April is a dazzling month to be born. The weather is still a bit unpredictable, but it’s improving. The whole world feels optimistic. We see more of the sun.
Plants are coming back to life, and the earliest flowers have begun to bud and bloom. Who isn’t charmed by April? It’s such a hopeful month, full of glittering promise, that diamond is the perfect April birthstone.
The recently deceased movie star Debbie Reynolds was no fool, but she did celebrate her birthday on April 1st. Maya Angelou, the poet whose words continue to shine, was born on April 4th. Actress Saoirse Ronan and legendary children’s author Beverly Clearly share a birthday on the 12th. Queen Elizabeth II and singer Iggy Pop were both born on April 21st. Enduring star Barbra Streisand has a birthday on the 24th, and jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald’s birthday is the 25th. Actresses Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, country star Willie Nelson, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, actor Daniel Day Lewis and jazz pianist Duke Ellington were all born on April 29th.
Diamonds: An April Birthday Girl’s Best Friend
Are diamonds her best friend? Well, maybe not. Maybe they are just her favourite gem. Of course she loves them; who doesn’t? But probably a few people in her life outrank them. That said, diamonds are unique among gems for their dazzling beauty and deep symbolism. They are one of the hardest substances on earth. While diamonds are rare, they have been mined all around the world in places including India, Russia, South Africa, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Canada. For centuries, India was the only source of diamonds. The Hope Diamond is from India. When sources there began to run out in the 1730s, explorers discovered other spots around the world.
Diamonds represent true, eternal love. They are standard for engagement rings. Their clarity gives them unparalleled drama and elegance. Nothing catches the light like a diamond. And they catch a lot of eyes too. Diamonds are the ultimate gem. A solo diamond is stunning, and diamonds add dazzling drama when used with other gems. A setting of tiny diamonds takes a ruby, sapphire or emerald to a whole new level of beauty.
When shopping for diamonds, you need to look for the four Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat. These are the elements of a diamond’s value. Well, it’s material value. When you give someone a diamond, the sentiment behind it makes it priceless. Cut refers to how well the diamond grader calculated the best angle to bring out the gem’s beauty. Clarity is an inherent quality. Color is affected by the precise mix of minerals in the individual diamond. And carat is the unit of measure of a diamond’s weight.
The word ‘diamond’ comes from the Greek word ‘adamas’, which means ‘invincible’. Different cultures have believed that diamonds can heal the sick and boost energy levels. If you give one to an April birthday girl, her reaction is likely to support that theory!
