Diamonds have been around for thousands of centuries, and have had many different uses, historical moments and so much more. While a true timeline of diamond history could go on forever, below is a short timeline that includes a few significant moments in the history of diamonds:

800-1000 BC: Diamonds are believed to have been first discovered in India, approximately 3000 years ago.

327 BC: Alexander the Great, King of the ancient Greek state Macedon, brings the first diamonds from India to Europe.

1074: The first instance of diamonds being used for jewelry occurs when a Hungarian queen’s crown is decorated with diamonds.

1375: The Point Cut is developed. The Point Cut follows the natural shape of a diamond, reducing diamond waste in the cutting process. Before this development, the only diamonds used were well formed ones; poorly formed diamonds were discarded because no one knew how to cut and shape them yet.

1477: The first diamond engagement ring is given to Mary of Burgundy by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria, beginning the tradition of a man proposing to his intended with a diamond ring.

1520: The Rose Cut is created to resemble an opening rosebud.

1681: The Peruzzi Cut is created by a Venetian diamond polisher. Compared to previous popular cuts, the Peruzzi Cut nearly doubles the number of crown facets from 17 to 33, significantly increasing a diamond’s brilliance.

1902: The Cullinan Diamond, which is the largest rough quality gemstone in the world, was discovered in a mine in South Africa. Check out our section ‘World’s Most Famous Diamonds’ to learn more about the Cullinan.

1996: Hearts On Fire, The World’s Most Perfectly Cut Diamond, is founded by Glenn and Susan Rothman!