Car care glossary
What are diamond-cut wheels?
Wheels whose face is machined bright on a lathe and then protected with clear coat. The fine machining grooves create the typical shine. This surface cannot be reproduced with an aerosol can and sandpaper.
For diamond-cut wheels, the painted wheel is clamped in a lathe and its face is machined bright. This creates a shiny metallic surface with fine, even machining grooves, often contrasting with painted areas between the spokes. A layer of clear coat on top keeps the bare aluminium from corroding.
That is why cleaning works the same as for painted wheels: you are cleaning the clear coat. If it is damaged, for example by kerb damage, moisture can get under the paint.
The bright surface can only be restored by machining the wheel again – it cannot be reproduced with an aerosol can and sandpaper, and powder coating does not replace it either. A diamond-cut wheel with damage to its face is therefore a job for a specialist.