Post subject: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2016 12:46 pm
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:33 am Posts: 840 Location: Mars PA
I just finished reading an article about synthetic diamonds and the author's view of what effect it will have on the diamond market. I do not agree with everything he said, I think there are a lot of unknowns, but one point about how difficult it is to cut diamond and automate it, I would like some opinions on. I have never cut a diamond, nor will I try in the future, so I will never be able to answer this question myself from experience.
IF THE DIAMOND IS PERFECT IN ITS CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND ORIENTED PROPERLY, IS A DIAMOND THAT DIFFICULT TO CUT AUTOMATICALLY.
I think that the vapor deposit way of growing diamond is a highly disruptive technology and can produce in essence perfect diamonds that is precisely oriented with the seed crystal. That to me opens the door to computer controlled cutting.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2016 2:55 pm
Moderator: Lapidary Diamonds
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:32 pm Posts: 1747 Location: Florida, United States
bruce_tourm wrote:
IF THE DIAMOND IS PERFECT IN ITS CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND ORIENTED PROPERLY, IS A DIAMOND THAT DIFFICULT TO CUT AUTOMATICALLY. I think that the vapor deposit way of growing diamond is a highly disruptive technology and can produce in essence perfect diamonds that is precisely oriented with the seed crystal. That to me opens the door to computer controlled cutting. Bruce
Computer controlled diamond cutting has been going on since the introduction of the Piermatic machine in the early 1970's for faceting of round brilliants. This machine could only accept girdled 4 point table (cubic) oriented stones. Newer companies have produced more versatile machines such as the Dialit.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 2:52 pm
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:33 am Posts: 840 Location: Mars PA
The article got into the cost of cutting diamond. The author expressed that the synthetic material would need the same effort as natural material and that would help keep the synthetic diamonds expensive. If you are working with the newer vapor deposited process for diamond making you certainly have a predictable material, if not perfect, and that seems to me to be able to be cut by machine at a considerable savings.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 6:23 pm
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Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:55 am Posts: 543
First question has to be, what is a perfect diamond? Secondly, I have visited Antwerp diamond cutters that had banks of computer controlled cutting machines. They didn't seem to have problems with most crystals, although one of the operators was telling me that they had to be careful of what he called "naats", which I translate as "knots". Possibly an analogy with timber.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 3:35 pm
Moderator: Lapidary Diamonds
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:32 pm Posts: 1747 Location: Florida, United States
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
Thomas certainly knows more than I about diamond cutting. But, perfection? Can't comment.
Perfection constitutes an abstract concept that has no physical embodiment. For the sake of practical discussion, let us call the Triple X cut grade standards as perfection.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 6:59 pm
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:33 am Posts: 840 Location: Mars PA
I was thinking of perfectly grown material rather than a perfect cut. The article talked about problems with "grain" keeping people cutting diamonds rather than machines because you have to adjust for it. Well the disruptive process of vapor deposition comes as close to producing a perfect diamond as man will ever make or find. With such material I would think that any cut would be possible, by machine, at a greatly reduced cost.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 10:22 pm
Moderator: Lapidary Diamonds
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:32 pm Posts: 1747 Location: Florida, United States
Crystalline regularity and purity of the diamond have an effect on hardness. Purity increases actual hardness. Regularity decreases cutting hardness. Softer diamonds are easier to cut.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 6:19 am
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:55 am Posts: 543
bruce_tourm wrote:
Are all the computer controlled machines making melee and what would the cost of cutting, as a percentage, of an average 50 pointer be?
From what I could see (they were just showing off their line to an interested customer), the machines were cutting up to about 75 point diamonds. I didn't ask what the machines saved, it seemed impolite since I was being shown around by one of the cutters.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:43 am
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:33 am Posts: 840 Location: Mars PA
If you would like an impolite person to ask questions, I think that this country could supply one of them at a sharp discount.
In the end I think cultured, synthetic diamonds will challenge the industry even if all of them are disclosed and all the advertisement is "fair". Price alone will matter for many men buying the customary ring. Colored stones have much more promise. Most people around here have never even heard of tourmaline. That is what I call virgin territory.
Post subject: Re: I am curious, cutting the perfect diamond.
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 11:14 am
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:55 am Posts: 543
As regards the price, I look at the stone and if I think the price is fair, I buy, otherwise I don't. As regards coloured stones, I think you are absolutely correct, However it has to be held in mind that the market for diamonds is created by billions spent on advertising budgets. The coloured stone market does not have such a big player to support a huge budget like De Beers.
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