By Neeta Gupta
Diamonds are not only esthetically beautiful, but also symbolic of love, romance, and commitment. The stone’s name is derived from the Greek word adamas, which translates to ‘unconquerable.’ Historically, people believed rough diamonds in their natural state had the magical power to cure all kinds of ailments and ward off evil spirits. Diamond was also perceived as making the wearer indestructible, like the stone itself.
Gradually, diamonds began to lose their appeal as people became less influenced by magic and superstitions. This also happened because diamonds were not very attractive in their rough state. In the 14th and 15th centuries, things started to change when polishing techniques began to develop in India and Europe. Early polishers discovered they could use diamond powder to remove roughness and make some natural surfaces more transparent, but hadn’t found a way to shape a diamond. They called the resulting polished octahedrons point-cut stones.
