What is April’s Birthstone?
April’s traditional birthstone is diamond. It is now common to see more accessible white stone alternatives such as white sapphire and white topaz as April birthstone jewelry options.
Diamond Profile
Continue reading to discover facts about diamonds:
| COLOR | Typically clear, but can be found naturally in a variety of colors, such as blue, red, yellow, and brown. |
| HARDNESS | 10 on the Mohs scale, one of the hardest natural substances. Can be scratched only by other diamonds. |
| TOUGHNESS | Fair to Good; Can shatter or chip if subjected to strong impact, especially along cleavage plane. |
| CARE RECOMMENDATIONS | Clean using a soft-bristled brush and warm soapy water. Click here to learn more about cleaning diamond jewelry. |
| ETYMOLOGY | From the ancient Greek “adamas”, meaning “unconquerable” or “invincible.” |
| ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE | 10th, 60th, and 75th anniversaries |
| ORIGIN(S) | Major diamond-producing countries today include Russia, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Australia, and Canada, although diamonds can still be found worldwide. |
| COMMON TREATMENTS | There are several treatment types a diamond may have undergone, including color treatments such as diamond coating, irradiation, and annealing, and clarity treatments such as laser drilling and fracture filling. |
| FAMILY | Diamond is a pure carbon-based gemstone. While there are no other pure carbon-based gemstones, there are partial ones, such as moissanite, a carbon-silica gemstone commonly used as a diamond alternative. |
| ELECTRONIC CLEANERS | It’s generally considered safe to clean natural diamonds in ultrasonic cleaners. However, treated diamonds and diamonds with significant inclusions may be damaged by electronic cleaners. It’s recommended to consult with a professional before cleaning any jewelry in this manner. Schedule your appointment for a professional jewelry cleaning. |
| RANDOM FACT | The earliest known diamond trade may have been in the 4th century BCE in India, from diamonds discovered in riverbeds. |
Diamonds in Culture: A Durable Appeal
Diamonds seem to hold an unyielding sway over public fascination, with dozens of movies and books centered on them, typically involving their theft and attempted retrieval. Let’s walk through some cultural depictions of diamonds throughout history and how they’ve contributed to the current mystique of these precious stones.
Some of the most famous diamonds in history include the Hope Diamond, the Koh-i-Noor, the Cullinan Diamond, and the Regent Diamond, each with a history of controversy, theft, intrigue, and murder. Each story alone is worth its own blog post. But what about the media that diamonds like these inspired?
The Moonstone
An early example is the British epistolary novel from 1868 titled “The Moonstone” by Wilkie Collins. Originally serialized in Charles Dickens’ magazine All the Year Round, “The Moonstone” recounts the tale of a large yellow diamond that seems to bring ruin and tragedy wherever it goes. Collins based his novel on the histories of diamonds like the Koh-i-Noor and the Orloff Diamond.
To Catch a Thief
The 1956 Alfred Hitchcock film, “To Catch a Thief,” starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, centers around a diamond cat burglar on the French Riviera. Grant plays John Robie, an ex-diamond thief accused of a string of recent thefts who is desperate to clear his name while also falling in love with the thrill-seeking American heiress played by Kelly. While not based on real events, there is speculation that the film may have inspired a diamond theft in 2013 at the same hotel featured in the movie.
The Great Muppet Caper
Even The Muppets got in on the diamond mania with the 1981 musical heist film “The Great Muppet Caper” starring Diana Rigg, Charles Grodin, and the full cast of Muppets. While not directly inspired by true events, even such a whimsical, light-hearted retelling of the diamond heist motif doesn’t miss the mark by too much.
Bridgerton
In the Shondaland fictional series “Bridgerton,” a Regency-era show centered on the Bridgerton family and their matchmaking efforts, we find another symbolic reference to diamonds. Each year, Queen Charlotte designates a “diamond of the season” or the woman (or man) she has designated as essentially the most eligible bachelor of highest matchmaking value. When an eligible lady or gentleman has been designated the season’s diamond, attention (and sometimes difficulty) is guaranteed to follow them.
Music
Besides books, shows, and movies, there are several songs that incorporate diamonds as powerful metaphors including “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes” by Paul Simon & Lady Smith Black Mambazo, “Diamonds” by Rihanna, “Diamonds Are Forever” by Shirley Bassey, “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” by Kanye West (which sample’s Bassey’s “Diamonds Are Forever), “Diamond and Rust” by Joan Baez,” “Diamonds in the Back” by Ludacris, the iconic “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” sung by Marilyn Monroe, as well as many more. Songs about diamonds and their symbolism transcend genres, eras, genders, and ages.
The Cultural Rise of Diamonds
Diamonds have been valued for centuries for their strength and beauty, with a variety of metaphysical qualities attributed to them that we’ll explore in the next section. Up until the late 1800s, diamonds were fairly scarce and a luxury of the aristocracy. The 1870 discovery of the Kimberley diamond mine in South Africa set off a chain of events that culminated in the 1938 launch of the De Beers campaign, solidifying diamond engagement rings as the quintessential symbol of love and commitment.
While the campaign didn’t gain real traction until the post-war economic boom, DeBeers perfected the role of influencers before it was even a thing. They had celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor bedecked in diamonds at red-carpet events. They made sure newspapers were supplied with every detail of the diamond jewelry worn by any woman considered even somewhat influential, including obvious choices like actresses and singers, as well as socialites and the wives of politicians and other icons. Even the British royal family was tapped to help legitimize diamonds’ role in the luxury market.
Diamonds are now so deeply embedded (pun intended) in our cultural and symbolic memory, it’s hard to imagine what our history would be like without them. They have come to symbolize strength, durability, love, commitment, romance, and so much more. Famous diamonds in history and media are often surrounded by mystery, intrigue, and sometimes tragedy. While they are known for their exceptional hardness on the Mohs scale, one could argue that the durability of their appeal is just as powerful.
Historical Uses & Spiritual Correspondences
Ancient Egypt
- Associated with Ra, the sun god.
- In the Time of the Pharaohs, diamonds were placed in the center of the ankh, an Egyptian hieroglyph that symbolized life. Diamonds represented the sun, power, courage, and truth.
- The modern custom of wearing the engagement ring on the left hand ring finger may date back to the ancient Egyptian belief that the “vein of love” linked this finger to the heart.
- Ancient Mesopotamians believed that diamonds were pieces of heaven and could be used to channel celestial energy and divine power.
Ancient India
- Diamonds were used in the eyes of Hindu statues
- There was a belief that diamonds were created when bolts of lightning struck rocks. Similarly, it was believed that diamonds could attract lightning.
- In Hindu mythology, Krishna gave his love Radha a diamond to symbolize her beauty. Some believe this diamond is the famous Koh-i-Noor.
- “He who wears a diamond will see danger turn away,” was an Ancient Indian saying. Diamonds were believed to represent invincibility and clarity.
Ancient Rome and Greece
- The 1st-century Roman writer Pliny stated that “Diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones, but of all things in this world.”
- Diamonds were believed to be the tears of the gods or splinters that broke off from falling stars. Because of this, ancient Romans often wore them as talismans in their uncut, raw form to preserve their divine essence.
- Cupid’s arrows were said to be tipped with diamonds
- Diamonds were linked to Zeus, who was believed to turn children into adamastos, a symbol of divine purity
Ancient China
- The Diamond Sutras, widely considered the earliest complete surviving dated printed book, conveys a teaching (sutra) of the Buddha with poignant diamond symbolism. Created in 868 AD, the Diamond Sutra describes a teaching communicated to Subhuti, an elderly disciple of Buddha. At the end of the sermon, Subhuti asks how the sutra should be known, to which Buddha replies that it should be called “The Diamond of Transcendent Wisdom” because the teaching will cut through the illusions of reality like a diamond blade.
- Here’s an excerpt from the Diamond Sutra translated by The Chung Tai Translation Committee:
“All conditioned phenomena
Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow,
Like dew or a flash of lightning; Thus we shall perceive them.”
Middle Ages
- Diamonds were considered a “miracle stone” and were believed to have exceptional healing abilities
- Ailments it was believed diamonds could cure:
- Stomach aches
- memory loss
- depression
- fatigue
- infections
- mental illnesses
- nightmares
- skin diseases
- head and heart ailments
- It was believed that diamonds could provide healing simply by being placed on the body.
- In 1477, Mary of Burgundy became the first known recipient of a diamond engagement ring
- Some sources cite the death of Pope Clement VII in 1534 as caused by ingesting a gemstone and diamond powder intended to cure stomach pain. There is some controversy surrounding these claims.
Modern Gemology
- Associated with the crown chakra, also known as the 7th chakra, which is located on the crown of the head. Known as sahasrara in Sanskrit, the crown chakra symbolizes pure consciousness, divine connection, and spiritual awakening. The crown chakra is often depicted as a thousand-petaled lotus flower.
- Believed to amplify energy and promote mental clarity.
Modern Astrology
- Aries and Taurus, the two zodiac signs that fall within the month of April
Other Colorless Gemstones
The stones listed below are the colorless or white versions from their mineral family. The colored versions are caused by natural inclusions or artificial processes. If you love the look of a diamond but not the price tag, these are some white stone options with a relatively high hardness rating.
| STONE NAME | MOHS RATING | MINERAL FAMILY |
|---|---|---|
| Moissanite | 9.25-9.5 | Silicon carbide, no immediate gemstone relatives |
| Sapphire | 9 | Corundum (sapphires and rubies) |
| Spinel | 8 | Oxide > Spinel group, found in a variety of colors |
| Topaz | 8 | Topaz can be found in a variety of colors; also closely related to andalusite and kyanite. |
| Goshenite | 7.5-8 | Beryl (emerald, aquamarine, and morganite) |
| Tourmaline | 7-7.5 | Cyclosilicate > Tourmaline, found in a variety of colors |
| Quartz | 7 | Tectosilicate > Quartz group (quartz, feldspars, zeolite) |
| Zircon | 6-7.5 | Nesosilicate > Zircon Group, found in a variety of colors |
Conclusion
Whether or not diamonds are a girl’s best friend, they certainly hold an important place in culture and society. They dominate the bridal jewelry industry as the stone of choice for engagement rings and wedding bands, hold rich symbolic meanings of strength, clarity, and loyalty, and have captured the attention of audiences around the world in stories, movies, and songs.
With continued diamond mining and advancements in lab diamond technology, diamonds don’t seem like they’re going anywhere anytime soon. They can be found in jewelry styles ranging from classic and timeless to bold and statement, and a pair of diamond stud earrings is considered to be a staple accessory in any jewelry collection. So, as spring unfolds in the month of April for many of us in the U.S., dust off your diamonds and shine with the season.
