Polishing the Diamond

The end is Nigh 

These precious stones have come a long way since their formation deep below the Earth’s surface; and their transformation from a rough diamond into a mesmerising 58-faceted spectacle of light, concludes at the polishing phase of a diamond’s journey. Diamond polishing is a highly meticulous and important process that requires exceptional craftsmanship in order to create an ideal-cut diamond that guarantees a balance of brilliance and fire. It is a process that simply cannot be rushed, as even minute errors can alter the quality of the diamond cut.

The first facets form

The basic symmetry and dimensions of a rough diamond begin to take shape during blocking, the first stage of diamond polishing. Executed by a master blocker, the diamond is first positioned into an adjustable tool called a tang. The tang allows blockers to control the angle of the diamond during polishing. This is crucial, as any asymmetric facets will result in the gem being blocked again and lead to weight loss. Once in position, each facet can now be polished individually using a large cast iron polishing wheel coated in diamond powder. In this way, the first 17 or 18 facets of a diamond are created: the table, the eight main facets on the crown, the eight main facets on the pavilion and occasionally the culet. 

The ideal cut

With the first facets established, it is during brillianteering when the immense potential of these precious stones is unveiled. The remaining facets of a diamond are hand polished to pristine perfection to reveal the Ideal Cut, a distinctive feature of Backes & Strauss’ diamonds. Featuring the ‘Hearts & Arrows’ motif, the Ideal Cut symbolises the perfect balance of optimal symmetry and proportion of the diamond. It is among the rarest of cuts, and therefore, it reflects the maximum amount of light. Scintillating and exquisite, a 58-faceted diamond is ready to be set in Backes & Strauss’ luxury watches, and what is more, each and every one of our diamond watches have at least one ideal-cut diamond set in the crown.