How do I Become a Diamond Cutter?
A diamond cutting career, becoming a diamond cutter not only enables you to cut and polish diamonds, but you can have an advantage in pursuing careers in sales, wholesale rough diamonds, and retail marketing, as well as diamond and jewellery business entrepreneurship.
Diamond cutting, which involves laser cleaving, sawing, bruting, blocking, and faceting of the raw diamonds, takes many hours of instruction, and to truly become a master cutter takes years of experience to achieve professional-level gemstone cuts. Becoming a certified diamond cutter involves completing an accredited diamond-cutting training program, such as the Corlia Roberts Institute of Diamonds in Cape Town and Pretoria, South Africa, and earning a certificate. Graduates can then pursue full-time or part-time entry-level diamond cutting positions, internships, or apprenticeships.
Apply to the diamond-cutting certification program of your choice. Jewellery Institutions may vary in their course schedule and tuition rates, but cutting certification programs usually span from 3 -6 months. Tuition cost or school fees ranges from 48 000 ZAR to 60 000 ZAR including practice diamonds and equipment operating costs.
Complete each section of the training. Diamond certification programs usually include courses that cover diamond grading, the 4 Cs (carat, color, cut, and clarity), operation of cutting and faceting equipment, valuations, and diamond industry terminology. Certificates are awarded when students can successfully shape and facet diamonds into a particular cut and can demonstrate basic skills in repairing damaged diamonds.
Seek professional opportunities to further your skills and earn a living. Certified graduates can pursue a number of career opportunities, including wholesale and retail sales, rough-Gemstone brokering, consulting, manufacture production, and self-employment as a diamond cutter, consultant, or broker.
Diamond Cutting is a specialized art and therefore limited to a few cities in the world.
Furthermore a few of the countries that produce diamonds have to export them for processing.
At the same time, Antwerp is the world’s diamond center for diamond rough.
Finally, the Antwerp diamond quarter has weathered revolutions, wars, occupations, and, more recently, growing competition from diamond centers in emerging countries.