Diamond Cutting - What Are the Steps in Cutting and Polishing a Diamond?

Executive Summary about Diamond Cutting by James Greene

cutting diamond

Many people may not know this but diamonds were not always the brilliant gemstones that they are often seen as today. In fact, prior to the 15th century, diamonds used to be worn in an “as is” condition, which means that they were neither cut nor polished.

For those who wish to know a bit more about the diamond cutting process, the following will describe this procedure in addition to the polishing aspect of this beautiful gemstone.

After the diamonds have been collected and sorted, it is at this time in which they are cut and polished. The first step is to cut the diamond.  The diamond is cut into various facet amounts. Once the diamond has been cut, the gemstone will be polished into a smooth diamond surface.

Some may wonder why it is so important to have a diamond undergo diamond cutting and polishing. The main reason is to produce the final result which is so coveted today, which is a bright and breathtaking gem.

When a diamond has not gone through the diamond cutting and polishing process, it is quite a dull and jagged edged stone which many may not deem as lovely as the final result seen in jewelry cases of jewelry stores everywhere. The diamond cutting and polishing process is done to make the diamond the beautiful gem that it is these days.

How The Diamond Cutting Style Originated

Executive Summary about Diamond Cutting by Mithun Rao

There was a time when cutting and polishing a diamond was considered sacrilege.  With the trade various methods of polishing and cutting the diamond were also shared between the countries.  The diamond cutting of these times was far less sophisticated as compared to the brilliance that we see today.

The journey of the diamond cutting industry, as we know today, starts with the point cut and ends at fancy brilliant cuts.  The point cut was the first cut that we are aware of today and it was the most popular cut in the fifteenth century.   The cut mimicked the rough octahedral shape of the natural diamond and this was accomplished by the use of stationary polishing surfaces covered with diamond grit and olive oil.

In the late 1400’s the table cutting style made its appearance. The top part of the natural octahedral shape was cut using the same tools present earlier ‘a stationary cutting surface with diamond grit and olive oil.  This cut ruled the diamond industry for the next couple of centuries and there were numerous variations like rectangles, tapered shapes and lozenges. This cut was not conceptualized for octahedral diamonds but a cut that aided in producing the largest cut diamonds from flattened roughs.

The rose cut has flat bottoms and triangular facets that become a point towards the top.  Though the cut gives a high level of brilliance, the fire that this cut allows is not too high.

Diamonds from Brazil were used to create the first brilliant cuts and thus was born the old mine cut, a cushion shaped cut with a deep pavilion, high crown and large culet.  Even though the number of facets in the old mine cut are similar to the modern brilliant cut, this first cut did not give as much brilliance since the pavilion was deeper.

The modern brilliant cut came onto the scene after more than 500 years of experimentation.  This cut was the first cut that brought out the true brilliance of the diamond that it is capable of.  The earliest of the modern brilliant cut can be traced back to the 1800’s.

The cutting establishment rejected the cutting style discovered by Henry Morse from Boston earlier, and stuck to the old mine cuts and European cuts.  The contemporary cuts allow for higher levels of artistic flair and the roughs can be cut and polished based on minimum loss due to cutting and polishing.

With the popularization of the brilliant cut, many fancy brilliant cuts started coming into the picture.  It was the success of the round brilliant encouraged cutters to try out other shapes along with the brilliant cut.

Other brilliant cut shapes like rectangle and square brilliants were also produced.

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What are Diamond Tools and How Are They Used?
Executive Summary about Diamond Tools by Brian K

diamond hand tools

Basically Diamond Tools are considered any type of tool that uses Diamonds as an abrasive for cutting.

Usually the “cutting teeth” are metal segments made up of metallic powders and diamond crystals. These segments are then shaped into rectangular teeth and then welded to the metal core of the tool.

There are many different types of diamond tools being used every day in the construction industry for cutting a wide variety of materials such as: Reinforced Concrete (Concrete with Rebar), Cured Concrete (Old Hardened Concrete), Asphalt, Asphalt over a layer of Concrete, Brick, Block, Stone, Marble, Granite, Tile, Glass, Ceramics, Porcelain & many more materials.

A Diamond Blade is a circular saw blade used on High Speed Gas Powered Cut-Off Saws, Walk Behind Saws, Angle Grinders, Table Saws, Tile Saws, etc. A Grinding Cup is a circular grinding tools with diamond segments on one side only. A Core Bit is a long hollow tube with diamond segments on the tip.

There are many more types of Diamond Tools such as Concave Diamond Blades for cutting curves in Counter Tops (Installing Sinks in Counter Tops), Ductile Blades for cutting steel, Diamond Polishing Pads for Polishing Marble, Tuck Pointers for removing mortar and restoring old brick walls, Crack Chasers for repairing cracks in walls and many more.

4 Good Reasons Why Woodworkers Should Use Diamond Sharpeners - From a South African Perspective

Executive Summary about Diamond Tools by Andrew Smit

The first reason is their ability to stay flat and not to groove like other conventional sharpeners (oil stones, Japanese water stones and ceramics). Woodworkers can then focus on sharpening their tools, not the additional task of maintaining a flat surface on their sharpening stones.

Secondly, diamond sharpeners dramatically speed sharpening to save time and labour costs. The constant flatness of diamond sharpeners also help maintain the tool angle to the sharpener.

The third reason is their economical benefit in providing optimum control of carbide removal to extend the life of carbide tooling compared to sharpening services with diamond wheels. Diamonds are the hardest material known. Because of this, carbide tooling life can be extended 5 to 7 times when sharpened on diamond sharpeners.

The fourth benefit of diamond sharpening stones is the cleanliness. Diamond sharpeners come in a spectrum of diamond sizes. Typical of most manufactures are the following ranges: 220 grit/9 micron (x-course), 325 grit/45 micron (course), 600 grit/25 micron (fine) and 1200 grit/9 micron (extra fine).

Sizes are measured primarily by mesh. The micro size used depends primarily on the tool to be sharpened. For rapid sharpening the 325 grit (course) is recommended. The 600 (fine) efficiently hones precision tools and refines the edges honed by the 220 (x-course) and 325 (course) grits.

Good quality diamond sharpeners use uniform diamond sizes to produce a superior finish to woodworkers tools.

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