the mystique of diamonds - diamond council of...

The Mystique of Diamonds

The Diamond Course

Diamond Council of America © 2015

1The Diamond Course 14

D i a m o n d C o u n c i l o f A m e r i c a ©

The Mystiqueof DiamondsIn This Lesson:• MagicandRomance• Nature’sInspirations• AddingtotheSpell• DiamondsandTime• DiamondOccasions• DiamondPersonalities

MAGIC AND ROMANCE In most diamond presentations, it’s important to cover the

4Cs. A little information about topics such as formation, sources, mining, or cutting can often help, too. In every pre-sentation, however, it’s essential to identify and reinforce the factors that make diamonds valuable and important – in other words, truly precious – to each customer. After all, purchase decisions involve the head, but the desire to own or give a diamond almost always springs from the heart. That’s the realm of magic and romance.

The emotional meanings of diamonds have many origins and they have evolved over thou-sands of years. Diamond’s unique beauty and remarkable properties have helped create some of the deepest meanings. Others have come from cultural traditions, the glamour of celebrities, and the events of individual lives. In a sales presentation, you need to determine which of these elements will resonate for the cus-tomer you’re serving.

The desire to own or give diamond jewelry springs from the heart, not from the head.

Photo courtesy Andrew Meyer Jewelry.




It’s important to remember that people most often buy diamonds to symbolize love or to celebrate personal mile-stones. Sometimes the motivation for buying is obvious – for example, with an engagement ring. Other times, you will identify it by involving the customer in a conversation about themselves and the occasion, and about the notions or feel-ings the customer wishes to express. That will tell you exactly what he or she wants the diamond to “say.”

Once you understand the primary motives for a pur-chase, you can tickle them in appropriate ways. This lesson provides information and ideas you can use for that purpose. It will give you the keys you need to open the magic and romance of diamonds to your customers.

Lesson ObjectivesWhen you have successfully completed this lesson you will be able to:• Linkdiamondsymbolismtovaluefactors.• Sharediamondmythsandfolklore.• Presentdiamondasabirthstone.• Explaintheoriginsofdiamondoccasions.• Discussfamouspeopleassociatedwithdiamonds.

People most often buy diamonds to symbolize love or personal milestones.

Photo courtesy Lazare Kaplan.




NATURE’S INSPIRATIONS Diamond’s nature and amazing characteristics have inspired some

of the oldest and strongest elements of its allure. You’ve already learned that diamond is the hardest material known. It’s also very tough. Reflecting these properties, the name of the gem itself comes from the Greek word adamas, which means “unconquerable.”

For centuries, most people regarded diamonds as indestructible. One old story says if you place a diamond on an anvil and strike it with a hammer, the hammer and anvil will break, but the diamond won’t be harmed. Through a process of mental association, people came to believe that diamonds bless their owners with strength, cour-age, success, and enduring love.

Even today some consumers mistakenly think dia-monds are unbreakable. Of course, you need to advise your customers that any gem requires proper care and make sure they know how to take care of diamonds they own or purchase. (You’ll find out more about this in Lesson 16.) On the other hand, you can stress the benefit of diamond’s superior hardness and toughness – that is, its excellent wearability. If customers are curious, you might tell them some of the beliefs tradi-tionally linked with diamond’s durability, too.

Diamond is the hardest material in the world and is also very tough. Its name comes from the Greek word “adamas” meaning “unconquerable.”

You need to advise your customers that every gem requires proper care, but you can stress the benefit of diamond’s superior hardness and toughness and its excellent wearability.

Photo courtesy JCK.

The shapes of diamond crystals have always caused wonder and speculation. As you learned in Lesson 9, scientists now know that the carbon atoms in diamond crystals are arranged with almost perfect symmetry. Under favorable growth condi-tions, this structure produces geometric crystal forms of great beauty. One of these is the octahedron, which looks like two pyr-amids joined base-to-base.

The shapes of crystals have caused wonder and speculation through the ages. Diamond octahedrons and similar crystals seemed to embody the supreme order of the universe.




To philosophers in the past, diamond octahedrons and other geo-metric crystals represented the order of the universe. They symbol-ized the highest levels of mental, emotional, and spiritual balance. Consumers today see diamonds after they’ve been cut and polished. You can say, however, that cut styles such as the round brilliant and princess cut mirror the internal symmetry of the crystal. Therefore, a diamond’s outward form still conveys the classic meanings.

The visual qualities we prize in diamonds have given rise to other associations. When discussing the 4Cs, you might mention that dia-mond’s clarity has long been equated with peace of mind and purity of heart. The same is true of diamond’s colorless appearance. Its bril-liance and fire have been seen as tokens of enlightenment and the energy that sustains all living things.

ADDING TO THE SPELL To the symbols and meanings derived from diamond’s natural character-

istics, human cultures have added many others. Around the world and throughout the ages, people have fallen under diamond’s spell. Each genera-tion has woven new strands of romance for those who follow.

According to some old legends, diamonds are born from heavenly rain or lightning. This belief may be echoed by one of India’s ancient languages. In Sanskrit, the word vajra means both “diamond” and “thunderbolt.”

Other traditions say that diamonds are splinters of broken stars. They’re supposed to bestow wealth, friendship, eternal youth, and happy marriage.

The Romans believed Cupid’s arrows were tipped with diamonds, and a poem from the 2nd century reads:

“The Evil Eye shall have no power to harmHim that shall wear the diamond as a charm,No monarch shall attempt to thwart his will,And even the gods his wishes shall fulfill.”

Diamond’s clarity and colorlessness have long been equated with peace of mind and purity of heart.

Various cultures have contributed many symbols and meanings derived from diamond’s natural characteristics.

Photo courtesy H.V. Guenther.




As time went on, the list of diamond’s magical attri-butes kept getting longer and longer. Eventually its pow-ers were said to include the ability to bring sweet dreams, ward off evil spirits, make the wearer invisible and even to raise the dead!

An old English ballad credits diamond with being able to signal a lover’s infidelity. In the ballad, a princess gave her hero a diamond ring before he left on a voyage. While he was at sea, he noticed the diamond had lost its gleam. He took that to mean that his lover had been unfaithful so he hurried back home just in time to stop her from marrying another man.

Like many gems, diamonds were once used for medicinal purposes. (They were usually crushed into powder and then swallowed.) In Europe during the Middle Ages, diamonds were supposed to cure bladder infections, insanity, jaundice, leprosy, and plague. The higher the quality, the more effective the treatment.

During the same period, symbolists found hidden meaning in “diamante”, the Italian word for diamond. From it they deciphered “amante de Dios,” which trans-lates “lover of God.” Meanwhile, in India, Hindus believed that offering a diamond to the god Krishna would guarantee eternal life in the highest heaven.

Today’s customers are likely to head for the door if you start talking about infectious disease, but some might be interested to learn that people still believe dia-monds have healing powers. New Age gem therapists use diamonds to increase personal clarity and balance the physical, psychological, and spiritual sides of life.

Many customers are intrigued by colorful tidbits of diamond lore. When you share these – whatever they are – you might add that a number of cultures have believed a diamond’s magic is enhanced when it’s given as a gift.

Some traditions say diamonds are splinters of broken stars, possessing the ability to bestow wealth, friendship, eternal youth and happy marriage.

Photo courtesy Jordan Meryl.

Like many gems, diamonds were used for medicinal purposes to cure bladder infections, insanity, jaundice, leprosy and the plague.




DIAMONDS AND TIME Associations between gems and time go back to the dawn of

history and have existed in almost every culture. The oldest asso-ciations were to the sun and moon, the visible planets, and the

constellations of the zodiac. In this primal system, dia-mond was the gem of the sun, and pearl belonged to the

moon. These galactic concepts marked the passage of time for our early ancestors.

As time evolved, emphasis shifted to assigning gems to the months of the yearly calendar. There have also been gems delegated for the seasons, the days of the week, and even specific hours.

At first people wore certain gems at certain times – for example, January’s gem in January and February’s

gem in February. This was supposed to maximize the benefit from each gem’s magic powers. Eventually a bond was forged between the gem for the time and the person born at that time. This created the birthstone tradition.

With differing gem resources, beliefs, and histories, different cultures naturally developed different birthstone selections. Although birthstones didn’t become pop-ular in Europe until the 1700s, scholars trace many Western birthstone choices to the Bible. The book of Exodus describes a sacred breastplate that contained twelve gems symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel. This is considered the original source.

Diamond has been a birthstone for thousands of years. In ancient India it was given to those born under the signs now called Taurus (April 20 to May 20) and Libra (September 23 to October 23). Today’s Western zodiac charts list diamond as a lucky gem for Taurus and Aries (March 21 to April 19).

Since the 1800s diamond has been designated as the April birthstone in Europe and America. It’s also considered the gem for winter, Saturday, and 12 noon.




BIRTHSTONES

Overtheyears,anumberofbirthstonelistshavebeenusedintheUS.Thefollowingisthemostcurrentone:

MONTHJanuary. . . . . . . . .February . . . . . . . .March . . . . . . . . .April. . . . . . . . . . .May . . . . . . . . . . .June . . . . . . . . . . .July . . . . . . . . . . .August . . . . . . . . .September. . . . . . .October . . . . . . . .November. . . . . . .December . . . . . . .

GEMGarnetAmethystAquamarineorBloodstoneDiamondEmeraldPearl,Moonstone,orAlexandriteRubyPeridotorSardonyxSapphireOpalorTourmalineTopazorCitrineTanzanite,Turquoise,orZircon

Thislistisbasedonolderver-sions,butwithadditionsthatappealtomodernconsumers.Althoughit’swidelyknown,youmayrunacrossslightvariationsfromdifferentsources,particularlyifthey’reolderorwerepublishedoutsidetheUS.

Customersassumethatprofes-sionalsknowthebirthstonessobesuretomemorizethelist.YoucanlearnaboutthechoicesotherthandiamondinTheColoredGemstonesCoursebyDCA.




DIAMOND OCCASIONS In Lesson 7 you learned that engagements, wed-

dings, and anniversaries are the most frequent occa-sions for giving diamonds. Some customers may wonder how this became the custom. Sharing a little background information can give them insights into purchases they may be considering. It can also begin or continue a conversation that allows you to learn more about them.

From a historical standpoint, anniversaries are the newest diamond occasions. Although domestic partners have received and exchanged presents since the earliest human societies, official gift lists for anniversaries didn’t appear until the 1800s.

On older lists, diamond was assigned only to the 75th anniversary. Over time, though, the “diamond years” grew to include the 10th and 60th anniversa-ries as well. Today the 25th anniversary is another diamond occasion. In fact, any anniversary is perfect for expressing love with a gift of diamonds.

Engagement and wedding rings evolved from a single ancient custom. In Roman times, future brides and grooms gave each other gold betrothal rings to seal their pledge of commitment. Later came the practice of giving rings at both the betrothal and the wedding. Placing the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand also began with the Romans (or possibly even earlier with the Egyptians). This came from the belief that there’s a direct connection between that finger and the heart.

Over time, “diamond anniversaries” have grown to include the 10th, 25th, 60th and 75th. In fact, any anniversary is perfect for expressing renewed love with a gift of diamonds.

Photo courtesy Mr. Baguette.

Placing the engagement ring on the fourth finger of the left hand came from the Roman belief that there’s a direct connection between that finger and the heart.

Placingtheringonthe4thfingerofthelefthandbeganwiththeRomans.




Historians don’t know precisely when diamonds became associated with engagement. The first written record implying a link is more than 500 years old. In 1477 Archduke Maximilian of Austria was betrothed to Mary of Burgundy. Maximilian was a struggling prince, and Mary was heiress to a realm that included Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and large parts of France. In negotiating the arrangements, one of Mary’s advisors sent Maximilian a letter stating, “At the betrothal your Grace must have a ring set with a diamond and also a gold ring.”

The following centuries saw diamonds grow to be a hallmark of royal courtship. After the South African discov-eries in the late 1800s, diamonds also became more avail-able to common citizens. By the 1950s diamonds were very much a part of modern romance. Today 8 out of 10 first-time brides in the US receive a diamond engagement ring. The number is almost as high even in countries such as Japan, which have no old historic traditions concerning dia-monds.

The ring Mary of Burgundy received from Archduke Maximilian in 1477.

By the 1950’s diamonds were integral to modern romance. Today, 8 out of 10 first-time brides in the US receive a diamond engagement ring.

Photo courtesy Winward Scott Kay.

BeforethediscoveryofdiamondsinSouthAfrica,theywereconsideredexclusivelyforroyalty.




DIAMOND PERSONALITIES The story of Mary and Maximilian illustrates the fact

that people have created much of diamond’s magic and romance. Through most of history, laws decreed that dia-monds could be worn only by royalty. Today, kings and queens appear mainly in books and movies. The aura of regal splendor that they imparted to diamonds, however, still lingers.

Most people aren’t history buffs, but there are a few royal names your customers might recognize:

• LouisXIV(1638-1715)ruledFranceduringoneofitsgreatestperiods.LouiswasoftencalledtheSunKing,andhemadetheFrenchCrownJewelsoneofthemostmagnificentdiamondcollectionsthateverexisted.Around1670hepurchasedtheFrenchBlueDiamond,fromwhichtheHopewasprobablycut.(TheHope’sstoryisinLesson4.)Onformaloccasions,Louisworesomanydia-mondsthatoneobserversaidhe“crackled”whenhewalked.

• QueenMarieAntoinetteofFrance(1755-1793)loveddiamonds,too.However,theycontributedtoherdownfall.AwomanconnectedwithMarie’scourttrickedapowerfulnoblemanintobuyingthequeenaspectacularnecklacesetwithmorethan600diamonds.Thenthewomanstoleit.There’snoevidencethatMariewasinvolvedinthecrime.Nevertheless,theeventsthatfollowedledtoapublicuproar,andthe“AffairoftheNecklace”helpedtotriggertheFrenchRevolution.

Louis XIV was said to wear so many diamonds he “crackled” when he walked.

Antique diamond necklace.




• QueenVictoria(1819-1901)hadthelongestreigninEnglishhistory.Sheruledfrom1837to1901andgavehernametoanentireera.ShewastheofficialheadofanempirethatincludedGreatBritain,Australia,Canada,India,Ireland,NewZealand,andmuchofAfrica.QueenVictoriaisusuallyidentifiedwiththesombermourningjewelrysheworeinlateryears.Shebeganpubliclife,however,inablazeofglory.Thereweremorethan2,400diamondsinthecrownVictoriaworeforhercoronationin1838.

In modern times, popular entertainment and celebrities have continued to enhance the glamour of diamonds. Hundreds of movies have had diamonds in their plot lines, and in many more they’ve served as glittering props. For example, in the 1953 musical-comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn Monroe wore the 24-carat Moon of Baroda Diamond. In that film she also immortalized the line, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” (It was the title of a featured song.) About a decade later, a large diamond with a distinctive inclu-sion was a key element in the 1964 comedy The Pink Panther. The story of Marie Antoinette and her ill-fated jewelry was told in the 2001 movie The Affair of the Necklace.

Outside their screen roles, movie stars have added real-life romance to diamonds. In 1969 Richard Burton gave Elizabeth Taylor a 69-carat diamond, which the couple named the Taylor-Burton. When Cartier displayed the diamond in New York, thousands of people waited for hours in the rain and cold for a chance to see it. In 2002, Ben Affleck created an instant craze for fancy colors when he gave Jennifer Lopez an engagement ring set with a 6-carat intense pink diamond.

Every year awards shows like the Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, and Oscars are among the most-watched pro-grams on TV, and diamonds always glitter in the spotlights. To make sure they do, prestigious salons and top designers loan attending celebrities millions of dollars worth of jewelry.

Elizabeth Taylor - wearing the 69 carat Taylor-Burton diamond - gave real-life romance to diamonds.

Marilyn Monroe immortalized the line, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”.

Publicity photo for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).




Although diamonds are most closely associated with female celebrities, women don’t support dia-mond tradition all by themselves. Male superstars do their part, too. (You might mention this if you get and objection like, “He doesn’t wear diamonds.”) For example, renewing the ancient bond between diamonds and success, each year’s Super Bowl, World Series, and NBA Championship rings sparkle with diamonds.

Actress Maria Menounos at the 2012 Golden Globe Awards, accessorizing a bright yellow dress with a 5-carat yellow diamond ring by Harry Kotlar.

In 2000, presenter Salma Hyak wore a $5 million, 6-ct. pink diamond ring.

Photo courtesy JCK.

Angelina Jolie wore a diamond masterpiece featuring a 30-ct. oval diamond, 22.34-ct. and 11.02-ct. emerald-cut diamonds, and a 9.26-ct. pear-shape diamond, all D color and Internally Flawless.

Photo courtesy JCK.

In 2004, Charlize Theron set the tone with her drop earrings and open cuff bracelet.

Photo courtesy JCK.




Mentioning facts like these can help you tie the heritage of the past to current events and your customers’ own dreams or accomplishments. Even more important is recog-nizing, however, that diamonds are part of a never-ending story that surrounds each of us. Movies, magazines, books, television, friends, family, and personal experience all con-tribute in one way or another. By increasing your awareness of the rich traditions associated with diamonds – and then sharing them – you’ll help your customers appreciate the true value of the most magic and romantic of all gems.

The House of Harry Winston presented Mark McGwire a custom-created diamond ring when he set the home-run record in 1998.

Photo courtesy The House of Harry Winston.

Mark McGwire’s diamond ring - a gift from The House of Harry Winston.

Photo courtesy The House of Harry Winston.

Ringscommemoratingsportschampionshipsrenewtheancientbondbetweendiamondsandsuccess.




RECAP OF KEY POINTS

• It’sessentialtoidentifyandreinforcethepersonalfactorsthatmake diamonds valuable to each customer. Once you under-stand the motives for owning or giving diamonds, you need to underscore them in your presentation.

• Diamond’snaturalcharacteristicsinspiremuchofitssymbol-ism. Superior hardness and toughness led people to believe diamonds give strength, courage, success, and love. Beautiful geometric crystals symbolized mental, emotional, and spiritual balance. Clarity and colorlessness were equated with peace of mind and purity of heart. Brilliance and fire are said to bring forth enlightenment and creative energy.

• Overthecenturies,differentculturesmadetheirownadditionsto diamond’s magic powers. Eventually the list included the ability to guarantee wealth, friends, eternal youth, happy mar-riage, and sweet dreams. They were also supposed to ward off evil spirits, make the wearer invisible, raise the dead, signal infidelity, and cure diseases.

• DiamondisthebirthstoneforApril,winter,Saturday,andthehour of 12 noon. It’s also considered a lucky gem for people born under the signs of Taurus and Aries.

• Diamondshavebeenpartofengagementsinceatleast1477,when Archduke Maximilian gave Mary of Burgundy a betroth-al ring set with a diamond. Diamond is the accepted gem for the 10th, 25th, 60th – and every other – anniversary.

• Famouspeopleandpopularentertainmenthavecontributedtodiamond’s allure. Diamond personalities include history’s kings and queens as well as today’s celebrities.

• It’simportanttorecognizethatdiamondsarepartofastorythat surrounds each of us every day – and to learn to use that story in your professional work.




LESSON 14 FOLLOW-UP CHECKLIST

____ Think about the ideas and emotions that diamonds represent for you personally. What makes diamonds magic and romantic for you? Remember that it’s perfectly acceptable to share these personal mean-ings with customers.

____ Make a quick list of the most popular occasions for purchasing dia-monds – engagement, anniversary, birthday, job promotion, and so forth. Next, pick out two or three items of diamond symbolism or folk-lore you could relate to each one.

____ Identify current examples in the ongoing story of diamond magic and romance – celebrities, movies, other media and even television ads. Then, with your manager and coworkers, discuss how you might use these in presentations.

____ Memorize the US birthstone list. Like the 4Cs, this is information cus-tomers expect every jewelry professional to know and often, birthstone jewelry has diamond accents.




Lesson 14 Self-Test

This lesson also includes a Self-Test that’s designed to help you gauge your comprehension of the lesson material. The test is an important part of the learning process, so be sure to complete it.

When you're ready to take the test, go to the Course Materials page (the one that lists all the lessons and click on "Take Self-Test." Make certain you select the test for this lesson.

All questions in the test are based on Lesson 14. More than one answer for a question might seem correct, but you should select the one best answer based on the lesson discussion.

As you take the test, you may refer to the lesson. To do this, you’ll need to have the lesson loaded in a separate window of your browser.

If you feel certain about a question, try answering it without looking at the lesson. But if you’re not sure, check the lesson before answering.

After you answer a question, you'll receive immediate results and feedback. You'll find out whether you answered correctly, what the correct answer was (in case you missed it), and also the page number in the lesson where the information can be found. Take time to review any material you're not completely clear on.

At the end of the test, you’ll receive your overall results. Then you’ll be able to continue to the next step in your coursework.

If you have questions or need help, please contact us. You can use this website – just click on Help. You can also email [email protected] or phone 615-385-5301 / toll free 877-283-5669.

After you take the Self-Test for this lesson, you’ll be ready for Progress Evaluation 3. This includes Learning Evaluation 3 plus

Training Evaluation 3 and Satisfaction Evaluation 3.

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