Jack Reiss » The Journey of the diamond from Rough to Polished

Rough

At Jack Reiss, Premium rough diamond crystals are selected for their potential. This is a very important stage, as a diamond begins its journey of being

transformed from a rough to a polished stone from here onwards. The rough stone at this stage is examined to determine its potential quality.

Mapping

New technology employs a laser which simultaneously projects numerous beams on the rough stone. This allows many more of the stone’s features

to be captured than previously possible. This also makes it possible to chart concavities and grooves that would have never been spotted before with a single

or even double laser beam. The outside geometry of the rough diamond can then be converted into an accurate virtual 3D model. Later on, inclusions

can be mapped after making windows on the rough diamond.

Planning

This is also one of the most important phases of the entire manufacturing process. In this department the person has to decide which

shape the diamond will finally take and estimate its potential weight. Each stone is totally unique and so must be studied in detail in order to determine the finished shape that will retain as much weight as possible.

Marking

Once the final shape is determined, the diamond is marked either with ink (the traditional method) or a laser to indicate where the diamond is to be sawn or divided.

Lazer Sawing

Cleaving and sawing are simple processes by which a diamond can be divided into 2 pieces. In a diamond there are different growth planes and on this basis a diamond that is marked can either be cleaved or sawn. If the marking is along with or parallel to its planes then the diamond has to be cleaved. Cleaving is simply done by a chisel and hammer, wherein the hardest material available is split into 2 pieces at the blow of the hammer. If the marking is perpendicular or against the planes then the diamond needs to be sawn i.e. 'cut' Sawing in the recent times has advanced a lot as far as technology is concerned. Earlier sawing used to be done by sawing machines to cut the diamond into two pieces with blades. Currently laser sawing is the latest technology in sawing. The greatest benefit of this system is that, it is very fast and precise. A number of pieces can be sawed using laser technology at the same time by single equipment.

Once the process of Cleaving / Sawing is completed the diamond is sent back to the planning and marking department for checking the results of procedures and then passed on to the next process of girdling / bruting.

Blocking

This is the final stage in the making of a polished diamond. It is during this time that the diamond's facets are polished onto the stone. This is done using a horizontally mounted circular cast iron disc known as a scaife. The scaife has a surface of oil and diamond dust. The diamond to be polished is set in an adjustable dop at a certain angle and lowered onto the plate. The angle of the diamond must be changed for each facet. The first and perhaps most crucial polishing stage is blocking. This step lays the foundation for the potential of the diamond's performance because it establishes the diamond's basic symmetry. During the blocking stage, the first 17 or 18 facets are made, those facets being table, culet, and first eight facets on the crown and pavilion, creating what is known at this stage as a "single cut" diamond.

Shaping

Achieving the same result as girdling, the outline of a fancy shape diamond must be formed by hand, which is referred to as "shaping".

Girdling

(also known as bruting or rounding) During this stage of the process, the diamond's girdle is formed. The girdle is the band which is formed around the widest part of the stone. To form the girdle, the stone is again set in a 'dop' which is in turn fixed on to the centre of a lathe which spins at high speed. Using another diamond set in a long 'bruting stick', the corners of the rough stone are gradually rounded off until the spinning diamond is perfectly round. The process of rounding a

diamond to form its girdle is customarily done by grinding one diamond against another on a rotating wheel.

Brillianteering

The process of grinding or polishing the fourty final facets on a brilliant cut diamond after the "blocker" has cut the table and the "eights" on the crown and

pavilion. In this process, a specialist called a brillianteer polishes the final facets. It is this stage that will determine how much brilliance and fire a diamond displays. Minor inconsistencies in symmetry and proportions can make the difference between a gorgeous diamond and a diamond with less life or even some dullness.

Scoping

(also known as bruting or rounding) During this stage of the process, the diamond's girdle is formed. The girdle is the band which is formed around the widest part of the stone. To form the girdle, the stone is again set in a 'dop' which is in turn fixed on to the centre of a lathe which spins at high speed. Using another diamond set in a long 'bruting stick', the corners of the rough stone are gradually rounded off until the spinning diamond is perfectly round. The process of rounding a

diamond to form its girdle is customarily done by grinding one diamond against another on a rotating wheel.

11. Polishing

This is the degree of smoothness of each facet of a diamond as measured by a gemologist. When a diamond is cut and polished, microscopic surface defects may be created by the polishing wheel as it drags tiny dislodged crystals across the diamond's surface. Depending on the severity, these defects may disrupt light

patterns as the light rays enter and exit the diamond. Here the artisan has to be very careful at all stages as even a small mistake done by him can make the

diamond look poorer than what it might have looked had it been polished to an excellent finish. This is the last step in the manufacturing process of the diamond from which point it goes to the grading department.