The song's lyrics serve as a departure from the themes of unhealthy relationships that were on Rihanna's previous singles and contain a prominent concept of love. 'Diamonds' is a mid-tempo pop, electronic and R&B ballad that features heavy synthesizers, orchestral sounds and electronic rhythms. Def Jam Recordings serviced the single to contemporary hit radio in the United States on October 2. The song premiered on September 26, 2012, during the Elvis Duran and the Morning Show and was digitally released the following day as the lead single from Unapologetic.

It was written by Sia Furler together with its producers, Benny Blanco and StarGate. 'Diamonds' is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her seventh studio album, Unapologetic (2012).