If Marilyn Monroe said once that 'diamonds are a woman's best friend', I am going to make a correction to this memorable phrase in today's article and say that, actually, diamonds should be considered any individual' s best friend. After all, a close and true friend must be open, honest, tough and it is already known that it is quite difficult to find such a person. Exactly like a diamond! Diamonds have a highly-praised clarity (therefore, compensating for a person's openness and sincerity), they are the hardest gems out there (cannot even be harmed by the most powerful acids and are about 100 times harder than sapphire or ruby) and they are also scarce, which makes them very precious.

I am sure all of us know how costly and dear diamonds are and how many conflicts and blood-sheds have been caused by these delicate and dainty gems all throughout history, continuing to the present day. And if you are wondering why diamonds are so highly treasured that crimes are committed for them, then you should know that their preciousness comes mainly from the scarceness. After all, it is all very logical - the rarer a thing is, the most expensive and desired it will be.

But is the diamond worth so much attention? I think that it definitely does. Because it is seductively beautiful, it can enhance the beauty and elegance of an individual in no time and it is also the symbol of anything that relates to nobleness, grandeur, sumptuousness and distinction. Just a look at its myriad of sparkles and iridescences can steal your heart forever... and I must admit that this is a proven fact, even in my case!

Formation/Composition. We have already found out that the diamond is the hardest and toughest known material in the world. But what gives it this remarkable physical characteristic? It is all in the formation process, experts say. More precisely, this is highly influenced by the amazingly high temperature and pressure at which diamonds are formed. And as curious as it is to see how a gem formed of carbon only - after all, carbon is a very common and not at all expensive material, isn't it? - can become so sought after and desirable, it really is so because of the other factors that make the carbon turn into diamonds - namely, as mentioned before, the exceedingly high heat and pressure.

Diamonds form deep down the surface of the Earth, in the molten rock of the Earth's mantle - at about 160 km (100 miles) or more below the soil we are constantly walking on. Being so close to the incandescent inner core of the Earth, where the magma also is, carbon dioxides benefit from the right heat and pressure to crystallize and form the beautiful diamonds. But how do they come to the surface or closer to it, as no man could ever think mining that deep to find the gems? In fact, they come out on their own to the surface and at easy reach, once with the volcanic eruptions.

History. Diamonds have been extensively used throughout history due to their durability and hardness, but also for their beauty. To give you just a few examples, they have been used in ancient India as religious icons and also for engraving tools. However, diamonds have become really famous as late as the 19th century, when more improved and sophisticated ways of cutting and polishing them have been developed. And if you want to achieve a diamond that is worth wearing as a piece of jewelry, you should know that its price depends on the 'four Cs' - carat, clarity, color and cut. The higher or finer these are, the most expensive and dear such a gem becomes.

The nobility of the diamonds has been predicted by the very name it got when discovered for the first time - people called it 'diamond', which derives from the ancient Greek word 'adamas' and which translates as 'the invincible'. And, truth be told, what gem could ever take the place of these pure, delicate and so highly-distinguished and exquisite crystals? I bet none.

Variety. The most colorful a diamond is, the priceless it becomes. Even if we are used to seeing many clear, transparent diamonds, this does not mean that they are the most sought after. On the contrary, this means they are the most common in the diamond family. However, a yellow, pink, green or blue diamond reaches a higher rank and is far more expensive than a regular, white, see-through one.

Diamonds come in almost all colors and also in many shapes, out of which the most common are: the round, princess, emerald, asscher, oval, marquise, pear, radiant, cushion and heart one.

The most famous diamonds to the present day are:

Uses. Depending on a flawlessness scale, finest diamonds are exclusively used for jewelry, while flawed ones are largely used in various branches of industry. About 20% of diamonds are used for adornment purposes, as they have the clarity necessary for being embedded in precious metals and worn as ornaments, while the other 80% of diamonds are used as phonograph and videodisc needles, bearings for laboratory instruments, for polishing hard metals, as cutting tools etc.

Lore and therapy. Given the fact that diamonds are very costly, not many therapists can afford to own them and therefore experiment on how the positive energy of these dear crystals can enhance the bodily and emotional health of individuals. However, history facts show us that diamonds are very beneficial for our wellbeing and general health, as they have been used in past times to heal wounds and some people even swallowed a small diamond with the hope that it is going to cleanse and cure them on the inside. Besides physical benefits, diamonds were also used for protection, as they were thought to be able to chase away bad spirits and enhance power, strength, determination, strong-will and also love and affection. Diamonds are also the lucky gemstones for the following signs: Aries (in the European horoscope) and the Dog (in the Chinese horoscope).