Debunking Diamonds: Three Myths and Why You Shouldn't Believe Them

1. Diamonds have always been a symbol of love and marriage.

Some of the first societal evidence we possess of diamonds being worn stems from Biblical times, when priests would decorate their ceremonial breastplate with twelve different gems – gems which now stand for each month’s birthstone – as a representation of the original twelve tribes of Israel. These High Priests of Israel would also use diamonds as a kind of “divine judge”, placing a diamond in the hands of an accused criminal during trials. If the diamond dulled and darkened, it was seen as a sign that the accused was guilty, whereas if the diamond sparkled and shone brightly, it was a message that the “criminal” was indeed innocent.

 

Note the diamond in the first slot of the second row.

 

While this practiced died out, many kings and leaders for millennia afterwards would enamor their armor and clothing with diamonds as a sign that their right to rule and military prowess was bestowed to them by a divine power. In fact, it was not until the 1930s when ad agencies spurred the now-famous phrase “diamonds are forever”. Largely through the Hollywood and mass-marketing boom of the mid-twentieth century, diamonds became less a symbol of noble status and more a commonplace symbol for love and affection, resulting in the tradition of giving diamond rings and jewelry to loved ones.

 

 

2. The price of your diamond ring should equal two months of your salary.

Diamonds have thought to possess multiple qualities over the course of history: healing plague and sickness in the Middle Ages, protecting a Roman officer of the Imperial Army from the harm his enemies would see done to him, and serving as a conduit to ancient Hindu gods. Small wonder then that a gem with such an esteemed history is so expensive when purchasing as a sign of status or love through jewelry, but does this mean you have to pay out a huge percentage of your annual income for a ring? Absolutely not! Much like the tradition of buying diamonds for engagement marriage or anniversaries, the condition of how much one should pay for diamonds is also a very recent tradition and varies wildly all over the world. In England it is thought a diamond engagement ring should cost roughly one month’s wages. In Japan, three months. Here at National Jewelry Buyers, our approach to diamonds is based in resale instead of a retail outlook. We offer a wide selection of diamond rings, bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry for a fraction of the cost our competitors offer. Who says you need to fork over thousands when you can save thousands? Be smart and save!

 

 

3. Diamonds are so expensive because of their rarity.

Perhaps one of the most common misconceptions about diamonds is that the reason they are valued so highly is because of how scarce and uncommon they are. After all, this must be true as it takes diamonds thousands of years or more to form inside the earth, right? Not at all. In our previous post we talked about how diamonds can be formed in a matter of days, if not hours. However, larger diamonds with a greater quality of cut and clarity are rarer than their smaller and tinted brethren making them much more valuable.

 

Step 1 hardly takes any time, it's steps 2 and 3 that requires patience

 

While the conditions for diamonds to form inside the earth are very specific, they are far from uncommon. Carbon atoms bond under pressure and heat and are forced towards the surface causing inclusions in the diamond stone. Diamonds with less or no inclusions are fewer and further between, giving them a higher intrinsic value.