More than just a beautiful stone, diamonds are also a “feel good” accessory.

By: Jill Newman

Long before dinosaurs roamed the earth, there were diamonds. Most diamonds were formed over a billion years ago—and they are the oldest object that you will ever hold or wear. Since they were first discovered, man has been captivated by the inherently sparkling stones, and they remain the most popular jewel the world over.

What’s the eternal appeal of diamonds?

They are an empowering force of nature, indestructible, imbued with history, and are believed to have healing powers and positive energy. Diamonds are a universal symbol of love and commitment and coveted in every generation. That’s a lot packed into a small stone.

“Natural diamonds hold a kind of beauty that isn’t possible to re-create in a lab,” says Logan Hollowell, the Los Angeles-based jeweler who is one of Meghan Markle’s favorite designers. “They were created by the earth in a natural process, and the small imperfections inside a natural diamond are like nature’s fingerprint.” Hollowell’s new designs feature diamonds arranged like the constellations, something especially fitting since early people believed the stones fell from the heavens.

At a time when simulated diamonds are widely available, surveys indicate that the overwhelmingly majority of Americans today still want the real thing.

Today’s socially aware consumers can also take comfort in the fact that the diamond industry has transformed over the past few decades to create sustainable businesses that are ethically and environmentally conscious (monitored by third party organizations) and support the communities in which they operate.

Diamond facts you should know:

 · 10 million: The number of people the diamond industry employs around the world, including 1.5 million artisanal and small-scale miners and their families in Africa and South America. 

 · $16 billion: The annual socioeconomic and environmental benefits from diamond mining in the countries in which they operate. 

 · Carbon neutral: The diamond industry is developing technologies working towards carbon neutrality.

Kwiat: Diamonds deliver lasting beauty – and value.

Third generation jeweler Greg Kwiat grew up around diamonds and has observed their value rise over the decades. “Our clients take great comfort in knowing what they are buying is an asset in their life as opposed to disposable product.” He added: “There have always been simulated alternative to natural gemstones, and historically, the synthetic items have gone down in value and natural gems have risen in value. That’s because there is a recognition of rarity and specialness of gemstones from the earth, and people desire what is naturally created.”

Graziela: The emotional connection to diamond jewelry is real.

“Diamond crystals have energy,” says Graziela Kaufman. “The stone’s crystals catch the negative energy like a magnet and protect us.”

The Brazilian-born Kaufman, who sources ethically mined diamonds from Botswana, says people’s emotional connection to diamonds is because they are lasting and passed down through generations. “Some women wait years for the diamond of their dreams,” she says. “For some, it is an engagement ring or family heirloom, and for others it is a piece of diamond jewelry that they purchase for themselves to celebrate an important event.”

She says there’s nothing like the pure sparkle and vibrancy created by the reflection of light in a diamond.

Logan Hollowell: Diamonds are symbolic.

“Diamonds are my all-time favorite gemstone,” says Hollowell, who sources certified conflict-free diamonds from around the world. “The physical makeup of diamonds is only one of the reasons why I love them; the contrast of beauty and invincibility is a mirror of a woman and her strength. Diamonds have an unconquerable hardness and are known as the ‘stone of invincibility.’ Through our own spiritual purification process, we, like a diamond, become unbreakable.”

Hollowell says her clients are initially drawn to the sparkle of diamonds, then become more captivated with the jewel once they learn about the stone’s symbolism and healing properties. “I include diamonds in many of my designs to help with purification, emotional strength and mental clarity.”

Whether your style leans classic or modern minimalist, diamonds take on many moods, and they are always in fashion.

French designer Valerie Messika features diamonds that slide and swivel in modern-style bracelets, rings and pendants which give the stones a sense fluidity.

Minimalist designer Gaia Repossi sets them in darkened gold rings and ear cuffs for a high-contrast effect and shows them with hardly a trace of metal, so they appear floating on the skin.