Coco Chanel to Rihanna: How Diamonds Have Inspired Artists

There’s something about diamonds that has long served as a muse for artists since time immemorial. A natural diamond catches light the same way a verse or a painting catches a feeling for lyricists or painters. Across centuries, poets, songwriters, and thinkers have looked to these stones for what they reflect—that feel deeply human—the endurance of love, the strength born of pressure, and the purity of truth that never fades. 

Natural diamonds, especially, carry that truth in their making. They are formed deep within the earth, under pressure and heat, over billions of years. What finally comes to the surface is a proof of time, patience, and transformation. Maybe that’s what we respond to when we sing about them, write about them, or gift them. When we start tracing its journey through words, we realise the diamond has lived many lives. 

And so, through the words of singers, poets, and visionaries—from Shirley Bassey to Rihanna, from Dickinson to Confucius—the natural diamond continues to speak and awe artists.   

Shirley’s Forever Diamonds

Shirley Bassey’s iconic single transforms a diamond into a symbol of independence and strength

A classic, indeed! Legend Shirley Bassey, who also has an incredible diamond jewellery collection, wrote and sang, ‘Diamonds are forever; they are all I need to please me.’ The single transforms a natural diamond into a symbol of independence and strength. Unlike fleeting emotions, the diamond represents something enduring—a companion of constancy in a world that is ever-changing. This metaphor mirrors the very nature of natural diamonds themselves. More than a luxury investment, they embody self-assurance, permanence, and the quiet, enduring power of what withstands the test of time. In an interview with the BBC, the artist rightfully said, “I quickly graduated to my lifelong passion for diamonds, which preceded the recording of ‘Diamonds Are Forever’. In fact, I agreed to sing the song because it rang true to me and the way I felt about diamonds then and now.”

A Diamond’s Lesson in Life

Confucius’ saying captures an ethical and aesthetic truth: That what is real, even when flawed, shines far better than what is empty

“Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.” – There’s a lot packed into this old saying by the Chinese philosopher, Confucius. Like many proverbs, the beauty is in what it quietly suggests beneath the surface. For years, natural diamonds have been born under pressure. Formed slowly beneath the Earth’s surface, their natural marks that lend them a distinct character and distinction. The same goes for people, ideas, and even experiences. A life lived fully, with its bumps and scars, is more meaningful than a life that appears perfect on the outside but is empty on the inside. Sometimes the real brilliance comes from the marks left by challenges, choices, and moments that test us. In this way, the saying captures both an ethical and aesthetic truth: that what is real, even when flawed, shines far brighter than what is empty and unblemished. In the end, it’s the high-stakes struggle that gives a natural diamond—and life—its true sparkle.

A Rihanna Kind of Diamond

Rihanna’s iconic lyric escapes the musical and enters everyday language — Part pop mantra, part affirmation.

Probably the first line that comes to mind when talking about diamonds in music is Rihanna’s iconic lyric, ‘Shine bright like a diamond’. It’s one of those phrases that escaped the song and entered everyday language — part pop mantra, part affirmation. Released in 2012, ‘Diamonds’, the song glows with calm confidence. What makes this line so powerful is the way it transforms the diamond into an emblem of personal empowerment and self-realisation. In many ways, her words echo the journey of natural diamonds themselves. Wherever it may be, a diamond will always find its light — its facets alive with fire, reflection, and mystery, reminding us to do the same. The song celebrates inner light, self-worth, and the courage to shine despite life’s challenges. 

More than a hit single, ‘Diamonds’ has now become a cultural mirror with a phrase that continues to resonate across generations and contexts. After all, shouldn’t we all shine bright like a diamond?

Elegance in a Diamond

A diamond, small yet unbelievably powerful, will always speak of quiet strength and refinement

The ultimate inspiration for so many of us, Coco Chanel once said, “My reason for choosing diamonds is that, dense as they are, they represent the greatest worth in the smallest volume.” Isn’t that such a perfect way to think about elegance? A diamond, small yet unbelievably powerful, will always speak of quiet strength and refinement. 

Think about it, a natural diamond is formed under incredible pressure, developing a structure that is both strong and intricate. It holds beauty and strength in perfect balance, much like Chanel herself, who valued elegance that was effortless, self-contained, and enduring. Just as a diamond radiates quietly yet unmistakably, so too does the power of subtlety, thoughtfulness, and strength. Well, isn’t it quite a fitting metaphor?  

Coldplay’s Diamonds Every Day

Coldplay’s lyric, “Under the pressure, under this weight, we are diamonds every day,” has a way of sticking with you. Just like natural diamonds, this lyric lingers for a reason. After all, natural diamonds are treasured for their brilliance and rarity—qualities earned only through enduring all that it takes to become one of the world’s most remarkable gems. The song suggests that people, too, grow stronger and shine brighter through life’s challenges.  

The comparison feels fitting. Just as nature’s diamonds are proof that beauty takes patience, human brilliance often comes only after endurance. And maybe that’s the secret: the harder the pressure, the more brilliance emerges. So, the next time life feels heavy, just remember—you’re in the business of making diamonds.

A Girl’s Best Friend? Diamonds!

Channing’s song reminds us that natural diamonds are always dependable and maybe the ultimate wingwoman

Broadway star Carol Channing’s song, ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’, made diamonds more than just sparkle; she turned them into a cheeky emblem of constancy. “A kiss on the hand may be quite continental, but diamonds are a girl’s best friend” – the lyric, playfully ironic, masks a deeper recognition: that worth—especially for women—must not be measured by transient love, but by something enduring. They quietly hint at constancy, self-worth, and a kind of charm that outlasts fleeting romances. Sure, people might come and go from our lives, but a natural diamond? That’s forever.  

Well, diamonds are symbols of lasting worth. But beyond their literal value, the song’s cultural sparkle hints at something more. It’s as if, no matter how much the world changes, a diamond still manages to catch our eye—and be with us. The song reminds us, with all its glitz and humour, that natural diamonds have this uncanny way of captivating us—always dazzling, always dependable, and maybe, just maybe, the ultimate wingwoman in life’s little adventures. Truly, a best friend! 

Dickinson’s Diamond Moment

“A Diamond on the Hand
To Custom Common grown
Subsides from its significance
The Gem were best unknown—
Within a Seller’s Shrine
How many sight and sigh
And cannot, but are mad for fear
That any other buy”

When American poet Emily Dickinson wrote the poem, ‘A Diamond On the Hand’, it was not merely about the gem’s physical permanence, but also hinted at something ephemeral. In Dickinson’s world, the diamond becomes a mirror of sorts. It’s timeless and unyielding in its presence, yet meaningful only when we truly take the time to see it, to pause and let its brilliance sink in. The natural diamond becomes a mirror, a gentle reminder to notice the small, enduring things in life and let them shine for us. 

It’s almost poetic that something so dazzling begins in darkness. That’s why all of these metaphors are so enduring and continue to captivate not only collectors but artists — lyricists, poets, and storytellers who see in them what’s real. A natural diamond’s journey is one of transformation. And that process, invisible yet essential, mirrors the human experience of becoming. We, too, are shaped by invisible forces: heartbreak, hope, ambition, loss. The light that reflects off a diamond is the same light that emanates from human resilience. Maybe that’s why artists keep returning to it. 
 
From their formation to their final polished state, diamonds undergo a journey that gives them the brilliance they are known for today. It is no wonder they have become a constant source of inspiration, appearing repeatedly in songs, poems, and stories. Artists recognise in them something eternal. Even today, they continue to serve as a muse, an enduring power of inspiration. 

So when Rihanna sings of shining bright, or when Dickinson writes of diamonds, they’re all speaking of the same thing, of our inner, eternal luminosity that draws similarity with natural diamonds, in particular. Perhaps that’s why we keep writing about them, singing about them and passing them down through generations.