Phase transformations, including chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of diamond, taking place by nucleation and growth are commonly described by Avrami or Johnson-Mehl type models. In order to avoid the restrictions of such models with respect to assumptions concerning nucleation rates and growth velocities, the variation with time of nucleation and growth of diamond particles during the deposition of microwave plasma-assisted CVD was studied. The size distributions obtained from image analysis enabled us to trace back details of the nucleation and growth history. Three sources of particle formation were operating during deposition. A general growth law suitable for all particles did not exist. These observations limited the applicability of Avrami-type models to describe space filling. Computer simulation of surface coverage and particle growth was successful because one particular mode of particle formation and growth dominated surface coverage. Based on image analysis and the determination of the film growth rate, the evolution of the diamond volume fraction with time, starting from three-dimensional particle growth followed by a continuous transition to one-dimensional film growth, was described.