One of the most stunning and sought after gemstones, diamonds offer sophistication and elegance to anyone who is fortunate enough to own his or her very own. Luckily for April birthdays, diamond is the designated birthstone for this month. With such an illustrious history, there definitely isn’t a shortage of interesting facts about this gorgeous gemstone. Here’s just some of our favorite facts about April’s birthstone:

• The word “diamond” comes from the Latin word “diamas,” which means “the unconquerable.”
• Formed billions of years ago through a combination of high pressure and temperatures of 1,652-2,372 degrees Fahrenheit, diamonds formed at depths between 90 and 120 miles beneath the Earth’s surface. They are brought to surface through volcanic activity.
  

  Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross

• The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough diamond ever found on Earth. It was discovered in South Africa in  1905 and weighed in at 3,106 carats. Since its initial discovery, the Cullinan diamond has been cut into many different high quality diamonds that have been placed in things such as the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and Queen Mary’s crown.
• Symbolizing lasting love and friendship, diamonds were once believed to inspire loyalty, rouse romance, and encourage a joyful life.
• Diamonds were first discovered 4,000 years ago in the riverbeds of the Golconda region of India. In fact, prior to the 18^th century, most diamonds could only be found in India.
• Only 1/5 of all diamonds mined actually end up in jewelry.
• The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were actually splinters of stars that had fallen to Earth, which isn’t too far fetched considering the biggest known diamond in the universe can be found in a white dwarf star named Lucy. The star, which is located about 50 light years away from Earth, has a diamond core that is 2,485 miles in diameter (making it an astounding 10 billion trillion carats). The star was named after the Beatles song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”
• Diamonds worn in ancient times were believed to promote strength, invincibility, and courage.
• A law in 13^th century France once decreed that only the King was fit enough to wear diamonds.
• 250 tons of Earth are mined to produce a single one-carat diamond.