Diamond- the birthstone of April.

March 31, 2021By Rachel Westbrook

“Diamonds are forever flawed... and that’s what makes them beautiful!”

Diamond - the birthstone of April - is the hardest gem in the world and therefore aptly a symbol of strength, invincibility, and even love; Diamond is also a powerful amplifier of thoughts, emotions, and love itself. The harmony that diamond generates and amplifies is not only reserved for romance - it can benefit the relationship between any two parties, but especially a love relationship. This powerful gem is birthed from the fire of the Earth’s core and brought to the surface via volcanic eruption - a majestic origin for a substance so rare.

Once cut and polished, a diamond reflects light internally, sparkling from within as if imbued with solar magic. However magic does not equate to perfection…

The Western world is obsessed with perfection especially where aesthetics are concerned. We want to appear flawless and unweathered, as if the marks life leaves us with are something to be ashamed of. But in other parts of the world, a worn appearance is the appearance of a life well lived and long lived.

The Japanese in fact carry this same philosophy over to material objects. When a piece of pottery is damaged, it is not deemed worthless and discarded, but it is seen as reparable and even more valuable once repaired.

The art of Kintsugi (金継ぎ, "golden joinery") / Kintsukuroi (金繕い, "golden repair") involves mending the areas of breakage with a lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold (even silver or platinum) instead of concealing the damage discreetly. The golden wound becomes a signifier of the object's history - impossible to replicate as nothing shatters the same way twice.

Diamond, much like pottery, is even more unique when flawed. A perfect diamond is not discernible from another perfect diamond, but inclusions and flaws cannot be replicated. Here at Black Betty we are big believers in our flaws being our strength - that is why all of our diamonds are kept as close to their natural state as possible. They are still professionally cut and polished, but inclusions that do not affect structural integrity are welcomed with open arms!

Our Polki Diamond collections use diamonds that are cut with fewer facets than the modern diamond’s cut - enhancing the natural elements and colour of the stone. Raw and virtually uncut, the Polki diamonds have been used for centuries in India and retain their market value internationally making them phenomenal investments.

So the mantra for this April, my Black Betty family? Perfection is OUT! Embrace your flaws for what they are - signs of a whole life, well-lived, and open to love.

“Wholeness does not mean perfection: it means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life.” - Parker J. Palmer^[1]

^{By Meg}

^[1] Parker J. Palmer (2009). “A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life”, p.5, John Wiley & Sons