Lapidary pics

[Eu_citzen]

Though it might be fun for those who do any kind of lapidary to post pics during cutting/polishing and even pics of it when its done.

Here is a Nigerian Tourmaline (Dark C) I'm cutting..

Before Pic.. Note I sawed trough a fracture (thunder like thingie to the right in the crystal) to minimize inclusions and ended up with 2 pieces, one larger and one smaller. The smaller I'm saving for later.

Here is the larger one..
Everything is roughed in and ready to pre-polish.

Here is some past projects:
A Namaga Garnet, Africa. Approx 5 mm round in my own design.

 

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[EricTheCat]

These are some very nice pieces. Thanks for sharing!

 

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[Eu_citzen]

No problem!

Turns out the sapphire is indeed a synthetic.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Latest project.. CS garnet in a modified "simple heart" by Jeff Graham.

 

[coinshooter]

Natural rock formation

 

[coinshooter]

Here's three of my favorites

 

[mamabear]

nice work Eu. I always thought opal to soft to facet. it's beautiful. that piece of tourmaline is amazing. I would leave as is with just a cap for a necklace. I love the depth of color.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Coinshooter, love the cabbs! Self collected rough?

MB,
Thanks!
Nah, I see some custom faceters facet opal routinely.

 

[TheRockCollector]

Amazing EU! Love the sapphire!

 

[Eu_citzen]

Wow, you found an old thread I forgot about! LOL

But since its back from the dead I might just as well post some new pics..

Self collected quartz, one of the few from my area that where facetable.
I left the facets on the back side (pavilion) of the stone unpolished (frosted) as to hide some inclusions.
Keep in mind this is magnified and it looks much better in person.

This is also my own design.

Artistic shot of a colour shifting garnet (purple to purplish-red) in my own design.
A test cut to see if anything needs changing.

 

[TheRockCollector]

Wow, you found an old thread I forgot about! LOL

But since its back from the dead I might just as well post some new pics..

Self collected quartz, one of the few from my area that where facetable.
I left the facets on the back side (pavilion) of the stone unpolished (frosted) as to hide some inclusions.
Keep in mind this is magnified and it looks much better in person.

This is also my own design.

Artistic shot of a colour shifting garnet (purple to purplish-red) in my own design.
A test cut to see if anything needs changing.

Do you really make all this yourself! Brings back childhood memories of when only the Kings and Queens would have gems like this! lol Is it hard to make these?

 

[Eu_citzen]

Hahah yes I do! Its not hard as per say, just takes a lot of time.
I can spend up to 3 days on one. Getting quicker as I'm gaining experience, started some 7 months ago.

 

[TheRockCollector]

Hahah yes I do! Its not hard as per say, just takes a lot of time.
I can spend up to 3 days on one. Getting quicker as I'm gaining experience, started some 7 months ago.

What are the materials you need,thinking about starting.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Let me get back to you later about that, but you should be warned its pretty expensive at first.

 

[TheRockCollector]

Let me get back to you later about that, but you should be warned its pretty expensive at first.

Wow I love the Opal! So nice.

 

[Eu_citzen]

What are the materials you need,thinking about starting.

So, what do you need to start?

• Faceting machine
• Dop sticks with Jig/transfer station (dopsticks to attach the rough onto)
• Laps (to do grinding, pre-forming, pre-polishing and polishing etc)
• Loupe 10x triplet (corrected and achromatic is highly recommended, aka high end)
• Some kind of dopping cement (i.e. dopwax or cyanoacrylate)
• Acetone to remove stone from dopstick
• Good lamp, if it does not come with the machine.
• Some rough to start practising (I suggest garnets or quartz)
• Polishing compound

I also recommend having a nice thin bladed rock saw to saw off sections of the rough if they are i.e. included.

Maybe a "how to" thread might be appropriate?
I just got some good chunks of aquamarine that needs sawing so I could show the whole process if I remember.

 

[TheRockCollector]

So, what do you need to start?

• Faceting machine
• Dop sticks with Jig/transfer station (dopsticks to attach the rough onto)
• Laps (to do grinding, pre-forming, pre-polishing and polishing etc)
• Loupe 10x triplet (corrected and achromatic is highly recommended, aka high end)
• Some kind of dopping cement (i.e. dopwax or cyanoacrylate)
• Acetone to remove stone from dopstick
• Good lamp, if it does not come with the machine.
• Some rough to start practising (I suggest garnets or quartz)
• Polishing compound

I also recommend having a nice thin bladed rock saw to saw off sections of the rough if they are i.e. included.

Maybe a "how to" thread might be appropriate?
I just got some good chunks of aquamarine that needs sawing so I could show the whole process if I remember.

Thanks!

 

[Eu_citzen]

I'm slowly working on the "how to" pictures, started yesterday, a few more days and I'll have it together!

 

[Eu_citzen]

Since the tourmaline in the first page developed cracks I later re-cut it..
Here it is in a new cut:

Keep in mind it is magnified a lot and does look HEAPS better to the naked eye.

Amethyst in a Portuguese cut/design. 161-ish facets.

Another free-form opal from Ethiopia.

Anybody have an apatite? I do!
It has unpolished ("frosted") facets, the colour reminds me of cold nights above the polar circle.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Indicolite in a buff top, meaning the top part (crown) is cabbed.
The bottom of the stone is faceted, was just a test, will for the next one have to do some modifications.

 

[centfladigger]

this is a small batch of opal I bought from a jeweler friend, I figured if I liked boulder opal I wouldlove this stuff. I bought the mid grade he had and the first 4 pieces I worked trying to cab all cracked. I guess either the heat from too much wheel contact got them or they rehydrated and broke. I had 1 last piece and I worked it very slowly for a few hours, very little water etc. After I cleaned the cortex and could really see into it I knew I wasnt cabbing this one anymore.
I took it back to him and had him facet it for me and it turned I out I got the better deal on him. lol He didnt think this big chunk was any good , he thought a sand pit rand through it, it didt.
I ended up with a 6.5 carat opal . I/we turned a #150 pile of rocks into a $5000 ring