Do you happen to be born during the month of April? Do you know your April Birthstone?
For those born in April, lucky you! Your traditional birthstone is the highly coveted and beautiful diamond, renowned throughout the ages for its sparkle, brilliance, and durability. Thought to be the hardest substance on the globe, diamonds score a perfect 10 on the universal Mohs hardness scale. Because of this, under most circumstances, a diamond is truly “forever”.
The Traditional Meaning of Diamonds
Did you know that the April birthstone, holds significant meaning for those born in that month, it is thought to provide the wearer with better relationships and an increase in inner strength.
Wearing diamonds is purported to bring other benefits such as balance, clarity and abundance. It’s also symbolic of eternal love, and those fortunate enough to call April their birth month will enjoy learning about the history of this rare gem.
The History of Diamonds
Did you know that natural diamonds are often billions of years old? Natural diamonds are a rare and ultimate gift for a loved one, or the perfect stone to treat yourself with.
Adapted from the ancient Greek word adamas, meaning “invincible,” diamonds have a rich history and an esteem standing in ruling societies for thousands of years.
Anthropologists believe the tradition of incorporating diamonds into marriage originated from a Roman custom in which wives wore rings attached to small keys, indicating their husbands’ ownership.
In 1477, Archduke Maximillian of Austria commissioned the very first diamond engagement ring on record for his betrothed, Mary of Burgundy. By choosing a diamond for Mary’s engagement ring, this romantic gesture sparked a trend for diamond rings among European aristocracy and nobility.
The sentimental Victorians popularized ornate diamond engagement rings, often mixing diamonds with other gemstones, precious metals, and enamels. Popular designs during this period featured rings crafted in the shapes of flowers, dubbed “posey rings.” Diamond rings crafted during the Edwardian era continued the tradition of pairing diamonds with other jewels, commonly mounted in fancy filigree settings with engraved details.
During both of these eras, diamonds were established as a popular choice to set in lady’s engagement rings. Although the opening of the DeBeers mines in Africa made diamonds even more accessible to all, demand for diamond rings declined in the U.S. during the depression until a major shift occurred in 1947 when De Beers launched its now famous slogan, “A Diamond is Forever.”
Through a targeted marketing campaign featuring movie stars swathed in diamonds, the durability of a diamond began to convey the meaning throughout North America that a marriage is forever. A diamond’s purity, and eternal sparkle became the standard symbol of the depth of two people’s commitment to each other, quickly reaching all corners of the world.
Throughout the Georgian (1714-1837) and Victorian eras (1837-1901), great strides were made in diamond cutting techniques to evolve into sparkly “Old Mine Cut Diamond”, continuing into the Edwardian period to then develop the more refined “Old European Cut Diamond”, the later which was primarily cut between 1890-1930. These cuts were especially popularized during the Art Deco period. Although not as bright and sparkly as the modern diamond, this predecessor to the brilliant cut diamond began to revolutionize the industry, releasing much more fire light, brilliance, and beauty of diamonds. Further advancements resulted in the. The modern round brilliant cut, developed by the mathematician Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919. Soon after, this became the standard for diamond cutting around the world which remains one of the benchmarks by which most well cut diamonds are judged today.
The Versatility of Wearing Diamonds
Natural diamonds are a rare and ultimate gift for a loved one, or the perfect stone to treat yourself with.
Diamonds are the perfect wear anywhere, wear anytime stones because of their unique properties. Although a white diamond appears to be transparent and colourless, did you know that that you can’t actually see through a cut diamond because of the way it breaks up light? The prism effect causes light entering the stone to be broken up into the full spectrum of the rainbow, refracting literally into every colour under the sun. The effect is both mesmerizing and captivating. Because of this, a diamond is the perfect timeless fashion statement, complimenting literally any colour, outfit, or any other stones it may be paired with.
Although we all know the traditionally and ever-popular white or clear diamond, did you know that diamonds occur naturally in literally a rainbow of other colours including blue, green, pink, red, purple, orange, yellow, and even purple. The colour is dependent upon the types of trace elements and structural irregularities in the crystal when the diamond was formed. For instance, yellow diamonds have minuscule traces of nitrogen and blue ones contain boron. The colors of pink and red diamonds are due to graining or distortion of the crystal lattice.
Mined Diamonds vs Lab Grown Diamonds
Now, more than ever, there are even more great diamond options to suit every budget and personal preference. Mined diamonds, due to their natural source, are the perfect choice for those seeking great value retention, rarity, and tradition. Accordingly, the Natural Diamond Council has coined the phrase “Real is Rare”.
Alternatively, Lab grown diamonds have exploded onto the scene in the last 10+ years. Advancements in technology and growing techniques have yielded lab grown diamonds of increasing quality, purity, and quantity. Accordingly, prices for lab grown diamonds are more affordable than ever. Because of this, now more than half of all centre diamonds in diamond engagement rings across North America are now lab grown diamonds. This affordability quotient has also dramatically increased sizes for diamond engagement rings, diamond earrings, and diamond pendants alike. Natural and lab grown diamonds are both great choices and options for the April birthstone.
It is no wonder that diamonds have become the stone of choice for engagement rings and fine jewelry around the world for countless generations. April is indeed a special month to have been born!
Show off your April birthstone with pride! Explore our diamond collection.
