And your jewellery really is precious and unique. In fact you probably have no idea just how rare each item is, nor quite what an incredible origin story they share. Read on to learn just how amazing each piece of gold, each piece of diamond and each piece of silver really is and why you really should cherish it.

Gold is Crucial for the Economy

First of all, let’s look at just how rare something like gold really is. Now bearing in mind the fact that our currencies all around the world are based on the value of gold, it’s kind of essential that it be rare – that’s the whole point. If we had the ability to manufacture gold, then that would result in its value drastically dropping and currency having no real basis. A piece of gold on your finger then helps account for the value of the currency you use on a daily basis.

And two thirds of this gold goes toward jewellery – with gold jewellery raising around $50 billion a year in sales. That alone is pretty important for our economy.

All the Gold in the World Could Only Fill a Few Olympic Swimming Pools

Fortunately though, it doesn’t look like gold is likely to become less rare any time soon. In fact, only 161,000 tons of gold have been mined throughout history. This might sound like a lot, but when you consider the size of the Earth it’s actually nothing. To put this in perspective, depending on the carat of the gold this is only enough to fill 1-3 Olympic sized swimming pools. That’s not a lot at all and so that ring you’re wearing is actually a fair chunk out of the total amount on Earth.

Diamonds Are the Hardest Substance on Earth

That’s right, diamonds are the ‘gold standard’ (for lack of a better term) against which all other materials are measured and scores a perfect ’10’ in toughness ratings. This then means that nothing exists that’s strong enough to cut diamonds – except of course other diamonds. When you get a diamond ring in a particular cut then, another diamond will have been used to cut it into that shape (and a fair amount of skill and precision!).

Diamonds Are Made From Carbon          

Okay so you might have heard in passing that diamonds are made from carbon, but have you really stopped to consider the implications? Carbon is what we’re made out of too, and what all life on Earth is made from. In other words, diamonds are formed by decaying organic matter that has been compressed by incredible pressure and temperatures over thousands of years. To cut a long story short, your ring could have once been a dinosaur (though it’s more likely it was some kind of plant). Not only that, but your diamond has been around for thousands of years, existing in conditions that would completely destroy us.

Jewellery Comes From the Stars

When you think about it though, it’s actually much more amazing than that. You see while your ring may once have been part of a dinosaur, it’s also entirely possible that it was once part of an alien life form. Sound absurd? Well scientists are fairly certain that life – even if only in a basic form – exists on other planets, and it’s a fact that all diamonds come from space. As does all gold, all silver and actually even basic elements like hydrogen.

To be specific, hydrogen comes from the sun and is caused by a fusion reaction. Even suns however can’t provide the conditions necessary to create heavier elements such as carbon or gold – and the only place in the universe where such conditions exist is in the heart of a dying star or super nova. This then propels those elements throughout space, which is how they eventually end up on planets like ours many millions of years later. And who knows what they encountered along the way?

In summary then, a gold ring with a diamond in it is not only incredibly precious – precious enough to dictate the very economy – but also insanely rare. It was forged in the heard of a supernova, travelled many light years through space, potentially existed as part of a prehistoric creature, then lay dormant under the ground for thousands of years before being mined and crafted to end up on your finger. Mind blown right?

Make Sure It Is a Diamond

Diamond and cubic zirconium look very similar and it is easy to mix up the two. However, cubic zirconium is a cheaper stone and it should be clearly labelled when this is used. This will depend on where you buy from; smaller market stalls and those selling their own jewelry may not state this so it is worth asking before buying. Diamonds last much longer than their cheaper alternative and offer a brighter shine.

Amount of Crystallized Carbon

Diamonds are made from crystallized carbon and other minerals that fuse together from heat. The higher the amount of this carbon, the better the diamond is. Those that are 99.95 percent of crystallized carbon are likely to be thousands, if not billions, of years old. It is worth asking about the percentage; the higher the number, the longer the diamond is likely to last.

Caring for the Ring

Caring for diamond rings is important so that they last forever. This involves cleaning, storing and protecting. Diamonds need to be cleaned on a regular basis as the oils in the skin make them look dull and bland. However, they should not be cleaned with strong products; hot soapy water will be enough. Soak the ring in the water for at least 30 minutes and then use a soft brush just to tap the sides of the ring. This should loosen off the dirt and then you can place the ring back in the water to clean and the dry.

Always store diamond engagement rings separately from other rings, stones and gems. This will help to avoid anything rubbing against the stone and damaging the diamond. Similarly, when doing activities involving hands, the ring should be removed to avoid damaging it. Working with the ring on could lead to the diamond becoming loose, breaking or cracking.

Diamond engagement rings are a great way to show the woman in your life that you love her. It is important to find a high quality gem to gain the best value for your money. However, caring for the ring after the sale is also important to ensure that it lasts a lifetime.

Diamonds share some common characteristics with coal. Both are composed of the most common substance on earth: carbon. What makes diamonds different from coal is the way the carbon atoms are arranged and how the carbon is formed. Diamonds are created when carbon is subjected to the extremely high pressures and temperatures found at the earth’s lithosphere, which lies approximately 90-240 miles below the earth’s surface.

The diamond was also used for some time as medical aid. One anecdote, written during the Dark Ages by St Hildegarde, relates how a diamond held in the hand while making a sign of the cross would heal wounds and cure illnesses. Diamonds were also ingested in the hope of curing sickness. During the early Middle Ages, Pope Clement unsuccessfully used this treatment in a bid to aid his recover. The popularity of diamonds surged during the Middle Ages, with the discovery of many large and famous stones in India, such as the Koh-I-Noor and the Blue Hope. Today India maintains the foremost diamond polishing industry in the world.

During the mid-nineteenth century, diamonds were also being discovered in eastern Australia. However, it was not until late 1970’s, after seven years of earnest searching, that Australia’s alleged potential as a diamond producer was validated.

On October 2nd 1979, geologists found the Argyle pipe near Lake Argyle: the richest diamond deposit in the world. Since then, Argyle has become the world’s largest volume producer of diamonds, and alone is responsible for producing over a third of the world’s diamonds every year.