Diamonds are very old and have been mined for around two millennia. They consist of almost pure carbon and are formed 150 kilometers below the earth's surface. There they are exposed to enormous heat and very high pressure, which is what makes them so hard. After their formation, they come naturally from the earth's mantle into the earth's crust - for example through volcanoes. In deposits, they are mined by humans and loaded into jewelry such as ours via various routes.
The discovery of diamonds began as early as 400 BC in India. At that time, India was considered the only source for almost 2000 years; it was not until 1725 that another deposit was discovered in Brazil. Diamonds have therefore been rare and precious ever since; only a few thousand carats have reached Europe to date.
Until the 17th century, they did not play a major role in jewelry production and were mainly reserved for rulers, religious dignitaries and merchants. The modern diamond industry emerged in 1869 with the discovery of the famous Kimberley deposit in South Africa.
Diamond mining was practiced systematically for the first time. With De Beers, diamonds became world travelers; their path from the place of discovery to the jewelry wearer leads across continents.
A polished diamond can be valued for various reasons, for example for insurance purposes or to sell the stone. The quality of the stone is of particular interest here. For jewelry production, the pre-cut stones are sorted according to size, shape and color. Colored diamonds, known as "fancy diamonds", are very rare. In Australia, for example, various shades of pink, champagne and cognac are mined.
The quality of a diamond is determined on the basis of the so-called "4 Cs": Carat (weight), Color (color), Clarity (clarity) and Cut (cut). This terminology was developed around fifty years ago by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and is now used worldwide to scientifically analyze and evaluate diamonds.
The song "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" from the movie "Blondes Preferred" was made world-famous by Marilyn Monroe. Up until the recent past, royalty and the aristocracy shaped the world of style and fashion, including in the jewelry sector. Today, numerous exceptional pieces of jewelry can be found in museums, private collections/treasure troves or bank vaults. Diamond jewelry is very popular with many people as a memento of special moments in life. The "Diamonds are forever" advertising campaign by De Beers has had a lasting impact on the jewelry industry.
At Bijouterie Stadelmann, despite our preference for colored gemstones, we have been working with diamonds since the very beginning. We also enjoy stones with the highest possible 4 C values, but we are usually more fascinated by other wonders that nature creates with diamonds and which receive less attention from people. For example: alternative shapes such as diamond roses, baguettes or drops, earlier cuts that were still made by hand, as well as colored diamonds in sparkling shades of brown.
In a nutshell, it can be said that at Stadelmann in 1972 you have the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the world of diamonds with our individual range of diamond jewelry.
In our Trouvaille you will find used jewelry as well as liquidation goods from suppliers at interesting prices. You also have the opportunity to sell your jewelry on consignment. We are also happy to provide you with other information about our store at the back of Marktgasse 29.
