Within the magnificent design of the universe exists a depth of beauty found only in the gem of gems, DIAMOND. Its value is not artificially created by man as many suppose. We all discriminate and determine that some stones are more beautiful than others. This discriminating nature appears to be established at birth. If you take a young child, an old man, an Aborigine and a Harvard graduate, and have them walk down the creek, they will all pick up similar stones. They may not be able to identify them, but will choose the agates and other crystalline substances. Curiously, the only creature that differentiates on the basis of beauty (dogs and cats are unimpressed by diamonds) is also the only creature on earth that has the ability to use tools to cut these gems, thereby increasing their beauty. Like most, if not all the other 200 or so minerals we call gems, the qualities of diamonds that appeal most to our sense of beauty are the most scarce in nature. The most popular colors in diamonds, pure white, blue, and pink, occur rarely in nature. Question: If gems were created by natural causes (at random) and their creation was independent from the development of man's discriminating nature, wouldn't we expect to see some of the qualities we desire most to be common, some not so common, and some rare? But, this is not the case. The qualities we desire most are always the qualities we see least in nature. The diamond also has interesting physical properties. It is the only gem composed of a pure element, carbon. All other gems are chemical compounds. Also, diamond is still the hardest naturally occurring substance known to man. In mathematics, groups of numbers appear to bear a significant relationship to the order we observe in the universe. One of these groups is called the Fibonacci numbers, (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55...). This progression is obtained by adding the previous two numbers to arrive at the next number in the progression. Amazingly, these numbers often pop up in nature. For instance, the number of petals on a flower are almost always a Fibonacci number. Question: If natural selection drives genetic evolution, what survival advantage is derived by a flower having 5 or 8 petals as opposed to 6 or 7 petals? If you get about 6 numbers into the progression and divide one number in the progression by the next, you get just a little over 0.6 which can also be expressed as 60% or a 3 to 5 ratio. The Greeks recognized the surpassing beauty of geometric shapes using these proportions. They labeled the 3 by 5 rectangle the golden architecture. The golden spiral (60% spiral) can be found in nature in the form of a chambered Nautilus or a Spiral Galaxy. In a diamond cut for maximum beauty, what do you think the depth to diameter ratio is? You guessed it, 60%. I do not pretend to understand this relationship between beauty and the order inherent in our universe, but I do know that the deeper I go the more marvelous it becomes.
When man discovered the African mines thus increasing the availability of diamonds, they soon became the favored gem to seal a marriage. Surely this was for practical reasons. Diamonds are magnificently brilliant and durable enough to last a lifetime without succumbing to normal wear and tear. Also, it's neutral white color does not conflict with changing fashions. But, here is the real marvel of diamond as a seal of betrothal. Not only does its white color symbolize a pure, spotless bride, but remember it is the only gem that is a pure element. Let us digress for a moment and consider the institution of marriage. God initiated marriage when He created woman to be a helper for Adam in the Garden of Eden. God said, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh" (GEN. 2:24 NIV). Becoming one flesh in Hebrew refers specifically to sexual relations which, of course, results in new life. God then issues his first commandment, ". . . be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth... " (GEN. 1:28 NIV). Is it only coincidence that the gem that is the most practical and obvious choice to seal a marriage just happens to be pure carbon? Carbon is the building block of all life. In fact, the study of carbon ¬based compounds is called organic chemistry. Yes, without knowing it, we use a piece of carbon on our finger to symbolize the very bond that preserves the continuity of life. A grand design indeed!