Diamond Diamond Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. At room temperature and pressure, another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form, but diamond almost never converts to it. Diamond has the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any natural material, properties that are utilized in major industrial applications such as cutting and polishing tools. They are also the reason that diamond anvil cells can subject materials to pressures found deep in the Earth. Because the arrangement of atoms in diamond is extremely
Diamond cut the original shape of the rough stone, location of internal flaws or "inclusions", the preservation of carat weight, and popularity of certain shapes among consumers. The cutter must consider each of these variables before proceeding. Most gem-quality diamond crystals are octahedra in their rough state (see material properties of diamond). These crystals are usually cut into "round brilliants" because it is possible to cut two such stones out of one octahedron with minimal loss of weight. If the crystal is malformed or twinned, or if inclusions are present at inopportune locations, the diamond is more likely to receive a "fancy