Diamond encrusted jewelry carries all kinds of symbolic statements. The symbols range from commitment to a person to the willingness to spend some money on them. After all, diamonds are not cheap.

But why do we have these symbolic images associated with diamonds? The answer lies in the nature of the diamond itself. To better understand the fuss about diamonds, we need to focus on how they come to be.

Carbon is the most prevalent element in our world. It is the basis of much of what we see. In vary rare cases, carbon can be dangerous when there is too much carbon dioxide in the air or magical when it is turned into a diamond.

If you just could isolate carbon by itself in a material form in a lab, it would be a powdery substance. The color would not be clear. It would be a dark, mucky mix, but a mix with potential to be great.

Diamonds are created when carbon is battered by certain forces. These include heat and pressure. Given enough time, the carbon evolves into a hard, clear substance ? a diamond.

Diamonds get their name from the Greeks. It seems the Greeks named everything some times! In this case, the name comes from the word ?adamas?, which means unconquerable.

We find diamonds in areas that were geographically active. The pressure and heating happens deep in the earth. The only way we can find them is when they are pushed up through the crust during volcanic activity.

As you have probably gathered by now, the age of diamonds is measured over millennia. Most diamonds we find are billions of years old. Yes, that is billions with a B.

Not all diamonds are created equally. Of the total diamonds mined each year, most cannot be used for jewelry. In fact, only 20 percent are, which makes them precious.

Oddly, diamonds have not been used in jewelry for that long of a period given the time span of man. Despite all the kings and queens of the past, diamonds were only first used in royal jewelry in Austria in the 15th century. Obviously, they have become a bit more popular since then.

All and all, diamonds are a symbol when used as jewelry. They are precious, so the recipient values them. They are billions of years old and hard to damage, so they also are symbols of commitment and a long life. All these components give them great value.