Diamonds, the most mystical and enduring of all precious gemstones, are unquestionably a woman's best friend; perhaps because there's an unspoken, subtle intimacy between a woman and her diamond jewelry. The brilliance of the diamond and savvy marketing by the likes of De Beers make the diamond the world’s most recognized and sought after jewel.

Diamonds are the hardest known natural substance found on the planet and are essentially crystals of carbon (yes, they share the same elements as coal) which have been subjected to intense heat and pressure over millions of years. This process has been replicated in laboratories and synthetic diamonds are now common place – but not as valued as natural diamonds.