Maker of sparkling beauty
Master Diamond polisher
Pieter Bombeke
Diamond cuts designed by Mr Bombeke, 2021.
Pieter Bombeke is a Master Diamond polisher, a rare breed at that.
For 50+ years, Mr Bombeke has been cutting and polishing diamonds, and designing diamond cuts, in the city of Antwerp. Revered by his colleagues and loved by the papers, he is a relentless craftsman who has witnessed diamond polishing in its most transformative decades.
By 2021, I’ve shot with him a few times already. For previous corporate projects, I’ve asked the usual technical questions about diamond cutting and polishing- facts and figures, risk factors, tools and trade related inquiries,… And as interesting as those statistics are to learn, that is not why I’m here this time.
This is the chance for me to learn how a maker remains committed and energized about their craft after all these years!
Where does the vigor for his craft find its fuel?
To which- I get the warm (and easy to miss) Mr Bombeke smile, a cup of lemon ginger tea and an almost 2 year-long photo reportage about the making of his Dreamcatcher cut.
Planning a diamond cut, 2021
Louping a new stone, 2021.
Like many diamond polishers from his time, I learn that Mr Bombeke began cutting diamonds as a teenager. After completing training at technical school, he was contracted at a polishing factory to cut diamonds for industrial purposes, mostly for the aviation sector.
By the early 80’s however, he decides to change pathways- to cut colored gemstones.
Around then, an industrial diamond came to me. I needed to cut it, but instead of only cutting it, I added facets. I brought out the personality of the stone. The client was surprised by this.
Later, another diamond came to me: reddish-brown with a black inclusion at the heart of it. I cut it in, a pentagon-shaped princess cut and called it ‘Generalissimo’, because it reminded me of the Pentagon with a black heart.
There were many stones like this…
It’s all about the creative thing. I’m not unique on that level. There are many people who do design in diamonds. Many times, it’s a modified brilliant cut because that’s the industry standard cut and many clients seem to want that…
For me, it should have more personality than that.
Identifying the personality of a diamond, 2022.
That phrase comes up several times during our conversations.
So I try to understand- what makes a ‘personality’ of a diamond? Color, shine, imperfection, inclusions,…?
But it isn’t about one particular feature, Mr Bombeke tells me.
Instead, he tells me another client story- where a rough diamond was commissioned to be polished. After looking at the stone, Mr Bombeke proposed a cut that could render a great final look of the polished diamond, with a darker table view. However, it would respond to the way- light would travel through the elements inside the stone, giving the stone an unimitable table view.
While popular industry standard remains the brilliant cut diamond or a modified version of it, the splendor of the popular seem rather dull to Mr Bombeke. When a client entrusts him with a commission, ‘brilliance’ isn’t enough. The diamond must exhibit more than that.
Planning a diamond cut, 2021
Like most specialist crafts, diamond polishing is a methodical and meticulous process. A slight lapse of attention of extra pressure, could damage the canvas irreversibly.
I’m told however, there is planned- a tiny room for error, where a polisher could likely compensate for slight over-cutting. This tiny room is Mr Bombeke’s design playfield-
To create forms, illusions, effects,…whilst collaborating with or at the least- retaining the original personality of his canvas, the diamond.
Preparing polishing wheel with diamond dust- based lubricant, 2021.
Louping, Pieter Bombeke, 2021
Let the polishing commence, Pieter Bombeke
Antwerp, 2021
Never loosing sight of the goal, 2021.
The (easy to miss) Bombeke’ smile, 2021.
Halfway through, 2021.
What caused the Dreamcatcher cut?
You know the original Dreamcatcher? It’s based on that… I saw its web with an idea of a turning wheel. I found a challenge to create that effect in a diamond.
What they did with wires, I did with mirrors/reflection.
The only jewel I wear, 2022.
Dreamcatcher in a brooch, 2022.
After all this time, what energizes you to continue polishing?
“Every stone is different. It’s about bringing out its personality. It’s the creative thing. Sometime, people will say “Wow! I didn’t think of that”. For me, that’s enough.”
Maker in his habitat, 2022.
As I pack my gear to leave, Mr Bombeke is already back at his polishing wheel preparing another diamond.
I leave to the sound I walked in, to.