gemstone
Diamond
Carbon (C)
Hardness: 10 Mohs; Color: Colorless to faint yellow/brown; Luster: Adamantine; Crystal structure: Cubic; Specific gravity: 3.52.
- Hardness
- 10 Mohs
- Color
- Colorless to faint yellow/brown
- Luster
- Adamantine
Identified More gemstone →
Explore Diamond in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 10 Mohs; Color: Colorless to faint yellow/brown; Luster: Adamantine; Crystal structure: Cubic; Specific gravity: 3.52.
Formation & geological history
Formed at high pressure and temperature in the Earth's mantle 1-3 billion years ago; brought to the surface by kimberlite eruptions.
Uses & applications
Primarily used in high-end jewelry and industrial applications for cutting, grinding, and drilling due to extreme hardness.
Geological facts
Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance known. The name comes from the Greek word 'adamas', meaning unbreakable.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its high refractive index, heat conductivity, and ability to scratch any other material. Found in kimberlite pipes or alluvial deposits.
More like this
Other gemstone specimens
Ammolite
Ammolite (Biogenic Aragonite with trace elements; fossils of Placenticeras meeki and Placenticeras intercalare)
mineral
Red Jasper
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Hematite inclusions
sedimentary
Amber
Succinite (Organic Gemstone)
mineral
Citrine
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with iron impurities
mineral
Tiger's Eye
Pseudomorph of Quartz after Crocidolite (SiO2 with iron oxide inclusions)
mineral
Amber
Succinrite (Organic Gemstone)
mineraloid