Diamonds have captivated human imagination for centuries with their brilliant sparkle and legendary durability. But there’s much more to these precious gems than meets the eye. From outer space connections to surprising geological origins, diamonds hold many secrets that make them even more fascinating than their beautiful appearance suggests.
1. Diamonds Exist in Outer Space
Scientists have discovered tiny diamonds in meteorites, formed under intense pressure during space collisions. These extraterrestrial diamonds offer valuable scientific insights, as they’re typically much older than Earth-formed diamonds and provide glimpses into our solar system’s early history.
Even more fascinating are the theoretical diamond phenomena on other planets. Scientists believe that Neptune and Uranus may experience “diamond rain” where methane transforms into carbon under extreme pressure conditions. Mercury could potentially have an 11-mile underground layer of diamonds according to some scientific models. These cosmic diamond formations remind us that the processes creating our treasured gemstones extend far beyond Earth.
The study of these space diamonds has revolutionized our understanding of planetary formation. When scientists examined diamonds found in the Almahata Sitta meteorite in 2008, they discovered minerals that could only form under pressures found in planets the size of Mercury or Mars. This suggests these diamonds originated in “proto-planets” that existed in our early solar system but were later destroyed through cosmic collisions. Each tiny space diamond thus serves as a time capsule from the formation of our solar system.
2. Almost Anything with Carbon Can Potentially Become a Diamond
Almost anything containing carbon can potentially become a diamond with sufficient heat and pressure. Diamonds are essentially crystallized carbon that has been subjected to extreme conditions deep within the Earth, typically forming between 90 and 120 miles below the surface where temperatures exceed 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
This fundamental composition explains why diamonds form in various geological environments around the world. It also opens the door for modern lab-created diamonds, which replicate these natural conditions to transform carbon sources into genuine diamonds that are chemically, physically, and optically identical to mined diamonds. While the process takes millions of years in nature, technological advances have allowed humans to create diamonds in weeks or months.
3. Diamond Mines Reach Incredible Depths
Some of the world’s deepest diamond mines extend more than 630 meters (2,067 feet) below the surface – deeper than many skyscrapers are tall. These engineering marvels represent some of humanity’s most ambitious mining projects, requiring specialized equipment and safety measures to operate at such extreme depths.
These deep mines are estimated to hold enormous reserves, with some containing approximately 120 million carats of diamonds waiting to be discovered. Mining at these depths presents unique challenges, including extreme temperatures, water pressure, and rock stability issues that miners must overcome to retrieve these precious gems from the Earth’s depths.
Notable examples include the Jwaneng Mine in Botswana, which extends to approximately 625 meters (2,051 feet) below the surface, and the Mirny Diamond Mine in Russia, an open-pit mine reaching a depth of over 525 meters (1,722 feet), making it one of the largest excavated holes on the planet. The sheer scale of these operations demonstrates humanity’s determination to recover these precious stones.
4. Diamonds Are Older Than Dinosaurs
Most diamonds on Earth began forming between one and three billion years ago—long before dinosaurs roamed the planet. To put this in perspective, dinosaurs appeared approximately 252 million years ago, meaning most diamonds predated them by hundreds of millions or even billions of years.
Intriguingly, as diamonds continue to form today, some researchers speculate that carbon from ancient life forms—potentially including dinosaurs—may contribute to diamond formation when plate tectonic movements push this carbon deep into the Earth. This creates a fascinating cycle where the carbon that once made up living creatures may eventually transform into one of Earth’s most prized gemstones, though this process would take millions of years.
5. Red Diamonds Are Extraordinarily Rare
Red diamonds are the rarest colored diamonds on Earth, with only about 30 ever discovered throughout human history. This extreme rarity makes them incredibly valuable and sought after by collectors and investors, with prices that can exceed millions of dollars per carat.
While diamonds themselves are actually quite abundant gemstones, these special red variations occur only under very specific and uncommon conditions. The intense red color is believed to result from structural deformations in the crystal lattice that change how light passes through the stone. Most red diamonds are quite small, typically less than one carat, making larger specimens particularly extraordinary and valuable.
The Moussaieff Red Diamond stands as the largest known red diamond in the world, weighing an impressive 5.11 carats. This remarkable gem, originally discovered in Brazil in the 1990s, represents the pinnacle of red diamond rarity and has become a benchmark against which other red diamonds are measured. Its existence demonstrates just how exceptional large red diamonds truly are in the natural world.
6. Most Diamonds Aren’t Used for Jewelry
Approximately 75-80% of all mined diamonds are unsuitable for jewelry and instead serve industrial purposes. These industrial diamonds power numerous applications in manufacturing, construction, and technology because of their unparalleled hardness and heat conductivity properties.
Industrial diamonds are used in diamond-tipped cutting tools and drill bits that can cut through the hardest materials; high-performance polishing materials for precision finishing; cooling systems for electronics (as diamonds conduct heat exceptionally well); components in scientific experiments requiring extreme durability; and electronic devices benefiting from diamond’s unique properties. This practical side of diamonds demonstrates that their value extends far beyond their beauty in jewelry settings and contributes significantly to technological advancement.
7. Diamonds Come in a Rainbow of Colors
Natural diamonds come in an impressive array of colors beyond the classic white or colorless varieties. Color is one of the 4Cs used in grading diamonds (alongside cut, clarity, and carat weight), and it significantly impacts a gem’s value and appeal. Different colors emerge due to various factors: blue diamonds contain trace amounts of boron, yellow diamonds typically contain nitrogen impurities, and red diamonds often result from atomic structure changes.
The presence of these impurities or structural changes affects how diamonds absorb and transmit light, creating their distinctive colors. For example, boron’s presence in a diamond absorbs the red and yellow portions of the light spectrum, emitting blue light and giving us blue diamonds. Similarly, damage to a diamond’s structure caused by shifting plate tectonics can cause atoms within the diamond to shift, creating the conditions for rare colored diamonds like pinks and reds.
The value discrepancy between colored diamonds can be staggering. While light yellow diamonds might sell for less than colorless ones, intensely colored “fancy” diamonds can command prices hundreds of times higher than their colorless counterparts of the same size. The famous Pink Star diamond, a 59.60-carat fancy vivid pink diamond, sold for $71.2 million in 2017, making it one of the most expensive gemstones ever sold. Green diamonds, caused by natural radiation exposure, and blue diamonds are similarly valued for their extreme rarity, often becoming centerpieces in museum collections and royal treasuries around the world.
8. Diamonds Weren’t Always Mined Underground
Before modern mining technology, diamonds were primarily found through alluvial mining – discovering them in or near rivers. Formed deep in the Earth’s mantle, diamonds reach the surface through volcanic activity. Over time, erosion and water movement deposit these precious stones in riverbanks and riverbeds, where early miners would find them.
While alluvial mining still accounts for some diamonds found today, most modern diamonds come from underground mines. This shift in mining techniques has dramatically increased diamond production but requires significantly more investment and technology. Traditional alluvial mining, though less productive, continues in some regions where geography and economics favor this simpler approach.
9. The Largest Diamond Ever Found
The Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905, remains the largest rough diamond ever found, weighing an astonishing 3,106 carats (about 1.37 pounds). This magnificent stone was later cut into several smaller diamonds, including the famous Cullinan I (530.2 carats) and Cullinan II (317.4 carats), which have been prominent fixtures in the British Crown Jewels for generations.
The discovery of the Cullinan Diamond was almost accidental – it was spotted during a routine inspection of a mine wall by superintendent Frederick Wells, who initially thought it might be a piece of glass placed there as a prank. The diamond was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine, and its cutting and polishing took several months to complete. The largest resulting stone, Cullinan I (also known as the Great Star of Africa), remains one of the largest cut diamonds in the world.
10. Diamonds Are Found Worldwide
Diamonds can be found on almost every continent, from Canada’s icy landscapes to the scorching deserts of Africa and Australia. While some regions have become famous for their diamond deposits, the geological conditions necessary for diamond formation exist worldwide, creating a truly global distribution of these precious gems.
Regions with histories of volcanic activity and tectonic movement tend to have more significant diamond deposits. This is because diamonds form deep within the Earth and need volcanic pipes to transport them to the surface where they can be mined. The global nature of diamond deposits has contributed to the gem’s cultural significance across diverse civilizations and continues to influence international trade and relations.
11. The United States Dominates the Diamond Market
The U.S. is the world’s largest diamond market, accounting for more than half of the global demand for polished diamonds. This impressive market share stems from America’s strong consumer spending power, the deeply rooted tradition of diamond engagement rings, and a robust luxury goods industry.
While other markets continue to grow globally, the United States maintains its position as the diamond industry’s most important consumer base. This dominance influences global diamond pricing, cutting styles, and marketing trends, making American preferences a significant factor in the international diamond trade.
12. Diamonds Are The Hardest Natural Material
Diamonds rank as one of the world’s hardest natural substances, scoring a perfect 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. This extraordinary hardness means that only another diamond can scratch a diamond, which is why diamond-tipped tools are often used to cut and shape other diamonds.
Despite this impressive hardness, diamonds aren’t indestructible. They can be broken or fractured along their natural planes—a fact that diamond cutters use to their advantage when shaping rough diamonds into brilliant gemstones. Recent scientific research has even developed synthetic materials that may rival diamond’s claim to the “hardest substance” title, though diamonds remain the hardest naturally occurring material on Earth.
