Diamond Damage and Repair

Repairing and recutting a diamond does not happendiamonds rub together, the sharp edges are worn
often, but it does to diamonds that have beendown. Diamonds are known as angry stones because
damaged or those that were not well made whenwhen they rub together they injure each other, thus
originally cut. It is not too often that a jeweler needsloose diamonds should be kept apart. Worn diamonds
adequate knowledge in the repair or recutting of acan of course be repolished, but doing this a number
diamond, but there are some losses due to the lackof times will cut down on the weight of the stone.
of a complete understanding of the possibilities.Another type of injury that happens to diamonds is
The most common of all diamond injuries in the tradeexcessive heating, as in fire exposure. If a diamond is
is the chipping of the edge, or girdle, of the brilliantheated to a high enough temperature, it can unite
during the operation of the setting the stone. It iswith the oxygen from the air causing blemishes. The
the popular opinion of the public that diamonds aredamage to the stone can be substantial and fixing it
too hard to suffer mechanical injury. However this iswill result in a loss of weight.
not the case, the use of a careless file can lift tinyRecutting of diamonds is also worth a lot of
flakes from the upper surface of the brilliant. Whileattention. Recutting is usually an option when
the diamond is much harder than a file it is not asAntiquity of the existing make
tough. Most often when a file is misused a thin layerOver thickness, or lumpiness exists
of diamond splits off. The split forms a perfectAn overspread condition of the diamond
cleavage of the diamond, which causes it to splitDiamonds in the old-fashioned square or cushion
easily in certain directions. The rough cleavage willshape, with overthick make and with a large cutlet
reflect in every part of the stone. This type ofare known in the trade as old-mine stones. These old
serious injury can ruin the stone.mine stones are becoming a bit scarce, most of
Whenever a stone owned by a jeweler or customerthem have already been cut to modern form. Often
is injured, it should be sent to a competent diamondold-mine stones end up in the hands of pawnbrokers
cutter, who, unless he is instructed to remake it tobecause most jewelers will not give them the time
the ideal proportions, regardless of loss of weight, willof day. Often times the old-mine stones are left too
use his best judgment in repairing the injury so as tothick and are considered lumpy.
leave the stone in the best salable condition.Not every old mine stone has the remakings of a
When an injured stone is offered for sale, and therefine gem. It pays for jewelers to study cutting and
is not an opportunity to have it studied by an expert,remaking of old gems. Having this type of knowledge
the jeweler must look at the stone and decide howwill almost always help the jeweler in detecting faulty
much the stone will sell for repaired. When purchasingmake in modern cut stones.
a damaged stone jewelers will often give low offers.In the case of overspread stones the central
The risk of buying a damaged stone is that, whenweakness or fish eye effect can be corrected by
the repaired stone is sold it will not yield the type ofrecutting to reduce the spread. Spread is a very
return the jeweler would have expected.desirable feature in a diamond, care must be used to
Diamond injuries also occur in the hands of a carelessnot reduce it unnecessarily.
setter, or while being worn as jewelry. When