Believed to have been first discovered in 4BC, diamonds have captured the imagination for centuries
| 99.7% The usual percentage of a diamond that comprises carbon |
| <30 The number of significant kimberlite mines operating in the world today |
| c.63% of the world’s diamonds by value are produced in Africa today |
| 1-3bn years ago – diamonds were formed |
| 1870 All diamonds came from alluvial sources up to this date. |
| 7 The number of ‘Tier 1’ diamond mines in the world today (+US$20bn Reserves) |
| 1 in 10,000 diamonds is fancy coloured |
| c.80% of brides now receive a diamond engagement ring in the US |
| <1% The estimated chance of finding a new diamond mine |
| 107.1Mcts 2020 global production, valued at US$9.2bn |
| >99% Of the world’s diamonds are today from sources free of conflict |
| BC The earliest reference to diamonds appeared in Sanskrit texts |
| 0.2g Equals 1 carat: the unit used to measure diamonds |
| 3,106cts Or 621 grams and 10.5 centimetres long: the Cullinan (from the Cullinan mine) is the largest gem diamond ever discovered |
| 1477 The year Mary of Burgundy’s marriage to Maximilian I, the first known lady to receive a diamond engagement ring |
| c.10 million people globally are directly or indirectly supported by the diamond industry, from mining to retail |
