Flaws make it a geologist’s best friend

To a potential fiancée, flaws in a diamond can warn of a boyfriend with poor judgment—or a thin wallet. To geophysicists, however, some of these flaws may provide priceless clues that are critical to understanding the conditions under which the gems formed.

This diamond formed at a depth of about 140 kilometers, according to spectroscopic measurements on two coesite inclusions (arrows).