From Rock to Ring

1. FORMATION
Millions of years ago intense heat and pressure caused loose particles of carbon hundreds of miles below sea level to crystallize into diamonds. Volcanic eruptions then pushed the diamond-bearing ore close to the earth’s surface

2. MINING
The ore, known as kimberlite, is dug or blasted from mines; the deposits are then crushed and boiled in grease and water to separate the diamonds. About 80% of the world’s rough stones come from Angola, Australia, Botswana, Namibia, Russia, South Africa and Zaire

3. SORTING
The rough diamonds are sorted and valued depending on shape, quality, color and size before being sold to cutting centers, primarily in Antwerp, Bombay, New York and Tel Aviv. The value of diamonds sold to the world’s cutting centers each year is nearly $10 billion

4. CUTTING
Cutters first remove unwanted pieces of the stone, then rub two diamonds together to shape a main stone

5. POLISHING
The stones are then polished with lathes or computer-guided laser beams before being sold and traded worldwide

6. JEWELRY PRODUCTION
Artisans fashion the stones into jewelry. The value and quality of a polished stone is determined by the four Cs: carat, clarity, color and cut

7. RETAIL SALES
Nearly $60 billion worth of diamond jewelry is sold worldwide each year. The U.S. market accounts for 50% of all sales, followed by Japan and Europe