A method of synthesising diamond, the method comprising; (i) providing, in the presence of an atomic hydrogen plasma and/or in the presence of atomic hydrogen radicals, in a dissolution zone a liquid metal saturated with carbon with respect to graphite precipitation; (ii) transferring at least a portion of the liquid metal from the dissolution zone to a deposition zone,- (vi) exposing the liquid metal in the deposition zone to atomic hydrogen plasma and/or to atomic hydrogen radicals, the temperature of the liquid metal in the deposition zone being lower than the temperature of the liquid metal in the dissolution zone such that the liquid metal in the deposition zone is saturated, preferably supersaturated, with carbon with respect to diamond precipitation; (vii) precipitating carbon from the liquid metal in the deposition zone to synthesise diamond; and (viii) optionally removing the synthesised diamond from the metal.
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