About the Cutting and Polishing of Diamonds Throughout History

Diamond cutting and polishing originated in India, and the art was afterwards introduced in Italy and in Paris. It had its beginning in Antwerp, about 1480, and also about the same time in Amsterdam. Amsterdam has become famous for its diamond cutting, and for a long time had by far the largest number of cutting and polishing establishments in the world.

Antwerp for some years has had some of the largest establishments, and during the last six years has gained rapidly on Amsterdam, and at the present time has a considerably larger business in the cutting and polishing of diamonds than Amsterdam.

Improvement in Diamond Cutting

Diamond cutting has been carried on in America for fifty years or more, and the cutting of diamonds for the world has been revolutionized through the improvements in cutting made something like forty years ago by Henry D. Morse, of Boston.

Prior to these innovations diamonds were cut in a nearly square shape, with the corners somewhat rounded off,--the object being to secure as much brilliancy and also to save as much weight as possible. Diamonds are now cut, as every one knows, practically round. The style of cutting may be described as follows:

The Style of Cutting

The table on the top of the stone is surrounded by thirty-two small facets reaching from the table to the girdle, or edge of the stone. The back of the stone has a tiny facet at the top of the pyramid, formed by cutting, called the culet, surrounded by twenty-four facets reaching from the culet to the girdle. Formerly and even now in most of the ordinary cutting comparatively little attention is paid to the girdle; but the better the quality of the cutting the more attention is paid to the desirability of having the girdle as thin as possible, and yet not so thin as to chip easily. This object is attained in the patented polished girdle form of cutting, which has an extra curved facet around the girdle. This cutting is protected by patents in the United States and in foreign countries, and in New England is sold direct only to the Smith Patterson Company.

The Polished Girdle

In describing this cutting we will quote a letter of March 14, 1913, from the holders of the patent, Messrs. Schenck & Van Haelen.

"Before its final realization the quest for a Standard of absolute perfection in the cutting of a diamond has been one which ran through centuries of constant endeavor.

"Incidentally it has brought into existence that interesting branch of the trade called

fancy cutting.' It has been responsible for many sad disappointments and disillusions. Witness in 1885 the short-lived 'Brilliant-Phare,' later revived under the name of 'Twentieth Century,' etc.

"By a stroke of genius the fundamental lines of division governing the now classical cutting called 'Brilliant' were laid down some three hundred years ago by Vincent Peruzzi, in Venice. The cutting at that period was done in crude and primitive fashion, but it paved the way towards the present high achievement.

"The latter-day Renaissance in the art of diamond cutting, credit for which is entirely due to the keen appreciation shown by the discerning lovers of jewels in the United States of America, has through gradual stages of advancement developed the possibilities inherent in the 'Brilliant,' and has culminated in the production of an ideal stone, the cutting of which is covered by patents in the United States and in the principal foreign countries.

Why the Polished Girdle is Best

"The superiority of this diamond resides in its dominant feature: The polished curved facet encircling the edge of the stone, forming a continuous narrow girdle, establishing in harmony with every detail of its cutting a connecting link joining all its facets into one final attainment of perfection.

"This patented Polished Girdle, with its resultant increase in luster and brilliancy, produces a maximum diffusion of light with corresponding depth of attraction.

"The smooth finish of the edge protects the patented Polished Girdle diamond against injury by 'chipping,'--an advantage that both setter and wearer will appreciate.

"The Polished Girdle of this diamond furthermore provides efficient means of identification; the cylindrically shaped facette acting as an indelible hall-mark embodied in the stone.

"It is indisputably the first and only perfectly finished brilliant,--a Standard for all time.

"Isolated attempts have been made more recently by some of the followers of Peruzzi to give increased luster to the brilliant by adding to the unfinished stone flat polished surfaces spaced at more or less irregular intervals, disturbing the line of circumference without attaining the desired result. It is superfluous to point out that such makeshifts destroy their own ends.

"To the expert jeweler and diamond dealer, no further explanation is necessary to make him realize the advantages and superiority of the patented Polished Girdle diamond.