A method of machining a diamond using laser machining, comprising the steps of: passing laser pulses within a burst pulse envelope from a laser source through a selected distributive focus lens focusing assembly to said diamond; adjusting the relative distance and or angle of said distributive focus lens focusing assembly in relation to said laser source focusing said laser pulses in a distributed focus configuration characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of: creating a principal focal waist and at least one secondary focal waist; adjusting said principal focal waist or position of said diamond, said diamond includes a surface, such that said principal focal waist resides below or above said diamond and the at least one secondary focal waist is in the diamond; adjusting said focus of said laser pulses such that a spot of laser fluence on said surface of said diamond is located below or above said principal focal waist, said spot of laser fluence on said surface of said diamond has a diameter; scanning, three-dimensionally, an image of said diamond before machining said diamond; inputting said image into a computer and analyzing said image to determine how to cut said diamond to minimize cutting waste; controlling, using said computer, said laser source operating at a repetition rate or first frequency defining the period of said laser source, and controlling, using said computer, said laser pulses within said burst pulse envelope which said burst pulse envelope has a time duration much less than said period of said laser source. applying at least one burst of laser pulses of a suitable wavelength, suitable burst pulse repetition rate and suitable burst pulse energy from said laser source to said diamond through said selected distributive focus lens focusing assembly, said pulse energy or fluence, applied to said diamond at said spot of laser fluence on said surface of said diamond, said total burst pulse energy or fluence applied to said diamond is greater than a critical energy level to initiate and propagate filamentation and photoacoustic compression machining, said filamentation includes a diameter; adjusting said diameter of said spot of laser fluence on said surface of said diamond to be larger than said diameter of filamentation formed in said transparent target material; adjusting a fluence level of said secondary focal waists such that said secondary waists are of sufficient intensity and number to ensure propagation of said photoacoustic compressive machining through a desired volume of said diamond; and, stopping said burst of laser pulses and filamentation when the desired machining has been completed. passing laser pulses within a burst pulse envelope from a laser source through a selected distributive focus lens focusing assembly to said diamond; adjusting the relative distance and or angle of said distributive focus lens focusing assembly in relation to said laser source focusing said laser pulses in a distributed focus configuration characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of: creating a principal focal waist and at least one secondary focal waist; adjusting said principal focal waist or position of said diamond, said diamond includes a surface, such that said principal focal waist resides below or above said diamond and the at least one secondary focal waist is in the diamond; adjusting said focus of said laser pulses such that a spot of laser fluence on said surface of said diamond is located below or above said principal focal waist, said spot of laser fluence on said surface of said diamond has a diameter; scanning, three-dimensionally, an image of said diamond before machining said diamond; inputting said image into a computer and analyzing said image to determine how to cut said diamond to minimize cutting waste; controlling, using said computer, said laser source operating at a repetition rate or first frequency defining the period of said laser source, and controlling, using said computer, said laser pulses within said burst pulse envelope which said burst pulse envelope has a time duration much less than said period of said laser source. applying at least one burst of laser pulses of a suitable wavelength, suitable burst pulse repetition rate and suitable burst pulse energy from said laser source to said diamond through said selected distributive focus lens focusing assembly, said pulse energy or fluence, applied to said diamond at said spot of laser fluence on said surface of said diamond, said total burst pulse energy or fluence applied to said diamond is greater than a critical energy level to initiate and propagate filamentation and photoacoustic compression machining, said filamentation includes a diameter; adjusting said diameter of said spot of laser fluence on said surface of said diamond to be larger than said diameter of filamentation formed in said transparent target material; adjusting a fluence level of said secondary focal waists such that said secondary waists are of sufficient intensity and number to ensure propagation of said photoacoustic compressive machining through a desired volume of said diamond; and, stopping said burst of laser pulses and filamentation when the desired machining has been completed.