For nearly a century, the banks of the Creuse River in Felletin have resounded with the sound of diamond saws. A diamond industry that has been almost forgotten, it has provided a living for many generations of families. The Felletin Diamond Cooperative is one of the last examples of this tradition.
The banks of the Creuse: an ideal location
The banks of the Creuse in Felletin have long been home to tapestry and carpet-making workshops. However, these industries declined at the end of the 19th century and a new one emerged: diamonds. The common factor in these industries is the need for water provided by the river. In the case of diamonds, water is the force that powers the machines needed to cut these precious stones.
Extérieur de la diamanterieFondation du patrimoine
It all began in 1889–90, when Edouard Willingstorfer and Blaise Vennat, who already worked in the diamond industry, established the first diamond-cutting workshop in Felletin.
The business grew rapidly, and three years later, Willingstorfer moved to the Combaudon mill at the Roby bridge—the site we can see today.
The beginning of La Felletinoise
In 1906, workers who trained at the original two workshops decided to create a workers' cooperative to negotiate directly with diamond firms in Paris, Antwerp, Saint-Cloud, and elsewhere. This was the start of the cooperative called La Felletinoise. They bought the Combaudon Mill in 1912 and established a modern workshop with 52 machines or workstations.
Courrier à en-tête La FelletinoiseFondation du patrimoine
Every decision about the cooperative was made by the general assembly, as shown in this document recording the incorporation of two new auxiliary workshops.
In return for this incorporation, the diamond workers agreed not to establish new workshops later in Felletin.
Bureau de la diamanterieFondation du patrimoine
Decisions about the cooperative were made in this office, adjacent to the workroom.
Atelier de taille de la diamanterieFondation du patrimoine
In Felletin, this prestigious activity of natural diamond cutting reached its peak in the 1930s. The town had more than 100 cutters at that time.
But production declined starting in the 1950s, as a result of competition from other countries such as Israel and India. The synthetic diamond cutting industry took over and the cooperative was completely shut down in 1982.
Preserving the memory of a tradition
Since the disappearance of diamond cutting in Felletin, the Felletin Patrimoine Environnement (Felletin Environment Heritage) association has preserved the last remaining evidence of the La Felletinoise cooperative on the site. It enables the public to learn about different cutting techniques and workers' lives. Today, the site needs restoration. The Fondation du patrimoine (French Heritage Foundation) supports this project, which was selected by the Mission Bern (Stéphane Bern Mission) in 2020.
Roue qui actionne la turbineFondation du patrimoine
Water power was the diamond factory's engine long before electricity arrived.
La turbine permettant d'actionner les instruments de tailleFondation du patrimoine
The water wheel turns this turbine, which powers a belt.
Atelier de taille de la diamanterieFondation du patrimoine
The belt turns a mechanical shaft that powers each workstation's tools.
The diamond discs must turn at a speed of 4,500 to 6,000 revolutions per minute.
Steps in diamond cutting
The cutters divide diamonds into smaller pieces with the help of a small hammer, following the stone's cracks; metal blades are then inserted into these cracks.
Les postes de taille de diamantsFondation du patrimoine
The sawyer then saws the diamond using bronze discs coated with diamond powder.
Finally, the grinder shapes the diamond. It is often given a round brilliant shape, which has 32 facets on the top and 4 on the bottom of the stone
Matériel de taille de diamantsFondation du patrimoine
Because diamonds can only be cut with other diamonds, cutters crush stones that are unsuitable for cutting into very fine powder.
This powder is mixed with oil and spread out over the turntable.
Matériel de taille de diamantsFondation du patrimoine
The cut diamonds are set into channels—semi-spheres filled with lead—into which diamonds are set.
Cutting times can be longer or shorter depending on the stone. It can take up to a full day to cut a diamond with many nodes.
Diamond cutting apprenticeships last between three and five years, in order to give apprentices enough time to acquire all these skills.
Rencontre avec Constance Faucher - La diamanterie de FelletinFondation du patrimoine
Constance Faucher, from the Felletin Patrimoine Environnement association, presents La Felletinoise's history and the challenges of restoring the site in this video.
Our thanks to Constance Faucher from the Felletin Heritage association for her invaluable help in producing this content.
To support the La Felletinoise mill restoration, click this link : https://soutenir.fondation-patrimoine.org/projects/diamanterie-de-felletin-fr
