A diamond remains in the sawn/cleaved/bruted category as long as it has not received faceting — the grinding of flat, angled faces that create the polished gem. Once faceting begins, the stone moves into the heading for cut and polished diamonds. Importers dealing in partially processed stones should obtain written confirmation from the cutter specifying which operations have been performed, as the classification boundary directly affects the applicable duty rate.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme applies to all rough diamonds — both gem-quality and industrial — so the sorted, non-industrial designation here does not exempt a shipment from KP certificate requirements. Every parcel of sawn, cleaved, or bruted gem diamonds must still be accompanied by a valid KP Certificate and presented in a sealed, tamper-resistant container at the US port of entry.