A faceting machine is broadly defined as any device that allows the user to place and polish facet

Facet

Facets are flat faces on geometric shapes. The organization of naturally occurring facets was key to early developments in crystallography, since they reflect the underlying symmetry of the crystal structure...

s onto a mineral

Mineral

A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...

 specimen. Machines can range in sophistication from primitive jamb-peg machines to highly refined, and highly expensive, commercially available machines. A major division among machines is found between those that facet diamonds

Diamond (gemstone)

A diamond is one of the best-known and most sought-after gemstones...

 and those that do not. Specialized equipment is required for diamond faceting

Diamond cutting

Diamond cutting is the art, skill and, increasingly, science of changing a diamond from a rough stone into a faceted gem. Cutting diamond requires specialized knowledge, tools, equipment, and techniques because of its extreme difficulty....

, and faceting as an occupation rarely bridges the gap between diamond and non-diamond workmanship.