Hi everyone,
Before I head out, I stopped over to one of our most amazing cutters.
He's just come back from a buying trip.
To start, let's have  a look at a few pieces of rough.
First up is a diamond which will be sawed into a top, and bottom, the bottom will be about 2 times the size of the top.
The weight of this piece is 45.73carats.
The color is strong yellow- while I was photographing these diamonds, our head cutter was conferring about the possible yeild- what color anbd size will we end up with?
We're figuring the color to be Fancy Yellow- possibly Intense Yellow.

Later on, I'll post photos, and video, of an amazing machine used to help us decide exactly what to cut to end up with the most beautiful diamond that also maximized the monetary yeild.
Remember, no matter how small the diamond finishes, our cost for the 45.73carat rough diamond is fixed.
If we cut it into the World's nicest .02 diamond, it would be quite a costly one!


Now, let's have a look at this huge piece....

i agree...  i've never seen any colored rough before...

Hey Saq,
Many years ago, cutters would take a large piece and cut it into a lot of 2carat diamonds, for example.
Today, large pieces are prized, and bring much higher prices on a per carat basis.
Want to get an even better look?
Here's a THE MOVIE

Last post before I need to leave for the airport....

Another category of rough is called "Make-able"
That  means is that the shape of the rough dictates that the cutter put the piece in the wheel as is, no sawing.






We will have the move of this one up later....

Wow, how cool and interesting this is!  That rough is a whopper! I don't think I even want to know how much a 46ct rough costs.  Thanks for posting this!

This is truly fascinating!  Thanks for doing a U-Tube WM!   I really enjoy seeing the process of a diamond being cut from the  rough to the finish!  It will be even more interesting to see what color they will be and what shapes they choose to cut it into!   ~Ronda

    Oh you know me too well WM!  Thanks for thinking of me! 

I absolutely LOVE to hear about the techniques, and the "how to's" of the diamond business. So this thread is quite fascinating to me. Thanks David!!

Am looking forward to seeing the end result(s)! 

i would think cutters buy roughs from miners...  or cutters get stones from whoever is giving stones to them to cut...

Companies that buy from DeBeers are called "Site-holders"
The "site" happens 10 times a year.
That's when the rough diamonds are doled out.
As Bunny suggested, it's an all or nothing purchase.
Refuse twice, and you don't get invited again.

Today, a lot of what we do comes from sources that are outside this channel.
It is worth more for some cutters to buy exactly what they need, rather than having to buy a full specturm of goods, some of which are undesirable.

I don't know the current figue, but I believe DeBeers controls abouyt 60% of the rough, leaving quite a bit for us to get our hot little hands on!

The term  "cutter" is not really specific.
The guy that bought these amazinbg rough pieces unbderstands how to cut a diamond amazingly well, yet he no longer sits behind a cutting wheel.
Instead, we hire people whos work we know, and love.

Hõw do new guys break in~¿
They apprentice.
Ain-t NOBODY but the best touching these pieces of rough

PS= I really can NOT figure out the Mexican Keyboard system.....

 

Thanks for the suggestion CH...I will have to go look for that book!~Ronda

In the post above, I've shot a colorless rough.
This one exhibits the classic "ochtehedron" shape- this diamond will be sawed before cutting, prodcuing two diamonds form this rough.

here's some photos.....

[attachment older than 120 days deleted by admin]