In the High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT) diamond growth method, the process occurs within an enormous apparatus called a cubic press (pictured below), capable of exerting in excess of 70 metric tons. In order to start the growth process of a diamond in a cubic press, a small diamond seed is carefully placed into the bottom of a central growth chamber. Then, a layer of additional carbon, in the form of graphite, is delicately placed on top of the diamond seed crystal. Finally, in addition to the graphite, a metallic catalyst covered with a ceramic shell is considered the growth cell, which is fully encapsulated within the core of the central growth chamber. Gradually, the enormous pressure is applied, which subjects the core of the central growth chamber cell to 1,000,000 pound per square inch (PSI) of pressure, which is nearly 70 times the pressure at sea level! Accordingly, scorching temperatures rise to over 2,700 degree fahrenheit. Respectively, the carbon atoms are released from the graphite through the molten metal flux catalyst and then the carbon crystallizes on the seed. This atomic process of crystal growth starts on the diamond seed, then diamond then grows layer by layer and atom by atom in an upward and outward orientation over a period of several weeks to more than a month in order to grow one or a few rough diamond crystals.