Diamond Basics
What Is a Diamond?
A diamond is pure carbon crystallised under extreme heat and pressure — the hardest natural material on Earth.
How diamonds form
Natural diamonds formed 1 to 3.5 billion years ago, 150–200 km below the surface, where carbon atoms bonded into a rigid cubic lattice. Volcanic kimberlite eruptions carried them upward, where they are mined today.
Why they sparkle
Diamond has a high refractive index (2.42) and strong dispersion, so light entering a well-cut stone bends, splits into spectral colours and returns to the eye as brilliance and fire.
Natural vs. laboratory-grown
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically identical but created in weeks using HPHT or CVD methods. Both are real diamonds; the law requires that lab-grown stones be clearly disclosed. Natural diamonds hold value far better over time.
Buyer checklist
- ✓ Ask whether the stone is natural or lab-grown
- ✓ Request an independent lab report
- ✓ Confirm the report number is laser-inscribed on the girdle
Verification tools & references
Every Riakoob piece arrives certified, insured and covered by our 12-month value promise.
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