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Diamond Education

Cutting & Polishing a Modern Round Brilliant Cut Diamond

 

Here is the story of how the Diamond Crystal ends up into Brilliant Cut Diamonds we know today.

Kimberley Diamond Mine S.A.

 

Diamonds are mined above and below ground,on desert beaches, the bottom of the ocean, & beneath an Arctic lake

 

Here is a photograph of the Kimberley Diamond Mine in South Africa where many of the worlds diamonds are found.

 

Approx 3 Tonnes of earth is mined to find 1ct of Diamonds. It is brought to the surface where  the Kimberlite Rock is crushed and put on belts covered in grease to separate the diamonds from the rock..

 

Kimberlite Rock

 

This is a photograph of a piece of Kimberlite rock where diamonds are formed inside over millions of years beneath the ground.

Rough Sorting

 

Here is a Natural Diamond Rough Crystal as it is found in Kimberlite Rock before Cutting & Polishing commences.

 

Rough Diamonds

 

Here is a photograph of assorted Rough Diamonds after mining.

 

We guarantee that our Diamonds are Conflict Free and our Rough Diamonds are purchased from legitimate sources.

 

Cleaving

 

This is a Rough Diamond getting Cleaved or split in two in order to be cut & Polished.

 

Sawing

 

A Diamond Crystal being Sawn along the Grain in order to be split in two in preparation for Cutting & Polishing.

 

Bruting

 

A Diamond being Bruted and cut and shaped round ready for Polishing.

 

Polishing the Bottom

 

Cutting, Polishing & Faceting angles, 8x ( Pavillion ) bottom & 16x Half facets of a Diamond in order to get the maximum reflection and refraction of light coming back out of the table facet.

Polishing the Crown

 

Cutting, Polishing & Faceting  8x ( Crown ), 16x Top Halves & 8x Star facets of a Diamond.

 

The Brilliant Cut Diamond

 

The Cut, the only element of the 4Cs influenced by the human hand, is often considered the most important.

 

The Modern Brilliant cut diamond is comprised of the Table, 8x Star facets, 16x Top Halves, the girdle, 8x Pavillion & 16x Bottom Half facets and a Culet ( the point ).

 

There are a total of 57 Facets ( sides ) on the modern Round Brilliant Cut diamond.

 

Cutting & Polishing Angles

 

 

The Angles of the Bottom must be between 41-42 Degrees and the Top 34-35 Degrees in order to get the maximum amount of reflection & refraction of light passing through the table facet and bouncing back out again.

 

If the bottom facets are greater the appearance is dark as the light is lost through the bottom facets and not reflected back out through the table, likewise if the bottom facets are cut too shallow the appearance is flat with the light being lost through the Crown.

Finished Gem

 

Here is the Finished Diamond with all the angles cut to precise angles and symetrical to each other with a mirror finish.

Rough to Polished

 

Here is a photograph taken before and after of the rough crystal side by side as it finally comes to the end of its journey from the ground through all the stages of mining, to cutting & polishing, into  finished gemstones.

Diamond Profile

 

Here is a side view of the Modern Round Brilliant Cut Diamond.

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