The Diamond:
Diamond, one of the world's most important mineral resources, is pure, natural carbon with the atoms organized in a close-packed cubic arrangement that gives the stones their hardness. The external forms of natural diamond crystals show the same symmetry. The commonest crystal form is the octahedron, which looks like two four-sided pyramids placed base to base.
Because diamond is so much harder than any other natural or artificial substance known, it is ideal for both gem and industrial purposes. Special optical properties guarantee its pre-eminence among gems. First, its high refractive index, or light-bending ability, enables it to throw back almost all the light that enters a well-cut gem. This gives rise to the gem's brilliant, or adamantine, lustre. Second, it exhibits strong dispersion, or the ability to separate the various colours of the spectrum. This causes the gem to throw back the bright flashes of separated colours for which it is particularly noted.
The diamond has symbolized clarity, strength in subtlety, steadfastness, and glamour, a perfect fit for the Taurus.
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