Diamond

The first diamonds were probably discovered in India, as there are references in books of Economics and Law of the 4th century BC. century. The valuation of diamonds and various gemstones was progressively the art of gemology, while diamonds were taxed and customs checked. Also, according to the Indians, the diamond had magical properties and they believed that through it one could see the various dangers and remove them.

The trade and circulation of diamonds in the rest of the world is estimated to have begun in the 1st century BC. century, when it passed from India to China, then to Arabia, Persia and finally to Europe.

In the 14th century diamonds were transported from India to the rest of the world via two routes. The first, the sea, started from the Gulf of Kampay, then passed through the Persian Gulf, Ethiopia and reached Cairo and Alexandria. The second started from the important shopping center of Hormuz and then crossed Persia and Armenia and reached Asia Minor or Aleppo, Syria and from there the diamonds were promoted to Venice and Istanbul.

During the 13th to the 16th century, Venice became the most important center of diamond trafficking, while at the same time the first small handicrafts appeared in Flanders. Until the 16th century Bruges was the largest diamond processing center in the world. In the 16th century, after the discovery of a new sea route from India through the Cape of Good Hope, Lisbon became a hub for diamond trafficking, while Bruges was replaced by Antwerp, which controlled 40% of world trade.

At the beginning of the 18th century, apart from Antwerp, Amsterdam became an important center for diamond processing and trade, while development also began in London. In fact, in Amsterdam, in 1822, the first factories with steam-powered processing machines were established. At the same time, new diamond deposits were discovered in the Dos Marinius River in Brazil, which were initially considered fake, but then it turned out that this was done for reasons of competition.

In the mid-19th century, large diamond deposits were discovered in South Africa. The first diamond, 10.73 carats, named "Eureka" was accidentally discovered in 1866 on the banks of the Orang River and in 1869 a large diamond was discovered, the "star of South Africa" ??of 47.75 carats, which became the main cause of area to be filled with diamond "hunters". The largest diamond known to date is the Cullinan found in 1905 near Pretoria (South Africa) and weighed 3,106 carats (= 621,350 grams) before processing.

The organization of production and the use of new and modern methods began after 1871, when deposits were discovered in the Kimberley area and then appeared the first diamond mining company under the name De Beers. Then, in 1930, Ernest Oppenheimer organized the modern world diamond market, which is controlled by the Central Sales Agency based in London.

On September 8, 2008, a 478-carat diamond was discovered in Lesotho, one of the largest in the world.