Diamond

A Diamond (previously named Emerald) is an item dropped when Diamond Ore is mined. Diamonds are considered one of the most valuable items in the game due to their scarcity and use as a crafting material. Tools and armor made from it are the most durable in the game. Diamonds can be used to make Shovels, Pickaxes, Axes, Hoes, Swords, Armor, Jukeboxes, Enchantment Tables and solid diamond blocks. A Diamond pickaxe is the only pickaxe that can be used to mine Obsidian.

Diamond Ore can be naturally mined only on layers 1-15, is found in small veins of 1-10 together, and can only be mined using an iron pickaxe or higher. Outside of mining, diamonds can be rarely found in naturally generated chests, such as those in a Village or abandoned mine shaft. Diamonds are one of the most useful ores to a new player as well as the more experienced. It is noted that you should dig around the ore to check for any excess lava that may destroy the diamond ore or kill you after the diamond ore is mined. Also, a good choice is to mine around where you found the diamonds. More than likely you will find more.

Diamonds are the second rarest item you can find without mods. The rarest are Emeralds.

Smelting
 *  Ore can only be obtained by using the "Silk Touch" enchantment, by using inventory editors or in creative mode.

History
In the Java coding, Diamond was titled Emerald, before the introduction of the real emeralds. Diamond's original name during Indev was Emerald and was kept this way in the code until the release of snapshot 12w21b when it was changed due to actual Emeralds being added to the game.

At the moment there is no other history on diamonds as they've been in the game ever since Indev.

In 1.7 and (confirmed) before, diamond ore could still be smelted into diamond gems, even though there was no silk touch or any way to pick up the ore without mods.

Video
Diamant (Edelstein) Diamond (Gem)/es Diamant (gemme) Gyémántékkő Diamond (Gem)/ko Diamant (edelsteen) Kryształ diamentu pt-br:Diamond (Gem) Алмаз (драгоценный камень) 钻石