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What follows is a sample of the presentations given by a variety
of diamond industry leaders, scientists, technologists and manufacturers.
The conference was attended by HRD, AGS, IGI
and EGL USA underlining the economic value of this conference
for everyone in the diamond industry.
If
you are looking to improve your profits then this publication
is a smart investment.
- Learn
why industry leaders are so focused on diamond CUT quality.
- Discover
the most recent insights into this complex issue.
- See
the latest research results and findings.
- Can
you improve your profits through CUT?
Purchase
a complete Diamond Conference at the Ideal-Scope shop
- look for the IDCC logo and use our secure shopping cart facility.
Best
regards,
Garry I. Holloway "Cut Nut" |
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EXCERPTS
FROM THE IDCC 2004
TRANSCRIPT
PUBLICATION
IDCC
2004 Moscow 23 - 26 April, Proceedings (selected passages from):
Diamond
Report - Technical or Descriptive
by Gabi Tolkowsky
 The end Consumer:
What are the major elements which make people make the decision
to acquire a diamond?
. . . The internet and the (range of) multiple (diamond) publications
have resulted in our professional language on diamond grading
reports spilling into common knowledge. Now the general public
attempts to use this technical and specialized language and
knowledge. Is this appropriate for consumers? Will it result
in them being as attracted to diamonds for their inherent beauty
and symbolism? Or should we keep our professional language to
ourselves and adapt other language that is itself more descriptive
for the senses such as "Rarity", "Beauty",
"Dream", "Emotion", "Craftsmanship",
"Art", etc? . . .
New
Cut Grading Systems - The Technology Provider's Challenge
by Udi Lederer, Sarin Technologies, Israel.
 This article addresses
the challenges facing technology providers as the gem labs roll
out their new cut grading systems. I shall divide the article
into five parts, as follows: a short description of the role technology
providers play in the diamond pipeline; the effects new cut grading
systems will have on technology for diamonds; a discussion on
two alternative approaches to adapting existing technology to
the new cut grading system; a spotlight on the role of geometry
measurements; and finally, a summation and a few recommendations.
Cutting
for Certificates or cutting the profit - A Case Study
by Janak A. Mistry, DGA - Lexus SoftMac, India
 ~
A well known manufacturer and DTC sightholder processes around
6,000 stones on 14 rough planning machines, 24 hours a day.
The average predicted recovery judged by rough planning scanners
when using AGS 0 parameters is 39%.
A sample test was done on 100 randomly selected stones. The
parameters were optimized to gain better visual performance
using DiamCalc and Ideal-Scope and the allocation recovery suggested
by scanners was 41.4%
This is an average rise in recovery of 1.7% and additional annual
profit is US$ 2,264,000 more than if the stones are planned
to achieve AGS 0 proportions.
The diamonds look better.
What part should grading laboratories play?
It is important that the laboratories, which play a guiding
role controlling the manufacturers, publish more scientific
based data, which can be used by allocation scanners to produce
optimal results fro both beauty and yield. This will lead to
a win-win situation, both for the end consumer as well as the
manufacturers.
The
Stages of Development and Implementation of a Diamond Cut Grading
System
by Sergey Sivovolenko (OctoNus), Yuri Shelementiev PhD (MSU Gemological
Center), Moscow, Russia
 The problem. There
is widespread agreement that the diamond industry has a need for
a widely accepted and reliable cut grading system. Continual improvement
of luxury goods that compete with diamonds has led to a growth
in their share of consumers dollars. An advanced, but easily communicated,
grading system will give the diamond industry a much needed impetus,
but not only by way of creating better consumer confidence. The
industry will gain more freedom in diamond cutting and this can
lead to the creation of more beautiful diamonds and better profits.
Developing such a system, that is acceptable and beneficial to
all parties, is a complex task involving the optics of the stone
as well as human taste and physiology. The implementation of such
systems will require new approaches, technology and devices, as
well as good communication and throughout all sectors of the industry.
Selling
Revolution
by Maarten de Witte, G.G., C.G. Hearts On Fire, USA
 All of us are
certainly engaged in important work. Our greatest challenge
is to communicate our sense of discovery, transformation and
excitement with descriptive terms that both elevate and fulfill
our customers' emotional desires and needs. Some call this selling,
some call it marketing, some call it branding… no matter.
In the end it is all about the customer!!! But who is the customer?
To some of you it is the retailer. To all of us it is the "final
consumer". Without them we have nothing - our hard work
is all for naught.
Diamond
Cut Grading System based on 3D model - A Strategy for Development
by Sergey Sivovolenko (OctoNus) and Yuri Shelementiev PhD (MSU
Gemological Center), Moscow, Russia.
The words we use:
We all agree that the Diamond Industry needs constant growth and
development, but are some of the key marketing concepts we use
still useful?
"A Diamond is Forever" does it lead to commoditization:
"A Diamond is a Diamond"
We all say (including Labs) "the round brilliant is best"
"Ideal Cut" implies that everything else is less than
"ideal"
The global consequences of using such concepts contribute to the
commoditization of diamonds. If value adding decreases, there
is an increasing risk of instability. We would like to propose
a way to develop a solution for the cut part of this problem by
designing a system that gives equal rights of cut evaluation for
all cuts. We believe this would be a useful tool that will
lead to effective diversification. Our discussion will also
consider grading systems used in other industries. Three different
cut grading approaches: 1) Parametrical; 2) Direct light measurements;
3) 3D diamond model.
Assumptions
and Aspects of the Forthcoming AGS Cut Grading System
by Peter Yantzer (AGS), James Caudil (AGS), Jose Sasian (University
of Arizona), USA.
 The new AGS System
will take into account the following factors: an observer, a
close viewing distance, obscuration, contrast, appearance as
distance varies, brilliance, fire, leakage, scintillation, 'spread',
tilt, girdle thickness, length to width ratio, polish, symmetry,
durability and taste.
"An Ideal Cut Diamond performs better than other similarly
cut diamonds over the broadest range of usually encountered
lighting and observer conditions."
Diamond
Cut Grading - Slope Proportions
by Bruce L. Harding, E. Brookfield, Mass., USA
 Slope Proportion Standards:
It is now generally understood that there is no one 'best' combination
of pavilion and facet slopes; there are many excellent proportions
and 'best' depends on preference. (Mr Harding continues to describe
the convergence of work explaining the best range of proportions
according to MSU, GIA, Garry Holloway, Tolkowsky and compared
to AGS existing grading system.) |
