How are Diamonds Cut and Polished?
Cutting a diamond takes a lot of skill. A well cut stone will reflect light within itself, from one facet to another and through the top of the diamond. There are a few basic cutting techniques like cleaving and the use of a grinding wheel called a scaif. Cutting a diamond is a long and painstaking process, which can reduce the original weight of a stone by more than sixty percent. Diamond saws are steel blades lubricated with oil and diamond dust. They are continuously applied to the saw as the diamond is worked. Diamonds are mounted on a ‘dop’ or padded holder while the blade works it down to a smaller size. The speed of the saw can be thousands or rotations per minute, and cutting a large diamond can take several weeks. Read on Diamond Rarity Hoax or Fact Recognize Your Diamond Diamonds To polish the diamond, the cutter will place it onto the arm above a rotating polishing wheel. The wheel is coated with an abrasive diamond powder that smoothes the stone as it’s pressed against the
