What makes diamonds especially desirable? Where are they mined in modern times? What makes them unique? What are some of the myths and folklore surrounding this gemstone?
Description of Gem
Diamonds are a gemstone made almost entirely of carbon with natural ones created deep within the Earth. They are made by carbon crystallizing under extreme heat and pressure roughly 90 to 120 miles (145 to 193 kilometers) deep in the mantle. They are then brought to the surface through violent volcanic eruptions in kimberlite pipes.
Lab-grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical composition and crystal structure as those created naturally.
This highly desired gemstone is known for its exceptional hardness, brilliance, and ability to disperse light.
Although they are usually transparent (colorless), diamonds can take on the colors of yellow, brown, blue, pink, red, green, black, and others.
Sources
Modern sources for diamonds include Botswana, Canada, Russia, South Africa, Angola, and Namibia.
How Hard Is it?
A diamond is the hardest natural material on Earth with a Mohs hardness score of 10. It is the benchmark against which all other stones' hardness is measured.
Biblical Occurrences
Diamonds are mentioned by name, in the King James Bible, four times in four verses. It is found the most in Exodus (twice) followed by Jeremiah and Ezekiel (once each).
God, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, uses the gems' well-known hardness as an analogy to show how entrenched were the sins committed by the Kingdom of Judah.
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond (Hebrew shamiyr, Strong's Concordance #H8068): it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars (Jeremiah 17:1, KJV throughout).
When God created the cherub named Lucifer, he adorned him with diamonds amongst many other gemstones.
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold . . . (Ezekiel 28:13).
Exception to the Rule
Even though the word "diamond" is recorded four times in the KJV Bible, two of these occurrences are not accurate.
Exodus 28:18 and 39:11, in the King James, states one of the stones in the High Priest's breastplate is a diamond.
And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it . . .
And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. (Exodus 28:15, 18, see also 39:11).
Diamonds are the hardest mineral known to humans. All the gems in the breastplate required the name of an Israelite tribe engraved upon them (Exodus 28:21). The ability to engrave such a hard stone was unknown at the time of Moses. The stone in the second row was likely a rock crystal which is much softer with a hardness value of 7.
Other Uses
Diamonds, for many years, have been used as engraving tools.
The most familiar uses of diamonds today are as gemstones used for adornment, and as industrial abrasives for cutting hard materials. The markets for gem-grade and industrial-grade diamonds value diamonds differently.
Engagement rings made of this rare gemstone have been popular from at least the 15th century.
Facts and Folklore
Most diamonds are over a billion years old with some existing for more than three billion years!
Lab-grown diamonds can be created in weeks rather than in a billion or so years! They usually sell for much less than those dug from the earth. They do, however, require certification to distinguish them from those created through natural processes.
Diamonds have been valued since ancient India, the earliest known source.
According to the 2025 USGS minerals report, total U.S. production of manufactured industrial diamond bort, grit, dust and powder was estimated to be 160 million carats with a value of $52 million. No industrial stones of this kind were produced in the U.S.
Natural diamond deposits have been discovered in 35+ countries. The biggest producers of these stones (in decreasing order) were Russia, Congo (Kinshasa), Botswana and Zimbabwe, followed by South Africa (ibid.).
The Crater of Diamonds State Park in the U.S. state of Arkansas is the world's eighth largest precious stone bearing volcanic crater. The park offers the public a chance to search for this valuable precious stone. From 1972, (the year the area became a state park) to 2013, 30,891 rough versions of this precious stone have been discovered with a total weight of about 6,173 carats (USGS 2013 Minerals Yearbook for Gemstones).
Because of this gemstone's many desirable characteristics (clarity, purity, hardness, rarity, etc.) it had many powers and abilities attributed to it.
Diamonds were considered an emblem of invincibility and fearlessness. It gave the wearer, it was thought, courage, extra strength and the stamina to be victorious. It could drive away nighttime evil spirits and ghosts, bring good luck to a person, and even make someone invisible!
This gem was also believed to have reproductive powers. They were associated with lightning and believed to be products of electrical strikes.
Like the turquoise, diamonds were thought to lose its talisman-like powers if they were bought. Only stones received as a gift, it was believed, would retain their supernatural abilities (Curious Lore of Precious Stones, pages 69 - 73).