Abstract: An apparatus for automated polishing of an object with multiple facets includes a polishing wheel, a robotic arm, a sensor and a controller. The robotic arm positions the object in contact with the polishing wheel. The sensor senses a polishing related parameter during polishing of the object with the polishing wheel. The controller operates the robotic arm to rotate the object about an axis perpendicular to the polishing wheel, receives a sensing signal from said sensor at different orientations of said object during polishing and selects a polishing orientation from the different orientations based on said sensing signal.

Abstract: An automated gem polishing system comprising a computer-controlled polishing wheel; 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 the steps of registering and polishing a gem in the gem holder.