Diamond. Properties, extraction and use of diamond. Diamond (photo) - properties, meaning for a person and to whom it is suitable

Diamond is considered the king of all stones. After a special cut, the mineral becomes one that fully reveals its distinctive features and shines in full force. Many women dream of purchasing jewelry with it.

What a diamond is became known 3 thousand years ago BC. e. It is believed that the stone was first discovered in India. Scientists and philosophers of all times have admired the beauty of gems. Pliny the Elder of Ancient Rome in 79 BC. e. in his works he mentioned this mineral as the most valuable rock. Many kings accumulated diamonds in vaults, but not everyone could afford them.

Each people named the mineral differently. The Greeks called it "adamas", which means "indestructible". For the inhabitants of Rome it was a “diamond”, and for the Arabs it was an “almas”. The Jewish people called the diamond stone “shamir.” The domestic final name was published in the works of Afanasy Nikitin in 1472. It is still relevant today.

The first diamond was made in 1454 for Charles the Bold. Then it was used to intimidate enemies on the battlefield. For this purpose, armor was decorated with stone, which terrified the warriors with its brilliance. A little later, Agnes Sorel began to use diamonds to go out.

Education

Diamond is formed at a depth of up to 200 km during the cooling of molten silicates. During underground explosions, kimberlite pipes appear, which consist of 1/5 mineral. Over time, they are carried to the surface of the earth.

The stones are found in eclogites and garnet gneisses. Small-sized gems are found in meteorites and in their craters, which contain a lot of melted rocks with inclusions of fine-crystalline diamonds.

Both microscopic and very large minerals are mined. The largest stone was found in Africa in 1905. Its weight was 621 grams.

Field

Large sources are located in the Sahara Desert, Latin America and the Far East. Based on the ratio of the number of deposits in the world, the distribution is as follows:

1. Russia – 22%.
2. Australia – 20%.
3. Botswana – 19%.

In our country, diamonds are mined in Yakutia. The source, Alrosa, brings in as many as 35 million carats a year. The largest mines are considered to be “Udachny”, “Mir” and “International”. High-quality varieties are sent for processing to Israel and Holland.

Video: How are diamonds mined?

Physicochemical characteristics

By chemical composition The mineral diamond is no different from graphite, although it is completely different in appearance. This is due to differences in the placement of carbon particles. In the description of diamond, they have a strong tetrahedral structure.

Diamond- the hardest mineral, a cubic polymorphic (allotropic) modification of carbon (C), stable at high pressure. At atmospheric pressure and room temperature it is metastable, but can exist indefinitely without turning into graphite, which is stable under these conditions. In a vacuum or in an inert gas at elevated temperatures gradually turns into graphite.

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STRUCTURE

Diamond crystal system is cubic, space group Fd3m. The elementary cell of the diamond crystal lattice is a face-centered cube, in which carbon atoms are located in four sectors arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Otherwise, the diamond structure can be represented as two cubic face-centered lattices, offset relative to each other along the main diagonal of the cube by a quarter of its length. A structure similar to diamond is found in silicon, a low-temperature modification of tin and some other simple substances.

Diamond crystals always contain various defects in the crystal structure (point, linear defects, inclusions, subgrain boundaries, etc.). Such defects largely determine physical properties crystals.

PROPERTIES

Diamond can be colorless, water-transparent or colored various shades yellow, brown, red, blue, green, black, gray.
The color distribution is often uneven, patchy or zonal. Under the influence of X-ray, cathode and ultraviolet rays Most diamonds begin to glow (luminesce) in blue, green, pink and other colors. Characterized by exceptionally high light refraction. The refractive index (2.417 to 2.421) and strong dispersion (0.0574) are responsible for the brilliant shine and multi-colored “play” of cut gemstone diamonds, called brilliants. The shine is strong, from diamond to greasy. Density 3.5 g/cm 3 . On the Mohs scale, the relative hardness of diamond is 10, and the absolute hardness is 1000 times higher than the hardness of quartz and 150 times that of corundum. It is the highest among all natural and artificial materials. At the same time, it is quite fragile and breaks easily. The fracture is conchoidal. Does not interact with acids and alkalis in the absence of oxidizing agents.
In air, diamond burns at 850° C with the formation of CO 2; in a vacuum at temperatures above 1,500 ° C it turns into graphite.

MORPHOLOGY

Diamond morphology is very diverse. It occurs both in the form of single crystals and in the form of polycrystalline intergrowths (“board”, “ballas”, “carbonado”). Diamonds from kimberlite deposits have only one common flat-faceted shape - the octahedron. At the same time, diamonds with characteristic curved shapes are common in all deposits - rhombic dodecahedroids (crystals similar to a rhombic dodecahedron, but with rounded edges), and cuboids (crystals with a curved shape). As experimental studies and the study of natural samples have shown, in most cases, dodecahedroid-shaped crystals arise as a result of the dissolution of diamonds by kimberlite melt. Cuboids are formed as a result of the specific fibrous growth of diamonds according to the normal growth mechanism.

Synthetic crystals grown at high pressures and temperatures often have cube faces and this is one of their characteristic differences from natural crystals. When grown under metastable conditions, diamond easily crystallizes in the form of films and columnar aggregates.

The sizes of the crystals vary from microscopic to very large, the mass of the largest diamond “Cullinan”, found in 1905. in South Africa 3106 carats (0.621 kg).
Several months were spent studying the huge diamond, and in 1908 it was split into 9 large pieces.
Diamonds weighing more than 15 carats are rare, but diamonds weighing over a hundred carats are unique and are considered rarities. Such stones are very rare and often receive their own names, world fame and their special place in history.

ORIGIN

Although diamond is metastable under normal conditions, due to the stability of its crystalline structure it can exist indefinitely without turning into a stable modification of carbon - graphite. Diamonds that are brought to the surface by kimberlites or lamproites crystallize in the mantle at a depth of 200 km. or more at a pressure of more than 4 GPa and a temperature of 1000 - 1300 ° C. In some deposits there are also deeper diamonds brought from the transition zone or from the lower mantle. Along with this, they are carried to the Earth's surface as a result of explosive processes accompanying the formation of kimberlite pipes, 15-20% of which contain diamond.

Diamonds are also found in ultra-high pressure metamorphic complexes. They are associated with eclogites and deeply metamorphosed garnet gneisses. Small diamonds have been found in significant quantities in meteorites. They have a very ancient, pre-solar origin. They also form in large astroblemes - giant meteorite craters, where melted rocks contain significant amounts of fine-crystalline diamond. Known deposit This type is the Popigai astrobleme in northern Siberia.

Diamonds are a rare, but at the same time quite widespread mineral. Industrial diamond deposits are known on all continents except Antarctica. Several types of diamond deposits are known. For several thousand years, diamonds have been mined from alluvial deposits. It was only towards the end of the 19th century, when diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes were first discovered, that it became clear that diamonds do not form in river sediments. In addition, diamonds were found in crustal rocks in associations of ultra-high pressure metamorphism, for example in the Kokchetav massif in Kazakhstan.

Both impact and metamorphic diamonds sometimes form very large deposits, with large reserves and high concentrations. But in these types of deposits, the diamonds are so small that they have no industrial value. Commercial diamond deposits are associated with kimberlite and lamproite pipes associated with ancient cratons. The main deposits of this type are known in Africa, Russia, Australia and Canada.

APPLICATION

Good crystals are cut and used in jewelry. About 15% of mined diamonds are considered jewelry, another 45% are considered near-jewelry, that is, inferior to jewelry in size, color or clarity. Currently, global diamond production is about 130 million carats per year.
Diamond(from the French brillant - brilliant), is a diamond that has been given a special shape through mechanical processing (cutting), a brilliant cut, which maximizes the optical properties of the stone such as brilliance and color dispersion.
Very small diamonds and fragments, unsuitable for cutting, are used as an abrasive for the manufacture of diamond tools necessary for processing hard materials and cutting the diamonds themselves. A cryptocrystalline variety of diamond of black or dark gray color, forming dense or porous aggregates, is called Carbonado, has a higher abrasion resistance than diamond crystals and is therefore especially valued in industry.

Small crystals are also grown artificially in large quantities. Synthetic diamonds are obtained from various carbon-containing substances, mainly from graphite, in special. apparatuses at 1200-1600°C and pressures of 4.5-8.0 GPa in the presence of Fe, Co, Cr, Mn or their alloys. They are suitable for technical use only.

Diamond - C

CLASSIFICATION

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Diamond is pure carbon with a small amount impurities. Required condition formation is high pressure and temperature. From the deep bowels of the earth, this stone is brought to the surface at the cost of incredible efforts in order to subsequently shine with unbridled light.

Diamond history

Diamond became known to scientists long before our era. It is believed that with its age it can compete with our planet itself. From time immemorial, this unrivaled stone has been shrouded in legends and myths. India is considered its homeland; it was here that numerous travelers flocked one after another in search of unique stone.

In India, diamond was considered a commodity that was widely distributed in the domestic market. In those days, they had not yet learned how to process stones; they were stored in their original form in storage facilities richest people countries.

The diamond came to Europe thanks to the great commander Alexander the Great. He is known for his numerous campaigns, including to India. Learning about precious stones incredible beauty that could be found there, he immediately organized an expedition. According to legend, the stones were guarded by snakes, but the commander managed to deceive them and take away countless treasures.

Venice was then the center of European trade. In the 13th century, traders traveled from there to Belgium with silk and diamonds. This trip served as the starting point for the city of Bruges as a center for the jewelry trade. The technology of diamond cutting (from brilliant – brilliant) was also invented there.

However, for a long time, diamond was not an absolute favorite among its precious brothers. For about a century, the technology remained classified. And only in the 14th century was it possible to unveil a special technology that made it possible to turn a stone into a diamond sparkling with all its facets. As a result, the value of the stone increased significantly.

The 16th century became the “diamond” century, the extraction of precious stones grew to incredible volumes. In this regard, by the 18th century, reserves in India were depleted. The result was an investigation and the discovery of new deposits in Brazil.

The uniqueness of a diamond lies in its very structure - no two identical stones can be found in the whole world. Thanks to its special crystal lattice, it is incredibly durable. However, the myth that a diamond cannot be broken continues to exist. It was this misconception that sometimes led to the loss of rare specimens.

What do brides all over the world dream about? Of course, about the diamond ring. This tradition has its own history dating back to the 15th century. As you know, the Archduke of Austria intended to propose to his chosen one, but was not sure of a positive answer. In order to amaze his beloved, he gave her a ring with a diamond of incredible beauty. This was the beginning of an ageless tradition with a centuries-old history.

An ancient name for a diamond

As already noted, this stone has a unique history. Knowledge about it has accumulated over many centuries, leaving researchers with food for thought. Different peoples gave a variety of names to the diamond.

The Hindus called the stone “farium”, and the Romans called it “diamond”. The Greeks called diamond “adamas” (“adamantos”), which can be translated as “indestructible.” The Arabic word “almas” can be translated into Russian as “the hardest.”

In all languages ​​of the world you can find your own name for this stone, which will reflect only one thing - the highest position among jewelry.

What color diamond is found in nature? Diamond colors

“A diamond of pure water” is an expression that has long been entrenched in our language. Everyone knows what it means. IN figurative meaning This is how they talk about something genuine and unique. Although we are talking about the same stone - diamond.

A cut diamond can be tested using the simplest water. The refractive index allows the stone to simply “disappear” when lowered into this liquid. One can only guess about the history of the discovery of this phenomenon. Most likely, as often happens, His Majesty’s accident is to blame.

But most diamonds are not colorless. Nature has taken care of diversity color palette of this stone. But rare colored diamonds can cost many times more than transparent ones.

There is an internationally recognized classification of diamonds, which varies depending on the number of foreign inclusions in the stone. The scale ranges from “exclusive white highest” to “fancy” colors. The Russian scale is divided into three more subcategories depending on the size of the stone.

Among the most common diamond colors is yellow. They are followed by orange, pink, brown. The rarest ones are green, blue and red. The black color of diamonds stands out separately - due to the presence of abundant inclusions, it is not possible to achieve a sufficient frequency of cutting. This diamond is popular among men due to its discreet grace.

As stated earlier, diamond mining is a labor-intensive and difficult undertaking. Until the 19th century, it was possible to recognize the location of this jewel in only three countries - India, Brazil and Borneo. Since then, the diamond mining industry has made significant progress. Today, among the favorite diamond mining countries are Russia (Yakutia, Arkhangelsk and Perm regions), South Africa, Botswana, Angola and Namibia.

According to the latest international rankings, Russia ranks second in the world in diamond production. The rating is compiled not by the total amount of raw materials extracted, but by assessing the market value of production. The Russian leader in diamond mining is Alrosa, whose global share is 25%.

How much can a diamond cost?

To evaluate a diamond, experts take into account parameters such as weight, color, clarity and cut. On the Russian market, the price for 0.1 carat is about 8,000 thousand rubles, for 2 carats - about 120 thousand rubles. As a rule, larger specimens are not so popular among the population.

And if we talk about large specimens, their cost exceeds all possible limits of fantasy:

• . It is still the rarest and most expensive diamond in human history. At the time of discovery, its weight exceeded 3 thousand carats! The stone was named after the name of the person who found it in the mine. The diamond was given as a gift to the King of England at the beginning of the 20th century.

The story of this unique stone does not end there. One day, a visiting jeweler was working on cutting a Cullinan. During the work, the master made a scratch on the stone and, using a special device, hit the diamond. As a result, the cutter fainted, and the world saw two newly born large diamonds and a large scattering of small ones. One of them still adorns the English crown.

The value is estimated at 94 tons of pure gold and is unlikely to ever be seen at auction.

• « Hope". This stone has an ominous reputation and is called cursed. As soon as it was first brought to Europe, a terrible plague struck cities and countries. His victims were Jean Baptiste Tavernier, who brought the stone as an offering to the king, King Louis XIV himself, and later Marie Antoinette, who received the stone from him. This was the beginning of a series of continuous deaths.

One mystical theory of such events relates to the stone's backstory. Blue eye is one of the names of a diamond. According to legend, this stone is the eye of the god Rama, but it is left-handed, which means it is punishing.

Today, the diamond has found a home in the Smithsonian Institution, where the jeweler decided to donate it. It seems that when used for charitable purposes, the stone loses its “punishing properties.” “Nadezhda” is valued at $350 million.

• « Century". The diamond mining company De Beers celebrated its centenary in 1988. This diamond was presented at the anniversary celebration, for which it received its name. This is a stone highest quality, the only one of its kind with similar characteristics. In 2008, it was sold anonymously for $100 million.

Diamond - magical properties of the stone

Diamond has great power and influence on the life of its owner. It is not customary to buy a stone for yourself; it is better to purchase it as a gift.

There is an opinion that a diamond is a kind of barometer. A person with a pure soul and good intentions is able to receive all possible benefits by possessing it. The stone also works in the opposite direction.

Diamond gives courage, courage, and also protects against any bad influence from the outside - it is a talisman. The ancients considered the stone capable of ridding any poisoned drink of poison.

Even in ancient Egypt, there was a ritual that attracted love spells. It was enough to hold the diamond on your fingertips or use diamond powder. Such a ritual promised love to the grave.

It is better to wear it so that it comes into contact with the skin - on the left hand or neck. The influence of the diamond extends to both work and personal life. He must definitely be good quality, stones with pronounced defects can serve poorly.

The magical properties of a diamond can be determined by its color. For example, yellow stone involved in sacred rituals. Wearing it to a person not associated with sacred rites is contraindicated and dangerous.

A red diamond is associated with the element of fire - not everyone can handle it.

Blue diamond belongs to the water element. He also doesn’t lend himself to everyone.

And only white diamond can be worn by most people. He has a more neutral “character”.

Diamond - healing properties

As noted earlier, diamond is a stone with incredible energy potential. It charges the body with positive vibrations. They treat skin diseases, eliminate inflammatory processes in the body, tidy up the liver, stomach, bronchi and lungs, as well as the bladder.

The stone has the most positive effect on mental condition human, helps cope with insomnia, irritability and even schizophrenia, regulates the cardiovascular system.

Green diamond is considered a stone of motherhood - it helps with gynecological problems.

The benefits of drinking so-called “diamond water” are known - a stone placed in water for a day allows you to charge it and make it indispensable for recovery processes after illnesses or operations.

Diamond in tattoos: the meaning of a diamond tattoo on the body

Not everyone manages to become the owner of a diamond in their entire life. But this does not mean that he cannot influence a person’s life with his power.

A tattoo is not just a design on the body. By getting a tattoo, we change our lives in one direction or another - whether we want it or not. Therefore, it is clear that the image of such a powerful stone can influence the fate of the owner.

Meanings: invincibility, success, happiness, strength, purity.

The stone relieves fear. The confidence that the stone inspires will help those who lack courage and give strength.

Another diamond is uniqueness. A person who wants to declare himself as unique and one of a kind can safely get such a tattoo.

If a diamond is needed as a talisman, there is no need to display it, let it remain a secret weapon.

And if the image reflects the rays of the Sun, playing with the edges of the diamond, you will protect yourself not only from the bad intentions of people, but you will also be able to scare away an accident.

Diamond and zodiac signs. A little about compatibility

The stone can bring special luck to people born under the zodiac sign Aries. Diamond has the greatest beneficial effect on the first lunar day; you need to buy it on the 15th lunar day.

In general, diamonds are favorable for all fire signs. That is, in addition to, it is supposed to be worn also.

Alexandrite - the imperial stone Alpanite – artificial jewelry stone

They are given names, just like people. Many of them have their own history, full of such events that you could write novels about it. Some of them even have their own glorious ancestors and offspring. Only they live much longer than people and do not age. Of course, we will talk about diamonds.

According to an old legend, the diamond was created by the deity of the Mines, who ground one gemstone of each type and color into dust and combined them into a new gem. The resulting stone was as light as ice and transparent as a tear. But in the rays of the sun it displayed the colors of all the precious stones from which it was created.

A little history

The earliest mention of diamond dates back to 1200 BC. At that time this stone was used as magic talisman. The name of the mineral comes from the Greek “adamas”, which means “indomitable”, “indestructible”. Apparently, the stone earned this name due to its exceptional hardness. People believed that a diamond could impart the same hardness and indestructibility to a person. Therefore, the stone was a talisman of warriors for many centuries. They decorated weapons and scabbards. Even in those days, the cost of diamonds was high, so not everyone could afford such a talisman.

Ancient people considered diamond to be the tear of God. In this regard, the stone was credited with such properties as innocence and purity.

In many countries, this mineral symbolized the monarchy and supreme power, therefore ordinary people it was forbidden to wear it.

In ancient Rome, only patricians could wear diamonds.

In Spain and England, until the second half of the 14th century, city residents did not have the right to have jewelry with this stone.

For a long time, craftsmen were unable to process this extremely hard mineral. The first jeweler who was lucky in this field was Louis de Berquem. This happened in 1456. He served the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold. They say that when the Duke saw the diamond, he was blinded by its beauty and ordered his battle suit to be decorated with this stone. The Duke decided that the shine of the crystal would blind his enemies and thus frighten them.
The Russian rulers also had a lot of diamonds. To this day, in the Diamond Fund you can admire the Great Imperial Crown, the throne of Boris Godunov, as well as the famous Shah and Orlov diamonds. And Count Potemkin had a hat that was impossible to wear due to the large weight of the diamonds adorning it.

From the Arab countries there came a belief that of the two warring sides, the one at whose disposal the heavier diamond would certainly win. Napoleon also believed in this. The hilt of his sword was decorated with one of the most famous diamonds in the world - the Regent.

By the way, as a stone for women's jewelry, diamonds began to be used only in the middle of the 15th century. This happened thanks to the favorite of the French king Charles the Seventh - Agnes Sorel. Around the same period, gemstones began to be given names.

A diamond or polished diamond receives a name if its weight exceeds 50 carats. Moreover, a large diamond may have one name, but the diamonds obtained from it may have a completely different name. But history still preserves the memory of sawn diamonds.

The ceremonial suit of King Louis XIV of France was decorated with cut diamonds worth a total of about 12 million francs.

Until the second quarter of the 18th century, the only place for diamond mining was the Indian Sultanate of Goloconda. But in 1725, this stone was discovered in Brazil, and until the second half of the 19th century (until they discovered mines in Africa), the Brazilians took leadership in the world market.

In 1954, the first kimberlite pipe located outside the African continent was discovered in Yakutia. Subsequently, two more of them were found on Russian territory. Thus, diamond deposits in Russia turned out to be no less rich than those in Africa.

IN last years Botswana leads the diamond mining market.

Description of the mineral

Diamond is made of pure carbon, the fundamental element of life. Sometimes it may contain impurities of silicon or iron, but they do not exceed five percent. It is the only mineral with a hardness rating of 10 on the Mohs scale.

The stone crystallizes from coal deep in the earth's crust under intense pressure and high temperature. In the middle of the 20th century, scientists discovered that to transform graphite into small diamonds, a pressure of 100 thousand atmospheres, a temperature of 2000 degrees and a complete absence of oxygen is required. If these conditions are met, it will take several hours for the graphite to turn into a gemstone. True, the weight of the resulting crystals, as a rule, does not exceed one tenth of a carat. But such diamonds are widely used in industry.

Despite its hardness, diamond is a very fragile mineral. It is quite easy to split or break. At the end of the 15th century, during the war between King Louis XI and Duke Charles the Bold, who owned a very impressive collection of diamonds, royal mercenary soldiers burst into the duke’s tent. Seeing the sparkling and iridescent diamonds, they decided to check their authenticity. For these purposes, the soldiers began to pound the stones with a hammer. The diamonds shattered from the heavy blows. So the Swiss mercenaries ruined several excellent quality precious stones, but decided that they were fakes.

In addition, this diamond can be burned in fire. This property was discovered during an experiment by Italian scientists who wanted to fuse several small stones into one large one.

For many centuries, diamonds were mined from placers. But at the end of the nineteenth century, kimberlite pipes were discovered - the vents of very ancient and long-extinct volcanoes. It turned out that it was in them that diamonds were originally formed.

There are different varieties of diamonds: yellow, blue, green, pink, black and smoke. The purest diamond is considered a colorless stone, since it contains nothing but carbon, and its crystal lattice is ideal in its structure.

Yellow and smoky diamonds also do not contain foreign elements, but their atomic structure differs from that of colorless stones. This is what causes the color change of such stones.

In nature, diamond crystals are rather inconspicuous, and only after cutting does the stone acquire its true beauty. It is thanks to their unique ability to refract light and separate it into colors that cut diamonds are loved by jewelers.

Some diamonds may have taken years to polish and process. In this case, the stone lost more than half of its original weight. This, as well as the amazing beauty and rarity of large crystals, explains the high price of diamonds.

The largest diamond found was named "Cullinan". Its weight in grams was 621.2 g, which is slightly more than 3100 carats. It was discovered in South Africa in 1905. This diamond produced 106 diamonds. The largest of them, the “Star of Africa,” weighs 530 carats.

It should be said that only a fifth of all stones mined in the world are used in jewelry. The remaining diamonds are used for industrial needs. They are used to make glass cutters and coat drills and grinding tools. They are used in the manufacture of equipment for drilling mines and wells.

How to check authenticity

You can recognize a real diamond using a sharpened aluminum stick. To do this, lightly moisten the stone with water and run an aluminum rod over it. There should be a silver mark left on the fake. A real stone will be clean.

Everyone knows that natural diamond can cut glass. Or at least leave a scratch on it. True, this method will not give absolute certainty, since in addition to natural diamond, there are also minerals that are harder than glass.

There are a couple more for cut diamonds simple ways, determine naturalness.

A natural diamond is completely transparent. Therefore, if you put it in water, it seems to become invisible. Artificial stones do not have this property.

You can also just breathe on the stone. If you have a natural gem in front of you, it will not fog up.

But it is best, of course, to trust the specialists and purchase those products that have a certificate of authenticity of the stones.

Magic properties

The magical properties of diamond are wide and varied. But not everyone can wear this stone, because the energy of a diamond is very powerful, and the character of stones, especially large ones, is quite complex. The more a stone weighs, the more capricious it is. History knows a lot of examples when owning large diamonds brought nothing but troubles and misfortunes. Therefore, a small crystal is best suited as a talisman.

At all times, the diamond has been considered a symbol of innocence and purity. Hence the belief that this stone cannot be worn by criminals and people with evil thoughts, since it will rebel against them and take revenge.

For a long time, diamond was considered an exclusively male gem. When this stereotype was destroyed, a belief emerged that only mature women could wear this crystal. This is due to the fact that it is able to slow down the aging process of the body.

In addition, diamonds do not like impulsiveness and rash decisions. And these qualities are so characteristic of youth. But it will be an excellent amulet for a person who is capable of thoughtful actions and has established views on life.

Diamond is a symbol of wealth, accumulation and manifestation of abundance. It is also an ideal stone for an ascetic who has renounced material wealth, choosing this mineral as an object for diligent contemplation and deep meditation. The fact that a diamond must be cut in order to reveal its beauty can be compared to the inner, spiritual beauty of a person. It is believed that the stone helps a person who strives to develop himself to reveal and strengthen the best character traits. Due to this property, diamonds are often used for meditation. In this case, they are usually located on the parietal chakra, in the third eye area or above the heart. They are able to provide answers to questions related to decision making or self-development. But when it comes to personal relationships, a diamond is not an advisor. These stones, although considered talismans of love, will not help in meditation on this topic.

The diamond is able to absorb and enhance any thoughts of the owner when it is with him. Therefore, it is recommended to wear the stone only in good mood and think about positive things. After all, in otherwise there is a risk that the mineral will turn from a talisman into a cursed object and will no longer bring good luck to its owner. But this stone has the ability to lift your spirits when you look at it. Simply contemplating a stone can soothe melancholy and calm your thoughts.

The magical properties of a diamond increase if it is set in gold. In this case, the frame should allow the stone to come into contact with the skin.

It is worth noting that only stones given or inherited can be used as a talisman. Purchased stones will not attract good luck. And stolen diamonds will bring only trouble to their owner.

To reveal its magical properties, a diamond needs to “get used” to its owner. If the stone was purchased by you, this may take years. However, wearing diamonds too often is not recommended. In order to establish contact with the stone, praise it and admire its beauty. You can do this mentally, the main thing is that you are in an even and calm mood and nothing interferes with your communication with the stone.

As an amulet, diamond jewelry is worn around the neck or on the left hand. It is believed that this way his strength manifests itself better.

➤ Diamond. Gemstone

Diamond (adamas, king of stones, diamond) - can safely be considered the best precious stone. After all, diamonds are incredibly durable and have a high refractive index (especially those that have been processed by a jeweler). Not to mention how high the price of these extraordinary gems is. It is not for nothing that the diamond was given such a pompous title - “king of stones”.

The word “diamond” itself was formed, according to one version, from the Greek “adamas”, which means “indestructible”. According to another version, the diamond owes its name to the Persian word “elma” - “hardest”. But whatever the origin of the word “diamond,” it still very accurately expresses the outstanding property of this extraordinary gemstone.

Although, to be honest, humanity has worn out a lot of diamonds, testing their strength. For example, the collection of diamonds of Duke Charles the Bold was destroyed when enemy soldiers, plundering the duke’s tent, began to test the hardness of the stones by hitting them with heavy clubs.

Due to the high hardness of diamonds, for a long time it was not possible to process them, while best properties diamonds appear precisely after cutting. Cut diamond stones (they are called diamonds) play with light very beautifully, and some even glow in the dark.

But, surprisingly, only about 20% of mined diamonds are used for jewelry, while the remaining 80% are used in industry and microelectronics.

Most often (and more valuable), diamonds are colorless or have a slightly bluish tint, although blue, pink, red and green stones are sometimes found.

Diamond prices have always been high. Most diamonds sold do not exceed one carat in size. Diamonds ranging in size from 1 to 2 carats are considered large and are valued from 120 to 1500 dollars per 1 carat, depending on the quality. Stones over two carats will fetch up to $5,000 per carat. But five-carat diamonds are not sold just like that - they all have their own names and are sold at an additional premium. Colored diamonds are priced from $600 per 1 carat and have no upper price limits, since the rarer and larger the stone, the higher its price (each colored diamond is valued individually).

Most large diamonds They even got their own names and have their own fascinating history.

But you should be careful - at the present time, many artificial synthetic diamonds are produced (among which, however, there is one very worthy substitute for diamond - the cubic zirconia gemstone).

The magical properties of diamond are very characteristic. First of all, it is believed that diamond is a stone of perfection, strength, power and invincibility. Moreover, a diamond not only gives the owner strength, power and invincibility, but also effectively protects him from any negative energy. It is also believed that diamond helps human body establish a connection with space. However, there is also such a belief: if a diamond was obtained dishonestly, then it can harm the owner. And in general, this precious stone only brings misfortune to thieves and criminals. But if a person received a diamond as a gift or by inheritance, then positive magical properties stones increase significantly.

The healing properties of diamond also reflect the valuable qualities of this gemstone. In the old days, it was believed that diamonds emit special vibrations that have a beneficial effect on the wearer of the stone, especially on the heart and brain. It was also believed that diamonds could normalize sleep and get rid of nightmares, reduce high temperature, cure many skin diseases and relieve fatigue. It was also believed from ancient times that diamonds neutralize poisons. And green diamond will help women during childbirth.

And further - weak people The strong energy of a diamond can cause harm, so this gemstone must be handled with care.