Tips for Diamond Polishing

Diamonds are one of the most expensive commodities in the world. They are known for their brilliance and fire and sell for over $11,000,000 per pound. The value of the diamond is increased when the diamond is polished to a brilliant shine. Methods and tips for diamond polishing are passed down from generation to generation and diamond-polishing businesses are inherited from the family. Diamonds have the highest polish of any element and are valuable for jewelry. Mining will produce one single carat diamond out of 250 tons of ore. Only one diamond in a thousand will be more than one carat and diamonds are never repeated in nature.

Diamonds are composed of almost pure carbon, the most simple of all nature’s elements. Heat and pressure over a million years causes the carbon to crystallize and form transparent gemstones.

Tips for diamond polishing include the grades of the polish on the faceted cut. Grades range from good to poor, and the value of the diamond is in part to the light refracted out of the diamond. The polish of the diamond changes the light and decreases or increases the value of the stone. Polishing differences are not always visible to the naked eye. It must be assessed with a microscope to see the difference in the polishes. Polishing removes tiny quantities of stone and defects and small stones can be polished with felt, leather, cork, cloth, and even wood.

Polishing is used to smooth the gem into a mirror-like finish that will help the light be refracted from the diamond and heighten its brilliance and sparkle. Diamond polishers use metal oxides such as ferric oxide, chromium oxide, tin and cerium oxide, and jeweler’s rouge, which is ferric oxide to smooth the gems.

Diamond polishers are careful to point out that defects in polishing can cause grain lines. Another tip for beautiful diamond polishing is to be aware of all variations in the grain and hardness of the stone they are working on. Grain lines can be seen with reflected light and can easily be seen with the naked eye. Polish that is rated as fair or poor can make a noticeable difference in the quality of the diamond.

A device called a “lap” is used to polish the surface of the diamond. The diamond is securely fastened into a metallic holder, the dop, and rests on the bench with diamond laying on the surface. Microscopic diamond dust particles are used to wear away the diamond to a flat surface. The lap is kept moistened with oil and rotates at a speed of 2000 rotations per minute. A diamond-polishing tip from the polisher is to keep the lap well oiled and apply diamond dust often.

Polishing gives the diamond the shine and sparkle that makes the diamond valuable. The polish is the finishing touch to create the perfect diamond possible. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but the polish is what makes the diamond valuable. If a diamond is not polished it may make the diamond look like it needs cleaning.


REFERENCES:
http://diamonds.pricescope.com/polish
http://www.tradeshop.com/gems