Latest cuts

[Eu_citzen]

A dark-red Namanga garnet at 2.99 cts. Excuse the dirty stone.



And a little 1.9 cts emerald is up for a recut, just a teaser, its quite light in colour but very clean for being emerald.
It's just roughed in on this pic, by the way. I'll get a before-after set of pics for fun.

 

[BurntBear]

Stunning as always! Love that Garnet! Can't wait to see the Emerald!

 

[Eu_citzen]

Thanks Luke!

 

[DDancer]

Cant tell but the garnet appears to be stratified *?* nice piece though. Are you shoe stringing the emerald?

 

[Eu_citzen]

DD, the "stratified" look is an optical illusion due to the cut.

Nah, not shoe stringing. It is set on a handpiece of a raytech shaw (faceting) machine.

I can't go by the common means of choosing a cut. I have to make one up as I go. That's what the paper is for, writing down angles and indexes.
The colours are references for angles, so I knew what original angles was used and how low I had to go to get any reflection but still save weight.

 

[DDancer]

Neat cut then, must be an eye opener under sunlight.

I don't know a lot about cutting but I am curious if you have a means to identify the refractive plane and do you consider your cuts relative to that?

 

[Eu_citzen]

I'd not say an eye opener, but pretty cool. It is very dark in colour.

You mean optic axes? I don't worry to much about that unless it results in ugly colour-blending.
If I have crystals, yes I can tell where the optic axis are on some minerals I know inside-out. Otherwise it can be identified with a polariscope where the optic axis is.