| What is it about diamond rings that so compel us? | | | | pressure that transforms organic carbon into |
| Is it the shine and lustre - that which jewelers | | | | gems that wind up as part of mens diamond rings |
| refer to as "fire"? Is it the mystery and allure | | | | are thousands of times greater. In fact, it is |
| that you'll find in a white gold diamond ring? Or is it | | | | possible to turn coal into diamond, which is |
| just good marketing? | | | | essentially what happens when artificial, |
| When it comes to the precious stone that is the | | | | industrial-grade diamonds are manufactured in a |
| centerpiece of diamond engagement rings and | | | | laboratory. (Theoretically, it is also possible for |
| men's diamond rings, it is all of the above. | | | | diamonds to turn back into coal, were they |
| Although diamonds have long been treasured for | | | | subjected to hard vacuum under a complex set |
| their hardness and rarity, they were not always | | | | of highly unlikely circumstances.) |
| beautiful to look at. It took centuries of trial and | | | | Early Diamond Rings |
| error before jewelers learned to create the | | | | Diamond jewelry had been around for awhile, but |
| exotic cuts such as the princess diamond ring. | | | | diamond engagement rings and wedding rings |
| A Diamond...or a Lump of Coal? | | | | were pretty well unheard of before 1477, when |
| The story of diamond rings starts hundreds of | | | | Archduke Maximilian I of Austria presented one to |
| millions of years ago and miles beneath the earth's | | | | Marie of Burgundy on the occasion of their |
| surface. You are probably aware of the fact that | | | | wedding. |
| petroleum and coal is formed from the remains | | | | Diamond rings became popular during the Victorian |
| of plants and animals that lived and died over half | | | | Period, although the custom of presenting |
| a billion years ago. These remains went under the | | | | diamond engagement rings and the concept of |
| earth over time, where they were subjected to | | | | mens diamond rings came along much later. |
| preternatural geologic forces, which transformed | | | | Today, the tradition is found almost everywhere |
| them from organic matter into oil and coal. | | | | in the Western world as well as Japan and India |
| The precious stones that are set in diamond | | | | (where the bride usually wears a diamond toe |
| engagement rings are formed the same way. The | | | | ring). Diamond rings can be purchased as is, or can |
| difference between a lump of coal and a diamond | | | | be created especially for the customer. |
| is one of degree - the geologic forces of heat and | | | | |