Diamond Cutting and Polishing
Delivered February 22, 2020. Contributor: Jaqi K.
Goals
To provide an in depth overview of the diamond manufacturing process, from raw/uncut to polished stones, specifically focusing on: yields, wastage, average cost of the process, as well as pricing of the polished stones. The focus should be on brilliant round cut, cushion cut, and emerald cut diamonds of 10-20 carats and above.
Early Findings
Costs in Manufacturing Diamonds
- "The cutting and polishing step contributes the least to the cost of manufacturing."
- According to 2016 report published by Statista, India had the lowest cutting and polishing costs for diamonds at $30 per carat.
Pricing of Diamonds
- The pricing for polished diamonds is determined by shape (such as round or cushion), carat (weight), color, GIA cut grade, and fluorescence.
- "The price of a cushion cut diamond is typically significantly less than the cost of a round brilliant diamond," while "the emerald cut diamonds have lower price per carat than most shapes."
- As an illustration for comparison, "diamonds with a clarity grade of SI2 or better and a color grade of K or higher," and of 1 carat are priced as: round brilliant cut- $2,500 ($3,000) to $16,500; emerald cut- $1,600 ($1,750) to $10,500; and cushion cut -$1,600 ($2,000) to $9,500
Yields in the Diamond Cutting Process
- Only about 40% of a rough diamond is used when cutting a round diamond because an uncut/rough diamond is naturally cubic.
- "The least amount of weight is wasted when cutting a rough diamond into a polished emerald cut as compared to the other cuts."
Summary of Findings
- In the first hour of research we were able to determine that information on the diamond cutting and polishing process is available, specifically on pricing especially on 0-5 carats weights, yields and wastage, and some associated costs of manufacturing.
Proposed next steps:
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