Interesting facts about diamonds

The ancient Greeks considered diamonds to be fragments of shooting stars or tears of the gods. And this is not surprising, because diamonds, especially cut ones, are considered one of the most beautiful and expensive gems on the planet. In addition, they have incredible strength. For centuries, diamonds have enjoyed consistently high popularity, they have been used both for the production of jewelry and in industry. But there are some interesting facts about diamonds that you may not know yet.

11 PHOTOS

1. The first diamond mines existed in India almost 3,000 years ago.

2. Blood or conflict diamonds are diamonds that were mined outside the territory of military operations. Very often, the money from their sale goes to finance the rebels. As a rule, this term is applied to diamonds mined in Africa. Nevertheless, it is in Africa that 2/3 of all diamonds are mined. Their transportation is very dangerous and requires armed cargo escort.

3. Diamonds are made of carbon and are formed underground, in volcanic rock, due to exposure to high temperature and pressure.

4. It rains diamonds on Saturn and Jupiter. This is due to the chemical composition of the atmosphere on these planets. In the upper atmosphere, lightning from Jupiter and Saturn produces soot, which, as it falls into the atmosphere, can turn into graphite and eventually diamonds.

5. About 80% of all diamonds mined in the world are used for industrial purposes, and only 20% are processed for jewelry.

6. The first woman to receive a diamond engagement ring was Mary of Burgundy, daughter of the French King Charles the Bold. It was presented to her in 1477 by the Austrian Archduke Maximillian.

7. During the cutting process, diamonds lose about half their weight.

8. Tracey Hall, who developed the technology for the production of synthetic diamonds for the industrial corporation General Electric, received a reward of ... 10 dollars for his discovery.

9. By some estimates, less than one percent of women in the world own a diamond carat or larger.

10. Diamonds adorn a variety of things: cars, handbags, and even credit cards. The Dubai First Royale offers its customers a gold-plated credit card set with a 0.235-carat diamond.

11. The world's largest transparent diamond is the Star of Africa. Its weight is 530 carats.