In the diamond cutting industry, skilled professionals meticulously cut and polish rough diamonds to maximize their ability to reflect light, unveiling their inherent beauty and luster.
This complex procedure transforms a raw diamond into a finished product, typically displaying 58 facets of exquisite brilliance. The process includes several precise stages:
- Sorting and Marking (or Planning/Designing): Rough diamonds are first sorted by shape, size, color, and quality. Based on its characteristics, a diamond may need to be sawn, cleaved, or treated with laser techniques. Diamond markers (or designers) then aim to achieve the best commercial value from the rough stone. After thoroughly examining the diamond, they decide on the optimal final product, meticulously marking the stone with a line for the sawyer to follow, ensuring the biggest, best-quality gem.
- Diamond Sawing: The marked diamond is sawn into two pieces using specialized diamond sawing machines. An experienced individual can operate multiple machines simultaneously. Stones are securely set in holders, and the sawing blade precisely follows the marked line.
- Diamond Cutting (Bruting/Girdling): Cutters aim to create perfectly round diamonds with the optimal diameter. This is often done using a bruting or girdling machine where one diamond (the “cutter”) is pressed against another rotating diamond (the “bruter”), gradually shaping it into a round form.
- Polishing Process (Cross-Working & Brillianting):
- Cross-working: These polishers lay the foundation by creating the diamond’s initial facets (often 18). They work on a polishing disc coated with diamond powder, holding the diamond in a clamp to polish each facet one by one to very stringent measurements and angles. Cross-workers may intentionally process a diamond to contain inclusions if it yields a larger stone or choose to sacrifice size for improved quality.
- Brillianting: Brillianteers then polish the remaining 40 facets onto the already established facets, completing the round brilliant cut. This final step is crucial for unlocking the diamond’s full brilliance and light reflection, achieving the iconic 58-facet perfection.
What Kinds of People Are Suitable for This Career?
Diamond workers must possess exceptional eyesight (often working with magnifying glasses), a keen flair for proportion, excellent hand and finger dexterity, and superior eye-hand coordination. They also need the ability to concentrate for long periods, work quickly and methodically, and consistently produce neat and precise results.
What Qualifications Are Needed?
While formal “paper qualifications” may not always be a strict requirement, specialized training and apprenticeships in diamond cutting are essential to master these intricate skills. Practical experience and an apprenticeship under skilled mentors are paramount for developing the necessary expertise(Diamond Cutting Industry Trades | Careers Information | Speciss College Zimbabwe, n.d.).
Beyond the sparkle, there’s a meticulous process and immense talent involved in every cut facet. What are the key qualities you think are essential for a diamond cutter to unlock a gem’s full brilliance? Let’s discuss this fascinating profession!
