Policy on cutting gems to order in a custom size or shape

Custom cut gems for jewellery making and gemstones cutting is known as commissioning a gem to be cut.

Gem cutters and trade professionals alike as well as retail customers may all have a gem customised to their requirements. You don't need to know a lot about gemstones or gem cutting because Iris Gems will work with you to find the perfect custom cut gems for jewellery making that is perfect for your needs.

Gemstones are a gift of nature and in itself is magical. The truth of their potential however lies in the touch of man, the cutting that releases the stone from the inner fire and creates a hypocritical sparkling that makes a gem so attractive to the human eye.

 

Raw Gemstones 

The entire process starts with raw gemstones. Gemstones come in various shapes and shapes. Many are still in their "crystal habit" (a particular gem mineral develops in its natural state), but others have been broken by the mining process or have twisted and developed naturally as a result of the stone's formation. Still, others are alluvial and have the appearance of pebbles worn by water.

Less rare gems are often custom cut gems for jewellery making in quantities and smaller sizes as standard calibrations. A priority when making these cuts is a uniform size, as an 8 x 6 oval would be an appropriate example. However, with fine, rare gemstones, the rough shape generally dictates the finished piece's eventual shape, rather than any reference to a common size. This is because fine gemstones are very rare and expensive and a cutter tries to maximise its yield from a rough piece to reduce weight loss – weight is money.

 

Planning

This is an extremely critical step. In order to avoid creating unnecessary inclusions in the custom cut gems for jewellery making, the cutter will focus on considering the shape of the rough and any existing inclusions within it. He will have to decide where the table will sit and where the pavilion will be after he determines the “lie of the land.” Color banding and zoning can affect the orientation of the table as well as the actual shape of the object.

Once the cutter has done a full examination of the gemstones, he will begin to polish it. It will be sliced using a special machine if a piece calls for it. All other areas, aside from the area being scanned, are ground away using a special lap.

 

Sculpting 

Next is the sculpting process. Grinding the custom cut gems for jewellery making using a spinning wheel and a handheld stone grinder is called “freehand.” This will begin to form the initial outline of the cut.

 

Once the shaped gemstones have been connected to a rod called a dop, the process is finished. A separate application of special dipping wax is used for this. When the dropped rod is then connected to a handheld ficheter, the dopped tool is ready for measurement.

 

Faceting

The real magic happens here. On the rough shaped table and pavilion, hundreds of small faces, called facets, are affixed. This is a high-level talent that takes years to learn and is very specific in its execution. Skilled master cutters are an uncommon breed.

 A faceting lap has replaced the previous grinding lap, making the machine more precise. The facets are positioned at ultra-precise angles on the custom cut gems for jewellery making. This is truly incredible, given how complex the timing and manoeuvring is.

With the handheld faceter, the cutter locates each facet on the crown and pavilion separately, starting with the Height, Angle, and Index triangle. The depth that each facet will cut will be determined by the height of the part, and the angle of the facet and the plane on which it is cut will control the plane on which the facets are cut. The position of the facets will be controlled by the index.

These elements were designed to serve as a lens and reflector, or as a crown and pavilion. The light is collected and concentrated, then refracted in order to shine back on the eye. The crown facets form the lens, focusing all light rays on the pavilion, which acts as a reflector. Light is bounced around inside the stone, going from the crown to the pavilion, to the crown, and then finally to the eye.

 

 Polishing

This is the end of the process. Even finer than the faceting lap, the polishing lap will be used on custom cut gems for jewellery making. It is also extremely finely powdered with finely ground diamonds or other gemstones. After each facet has been individually polished to a high sheen, the stone gives off a lustrous sheen.

The cutter will use intuition and skill to successfully complete each step resulting in symmetrical, sparkling, beautiful results on the custom cut gems for jewellery making. An accomplished cutter has gained a lot of respect in the trade for being able to see how rough gemstones can be transformed into something of great beauty while simultaneously taking into consideration a host of various factors and challenges. 

The beauty of gemstones can be mesmerising in pieces of jewellery. Often, the skill and extreme risk involved in custom cut gems for jewellery making go unnoticed.

Rare gemstones or custom cut gems for jewellery making such as Tanzanite may indeed be a risky business. For the gem cutter, so many things can go wrong. There must be a rough piece of lumber at the beginning of the process, which then goes on to turn it into something exceptional. The first step in crafting is to review the rough to see which parts of it can be cut and to identify which shape is best for the cut. 

Iris Gems is a Toronto based business specialising in various types of gemstones and custom cut gems for jewellery making.