Diamonds will burn at about 1562°F (850°C). House fires and jewelers' torches can reach that temperature. A house fire caused the white, cloudy appearance of this diamond (left). The stone was recut to remove the burned area, reducing the diamond's size, but leaving no sign that it was ever damaged (right).
Can a diamond be damaged by heat?
Another type of injury that happens to diamonds is excessive heating, as in fire exposure. If a diamond is heated to a high enough temperature, it can unite with the oxygen from the air causing blemishes. The damage to the stone can be substantial and fixing it will result in a loss of weight.
What happens if you put a diamond in lava?
Lava isn't quite hot enough to melt a diamond, but could a diamond burn in lava instead? In short, diamonds can burn in lava as the burning temperature of a diamond is about 900 °C and lava can get as hot as 1200 °C. The burning process will also, however, require oxygen.
Can heat damage diamonds?
Diamonds will burn at about 1562°F (850°C). ... A house fire caused the white, cloudy appearance of this diamond (left). The stone was recut to remove the burned area, reducing the diamond's size, but leaving no sign that it was ever damaged (right).
What can damage diamonds?
Sudden extreme temperature changes can cause damage, however. Diamonds can chip or fracture from hard impact, especially in areas where the carbon atoms are not tightly bonded. These areas, called cleavage planes, are the major source of damage to diamonds (figure 2).May 5, 2016
Can you shatter a diamond with heat?
Diamonds are incredibly stable materials, so drastic temperature changes won't affect their structural integrity. ... A real diamond wouldn't be affected by the drastic temperature change and simply sink to the bottom of the glass, but a fake diamond would shatter immediately.Sep 29, 2017