While casting stones in wax the stone got burnt. Can they be saved
by re-polishing the stones and would they regain their original
shine and value?
Dear K Desai, By burnt, it depends on the definition. If the surface
was damaged only then it may be possible to repolish the diamonds.
If you exceeded the temperatures that diamonds can stand in the
presence of a catalyst, for extended periods of time then the
diamonds are not just burnt, they are no longer diamonds. They are
in fact still carbon, but the structure of the carbon no longer has
all the characteristics of diamond and cannot be reversed. I believe
that it is the covalent bonds that change. Graphite has a similar
covalent structure to diamonds but only in layers, unlike diamonds in
which the covalent bonds are omnidirectional. When this happens,
the diamonds appear milky and no manner of polishing will help as
they have lost their refractive qualties. They are milky to the
core. If you have been lucky, yes I do mean lucky, and have only
damaged the surface, you may recoup some value by having them recut.
Make sure that the price per carat of the stone you are recutting is
greater than the price per carat of the polishing. I am really a
metal guy so someone please check me on this one. I am sure that
there is some gemologist out there that can coberate this or shoot me
down.
Best Regards,
J. Tyler Teague
JETT Research