Few gemstones are as revered as the April birthstone, the diamond. The hardest substance in nature, the diamond name comes from the ancient Greek word adamas, meaning invincible or unbreakable. Diamonds’ history goes back at least to the 4th Century B.C. in India. As they spread throughout the world, diamonds took on a variety of meanings and uses in different cultures.
In China, diamonds were first used as tools for cutting jade rather than as gems to wear. The ancient Romans believed that diamonds worn touching the flesh of the left arm would make the bearer brave and powerful enough to defeat any enemies, while diamonds embedded in steel could ward off insanity.
During the Middle Ages, diamonds were said to have many healing properties. People believed that the stones could protect them from the plague, and diamonds were also thought to cure brain afflictions. Diamonds were used as an antidote for poison as well, drawing out toxic substances from the body. The bearer often took the stone to bed to warm it and receive the healing properties.
In mystical beliefs, diamonds help bring clarity of mind, inner strength, and personal balance; they also enhance a person’s individual energy. Using a diamond with another stone, such as amethyst, will boost that gem’s spiritual qualities as well. Another belief holds that diamonds will increase overall abundance.
Perhaps most of all, today, diamonds are associated with love. Their use in engagement rings dates back to the 15th Century, and they are still used almost exclusively in such rings. Romantic gifts of diamonds are highly meaningful in whatever form they take, and jewelry made from other gemstones typically increases in emotional meaning and value when it also contains diamonds.
Wearing any type of diamond jewelry offers a sense of luminosity and sophistication, and buying diamonds for oneself is a sure way to feel special, particularly with nontraditional pieces. A diamond belly ring peeking underneath a top, a toe ring adding adornment to a fashionable pair of sandals, or a nose ring or stud that greets others at first glance all speak to a bold and sizzling personality.
This April birthstone is associated with the astrological sign of Aries, a strong fire sign that befits the radiance and beauty of diamonds.
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