Diamond cutting is one of the most important processes. It is the hardest rock in the world so cutting and shaping it requires special skills and sophisticated equipment. It goes through a series of processes which include: cleaving, sawing, cutting, and polishing. This transforms rough diamonds into small manageable sizes with regular diamond shapes and the glamorous sparkling looks.
The diamond cutting process requires advanced technology that is very costly. It is done in countries that have the raw materials and the capital. It is limited to a few cities in the world and some of the countries that produce diamonds have to export them for processing.
What are the biggest diamond cutting centers in the world?
Most of the diamond cutting and polishing is done in:
- India
- Belgium
- Israel
Israel is one of the major players and is currently the head of the Kimberly Process Certification process. There is a diamond district in Tel Aviv city situated at Ramat Gan where the cutting and polishing operations occur.
In Belgium, there is the Antwerp diamond district where large scale diamond cutting and polishing is done. This is historically the largest diamond cutting center although smaller centers have reduced its supremacy in the industry. It has about 380 workshops that are involved in these processes.
There is also diamond cutting in China. This takes place in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The availability of rough diamonds, the cheap labor as well as the technology favor the growth of this industry. The current trends show that China is set to become one of the biggest players. Other countries that are involved with diamond cutting include Russia, South Africa and the United States.
Where are diamonds cut in India?
In India, most of the diamonds are cut in Surat. The majority of gems found wherever in the world are crafted to perfection in India. It is approximated that about 92% of the world diamonds undergo cutting and polishing processes in Surat, India. The industry is vibrant because of the relative closeness to rough diamond sources such as Africa and the cheap and skilled labor. They spend less money to cut a carat of diamond than any other country carrying out the trade.
However, India’s cutting and polishing industry is under threat since diamond producing countries want to start their own manufacturing industries so as to maximize their profits. This will greatly decrease the profits of this country although it is making efforts to open outstations in cities such as Tel Aviv and New York as well as securing China’s sources.
Diamond Cutting in the United States
The US produces rough diamonds and is quite close to rough diamond producing countries like Canada. There are many diamond-cutting industries in the country as well as schools that train people in this trade. Professionals who cut diamonds have specialized skills and sophisticated technology like computer-aided design and advanced laser cutting. This makes brilliant, complex high-quality gems with an awesome sparkle and glitter. Most of the fancy cuts are also made here. New York is the diamond cutting hub of the country hosting many industries and companies.
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