Formation

IDiamonds are considered the world’s oldest treasure, having formed over 3.3 billion years ago, 200km below the Earths surface. Under conditions of intense heat (900 to 1,300 degrees Celsius) and pressure (between 45 and 60 kilobars), carbon atoms crystallise, forming diamonds. It takes millions of years for a diamond to form, and geologists believe the most recently formed diamonds may be up to 45 million years old. Variations of temperature and pressure can significantly impact the formation of diamonds, and if the conditions are not ideal, it could result in the dissolution of diamonds.

A Shimansky diamond in the rough.

Molten kimberlite (also known as magma) are also formed within the Earths upper mantle under conditions of intense heat and pressure causing it to expand at a rapid rate. This expansion causes the magma to erupt, forcing it into the Earth’s surface and taking along with it the diamond-bearing rocks. These types of “eruptions” have not occurred in recent times, and it is believed that they happened during a time when the Earth was naturally hotter, thus making such eruptions more likely.

Traveling at an incredible speed, the erupted magma forms a pipe to the surface of the Earth. As the magma cools, it hardens to form a rock called Kimberlite, the most significant source of diamonds. The Kimberlite settles in vertical structures known as Kimberlite pipes.

Kimberlite pipe below the earths surface containing diamond bearing rock.

Kimberlite derives its name from the town of Kimberley in South Africa, where the first diamonds were found in this type of rock. Though Kimberlite pipes are the most significant source of diamonds, it is estimated that only 1 in 200 Kimberlite pipes contain gem-quality diamonds. This is testimony to the rarity of diamonds, and serves as a reminder that a diamond is a unique gift from Mother Nature, unrushed in its formation, and extremely valuable due to its scarcity.

Diamonds are mined by means of various techniques, and on average, 250 tonnes of ore is mined to produce a one carat gem-quality polished diamond.
The Ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were tears from the gods, and that they had mystical and magical properties. Though the perception of diamonds has changed somewhat since then, these precious stones have retained their ability to fascinate all who look at them. With an expert level of skill the Shimansky diamond cutters and polishers bring a rough diamond to life and showcase its brilliance, fire and scintillation – and most importantly to reach its full potential.

The word “diamond” comes from the Greek word “Adamas,” meaning “indestructible.” The strongest material known to man, a diamond consists purely of carbon, making it the only gem comprising of a single element (it consists of 99.95% carbon). The remaining 0.5% is believed to consist of trace elements, which can have an effect on the colour of a diamond, but are not a part of its chemical structure or molecular make-up. Found in abundance, carbon takes on many forms: the difference between a diamond and a lump of coal, is essentially their molecular structures.

Coal or charcoal has an amorphous structure, and contains organic molecules of decomposed plant and animal matter. Like diamonds, it was also formed deep within the Earth’s crust. Diamonds, however, have a crystalline structure, which resembles the shape of a pyramid. When a diamond is formed, each of its carbon atoms bonds with another four carbon atoms. This means that each atom is essentially participating in four extremely strong covalent bonds. It is as a result of these bonds that diamonds are 58 times harder than any other matter found in nature.

Found in various parts of the world, diamonds are most abundant in Africa, South America and parts of the East. The first diamonds are believed to have been discovered in the rivers and streams of India in as early as the 4th century BC. Brazil became an important diamond source in the 1700s, and it was only in 1867 that diamonds were discovered in Kimberley, South Africa. Today, South Africa is one of the world’s most well-known and bountiful diamond-producing countries.

Shimansky’s expert team can see a diamond’s potential while it is still in its rough form. It takes great precision, skill and attention to detail from our master diamond cutters and polishers for the rough stone to be transformed into a mesmerizing display of light in a jewellery creation. Beautiful and rare, a diamond’s unique journey of formation gives it its unique qualities, as well as its ability to shine with unrivaled brilliance. The most precious gem of all, a diamond’s journey from the core of the Earth, to the finger of the one it was meant for, is not only fascinating, but magical.

History

The discovery of diamonds in South Africa played a pivotal role in the world’s diamond history. Before diamonds were discovered in Kimberley, they were extremely rare, and were only found in small quantities in India and Brazil. Today, South Africa continues to be one of the world’s major producers, and it is estimated that up to 65% of the world’s diamonds were mined from an African mine. The first diamond discoveries in South Africa were alluvial, meaning they were found as deposits along a river bed. In 1867, a 15-year-old boy named Erasmus Jacobs found a small transparent rock along the banks of the Orange River, near his farm where he lived with his family. 

boy named Erasmus Jacobs found a small transparent rock along the banks of the Orange River, near his farm where he lived with his family. Erasmus showed the stone to his father, who in turn showed it to a neighbourhood farmer, Schalk van Niekerk. Van Niekerk found the stone to be very intriguing and offered to buy it from the Jacobs family. Not realising its value, he sent it, via ordinary mail, to Grahamstown, where Dr. William Guybon Atherstone confirmed that it was a 21.24 carat diamond. It was named the Eureka Diamond, and is the single most important diamond in the history of South Africa.

A few years later, Johannes Nicolaas de Beer and his brother Diederik Arnoldus De Beer, two Dutch settlers, discovered diamonds on their farm. The discovery led to a diamond rush, with people from various parts of South Africa intruding on their land in the hope of finding their very own diamonds. Unable to protect their land from the masses of people flocking upon it, they decided to sell their property. Although the brothers did not become the owners of diamond mines, their name, De Beers, was given to one of the mines, and today, the De Beers name is still synonymous with the diamond industry worldwide.

Transport methods for miners working in the open cast mine.

These events led to the Great Kimberley Diamond Rush, where people from all over the world gathered in Kimberley to make money mining diamonds in South Africa. More than 22 million tonnes of earth was removed from what is now known as “The Big Hole” in Kimberley, and approximately three tonnes of diamonds were removed. The Big Hole is considered the world’s deepest man-made hole. Almost circular in shape with a perimeter of 2km, it is 215m deep, and is situated in the centre of the town. In just a few years, South Africa yielded more diamonds than India had in over 2,000 years, with Kimberley, at the time, being responsible for producing 95% of the world’s diamonds. Today, The Big Hole is a well-known tourist attraction.

Kimberley was home to great wealth, and many great rivalries in the 1870s and 1880s. The most notable of these rivalries was that between Cecil John Rhodes and Barney Barnato, who were English immigrants. Both men were the owners of their own companies, and at one stage, both owned shares in the same company. They battled for stock, and in 1888 Rhodes triumphed and merged the holdings of all his diamond companies to form one of the world’s leading diamond mining groups called De Beers Consolidated Mines. Today, De Beers is one of the world’s most successful and well-known companies, and has monopoly over the global diamond industry.

The Eureka diamond exchanged many hands before it was finally purchased by De Beers, who donated the Eureka to the people of South Africa. It is currently on display at the Kimberly Mine Museum in South Africa.

One of the major producers of diamonds in South Africa was the Premier Mine. It was established after the discovery of the Cullinan Diamond Pipe near Pretoria in 1902 and has produced some of the world’s largest and most famous diamonds, including the Cullinan in 1905 (a 3106.75 carat diamond named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine). Today, two diamonds that were cut and polished from the Cullinan diamond forms part of the crown jewels of Britain’s royal family.

Transport methods for miners working in the open cast mine.

Kimberley was home to great wealth, and many great rivalries in the 1870s and 1880s. The most notable of these rivalries was that between Cecil John Rhodes and Barney Barnato, who were English immigrants. Both men were the owners of their own companies, and at one stage, both owned shares in the same company. They battled for stock, and in 1888 Rhodes triumphed and merged the holdings of all his diamond companies to form one of the world’s leading diamond mining groups called De Beers Consolidated Mines. Today, De Beers is one of the world’s most successful and well-known companies, and has monopoly over the global diamond industry.

The Eureka diamond exchanged many hands before it was finally purchased by De Beers, who donated the Eureka to the people of South Africa. It is currently on display at the Kimberly Mine Museum in South Africa.

One of the major producers of diamonds in South Africa was the Premier Mine. It was established after the discovery of the Cullinan Diamond Pipe near Pretoria in 1902 and has produced some
of the world’s largest and most famous diamonds, including the Cullinan in 1905 (a 3106.75 carat diamond named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine). Today, two diamonds that were cut and polished from the Cullinan diamond forms part of the crown jewels of Britain’s royal family.

Transport methods for miners working in the open cast mine.

Diamonds in South Africa have a history of almost 150 years, and their discovery in Kimberley made them readily available to the Western World. Diamond mines are a great contributor to the South African economy. There are mines in five of the country’s nine provinces, and thousands of local workers are employed to extract them. The diamond industry continues to be one of the country’s most lucrative industries, and it played a major role in South Africa becoming one of the most economically successful countries in Africa.

Explore the tale of the South African diamond industry on a personally guided Shimansky Diamond Experience Tour. Discover some of the great names in diamond history, including Cecil John Rhodes, Barney Barnato and the Oppenheimer family.

The tour also pays homage to the most famous South African diamonds, such as the great Cullinan rough diamond and showcases specimens of Kimberlite rock dating billions of years old. Life-size replicas of the famous diamonds that have adorned royalty, the rich and the famous are also on display. Learn more about the tour here.

Mining of Diamonds

The journey of a Shimansky diamond begins with an uncut stone sourced direct from the mine. In its rough form it has potential, its size simply a promise of what it might be. Only in the hands of a master craftsmen does the diamond realize its true potential. Each rough diamond is hand-selected for its unique characteristics, before being meticulously cut and polished to realise its true brilliance.

Southern Africa accounts for a large percentage of the world’s gem-quality diamond production. Approximately 13 million carats of diamonds are mined annually, with a total value of nearly US $9billion.

There are three main types of diamond mining:

• Pipe mining (primary deposits) consisting of open-pit mining and underground mining;
• Alluvial mining (secondary deposits);
• Marine mining

Pipe Mining

Open-Pit Mining

Open-pit mining, such as the Kimberley Big Hole, involves removing the layers of sand and rock found just above the Kimberlite. The ore in the pit is then broken up by blasting. Once this ore is broken, it is loaded and then transported to a primary ore crusher where the diamond extractor process begins. 

Underground Mining

Miners tunnel through the Earth’s crust to reach the kimberlite pipe. Tunnels are constructed in two levels, one above the other with funnels built to connect the two. Mining begins on the top level by blasting ore, which falls through the funnels and collects on the second tunnel. Here, loaders collect the broken ore and bring back to the surface for processing.

Cutting and Polishing

A diamond is a tangible tribute to unforgettable moments. In its rough form it has potential, its size simply a promise of what it might be. Only in the hands of master craftsmen does a diamond realise its true potential.

With a license to purchase diamonds in the rough, each rough stone is carefully selected by Shimansky and polished to perfection to release its true brilliance.

Diamond cutting and polishing is the process of transforming a rough diamond into a brilliant, faceted display of light. It is an art that the Shimansky craftsmen have mastered, and in addition, it is an exact science that requires intense precision, attention to detail and state-of-the-art technology. It takes years of experience and training to acquire the skills needed for this process, as every facet must be perfectly aligned in order to ensure the mesmerising brilliance and sparkle that you see in every Shimansky diamond. Even the smallest of mistakes can have a major impact on the quality of the cut of the final gem. At Shimansky, this process is completed in-house from beginning, to end, ensuring each and every step adheres to the Shimansky standard of precision and that unrivalled attention to detail is applied every step of the way.

Shimansky has a license to buy and polish rough diamonds – unique among jewellers. This ensures that only the finest, hand-selected diamonds are chosen for Shimansky jewellery creations. After the greatest quality rough stones have been selected, they are sent to the Shimansky Diamond Cutting and Polishing Workshop, situated in the Clock Tower at the world-famous V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Here, the Shimansky master diamond cutters and polishers utilise their mastery to transform the rough gems into magnificent displays of light. The cutting and polishing is completed by hand, ensuring exact quality control, and preserving the ancient and fascinating art of cutting and polishing.

Unrushed, Shimansky diamond cutters and polishers take their time with each and every gem, ensuring it reaches its maximum potential. State-of-the-art technology, combined with ancient cutting and polishing traditions yield mesmerising Shimansky diamonds that leave even those with a trained eye, speechless.

Diamond Cutting & Polishing Process

Step 1: Analysing

The first and vital step in the diamond cutting and polishing process is the analysis of the rough diamond. This step requires all-consuming imagination, skill and precision by an experienced diamond cutter. After analysing its size, shape, clarity and crystal direction, the best cut for the diamond is determined in order to maximise its end value and appearance. This step can only be completed successfully if done by a master diamond cutter whose trained eye and expertise affords him the ability to determine the best possible cut for the rough stone.

A diamond cutter will consider various possibilities before deciding which of them will yield the best quality gem, as it is a diamond’s cut that determines its possibility to reflect light. Even if a diamond is graded well in terms of its colour, clarity and carat weight, a poor cut will result in a dull effect, which greatly affects the value of the stone.

Famous Diamonds

The journey of a Shimansky diamond begins with an uncut stone sourced direct from the mine. In its rough form it has potential, its size simply a promise of what it might be. Only in the hands of a master craftsmen does the diamond realize its true potential. Each rough diamond is hand-selected for its unique characteristics, before being meticulously cut and polished to realise its true brilliance.

Southern Africa accounts for a large percentage of the world’s gem-quality diamond production. Approximately 13 million carats of diamonds are mined annually, with a total value of nearly US $9billion.

The Cullinan

The Cullinan is the largest gem quality diamond ever found. It was named in honour of Sir Thomas Cullinan, the founder of the Premier Mine. The diamond was divided into 9 major gemstones, 96 smaller stones and about 19.5cts of unpolished pieces. The two largest gems were kept for England’s regalia and the rest went to Asscher as payment. King Edward bought one of the major gems for his consort, Queen Alexandra. The Transvaal government bought the remaining stones and pieces, and presented the other 6 major gems to Queen Mary in 1910. Two of the small stones were presented to Louis Botha, who gave one to his daughter when she turned 17. When the Cullinan was first discovered, signs suggested that it could have been part of a much larger crystal, but no discovery of the ‘missing half’ has ever been authenticated. 

Cullinan 1, The Star of Africa

The Star of Africa Diamond is the largest cut diamond in the world. It is a pear shape with 74 facets and is found in the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, mounted in the head of the Sceptre with the Cross. It was cut from the 3106 carat Cullinan, the largest diamond ever found.

25 Interesting Facts About Diamonds

Diamonds are a salute to the precious moments in our lives. Since their discovery they have fascinated man with their allure and brilliance. Discover 25 interesting facts about diamonds you should know:

1. Diamonds are the official birthstone for the month of April. 
2. The My Girl diamond is the first internationally patented diamond cut to originate from South Africa.
3. Diamonds are the anniversary gemstone for the 10th and 60th years of marriage.
4. Diamond revenues enable every child in Botswana to receive free education up to the age of 13.
5. An estimated 10 million people globally are directly or indirectly supported by the diamond industry.
6. Approximately $8.5 billion worth of diamonds a year come from African countries.
7. The revenue from diamonds is instrumental in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
8. An estimated 65% of the worlds diamonds come from African countries.
9. An estimated 5 million people have access to appropriate healthcare globally thanks to revenues from diamonds.
10. Major world leaders - including Nelson Mandela - have cited the importance of diamonds to the lives of African people.