Chain Lightning III - How to Cut a Diamond

None of this happened. It's all lies. The characters in this fictional tale are exactly that, fictional. In case you don't know that means it isn't true. This not-for-profit story is pure fiction. The author makes no money from it, and it is not true exept in said author's twisted little imagination. This is true of all chapters, meaning none of them are true and the author makes no money from any chapter.

How to Cut a Diamond

The Secret Kiss


The rough diamond is prepared, sawed and the stone is brutted (made round). First 4 then 8 main facets are placed on the pavilion and the crown, and then the diamond is given its second cut again to make sure it is as round as possible. (No diamond can be absolutely rounded because the rough material has a hard side and a soft side).

Because of diamond’s refractive index, the pavilion (bottom of the diamond that comes to a point) needs to be cut at an exacting angle. If there is some slight deviation from this angle, the diamond begins to leak light and this affects the light return.

The relationship between the crown and pavilion is very important.

We found a careful balance must be maintained between

1. Angles (balance between Crown and Pavilion)
2. Consistency of Heart pattern (super-symmetry also known as optical symmetry)
3. Symmetry (external meet point symmetry)
4. Excellent or Ideal polish with very good luster


An old woman and young girl stood before a jewelry store window admiring the beauty behind the glass. “Someday, sweet girl,” said the old woman, “Someday a boy will give you a ring like that. But you mustn’t accept it until you are sure.”

“Sure of what, Gran?” the young girl asked sincerely.

“That he has found something very special.” The old woman answered with a knowing nod of her wise old grey head.

“What? Gran, what must he find?” the girl tugged gently at her grandmother’s hand.

“A very special kiss.” answered the Grandmother.

“What kind of very special kiss? How will I know when he has found it?” the girl’s brows drew together in confusion.

“A secret kiss,” answered the grandmother. “You will know when he has found it, because you can feel yourself slip into Heaven for a little while. And every time he finds it again, you can slip into Heaven once more. Once he has found your secret kiss, you are his forever, and he shall be yours. Because he can never truly take a secret kiss until he has shown you his own secret kiss.”

“I don’t understand, Gran. It all sounds too complicated!”

“Yes, sweetheart, it is confusing. And I’m sorry to say all too many do not look hard enough for the secret kiss. It is like cutting a diamond. One must take great care to look for the best places to cut and to polish.”

With that, the pair walked on down the street. Near by, a pair of men had been quietly listening to the observation. One, the smaller and younger of the pair, laughed skeptically. “What a load of rubbish!” he chuckled.

The taller and older of the pair only regarded his smaller companion quietly. He said nothing, but only thought that he would like to take the time to find the right way to cut through that hard little stone inside the smaller man. When a diamond is cut, he reflected, one side of the cut is softer than the other. He meant to find that softer side. This would take time and effort. Not to be attempted by the less than bold, to be sure. And not to be trifled with unless one truly wants a gem that sparkles.

One thing he was sure of. He wanted that gem. That tough exterior may put others off, but Sean Bean was not a man to be put off by a challenge. In fact, anything but a challenge had become boring to him. He could have any number of lovers if he wanted them. He had begun to feel a kind of dullness in that regard. No, he wanted something harder, something more tricky to win. He wanted a diamond, and he wanted to cut it himself. And that was how he began to study that uncut diamond sitting beside him, laughing at what he thought was a lot of romantic nonsense.

Yes, Billy was like an uncut diamond, one that begged to be sawed and cut and polished. Sean wanted to be the one that made those cuts and polished those facets. That way the finished project would truly be a gem all his own…

He began to plan the sawing, the cutting, the polishing. He knew it would take a great deal of time and care. He first had to prepare the gem so that it would accept the cut. He had to find the places in the uncut stone that would let the cut separate the hard surface from the softer inner side of the cut. Sean began to plan finding those places in Billy that would accept the cut. It wouldn’t be easy. Billy was a lovely gentleman, it was true, but there was something about him that was tough and hard and cool. Like a stone. Like a stone that Sean meant to hold and turn until he found just the exact place, just the right time.

Then he would strike, flake away the hard exterior, facet by facet, making sure the diamond would not leak light and lose it’s sparkle. Yes, it would be a challenge like one he had not had in years…oh, but to hold that gem in his palm, to see the fire inside that would never ignite unless that stone was cut…

And Sean knew he had all the right tools to do it. The stone didn’t know what the cutter had planned.

But wasn’t that part of the pleasure?