Gold standard cut

170.5 percent export growth rate for half a year: modernisation of the country’s only diamond processing enterprise opened up new prospects

Gomel MA Kristall JSC, the managing company of the KRISTALL-HOLDING, is completing the largest modernisation in its 50-year history — the enterprise successfully competes with global diamond manufacturers thanks to new equipment and the introduction of modern cutting technologies. Investments in the amount of more than Br16 millions of credit resources of the Development Bank, investment fund and own funds gave it a new impetus for development. Now the final stage of technical re-equipment of the diamond processing and jewellery production is underway, which will finish in 2024.

57 facets of a diamond

In Belarus, there are no more jewellery factories that would be engaged not only in the production of products from precious metals, but also in the cutting of diamonds. On the day when we came to the enterprise, five machines for laser processing of these precious minerals were just brought here. Commissioning works are carried out by specialists from the manufacturing country — India. 
“The new equipment will make it possible to completely change the technology of diamond processing — machines automate the processes of sawing and cutting stones. Three of the five machines can perform four operations in a row, processing in turn the platform, top, bottom and girdle [a belt around the perimeter of the largest section of a diamond, dividing it into the lower — pavilion, base and upper — crown — parts] of a diamond. The specialist will only have to apply 57 facets to the stone,” Deputy General Director Igor Panfilov said.


By the way, it is this amount that is considered the gold standard for cutting a stone, which is called diamond.
The remaining two machines will be used for sawing diamonds.
“The modernisation of our production as part of an investment project began in 2015 — the last stage will be completed in 2024. The goal was compact placement of all industries on a single industrial site, reconstruction of buildings, replacement of existing and laying of new engineering networks and communications, technical re-equipment of production, creation of favourable working conditions. The equipment is purchased from leading manufacturers of the jewellery industry in Germany, Italy, China, and India,” Igor Panfilov lists.
The investment project envisaged not only a change in approaches to stone processing, but also the release of new types of products. So, in the fall of 2022, Kristall began production of measured ingots from 1 to 100 grams — a separate section is being created for this. Customers of gold bars are the Finance Ministry and the National Bank.
Jewellery accounts for 75 percent of the total output, while the remaining 25 percent is rough diamond processing and polished diamond production. Every year, Kristall processes about 250 kilogrammes of gold and produces about 10,000 carats of diamonds. Every year, about 300 new models are developed and introduced into jewellery production.
If all the gold is sold on the domestic market, then about 80 percent of diamond products are exported — they are mainly supplied to the Russian Federation, Armenia, India, and the United Arab Emirates. In general, for the first half of the year, exports of goods amounted to approximately $26 million 400 thousand, the growth rate compared to the same period in 2022 is 170.5 percent.

Dynasties of gem cutters

The specialists of the plant are unique, because it takes at least two years to master the skill of a cutter in depth. In total, Kristall employs more than 450 people, in general, the holding has twice as many.
We’re in the diamond cutting area. If someone thinks that a diamond is immediately processed on a machine, then this is not so. First, the stone is scanned and a three-dimensional 3D model is created in a computer programme, then it is decided how it will be processed — using a diamond-coated copper disk or a laser. Next, the workpiece is marked, sawn, peeled off with a diamond blade.


“Everything must be done clearly — if the peeling of the stone is done incorrectly, then there is no turning back, you can’t assemble anything back and you can’t glue it. Diamond is carbon, it can become both an expensive diamond and graphite soot. A professional should work on each technological operation — if the peeler makes a mistake with the diameter, the mass of the diamond and, accordingly, its cost will be lower,” Igor Rabus, Head of Diamond Production explains.
Aleksandr Shvaylikov has been working as a diamond peeler for more than 30 years, over the years he has repeatedly become the best in the profession according to the results of industry competitions.. He processes up to 100 diamonds per shift.
“The most important thing in my work is perseverance, a serious attitude to my work and the presence of three-dimensional thinking. You look at the pebble, and you already understand where the girdle should go, and at what angles the top and bottom of the diamond should be,” the specialist lists the professional qualities.

The price of a stone is affected by five parameters: weight, colour, clarity, shape and cut quality. Look at the shape of the diamond to determine the cut of the stone. If it is oval, then it is unprofitable to make one round diamond from it — there will be big losses. In this case, two round or one oblong will be made from the crystal. 

I have just such an oblong diamond in my hand — the cost of a crystal is about one and a half thousand dollars. By the way, the most expensive earrings with large diamonds and a scattering of small diamonds in the company’s store cost about Br56,000.
Sellers say that there are buyers for such products.
In recent years, Kristall has been actively developing industrial tourism. Excursions at the enterprise take place literally every week: families, schoolchildren, students, future business partners come. Moreover, these are people not only from the Gomel Region, but also from other regions of Belarus, as well as abroad.
“This is also a great career guidance work. Our production is not easy, it takes a lot of practice to learn how to cut diamonds, but people who come here fall in love with this work and stay for decades,” Igor Panfilov is sure.


And we immediately find confirmation of these words. Yegor Kolesnikov is a diamond cutter, his grandfather, grandmother, father and uncle dedicated many years to this work at Kristall. A young specialist got a job here a year and a half ago.
“Since childhood, I heard how my parents talked about their work, about cutting stones — and I also wanted to turn nondescript stones into works of art. At the beginning of the shift, I receive rough diamonds that I need to face. So far, I’m working slowly, but this is not the kind of work where you need to rush. Indeed, cutting is not an easy task, it requires a lot of skill, but I really like everything, I will be happy to improve my profession further,” Yegor Kolesnikov recalls.
The size of diamonds is from millimetre to centimetre. The most popular assortment is from two to five millimetres, it makes up to 80 percent of the products. Each employee working with diamonds receives blanks for signature. Maximum attentiveness and sharp vision in such work is a priority. One specialist needs a month to cut millimetre-sized diamonds with a total weight of two carats.
“Raw materials are purchased from reliable Russian suppliers, they are highly priced, so the higher the skill of specialists and the more modern cutting technologies, the more tangible the profit,” Igor Rabus sums up.


  By Marina Severyanova

Photos by Ivan Yarivanovich, kristall.by