April Birthstones

Modern – Diamond   Traditional – Bloodstone   Mystical - Opal

Diamonds are nothing more than highly organized carbon, yet through history, diamonds have been held in the highest regard and value. They are formed under high temperature and pressure conditions that exist only about 100 miles beneath the earth’s surface and come in a variety of colors - gray, white, blue, yellow, orange, red, green, pink to purple, brown, and black.

I'm in love with the cognac/champagne colored diamond in this Chinchar/Maloney Aira ring. Love them or hate them, they have been created to endure!

Many famous quotes use them as a way of showing high value in all things good:

Better a diamond with a flaw then a pebble without. -Confucious

There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know oneself.        - Banjamin Franklin

Proverbs are mental gems gathered in the diamond fields of the mind.                - William R Alger

Invest in the human soul.  Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough.                 - Mary McLeod Bethune

The diamond's value continues to escalate.

In fact, just today, a 59.6 carat pink diamond known as the "Pink Star" was sold at a Sotheby's auction for a record 71.2 million dollars in Hong Kong .  That sets a new world record for any diamond or jewel of any kind.

In addition to historically being a symbol of wealth, diamonds are said to enhance the love of a husband and wife and viewed as a sign of commitment and fidelity which is a likely reason why DeBeers launched their massive advertising campaign in 1938 promoting diamonds for use in engagement rings. 

I can't think of any gemstone with more controversy surrounding it than the diamond. The biggest one being the "blood diamond" which gets its name from the blood that is shed when it is stolen or illegally mined in parts of Africa; men women and children forced to mine the gems for militia groups or be tortured or killed. It is possible to purchase ethically sourced diamonds.  Conflict free diamonds are mined in Canada and are readily available in the market. 

Another way to avoid the conflict surrounding diamonds is to choose a synthetic diamond.

Cubic Zirconia (or CZ) is a much less expensive but convincing alternative that is readily available and affordably priced. Moissanite is the closest diamond simulant available, though it is held as a gem in its own right now and priced accordingly.  

Though not actually a diamond, some consider Herkimer diamonds a good substitute as well.  Herkimer diamonds are actually very clear double terminated quartz crystals. They take their name from Herkimer County in New York where they are mined.

While I like the beauty of a cut diamond, I can also appreciate diamonds in the rough. They have a certain luster and shine on top of the typical matte finish of a raw gem that is unique.

Esoteric Attributes: