Automated diamond polishing methods and systems

An automated gem polishing system comprising:

• a computer-controlled polishing wheel;
• a robotic apparatus, comprising multiple axis controllers and a gem holder;
• a digital microscope;
• and
• a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions that when executed by the processor implement steps of registering and polishing a gem in the gem holder by:
• operating the robotic apparatus to move the gem to a field of view (FOV) of the digital microscope, to position the gem in multiple views with respect to the digital microscope, and to receive from the digital microscope multiple respective images of the gem;
• generating from the multiple respective images a current 3D model of the gem;
• registering coordinates of the current 3D model with a target 3D model of a finished gem;
• selecting a current facet of the gem to polish in order to achieve the target 3D model;
• determining an optimal polishing direction of the current facet;
• and
• operating the robotic apparatus to move the current facet into contact with the polishing wheel, and operating the polishing wheel to polish the current facet, in the optimal polishing direction;
• wherein the gem has a crystal structure defined by three orthogonal crystallographic axes, wherein said optimal polishing direction is one of said three crystallographic axes or a projection thereof onto said current facet, and wherein said robotic apparatus is configured to rotate said current facet on the polishing wheel into said optimal polishing direction.