* Appearance: Uncut diamonds often resemble dull, greasy-looking stones or pebbles. They lack the brilliance and sparkle of cut and polished diamonds.
* Shape: They can have a variety of shapes, often irregular or distorted. Common shapes include octahedrons (eight-sided), cubes, dodecahedrons (twelve-sided), or more complex and uneven forms.
* Surface: The surface of a rough diamond is usually dull, rough, and may be coated with a layer of a material called "skin." This skin can vary in color (e.g., brown, green, gray) depending on the environment where the diamond formed.
* Color: Rough diamonds can come in a range of colors, from colorless to yellow, brown, gray, and even rarer colors like blue, pink, or green. The color may not be evenly distributed throughout the stone.
* Clarity: Inclusions (internal flaws) and blemishes (surface imperfections) are common in rough diamonds. The presence, size, and location of these imperfections will affect the diamond's clarity grade after cutting.
* Luster: Unlike the bright, reflective luster of a polished diamond, rough diamonds typically have a dull or greasy luster. They may exhibit a slight adamantine (diamond-like) luster on freshly broken surfaces.
In summary, think of uncut diamonds as raw, unrefined stones that require expert cutting and polishing to reveal their hidden brilliance and beauty.