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Diamond History Until the 15th century, only kings wore diamonds as a symbol of strength, courage and invincibility. Since the very beginning, diamonds have been associated with romance and legend. The very word diamond comes from the Greek adamas meaning unconquerable, suggesting the eternity of love. The Greeks also believed the fire in the diamond reflected the constant flame of love. The romantic history of the diamond dates back to the first ever diamond engagement ring on record given by Archduke Maximillian of Austria to his fiancée Mary of Burgundy in 1477. The reason a woman wears it on the third finger of her left hand dates back to the early Egyptian belief that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran directly from the heart to the top of the third finger, left hand. The Diamond remains the leading measure of commitment and the everlasting symbol of love. It is the most precious of all gems. A diamond is forever. Sure, you have heard those famous De Beers® ads before, but have you ever wondered, "Where did that come from?" Around Thanksgiving 1947, N.W. Ayer copywriter Frances Gerety was struggling late into the night to finish the text for a diamond ad being prepared for De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd., an agency client for nearly a decade. Fatigued and frustrated, she suddenly realized the ad lacked a theme line: "I thought, 'Dear God, give me a line.' I jotted down something, not even sure if it was right or not, and went to bed." The next morning, there it was: A diamond is forever. "It was a good line, I thought, but nobody was jumping up and down about it." Eventually, her slogan was adopted for De Beers' 1948 ad campaign. Since that modest beginning over 50 years ago, it has become the cornerstone of the global marketing program for diamonds -- translated, at last count, into over 29 languages. Back to Previous Page Home Page Products Map and Location Knowledge Center Services Resources Search Contact Us