Diamond – the king of the mineral kingdom and the world's most valuable gemstone. Known for its unparalleled hardness and dazzling brilliance, diamond is a pure crystalline form of carbon, born deep beneath the Earth under immense pressure and temperature. Its unique ability to refract and disperse light creates the famous "play" or "fire" that has captivated humanity for centuries.
While colorless diamonds are the most famous, they also occur in a variety of fancy colors, making each specimen uniquely distinct. As an epitome of natural perfection and rarity, diamond is not only the pinnacle of jewelry art but also an exceptionally valuable object for serious mineral collectors who appreciate its beauty, history, and exceptional physical properties.
Physical properties
Chemical formula
C
Hardness
10 on the Mohs scale (reference mineral)
Crystal system
Cubic
Transparency
Transparent to translucent, rarely opaque
Luster
Adamantine
Color
Typically colorless, yellow, brown, gray, black; rarely blue, green, pink, violet, orange, red (known as 'fancy' colors)
Specific gravity
3.5 - 3.53
Jewelry with this mineral
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