidman’s seal clapping | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpx-rfQFhfo

Aside from clapping more conscientiously like Nicole Kidman here in this video—ok, if you don’t want to look like a seal we suggest simply removing your rings or just don’t wear rings on both hands at the same time when clapping—here are some general tips for keeping your diamonds beautiful and in one piece:

Correct storage

Store in a soft pouch or ideally a jewellery box and away from other diamond pieces as diamonds can scratch other diamonds as well as other gemstones and metals. It will also protect your diamonds from being knocked, chipped and damaged when they are nestled securely away.

2. Regular cleaning and checks

You can use an old soft toothbrush, warm water and gentle detergent to clean your ring. Gently brush the diamond to remove any dirt that gets caught under the claws, then thoroughly rinse it with fresh, clear water. Diamonds can be cleaned safely with lint-free cloths, commercial jewellery cleaning solutions, and household detergents. Do take extra care though on vintage and very delicate pieces and ideally use a cloth instead of a toothbrush for those items. Additionally, book in to see us for your annual clean and inspection to get ahead of any issues before they arise. By keeping your jewellery clean it will allow you to notice and see the start of potential problems more clearly.

3. Remove your jewellery when doing manual tasks or hobbies e.g.:

Laundry
Swimming
Gardening
Impact sports or lifting weights at the gym
Rock climbing
Moving furniture
Working with power tools
Snorkelling and scuba diving
Cleaning with harsh chemicals
Clapping whilst wearing rings on both hands

4. Avoid extreme temperatures or sudden fluctuations between hot and cold

Extreme temperatures can cause the metal in your diamond ring to warp or crack. Avoid wearing your ring in very hot or very cold conditions.

5. Choose settings that give more protection for the stones

This can be rub-overs or choosing a lower profile mount or simply going for 60% spread on an eternity band instead of a full 100% spread ring. Are you heavy-handed or more gentle? Are you clumsy and always bumping into things? What do you do for work? Understanding these things allows us to work out the right setting for you to avoid impact shocks to your jewllery as much as possible.

6. Avoid harsh chemicals or submerging in salt water or chlorine for long periods of time

This won’t necessarily impact the diamond directly but it will negatively impact the metal your diamond is set into like erosion.

7. Wear with care

Be mindful of what your hands are doing when you are wearing your diamond or any gemstone set rings. The most vulnerable places for knocks are our wrists and hands so jewellery worn in these places will usually take more stress and knocks than earrings and pendants.

8. Get your diamonds insured and valued

If you did ever need to replace a stone you could potentially go through your insurance company and by having your jewellery valued regularly, you can make sure the items are at current prices and your insurance coverage is enough.

We hope this helps! If you have any questions or want us to check your diamond jewellery—or any items you have, pop in to see us in our showroom for a chat! We love jewellery and want you to love your jewellery, too forever!

Diamonds are Forever … or are they?