Diamonds are the most mythical of all precious gemstones. Created by a combination of extreme heat and pressure deep within the core of the earth more than 3 billion years ago and brought to the surface by volcanic eruption, most diamonds adorning women today are more than 100 million years old.

Diamonds were first discovered in about 500 BC in India , which remained the world's only major source for 2000 years. The people who discovered these early deposits thought of diamonds as 'fragments of eternity.'

The Hindus attributed so much power to these precious stones they went so far as to place diamonds in the eyes of some of their statues.

The Romans thought diamonds were splinters from falling stars, while the Greeks regarded the sparkling gems as tears of the gods.

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