Cutting an existing diamond in half to make little diamonds?

[IrishEyes]

My mother-in-law has an interesting question. I don''t know if this is possible, so I thought I''d ask here. She has a very small round diamond ( about .20) in her engagement ring. She wants to make that into two smaller diamonds and have them set in her wedding band instead. She keeps saying she is going to have the diamond "cut in half" and then placed in the band. Is this possible? Can a bench jeweler cut a small diamond in half, re-cut and polish it, and have two very small diamonds from the original stone? I''ve never heard of this before, so I was just wondering if this is possible, or if she''s just getting her hopes up for something that can''t be done.

Thanks!

 

[valeria101]

I don''t think so... but why not set the 20 point piece in a band as is - it can''t be too hard.

 

[IrishEyes]

She wants to make two little diamonds set in the band right next to each other. I don''t know....I think it''s an idea she cooked up in her head one day, not really my style, but then again, it''s not my ring or my diamond, so I guess she''s entitled to do what she wants! I just didn''t think it was possible.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/19/2005 3:2:6 PM
Author: IrishEyes
I just didn't think it was possible.

same here. You might want to tell her that the cost of this operation will far exceed the cost of two ten pointers. And, even in theory, half of the mass of the initial diamond would be lost in the process - which makes the whole idea not feasible starting with a small stone. Cutting melee is a pretty high teck exercise.

Damaged diamonds get reshaped every day when this is cost effective - slicing is not feasible.

As far as I know...

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

one .20ct will yield around two .03ct diamonds.

 

[denverappraiser]

Date: 3/19/2005 3:29:15 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
one .20ct will yield around two .03ct diamonds.

... At a cost of about $100 each. Unless there is some very strong emotional attachment to that particular material, this project doesn''t make much sense.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver