Diamond

"The Aurora Pyramid of Hope is a collection of 296 natural diamonds of combined weight of 267.45 carats, in a wide variety of colors, billed as The Aurora Pyramid of Hope, the most comprehensive natural color diamond collection in the world."

"I thought of the soul as resembling a castle, formed of a single diamond or a very transparent crystal, and containing many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions."

"Since Great Britain has such an important interest in the diamond industry, the royal couple could be of tremendous assistance to this British industry by wearing diamonds rather than other jewels."

"We are dealing with a problem in mass psychology. We seek to ... strengthen the tradition of the diamond engagement ring—to make it a psychological necessity capable of competing successfully at the retail level with utility goods and services."

"We spread the word of diamonds worn by stars of screen and stage, by wives and daughters of political leaders, by any woman who can make the grocer's wife and the mechanic's sweetheart say 'I wish I had what she has.'"

"The substantial diamond gift can be made a more widely sought symbol of personal and family success — an expression of socio-economic achievement."

"Our understanding of the first use of diamond is based on textual evidence from 500 BC in India. But even that - though probably right - is speculative. This is physical evidence a couple of thousand years earlier."

"Stone age craftsmen in China were polishing objects using diamond 2,000 years before anyone else had the same idea."

"Using an atomic force microscope to examine the polished surfaces on a nanometre scale, the scientists found the diamond-polished surface most closely matched the surface from the ancient axe."

"Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough."

"Sense is the diamond, weighty, solid, sound; When cut by [wit], it casts a brighter beam; Yet, wit apart, it is a diamond still."

"What is a diamond? Not everybody knows. The jeweler tells you by instinct growing from long practice, the false from the true He will judge by colour, brilliancy, hardness and specific gravity- that is he should go deep as the latter. The mineralogist will tell you scientifically what a diamond is; but he knows little of the shape, colour, and real beauty of the crystal as a gem. As for the public though there be good judges amongst them, they know but little. They have been deceived by forged and imitated notes, by things issued from the bank of Elegance, instead of from the Bank of England. What wonder, then, if in a more difficult matter they are cheated? What wonder that they scarcely tell the real and pure gem from the Faux brilliance,et morceaux de verre of which satirist speaks? Let us try, therefore, to unite, for a moment, the jeweler and savant, in describing the diamond, joining the two together for the benefit of the public."

"Diamonds were nothing more than carbon, but carbon in a crystal lattice that made it the hardest known mineral in nature. That was the way we all were headed. I was sure of it. We were destined to be diamonds!"

"Gems like these [The Aurora Pyramid of Hope] were not meant to be imprisoned in a dark underground safe for the momentary pleasure of a few eyes. The true value of a collection is sharing it with as many people who are interested to experience nature’s diversity of expression. It’s thrilling to think that the collection will be seen by the 3.6 million visitors that come to the Natural History Museum each year."

"This diamond has so many carats it's almost a turnip."

"Diamonds are held under tons and tons of pressure, extremely high temperatures of fire and shuffled under shifting of tectonic plates, for a long, long time! Yet when they come out from there and are put on display for their beauty; does anybody stop to evaluate the diamond based upon all the shit it's been through and say "Remember that disgusting hole it used to be in? I bet it was hell in there!" No, people don't remember where a diamond has come from; they just see the beauty of it now. But it wouldn't have become so beautiful, you know, if not for all of that! So why should we look at other people, or at ourselves and evaluate them/ourselves based upon their/our pasts? Shouldn't we forget that? And only see the beauty that is in front of our eyes? Whatever it was, it made you beautiful! And that is what matters!”"

"Even if the whole earth and sea were turned to gold, they could hardly satisfy the avarice of a woman... You can more easily scratch a diamond with your fingernail than you can by any human ingenuity get a woman to consent to giving any of her savings."

"Diamonds are (forever) Carbon too. Certainly, you prefer diamonds instead of charcoals. But chemically speaking, diamonds and charcoals are just carbon in different form. Under certain temperature and pressure, the mother-nature took more than 1 billion years for transforming carbon-bearing materials into clear and shining diamonds. No wonder you prefer diamonds instead of regular charcoals."

"But remember, that manners must adorn knowledge, and smooth its way through the world. Like a great rough diamond, it may do very well in a closet, by way of curiosity, and also for its intrinsic value; but it will never be worn nor shine, if it is not polished."

"I have found that humanity is not incidentally engaged, but eternally and systematically engaged, in throwing gold into the gutter and diamonds into the sea."

"Unlike other carbons, a diamond uses all its bonding electrons to link with neighbouring atoms. These pair bonds are what give the gem unsurpassable hardness and fire."

"Diamond molecules refract light because they are shaped like pyramids. Try making a three point pyramid on your man."

"Wit must be foiled by wit: cut a diamond with a diamond."

"The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear."

"Why do people like these things? They're just shiny rocks."

"The diamond invention—the creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and are essential signs of esteem—is a relatively recent development in the history of the diamond trade. Until the late nineteenth century, diamonds were found only in a few riverbeds in India and in the jungles of Brazil, and the entire world production of gem diamonds amounted to a few pounds a year. In 1870, however, huge diamond mines were discovered near the Orange River, in South Africa, where diamonds were soon being scooped out by the ton. Suddenly, the market was deluged with diamonds."

"The major investors in the diamond mines created the instrument in 1888 called De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd., and incorporated in South Africa. De Beers proved to be the most successful cartel arrangement in the annals of modern commerce. The diamond invention is far more than a monopoly for fixing diamond prices; it is a mechanism for converting tiny crystals of carbon into universally recognized tokens of wealth, power, and romance ..."A Diamond Is Forever" became the official motto of De Beers."

"The Koh-I-Noor is at present decidedly the lion of the Exhibition. A mysterious interest appears to be attached to it, and now that so many precautions have been resorted to, and so much difficulty attends its inspection, the crowd is enormously enhanced, and the policemen at either end of the covered entrance have much trouble in restraining the struggling and impatient multitude. For some hours yesterday there were never less than a couple of hundred persons waiting their turn of admission, and yet, after all, the diamond does not satisfy. Either from the imperfect cutting or the difficulty of placing the lights advantageously, or the immovability of the stone itself, which should be made to revolve on its axis, few catch any of the brilliant rays it reflects when viewed at a particular angle."

"Yeah, it's tough being smart and sexy, too. I have to say, I'm really not that attractive. Until I met my husband, I could not get a date. I promise you it's true. My husband Jeff Richmond saw a diamond in the rough and took me in."

"There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self."

"A diamond is a portion of crystalized carbon. That is what we have all been for so many years admiring; that is what the Greeks call adamas (the unconquerable) that is what Mrs Jones calls “a diamont,” and to which all sorts of poets and lovers have likened the prettiest and sweetest, and brightest eyes which ever shone."

"You're a shooting star I see A vision of ecstasy When you hold me, I'm alive We're like diamonds in the sky At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays I saw the life inside your eyes So shine bright, tonight you and I We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky Eye to eye, so alive We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky Shine bright like a diamond Shine bright like a diamond Shining bright like a diamond We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky"

"It is scarcity and plenty that make the vulgar take things to be precious or worthless; they call a diamond very beautiful because it is like pure water, and then would not exchange one for ten barrels of water."

"Allow God to use the difficulties and disappointments in life as polish to transform your faith into a glistening diamond that takes in and reflects His love. What beauty he will create."

"Perhaps time’s definition of coal is the diamond."

"Over the years, the diamond industry has had a devastating impact in countries such as Sierra Leone, Angola and the Congo, where profits from the sale of diamonds have been used to fund brutal wars, with disastrous effects on local communities."

"Unsurprisingly, in these more eco-aware times, interest in ‘ethical diamonds’ is also growing. Two organisations, Amnesty International and Global Witness, have worked over the past few years to help the jewellery industry: it’s a real victory for human rights that it’s now illegal to trade in conflict diamonds, and any government trading in diamonds must certify that shipments of uncut diamonds are conflict-free."

"The more the diamond is cut the brighter it sparkles; and in what seems hard dealing, there God has no end in view but to perfect His people."

"Diamonds have inspired dreams of wealth and power throughout history...some diamonds are so valuable that a person can literally carry a king’s ransom in pocket."

"Diamond deposits are not easily found. Diamonds occur in some of the rarest rock types on the surface of the earth, and when found, they are disseminated in trace amounts even in the richest deposits."

"Kimberlite intrusives are generally exposed over relatively small surface areas. They occur in the form of pipes, dikes, and sills that they may crop out over an area of a few hectares at the most. Other diamondiferous host rocks exhibit similar characteristics. For example , lamproite, another host rock, may occur in the form of dikes, sills, and small volcanoes . But lapmproite are much rarer than kimberlite."

"For millions of workers, gold and diamond mining is an important source of income. But the conditions under which gold and diamonds are mined can be brutal. Children have been injured and killed when working in small-scale gold or diamond mining pits. Indigenous peoples and other local residents near mines have been forcibly displaced. In war, civilians have suffered enormously as abusive armed groups have enriched themselves by exploiting gold and diamonds. Mines have polluted waterways and soil with toxic chemicals, harming the health and livelihoods of whole communities."

"Approximately 130 million carats of rough diamonds are mined every year, including both gem-quality and industrial diamonds; about 70 percent, or 90 million carats, are gem quality. Russia, Botswana, Canada, and Australia are the world’s largest diamond producers, and the 10 largest mines account for over half of the world’s diamond production."

"After rough diamonds are mined, they typically are exported to diamond trading hubs (or exchanges,) where they are sorted according to shape, color, size, and carat. The largest diamond trading hubs are in Antwerp and Dubai."

"At least 70 percent of diamonds are cut and polished in India, largely because of low labor costs, while approximately 20 percent are cut and polished in China. Once diamonds are cut and polished, they are sent to jewelry manufacturers, and finally, to retailers. The United States is the largest market for diamond jewelry, accounting for over 40 percent of the world’s demand for polished diamonds."

"For diamonds, almost all companies require their suppliers to comply with the Kimberley Process, which should allow them to identify the country of origin of their diamonds, though the scheme suffers from a number of weaknesses. None of the companies can identify all of their diamonds’ individual mines of origin."

"Great virtues may draw attention from defects, they cannot sanctify them. A pebble surrounded by diamonds remains a common stone, and a diamond surrounded by pebbles is still a gem."

"Many individuals have, like uncut diamonds, shining qualities beneath a rough exterior."

"I think it's fun to look at people with big diamonds. I see them in my audience all the time, with the fur coat, a woman whose hand is always out front, or the two fingers are on the cheek to show her diamond. I don't have anything against that."

"It is a bloody stone [Koh-I-Noor] that stays with the conqueror, it has no loyalty but to the one who 'conquered the land' got it. It is not the possession of the stone that establishes the 'master ship' of the stone; it is the conquered land. The stone appears and falls in the laps of the conqueror. This is one stone that like a masters cannot be sold neither can be hidden and it is always found. It so far over centuries had the tendency to move towards the subcontinent."