Diamond

Diamonds are assigned the highest possible rating of 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. This means they are incredibly resistant to scratching and can only be scratched by another diamond, making them the hardest known naturally occurring bulk mineral on Earth.

Diamonds are entirely composed of the element carbon, the exact same element that makes up soft graphite or coal. However, in a diamond, the carbon atoms are bonded together in an immensely rigid, three-dimensional tetrahedral lattice, which is directly responsible for their extreme hardness and density.

While India was the primary historical source of diamonds for centuries, modern mining is dominated by countries like Russia, Botswana, Canada, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Argyle mine in Western Australia was historically famous for producing nearly 90% of the world's rare pink diamonds until it ceased operations in 2020.

Lab-grown diamonds are authentic diamonds manufactured inside a controlled laboratory environment using two primary methods: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). These synthetic gems possess the exact same physical, chemical, and optical properties as natural diamonds but are sold at a significantly lower price point.