MK Diamond Products is an American manufacturer of diamond-blade saws and related equipment, with a substantial position in both the construction-tile and the lapidary markets. Founded in the 1950s, the firm has been operating under the MK Diamond name from its base in Torrance, California. MK saws are widely used in lapidary workshops for cutting and shaping rough rock and slabs of gemstone material.

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The product range

MK Diamond produces a range of saws relevant to lapidary work. Trim saws — small benchtop units suitable for cutting cabochon rough and finishing slabs — are a standard hobbyist and professional lapidary tool. Slab saws — larger units capable of cutting full rough specimens into slabs for further work — are produced in several sizes from small bench units up to floor-standing machines suitable for production work. The company also produces tile saws and masonry saws for the construction trade, which are sometimes adapted for heavy lapidary use.

The diamond blades themselves are produced in a range of bond types and grits matched to the materials being cut. Sintered metal-bond blades are standard for hard materials including agate, jasper, and tougher cabochon material. Thinner, finer-kerf blades are produced for precision cutting of valuable rough where minimising the kerf loss is important.

Position in the lapidary trade

MK Diamond saws are mid-range professional equipment: better built and more reliable than entry-level hobbyist saws, but less specialised than the top-tier production machines used in industrial gemstone cutting facilities. The combination of robust construction, available parts, and reasonable pricing has made MK saws a standard choice for serious hobbyist lapidaries and small professional operations across the United States.

The brand competes with Lortone, Highland Park, Diamond Pacific, and other lapidary-equipment manufacturers in the same general segment. Brand preferences among lapidaries are often a matter of individual experience and supplier relationships; the basic mechanical design of the principal saw types is broadly similar across manufacturers.

In the trade

For lapidaries selecting equipment, MK Diamond saws are one solid option in the mid-range professional category. The company's long operating history, the availability of parts and consumables, and the dealer network provide the support infrastructure that matters over the working life of a piece of capital equipment. For Skyjems' lapidary applications, equipment from MK Diamond and from comparable manufacturers is part of the standard workshop inventory.

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Further reading

• MK Diamond Products — saws and lapidary equipment
• International Gem Society — lapidary equipment reference
• Ganoksin — lapidary saw selection and use