“Diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones, but of all things in this world”
-Pliny
The month of April has its own charm whether you live in the warm Southwest or breezy central Plains and the Tennessee Valley. But unlike the weather, April birthstone diamond shines bright even when the skies are cloudy. So, if you’re April born, you can proudly wear diamond as your birthstone and showcase your inner strength with style.
April Birthstone Meaning & Symbolism
Can a birthstone have any meaning? For diamond, the answer is yes.
The word diamond doesn’t have any specific meaning, it’s just a name given to the hardest mineral on Earth.
However, this name of the April birthstone has its origin in Greek where the ‘adamas’ means invincible or unbreakable. So, the English word diamond owes its meaning to ancient Greek.
When and how diamond became the April birthstone is a question of conjecture but it surely has some fascinating symbolism.
Diamonds are invincible and indestructible. Warriors during earlier times used to wear diamonds for great strength.
They believed that wearing diamonds would give them courage and make them invincible on the battleground.
Also people in ancient times believed that a diamond possessed great healing powers.
It creates a balance in life and helps in re-energizing the energy centers of the body. An astrological diamond ring or pendant can also be helpful in bringing good health to the wearer.
Diamond is also the birthstone for the Virgo and Libra individuals as it bestows them with good luck and prosperity.
Diamond is the stone of lovers too. For a very long time, people have been expressing their dedication with diamond promise rings or commitment rings.
According to legends, diamonds have great healing powers and can purify and detoxify the body. They also have the ability to cure some chronic ailments.
As the April gemstone, diamond is said to make a person calm and fearless, instilling confidence in the wearer.
History of the April Birthstone Diamond
The history of diamond is as sparkling as the stone itself.
Diamonds were a thing in India in the fourth century BCE when the royalty and the wealthy adorned them.
Later in Medieval times, traders from India brought diamonds to the markets in Europe.
We find the first record of a diamond engagement ring in 1477 when Archduke Maximillian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy.
For centuries, Indian mines in the Golconda region have been yielding diamonds. Besides, Panna mines and Kollur mines are also noteworthy.
Some of the most famous diamonds of the world came from India, such as Hope Diamond, Koh-i-Noor, Great Mogul and Regent Diamond.
Moreover, Iranian Crown Jewels also have a diamond of Indian origin. It’s a large pink diamond called Daria-e Noor meaning Sea of Light.
The Orloff Diamond, which is a part of the Russian Crown Jewels, is believed to have originated from the Golconda mines.
Each of these diamonds has a unique story of war, valor, power, love, misfortune, and business.
In the early 18th Century, Brazil emerged as the new source of diamonds as India’s supplies started dwindling. The discovery of diamond in Brazil that time around was a stroke of luck.
In fact, prospectors were looking for gold in Jequitinhonha river in Minas Gerais and they discovered diamonds by chance. For the next century and a half Brazil ruled the world diamond market.
In the late 1860s, diamonds were discovered near Kimberley in South Africa, marking a new age. Businessman Cecil Rhodes founded De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited in 1888. And by 1900 De Beers was controlling around 90 percent of the world’s production of rough diamonds.
The biggest diamond ever found was 3,106 carats or 621 grams! It was unearthed from South Africa’s Premier mine in 1905. The 530 ct pear-shaped Cullinan I diamond comes from this huge rock and along with it some smaller Cullinan diamonds.
Cullinan I, also known as the Great Star of Africa, was later set into the Royal Sceptre of England.
Know the April Birthstone Diamond
Besides being the birthstone for April, diamond is the wedding anniversary gift for celebrating the 60th and 70th milestones .
The Famous 4Cs of Diamond
“I’m the king of the world”. This famous dialogue from the movie Titanic suits quite well to the April birthstone. The 4Cs are the globally accepted standards to ensure an objective grading of diamonds.
Also, the 4Cs have been extended to colored stones but with distinct scales for each stone.
Color: Alphabetical scale from D-Z is used to determine whether a diamond is colorless, nearly colorless or has a tint of yellow, brown, or grey.
Clarity: It is a measure of absence or presence of internal flaws and external blemishes. It ranges from Flawless (FL) and Internally Flawless (IFL) to Included (I1, I2, I3).
Cut: It measures the quality of craftsmanship and the behavior of light The cut grade ranges from Ideal Plus and Excellent to Poor. Explore diamonds at GemsNY to see stones of various cuts.
Carat Weight: Carat is the unit to measure the weight of a diamond. One carat equal to 200 milligrams or one gram has 5 carats. The millimeter measurements also affect the weight of a diamond.
Fire & Brilliance of Diamond
These two terms apply more to the April birthstone diamond than to any other. Often we hear that one diamond has more fire or brilliance than the other.
In simple terms, fire refers to the flashes of color you see in a colorless diamond. The more the flashes, the more the fire. It’s measured in terms of Dispersion Value (DV).
Diamond has a DV of 0.044 against 0.018 of white sapphire. That’s why a white sapphire appears milky but a diamond appears scintillating.
On the other hand, the brilliance of a diamond depends on its Refractive Index (RI). When light enters a denser medium, it slows down and bends.
When it escapes the medium it gains speed. RI is the measure of light slowing down. The refractive index of diamonds is quite high, ranging between 2.417 and 2.419.
For perspective, the RI of a white sapphire ranges from 1.762 to 1.770. So, now you know why diamonds sparkle more.
For sparkling April birthstone jewelry, explore the collection of rings, earrings, pendants and bracelets at GemsNY.
Colors of Fancy Diamonds
Though the traditional choice of April birthstone is colorless or white diamonds, color diamonds have their unique audience.
Globally, the share of natural colored diamonds in the overall diamond extraction is quite meagre. But the advancement of technology has made fancy colored diamonds accessible to all.
Fancy colored diamonds come ordinarily in four colors- blue, yellow, pink and green. Black diamonds, though in fashion, are not in the same club.
The color of these diamonds depends on the element other than carbon present in the stone. Presence of nitrogen leads to yellow and boron leads to blue.
Pink diamonds, however, appear so due to distorted crystal lattice structure. It happens as a result of extreme temperature and pressure, and not due to any contamination. Similarly, green diamonds get their color due to natural or artificial exposure to radiation from thorium or uranium. But that doesn’t make the diamond radioactive. So no sweat there!
Which color of April birthstone jewelry would you like to express your love with?
Where Do Diamonds Come From
98% of the mined diamonds are colorless or white diamonds, and the rest are fancy colored diamonds.
In order to prevent unethical human practices and trade, the Kimberly Process was established in 2003.
According to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), Russia was leading the world diamond production with 37.3 million carats in 2023. Botswana, Canada, Angola and South Africa followed with 25.1, 15.6, 9.75 and 5.89 million carats respectively. Other major countries are Zimbabwe, Namibia, Sierra Leone and Lesotho.
The Argyle mine in Western Australia used to be the largest source of pink diamonds, though it closed down in 2020.
At present, most of the blue diamonds come from the Cullinan mine in South Africa. The Golconda mines in India and Argyle in Australia also yielded blue diamonds.
Ellendale Diamond Field in Australia produces yellow diamonds as well as other colored diamonds.
Surprisingly for natural green diamonds there is no single prominent location in the world. However, Guyana, Brazil and Zimbabwe are the notable countries.
Celebrities and the April Birthstone
The name behind the famous Streisand Effect, Barbra Streisand, used to wear her own diamond jewelry in her films.
Born on 24 April 1942, Streisand is one of the very few winners of EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award). Watch Funny Girl (1968) and Funny Lady (1975), in which she played the role of Fanny Brice, to have a look at her Edwardian and Art Deco jewelry featuring the April birthstone.
Also, she showcased the most expensive diamond necklace, A Heritage in Bloom
Tennis legend Chris Evert unknowingly gave rise to a new term ‘tennis bracelet’. In 1978, she snapped her diamond bracelet during a US Open match, halting the game for a while.
And now we have tennis bracelets not just with diamonds but also with color gemstones such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds and tanzanites.
The list of April born celebrities is long including Jennifer Garner, (April 17), Marsha Mason (April 3) and Marilu Henner (April 6).
How to Buy April Birthstone & Also Save Money
Diamonds and savings appear diametrically opposite but there’s a trick that can make both ends meet.
FIrst of all you should know about the 4Cs of the April birthstone. Then, consider the metal for jewelry and matching color grade of diamond.
For instance, colorless diamonds (D,E,F) are the best choice for platinum or white gold jewelry simply because any trace of grey or yellow will reduce the beauty of your jewel. You can save if you choose near-colorless diamonds (G,H,I,J).
However, if you’re going for yellow gold, you can opt for K, L, M grade diamonds. The yellow tint of these diamonds merge with the color of gold, leaving you with only sparkle. These are remarkably more affordable.
Also, for the cut, instead of going for the ‘Ideal Plus’ grade, go for the ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’ cut grade. Settings usually hide minor imperfections of the stone, particularly if they are under a carat.
Have you heard the term ‘salt & pepper’ diamonds? These stones have inclusions appearing as if someone has sprinkled a few grains of the condiments inside. Naturally, they are much more affordable than clean diamonds but they have a unique personality.
April Birthstone Cleaning and Care
Diamond sets the benchmark for hardness with a score of 10 on the 10-point Mohs hardness scale. Naturally, it is impervious to damage from an ultrasonic cleaner or a cleaning agent, but your jewelry metal is not.
And, if your diamond has undergone any type of treatment for inclusions, then it’s better to stay simple. Use a lukewarm soap solution, a soft brush and lint-free cloth to clean your diamond jewelry.
Keep every diamond jewelry piece away from each other to avoid scratching. One diamond can easily scratch the other. Also, go for professional checking on regular intervals to maintain the integrity of your jewel.
April Birthstone Jewelry for You
Whether you want to buy diamond jewelry for fashion or astrological purposes, your options are virtually limitless. From natural diamonds to lab-grown diamonds and from colorless to fancy diamonds, you can create rings, earrings, pendants and bracelets as per your style and budget.
For astrological or zodiac jewelry, natural diamonds are recommended based on the age and weight of the wearer. Explore the world of diamonds at GemsNY to buy your shining star.
Natural Diamond Infinity Bracelet (Item# BR1288): Radiate lively and bold vibes with this sparkling April birthstone bracelet. The 35 natural diamonds of this jewelry piece will perfectly capture your unique style.
Bloom in Blue with this April Birthstone Ring: Celebrate your April birthday with this celestial blue lab grown diamond ring. This spellbinding piece is a stellar choice, combining modern brilliance with symbolism.
Gemstone Item#: LC327046
Setting Item#: R12033DM
Earrings for A Love that Shines Bright (Item# ELD063): These heart-shaped diamond studs will always catch the light, and a few hearts. A love story wrapped in 14k white gold, shining forever!
Sparkling Romance in Pink (Item# PLD112): Like a drop of magic, this pear shaped lab diamond shimmers within an infinity setting making this pendant a perfect symbol of eternal love.
Stone Code: LC332438 (Pink Colored Lab Diamond)
Setting Code: P30460DM
A Diamond Wedding Ring as Brilliant as Your Love (Item# EB74810DM): Let your love story shine with this exquisite natural diamond wedding ring, just like the bond you share. It’s a sparkling promise of a lifetime with the glory of the April birthstone.
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