Herkimer diamonds in matrix

Measurements in photos can be broken, and there may be more diamons inside. Herkimer Diamond Properties Despite its name, a Herkimer diamond is not a diamond at all — it’s actually a type of double-terminated quartz crystal. This means that the crystal has two pointed ends on either side of a beautifully elongated quartz. Its shape lends itself well to all different kinds of jewelry, which is why you can find Herkimer diamonds in rings, necklace pendants, bracelets, or earrings. Herkimer diamonds are often described as vitreous, which means they’re practically transparent. It doesn't have the same sparkling effect as a diamond, but rather more of a sea glass texture. A Herkimer diamond ranks at seven on the Mohs Hardness scale, which measures the hardness and durability of minerals. For comparison, diamonds are the hardest at a 10 ranking. This means that Hermiker diamonds are relatively durable, but can get scratched more easily than diamonds. Other gemstones that share Herkimer diamonds’ Mohs Hardness ranking include tourmaline and garnet, for reference.