Diamonds are a crystallized version of carbon, which, in its more common form, is known as graphite.

Perhaps more than any other precious substance on earth, diamonds have a magical way of captivating men and women, a certain indefinable quality that makes them almost infinitely desirable. But just what exactly is a diamond, and how does it get from the ground to the jewelry store down the street?

Philip Press began his jewelry career at the age of 15 as an apprentice to a master European craftsman and platinumsmith. Now 37, Press is Chief Designer of Los Angeles' Renaissance Platinum, a preferred retailer of discerning jewelry aficionados and celebrities. Here he gives a basic explanation of how raw diamonds are born and how they ends up as finished pieces of jewelry:

• Crystallized carbon:
  Diamonds are unique in that they are the only gemstone comprised of a single element: carbon. Carbon is one of the most plentiful elements on earth, and in its most common form is known as graphite, the marking substance in pencils. But under the proper conditions of heat, pressure, and time, carbon takes another form and becomes diamond, the hardest substance known to humans.

• Volcanic pipes:
  Diamonds form very deep in the Earth, and in rare cases are brought much closer to the surface by volcanic pipes. Mining companies hunt out these pipes and turn them into diamond mines.

• Out of Africa:
  These days, the majority of raw diamonds come from mines in Africa. The mines are owned and operated by a handful of companies, including international giant DeBeers, who carefully select clients to whom they sell the uncut stones.

• The diamond trade:
  Those selected to purchase the stones are called site holders. They can choose to cut and polish the diamonds themselves, or turn around and sell the uncut stones to other diamond processors around the globe. The finished gems are usually then sold to diamond dealers, who turn around and sell them to retail stores.

For more information about diamonds, check out the following organizations or websites:

Renaissance Platinum
www.platinumrings.com

American Museum of Natural History: The Nature of Diamonds
www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/

Diamonds.net
www.diamonds.net/

Diamond Review.com
www.diamondreview.com/

Diamond Cutters International: Diamond Education
www.diamondcuttersintl.com

Diamond Engagement Rings Guide
www.thediamondbuyingguide.com

Next: Diamond Care