Loose Diamond Education
Rough to Polish - A Loose Diamonds Journey
Loose Diamonds Education - Mining:
Over 250 tons of ore need to be mined to yield a one-carat rough diamond. However, only about 20% of all rough diamonds are suitable for use as gems. Since diamond is the hardest material known to man, the rest of the diamonds are used for industrial purposes, such as cutting, boring and grinding. Loose Diamonds are mined in the deepest area of Kimberlite Magma pipes up to 75 miles deep called "blue rock" or "blue ground", as well as in the shallower area 50 to 60 feet below the earth's surface called "yellow ground." Today, more than 90% of the world's diamond supply is mined in South Africa. However, diamonds are also mined in Australia, South America, Russia and Canada.
Loose Diamonds Education - Marking:
Marking, which is the first step in the diamond making process, is done after each rough diamond is examined in order to decide how it should be cut to yield the greatest value. Here, the shape of the rough diamond, and the number and location of impurities and imperfections are considered. Taking these factors into account, the planner decides how the diamond should be cut and "marks" it to indicate where the stone should be cleaved or sawed.
Loose Diamonds Education - Cleaving:
After a diamond is marked, depending on the particular stone, it is sent to a cleaver or a sawyer. When the stone is very large and valuable, cleaving it is a critical process, because a mistake by the planner or the cleaver can shatter the diamond. The cleaver's job is to cut the diamond into two pieces, in order to bring out the best angles and establish what the final cut will be.
Loose Diamonds Education - Sawing:
Sawing is accomplished by using a blade that is paper-thin, turns at 4,000 rpm, and is made of phosphor bronze. Depending on the size of the diamond, each diamond is clamped resting against the rotating blade for several hours. Since diamonds are the hardest substance on earth, they can only be cut by another diamond, and that is why diamond dust is used, as well as the actual diamond dust generated by the crystal being cut.
Loose Diamonds Education - Cutting:
Girdling or Rounding are terms that come into play when cutting a round stone. Each diamond is placed into a lathe, with a second diamond held against it, to slowly round it into a cone shape. Next the stone goes to the blocker, who places the first 18 main facets on a brilliant-cut loose diamond, after which it goes to the brillianteer, who must place the remaining 40 facets. The above process, of cutting of 58 facets applies to Round Brilliant loose diamonds. For fancy shaped loose diamonds the process somewhat varies.
Loose Diamonds Education - Polishing:
The last step in the loose diamond finishing process is polishing. The loose diamond is clamped onto a revolving wheel that looks like a record turntable (remember those?) that is coated with diamond dust. The diamond dust is the abrasive that polishes away small imperfections
Loose Diamonds Education - Additional Questions
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