10 Things You Didn’t Know About Diamonds

$60 Billion – that’s the annual size of the diamond industry. And regardless of gender, we have all seen those ads by diamond retailers, especially around Valentine’s Day. But how much do you really know about them? Here are 10 uncommon facts.

Number 10 — Diamonds are basically fireproof. While they can technically be burned, it doesn’t happen until the temperature reaches a scorching 1292 degrees Fahrenheit.

Number 9 –Diamond crystals were brought closer to the Earth’s surface by deeply rooted and violent volcanic eruptions a long time ago.

Number 8 — The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough one ever found on Earth, and weighed a little over 1.3 pounds or 3106 carats to be precise.

Number 7 — Diamonds aren’t just used for necklaces and rings. Some saw blades are constructed of diamond particles. Due to the gems‘ strength, the outfitted saws can cut through rocks, brick and concrete easily.

Number 6 — What makes a diamond so special? If you said because they are in short supply, you’d be wrong. According to the Washington Post, clever marketing claims and an artificially controlled supply keeps those hefty prices up.

Number 5 — In 2012, it was reported that a Russian asteroid crater holds over $1 quadrillion worth of diamonds. The 62 mile crater in eastern Siberia contains trillions of carats, large enough to satisfy markets’ demand for 3000 years.

Number 4 — Dead bodies can be morphed into diamonds. Last year, a father in Italy had his deceased son cremated and the remains sent to a Swiss company which compressed his ashes into a gem called a “remembrance diamond”.

Number 3 — India has a long history with diamonds. Up until the 18th century, the only diamond mines in existence were in India.

Number 2 — The majority of diamonds discovered in nature are anywhere from 1 to 3 billion years old.

Number 1 — Beyond Earth, there are other places where diamonds can be found in abundance. Scientists at Yale University claim that a planet, called 55 Cancri e, which is twice as big as Earth, is literally a diamond planet. The head researcher notes – “The surface is likely covered in graphite and diamond rather than water and granite.”

Source: Geobeats