Raw Diamonds: What Makes Them Special

Most people only ever see a diamond after it has been cut and polished into a sparkling brilliant. A raw diamond is the stone as it came out of the earth: frosted, geometric, sometimes softly glowing and sometimes deep and dark. We have handled rough diamonds for many years, and they still feel like holding a small piece of the planet’s history.

What is a raw diamond?

A raw, or rough, diamond is a natural diamond crystal that has not been faceted. Diamonds form deep in the earth’s mantle under immense heat and pressure, and are carried towards the surface by volcanic eruptions. What you hold in a raw diamond bead is that crystal, shaped by nature rather than by a cutter.

Shapes made by nature

Diamond crystals grow in characteristic forms, and many raw diamonds still show them:

• Octahedron: two four-sided pyramids joined at the base, the classic diamond crystal.
• Dodecahedron: a rounder form with curved faces, created as the crystal was partly dissolved on its journey upwards.
• Macle: a flat, triangular twinned crystal.
• Cube: less common, often with a slightly frosted surface.

Look closely at a crystal face with a loupe and you may see tiny triangular pits called trigons. They are etch marks formed naturally on diamond surfaces, a signature of a genuine natural crystal.

Why raw diamonds look the way they do

Cut diamonds sparkle because their facets are polished to precise angles. A raw diamond’s surface is natural, so its lustre ranges from a frosted, satin glow to a bright, almost metallic shine on smoother faces. The appeal is quieter and more organic: light moves across the surface rather than flashing out of it.

Most raw diamond beads come from material that was never suited to gem cutting, because it is too included or too strongly coloured. That is exactly why raw diamond beads are affordable while still being real diamond, and why each one has its own character.

The colours of raw diamonds

Natural rough diamonds occur in a quiet, earthy palette: grey, brown, champagne, cognac, yellow and black, along with whitish and colourless crystals. Black raw diamonds owe their colour to dense inclusions, often of graphite.

Strong, saturated colours such as vivid blue, green, pink or red are rare in nature. In beads and jewellery, intense colours are often produced by treatment, such as irradiation, heating or a surface coating. Treated colour can still be beautiful, but it is worth knowing which you are buying. If you are unsure about any strand, ask us how its colour was achieved.

How diamond beads are made

Diamond is the hardest natural material, rated 10 on the Mohs scale, so nothing ordinary will drill it. Raw diamond beads are drilled with lasers, which leave a fine, clean hole that runs through the crystal.

Wearing and caring for raw diamonds

Hard does not mean unbreakable. Diamond has directions of weakness called cleavage planes, and a sharp knock in the wrong direction can chip a crystal. Treat raw diamond jewellery with ordinary care, and take it off for heavy work.

Store raw diamond pieces separately, because diamond will scratch almost anything it touches, including other gemstones and metal. To clean them, use warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. If a strand has coated colour, avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive cloths, which can wear the coating.

Why designers love them

Raw diamonds bring something cut stones cannot: texture, individuality and an unmistakably natural look. They suit minimal modern designs, sit beautifully next to sterling silver and recycled gold, and are increasingly chosen for men’s and gender-neutral jewellery. Layered strands of mixed natural colours look especially striking.

Explore our raw diamond beads for your own designs, or our finished raw diamond necklaces with sterling silver clasps.