About
The word ‘diamond’ comes from the ancient Greek adamas meaning invincible and unconquerable. Since the first diamonds were discovered in India during the 9th century BC, the precious stone’s strength has been legendary. Diamond is indeed the hardest natural mineral in the world. Greek and Roman soldiers would wear diamonds into battle, believing they would be infused with the gem’s qualities of invincibility. Diamonds are April’s birthstone, and are given on 30th or 60th anniversaries.
Though we now know that diamonds are made up of pure carbon "� the same stuff that makes the graphite in your pencil and the charcoal you might use to light a fire "� diamonds have inspired many different origin stories throughout history.
The Greeks believed diamonds were teardrops from the gods. Hindus thought diamonds originated in lightening bolts. The Romans came a little closer to the truth with their belief that diamonds were shards of starlight fallen to earth. Some diamonds may have formed on asteroids in the interstellar environment, making their way to earth upon impact some millions of years ago.
Artist
Adel Chefridi was born in the old city of Tunis, along the Mediterranean coast. He came to New York in 1998, where he founded his studio, his work increasingly drawing from his multicultural background, reconciling past and present, nostalgia and hope. Adel studied Gemology in the most advanced Gem lab and school in the U.S., the Gemological Institute of America, where he graduated as Graduate Gemologist (GG) and Accredited Jewelry Professional (AJP). He then went on to intensive study of goldsmithing at Studio Jewelers, Ltd. in Manhattan and graduated as a Bench Jeweler.
