Diamonds

Diamonds are the gems that are dropped when Diamond Ore is mined and can also be obtained by putting a Diamond Block in any crafting area. Diamond is considered one of the most valuable items in the game due to their scarcity and use as a crafting material. They are needed to make Enchantment Tables and Jukeboxes. Tools and armor made from diamond are the most durable and efficient in the game. Diamond pickaxes are the only pickaxes that can be used to mine Obsidian.

Diamond ore can be found in layers 1-16, in small veins of 1-10 ores, and can only be mined using an iron or diamond pickaxe. Outside of mining, diamonds can rarely be found in naturally generated chests, such as those found in a village or an abandoned mine shaft.

Diamond is the second rarest mineral in the game, after Emerald Ore. The texture is also one of the many symbols and icons used for Minecraft today.

Where to look for diamonds
Diamond is only found in the lower 16 blocks (above bedrock), though statistically (see diamond ore) the optimum level is at Y 14. The best strategy to find diamonds is the branch mining method. Branch mining is the best way to look for diamonds because it exposes the most surface area, and also requires the least amount of mining. You would want to be capable of seeing as many blocks as you can which is made easy in Minecraft as ores are visible on all 6 faces. This speeds up the process, as you don't have to mine every single block. To branch mine, start about 14 blocks above bedrock (eye level). To check your level press "F3" (or look at the coordinates on your map for Xbox), and then look at the "Y" coordinate. Next, make a one block wide, and two block tall tunnel. you should make the tunnel at least 20 blocks long. Now, for every three blocks on either side of the tunnel ( horizontally perpendicular to the tunnel), dig another tunnel L:20 x H:2 x W:1. Repeat this process, and you should find around five diamonds unless you run into cave systems. You can also use the straight-shaft method, in which you go down to the appropriate level by mining or through a cave, and cut a single H:2 x W:1 tunnel until you find diamonds. This method is less reliable than branch mining, but is also less intensive on pickaxes.

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

As a crafting ingredient
In the Pocket Edition, the Nether Reactor Core is crafted with three diamonds and six iron ingots.

Achievements

 * Main article: Achievements

Trivia

 * Diamond tools and armor are renewable since they can be bought from Villagers. Diamonds themselves remain non-renewable.
 * Diamonds are one of three non-renewable minerals in the game, the others being Lapis Lazuli and Nether Quartz.
 * Diamonds in real life come in a wide variety of colors. Yellow and brown are most common, but are considered of lower quality than the colorless (transparent) diamonds most common in jewelry. Blue diamonds do exist, but are rare and highly prized, and only five natural red diamonds were ever found, most likely in Africa and Russia.