A coating on mono- or poly-crystalline diamond or diamond-containing material includes a first adhesive layer formed directly on the diamond or diamond-containing material, the first layer including tungsten and tungsten carbide alloyed with fluorine in an amount of 0.001 to 0.12 wt % calculated on the total weight of the first layer. The coating further includes a second protective layer formed on the first layer, the second layer including at least tungsten alloyed with fluorine in an amount of 0.001 to 0.12 wt % calculated on the total weight of the second layer. The adhesive layer provides excellent bond strength to diamond, while the protective layer provides good protection against oxidation and molten metals used for attaching the coated diamonds to tools.