The cut of the diamond
The Ferro family includes two expert gemmologists, always ready to clarify any doubts regarding precious stones, diamonds, pearls, and gems of all kinds. I asked Gianluca Ferro, the eldest son of Fabrizio, what is the most important thing for a gemmologist.
"The cut of the diamond!", was his quick and confident answer.
The cut of the diamond? We talked about it in this post, but I think it’s really worth reviewing together what "cut" means and what effects it has on the diamonds we buy or own.
The diamond cut: things to know
The Scale of brilliance or Moss Scale tells us that the diamond is the hardest stone in the world, but that even in ancient times it was cut by hand.
The first thing to know about the diamond cut is that, in the past, it was done exclusively by hand, while now machine cutting is preferred, although in many cases the old customs are still maintained.
All the steps to carry out the diamond cut
The process concerning the cutting of the rough diamond consists of several phases: cleaving or sawing, shaping, cross working, and the actual cutting.
Cleaving
The first operation aims to remove all internal inclusions (the presence of "foreign" materials to the diamond itself!) or external defects and is done by making some notches in four directions. The notch is made using another diamond, called a "scherp," which must have a V shape and be a few millimeters deep.
The profession of cleaver was first mentioned in 1660, in some travel reports referring to Hindu populations.
Sawing
Similar to cleaving, it was first mentioned in 1647 in the book "De gemmis et Lapidibus" by Johannes de Laet from Antwerp. As in the cutting technique of colored stones, a thin iron wire coated with diamond dust and oil and bent into an arc is used. Like a sort of violin bow, the diamond to be cut is rubbed with the bow until a first, very light, incision is obtained. Sawing is probably one of the most complicated operations regarding diamond cutting.
Today, machines using laser or ultrasound technology are preferred, which are decidedly simpler and less risky compared to past methods.
Shaping
This consists of giving the stone a preliminary form, similar to a round brilliant cut, or a more particular cut. Among the most popular are the drop, baguette, oval, or heart shapes.
A difficult and complicated step: it requires patience, perseverance, and precision in manual work, all dedicated to scraping. Obviously, in recent years there has been increasing use of technology, thanks to which the operator is exclusively responsible for supervision, greatly reducing physical effort.
The cut
After these precision steps, we arrive at the climax of the diamond cut. Preceded by cross cutting, which performs a first part of the cut, the actual cut is also called "brilliantering," which polishes all the facets present on the diamond.
A task by no means simple! Especially in the brilliantering work, which consists of cutting eight facets in total on the crown of the diamond, generated by cutting in half the four produced by the cross cutting. To the 8 fundamental facets, an equal number are added on the girdle of the diamond. Needless to say, all facets must be perfectly equal. In short: a work of precision and attention that is really much more difficult than one might think!
The diamond cut: the most precious
Gianluca then explained to me that the ideal cut is the round brilliant, the so-called "Tolkovsky cut", which, based on the diamond’s proportions, allows its value classification. This type of cut indeed allows the diamond to have a more particular and sought-after brilliance, which makes it beautiful and bright to the eyes of the less expert... and full of true value for the eyes of gemmologists! If you are curious to discover all the main fancy cuts of diamonds, stay tuned: we will talk about them very soon!
Ferro Jewels for your diamonds
Meanwhile, thanks to the experience of Fabrizio and Gianluca, Ferro Jewels offers the classification of cut quality. To discover the value of your diamond, in fact, just request a consultation with our experts. A curiosity definitely worth discovering, to know the actual value of your favorite jewels!
Bring your jewel for a check-up! The experts at Ferro Jewels will give you the best to discover the value of your jewels, as well as advise you on the right diamond for your perfect gifts and self-gifts! We are waiting for you at via Matteotti 41 in Este (PD).
Don’t forget to also visit the online shop https://www.ferrogioielli.com/it/
We will see you here again very soon, with many new articles!
