There are very few women who would turn down a large, sparkling diamond. In fact, most are in agreement that the bigger the diamond the better! Where are the biggest stones to be found? While most people have a general idea of the geographic locations of the world’s most significant diamond lodes, most are not aware of the places where the largest diamonds have, or can be found.Interestingly, diamonds appear in many diverse locations around the globe – from Arkansas to South Africa, and some areas are known for producing colored diamonds, while others are known for simply providing true “whoppers”, or stones of outrageous carat count and size

For example, Arkansas yielded the largest diamond ever found in North America, the “Uncle Sam Diamond” weighing in at an impressive forty carats, while the “Star of Africa”, or the Cullinan I was originally part of three thousand one hundred carat monster of a diamond found in a South African diamond mine in the early 1900s. Continue reading »

The collapsing economy has led to a major drop in imports and exports of luxury items. Diamonds are at the top of that list. Diamonds are not mined in the US but the majority of them are cut here. There are only a few deposits in the US that have been discovered. The vast majority of diamonds are imported from other countries. Continue reading »

One of the most amazing things about diamonds is that there are no two alike. Diamonds are mined in Brazil, India, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and Russia, and they are all extraordinarily beautiful. This stone is the hardest known substance and the most durable, which is why it is the perfect choice for any kind of jewelry. These diamonds took millions of years to form deep below the surface of the Earth, making them true treasures. Continue reading »

Diamonds are known to be the hardest naturally occurring substance on earth. They are used as decorative stones, jewelry gifts and very efficient industrial saw blades. By now you probably know that diamonds form deep within the mantle layer of our planet Earth, which is about 200 kilometers deep in the ground. This happens when carbon atoms arrange themselves into a lattice under high pressure from the rocks above. How old are the oldest diamonds and how young are the youngest diamonds? Continue reading »

Diamonds are among the world’s rarest and most precious gems. They are sought all over as pieces of jewelry-from the giant flawless diamonds of the wealthy stars to the slightly yellowed, small and flawed engagement rings of ordinary Americans. Diamonds were first discovered and mined in India in about the year 800 B.C. Very few were mined, and only royalty and those of high wealth could afford to own diamonds. Diamonds have been a popular stone for engagement rings since the founding and exploration of the South African diamond minds by the British in the late 19th century. Before then, only royals and the excessively wealthy could afford jewelry made of diamonds, but these mines made diamonds reasonably priced enough for the public to buy. Continue reading »

The idea of diamonds is a lot of fun for everyone, especially as they are able to purchase beautiful diamonds, regardless of their size. Now, there is one more way that people can purchase diamonds and that is through the new Kono diamond mine.Loose diamonds can be purchased through individuals or through diamond dealers, which will then set the diamonds in different pieces of jewelry. Often, it is the individuals who purchase just the diamond and just the jewelry to have them later pieced together that will get the best deal possible. However, for many people, including celebrities and the social elite, it may not be possible to meet with big diamond companies that sell massive amounts of diamonds to jewelers and businesses with an enormous amount of cash. Continue reading »

Looking for a truly unique vacation experience? Then head to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Here guests are encouraged to dig, scrounge, sift and trench the park’s grounds in the quest for diamonds. The Park is home to the only active mining site in the country that allows visitors to keep everything they are lucky enough to find.Does it require luck? Realistically, it is only the luck of the moment that brings a visitor into contact with a significant find. In fact the Park’s two most recent diamonds of significant value and size were both discovered at different times and locations by children simply wandering the area’s path and utility roads. Continue reading »

With the recent opening of the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) in Botswana, Africa will now be assured of further economic growth as it shares in the profits of rough diamonds. Built and gifted by De Beers, the world’s leading diamond company, the DTC will now become the largest and most advanced diamond-sorting venture in the world.Established in 1888, De Beers has long been a leader in the diamond mining industry and currently has a 40 percent market hold. The history of De Beers and Africa spans over several decades and at times has been severely strained. The chairman of De Beers has had closed doors meetings with the government of Africa and voices his concern of improving the quality of life for the area. Continue reading »

Packing for a vacation usually does not involve grubby clothing, shovels, and work gloves, but if you are headed to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas these are the exact items you will need. The Park is the only diamond mining site in the world that encourages visitors to explore the diamond fields, dig and pan for finds, and allows visitors to keep everything that is discovered. Continue reading »

Martin Rapaport is one of the foremost diamond authorities in the world. This reputation is due to his extensive diamond knowledge and study of the diamond market. In a recent interview, he has stated that the rare diamond market is currently in the middle of experiencing a strong surge. As Mr. Rapaport carries such enormous weight in the diamond world, this news is regarded by most in the diamond industry with tremendous interest.Mr. Rapaport states that the reason for the current rise of the rare diamond market is due to the rising cost of rare diamonds. This rising rare diamond per-carat cost is in turn due to the fact that diamonds are priced per-carat in dollars. As the dollar has weakened over the past number of years, more and more of the world’s wealthy have begun to invest in diamonds in order to protect against further weakening of the dollar. In other words, a diamond bought one day for $20,000 a carat, could be worth $22,000 a carat or more within a few months as the dollar continues to weaken. Continue reading »