The stoning is what gives the precious gems its beauty and brilliance. An ideally cut stone, which reflects all the light evenly, without any darkness or transparency, is always more interesting. In faceted stones, specific indices and critical angles are characteristics that produce maximum gem brilliance.
The proportions and angulations for the diamonds are well known, because a diamond preferably proportional is always more desirable. However, when we try to colored stones, the story is different.
The degree of purity varies greatly according to the type of stone, as well as its shapes - rounded, angular, tabular, elongated or flattened. The degree of purity of a stone affects its brightness and consequently its color. And because color is the most important factor affecting its value, it must be carefully considered in any type of cutting decision.
Modern faceting equipment makes the task of grinding a colored stone in ideal proportions and with the correct critical angles for easier work. However, for rarer stones such as the Paraíba tourmaline itself, artisanal work is always the most sought after, as it guarantees a better quality in the cutting process.
Dark stones cut to perfect proportions can increase in value because the stones always become lighter even though their size is reduced. On the other hand, luminous stones can easily lose their value when they are cut and reduced, because their color will become lighter. Robust and heavy stones, on the other hand, must be cut in cabochon – well polished and rounded, without faces.
Low-cost stones can always be cut, as the quality of the cut will add value to the stone. In the case of rare and high added value gems, the situation is completely different and the final weights and sizes of the stones are a critical part in their value.
native cut
Native cut is often a term used to describe poorly proportioned gemstones. The implication is that natives who live near the fountain are unable to cut stones properly. This may or may not be the case, as some of these stonecutters may have a lifetime of experience and be well aware of what they are doing.
The truth, deep down, is that the value of gemstones wholesale is based on its price per carat. These stonecutters sell wholesale to dealers and want to maximize weights for their market. They have no market for end consumers and therefore it would be pointless to cut a gem to ideal proportions and perfect angles as their customers do not pay the associated increase in price.
Perhaps a better description for this would be “first lapidation”, which can be considered a rough draft. And in the case of more expensive materials, these should be cut in this rougher way the first time in order to have a better idea of their color and clarity.
A good polish is the process from cutting a stone from its raw form to reaching the final product, and there may be a series of changes in the same process. Therefore, there is absolutely no advantage to grinding a stone to perfection on the first try.
After that, the finished stones can be sorted again for further cutting or sizing. There is no other way to control the large-scale production of gemstones or even relatively valuable ones.
For wholesalers and manufacturers of gemstones, a balance between weight and ideal proportions is the best solution. Some people want a large flat stone that will look huge in the ring but cost less, while other customers prefer a small stone for the same price but with perfect proportions and angles.
like most gemstones have inclusions to some degree, there is no easy and simple rule for every stone. Many successful wholesalers they prefer to offer stones in an almost finished stage so they still have the option to cut, re-polish, refurbish or calibrate for their intended market. Once the stone is cut and reduced in size, it can never be resized again as there is no undo button.
With the first step, large and valuable stones such as sapphires, rubies and emeralds are always polished considering the weight. In minuscule sizes, these stones can be cut to precision because the rough is less valuable. However, as stone sizes and weights increase, assessments become primarily linked to their weight, heart and clarity.
Elegant and precise cutting
Lapping can do a good job of maximizing the shine. Some of the styles are creative, but most are just variations on familiar patterns. Although there are some exceptions, lapping is a practice used primarily for gemstones less expensive in order to add value.
When sellers mention words like “different design” or “precise cut” to describe their product, it adds a lot of interest, but this cut is rarely applied to valuable materials because conventional shapes are the most accepted.
A cutting with a differentiated design in soft stones such as amethyst, citrine, quartz crystal, or in common stones, such as topaz, do not add any resale value to them.
Today, customers can choose between perfectly cut small stones or larger stones, or even a much larger stone for the same price. When asked, many customers prefer the stones smaller and perfectly cut, but when buying, most opt for the larger stones that cost the same price.
stone colored stones it's an art. Computer programs can analyze a diamond in the rough and offer the best possible guidance and yield. However, in the faceting of colored stones the complication comes in several other ways.
Because of colors, pleochroism and orientation, the rules for a Diamond will not work for the other stones, and the perfect cut is simply uneconomical for many of the most valuable colored stones, because its final dimension is as important as the cut.
Cutting is the only parameter of gemstones which is fixed so that a less-than-perfect lapping isn't the end of the world, and it can still be easily corrected by an experienced lapper.
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This article is a translation of the original 'Why isn't every gemstone cut perfectly?'
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