How are diamonds cut (the process, not the result)?

[Olive Oil]

Maybe this has already been discussed, but I was curious: How are diamonds actually cut? What sort of tools can be used on them without dulling? And how long does it take to cut one nicely proportioned round brilliant? What about other shapes with less facets, like asschers or emerald cuts?

Any of you experts out there know? Thanks!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

diamonds are ground (not cut) by other (small tiny bits) of diamonds by rubbing against the softer directions of the diamond being polished.

There are 6 hardness directions and by orienting corrctly the millons of little bits will grind away the surface being polished. Diamonds are always being polished - not cut (except for when they are cleaved or broken parallel to the 111 face or octahedral plane)

There are enough key words there for you to google and find heaps more

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

oh - i forgot - a lot of cutters use an olive oil and diamond grit paste

 

[Olive Oil]

Thanks! That picture is very helpful. I was picturing some sort of diamond tipped tool (we use these at my work) that would be used to cut the rough diamond. It never even occured to me that they were ground. I was trying to google some word combinations including "cut" and "diamond." As you can imagine, all I was coming up with was information on the finished product!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

there is also diamond tipped rotary blade saws (that grind) and laser saws that burn (or actually vapourize - there is an article about it in the journal which is accessed from the home page here