The first natural diamond, as she remembers it

Almost always, when you look back at the moment you received your first natural diamond, it is not the technicalities that come to mind, but everything surrounding it. The people, the feeling, the memory of who you were at that time—that is what stays with you. Its meaning is shaped by the moments it becomes part of and the emotions it gathers over time—quietly deepening with you.

In conversations with four women, each deeply connected to diamonds in their own way, we uncover a shared truth. The first natural diamond is never just about value or beauty. It is about what it comes to hold—and the way it stays with you.

Firsts That Stay: Julia Chafé

An established content creator and founder of Jewels with Jules, Julia Chafé grew up around jewellery. And yet, the first time a diamond truly felt like it belonged to her was at a defining moment—her engagement at the age of twenty.

“Believe it or not my first natural diamond was my engagement ring,” she says. The feeling was immediate. “I felt like the queen of the world, and I suddenly became a lefty.” From that day on, the ring has remained constant. “My engagement ring never ever comes off.” What arrived as a moment has stayed—moving with her through nearly a decade of marriage, motherhood, and change, without ever leaving her hand.

Over time, her perspective on natural diamonds has evolved. While it was once guided by the technicalities of the four Cs, today her instinct is far more personal. She is drawn to how a diamond makes her feel—its energy, its individuality, and the character found in its cut and colour.

“My natural diamonds are the only things I hold today of my late grandmother’s,” she says. Though she lost her grandmother at the age of twelve, that connection has never felt distant. Wearing her diamonds at her wedding and through life since has felt like carrying a part of her grandma's legacy forward. The idea that these same diamonds may one day belong to her great-great-great granddaughter, she says, still feels almost surreal.

Firsts That Find You: Ridhi Mehra

Indian designer and creative director of her eponymous label, Ridhi Mehra approaches jewellery through a lens of memory and meaning—something that reflects deeply in her own first natural diamond.

“My first natural diamond wasn’t something I chose, it chose me,” she says. The piece, a pair of natural diamond earrings, was an heirloom passed down from her grandmother to her mother, and eventually to her, at a time when she was just stepping out into the world. It marked a transition, but more than that, it carried a sense of continuity.

She remembers wearing it and feeling an immediate sense of belonging—as though she was carrying a part of her family’s story forward. Even today, that feeling lingers. The earrings remain less about what it is, and more about everything it has witnessed before reaching her.

“It holds memory, not just value,” she explains. That is what makes it irreplaceable. It carries the imprint of the women before her—their lives, their choices, their journeys—something no new piece can recreate.

When she is drawn to diamonds today, her instinct moves beyond perfection. She looks for a balance between craftsmanship and character—for something that feels personal, rather than simply beautiful.

Firsts That Are Shared: Katerina Perez

A respected voice in the global jewellery industry, Katerina Perez has long been immersed in the world of design and craftsmanship. Still, her first natural diamond is rooted not in expertise, but in a deeply personal moment—her 30th birthday.

“My first natural diamond is a pear shaped diamond solitaire pendant that I received as a gift from my entire family for my 30th birthday,” she shares. What makes the memory even more resonant is the journey behind it. She travelled to Antwerp to source the diamond herself, making the experience as meaningful as the occasion it marked.

“I remember the excitement and joy of owning my first diamond so vividly,” she recalls. But what has stayed with her is not just the moment, but everything that came together to make it possible. Each member of her family contributed to the piece, turning it into something shared.

“It holds a part of each of them,” she says. And in that, the diamond becomes more than a milestone—it becomes something she carries with her, quietly but constantly.

Today, while she is instinctively drawn to a diamond’s cut and presence, what ultimately matters is its character—how it reflects light, how it feels, and the connection it creates beyond what is visible.

Firsts That Shape You: Sonal Narang

As the creative director at Hazoorilal Legacy, Sonal Narang works closely with diamonds in their most refined forms. For her, however, the beginning was far simpler—long before design, craft, or profession entered the picture.

“My first natural diamond came into my life as a quiet milestone rather than a grand gesture,” she says. It marked the moment she got her ears pierced at the age of six. “It was a significant moment growing up, almost like a small rite of passage.” She remembers the mix of excitement and nervousness, made special by the tiny diamond studs she wore immediately after.

“At that age, I didn’t understand value in the traditional sense but I remember feeling grown up, seen, and quietly proud.” Those first diamonds became a part of her almost instantly—less as jewellery, and more as a feeling she carried.

That is perhaps why it has stayed. “Because it’s tied to such a formative, almost untouched memory… It was simply a moment of becoming.”

Today, she appreciates exquisite craftsmanship and quality, but what truly stands out to her is how a diamond feels—its brilliance, character, and ease in everyday life. She naturally gravitates towards pieces that feel effortless and become a part of one’s daily rhythm, much like those first diamond studs once did.

All four women we spoke to, accomplished in their own fields and from different walks of life, shared their first natural diamond stories. And yet, across those differences, a shared thread emerges. In each story, the diamond moves beyond being an object of value. It becomes personal—something that stays.

There is no denying that a natural diamond will always be defined by measurable value, rarity, craftsmanship, and its appreciation over time. But that is only one part of its story. What endures is what it comes to hold: memory, emotion, and meaning. In that sense, sentiment becomes its real value index—something that cannot be measured, only felt.

Lead image: Katerina Perez

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