flameswithin
144125
4505
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Here the pavilion and girdle have been cut. The culet of the stone is encased in wax.
First facet!
Here, the first 8 of the 16 break facets have been cut in. It's easier to see and gauge whether the facets are all of equal size when doing 8 at a time.
Full 16 break facets cut in.
Starting to cut in the 8 main facets.
Main facets are done, here I'm cutting in the stars.
Slowly, carefully cutting in the table facet.
Almost there....
Perfect :)
Starting to go over everything again at 8,000 grit for prepolish.
Finished stone, polished to perfection, 60k diamond grit.
breit
Gems? Gems are truly outrageous. They are truly, truly, truly outrageous.
ThisIsNetsu
That's a really nice +60 int gem right there OP!
pontiacgirl75
@OP beautiful job (I clicked on the link for the finished one as well), it may be lab grown but it's just as gorgeous!
GothKirby
That's bloody gorgeous.
MarkPenrice
Oh ... oh no ... that's horrifying ... how could you do such a thing...
AintNoPartyLikeATimeLordParty
Not enough upvotes!
charliemckee418
it looks like the end portal :D
deepthought64
That's really beautiful! Nice work. I admire your precision. I would almost certainly have fucked up the second face :)
kirosharlequin
I like #7 the best, still looks like a star
InCaseOfStairsUseFire
That is stinkin' beautiful OP. Quite a skill you have!
ADizzyDragon
There looks like a lot of waste in the cuts. Care to explain the process OP?
cowsruleusall
OP has explanations scattered all over Reddit somewhere. There's inherently lots of waste in gemcutting, unfortunately.
BoJackHorseman
you should clean your nails OP
flameswithin
Hahahaha. I get this EVERY time I post a stone. What can I say, I work with my hands. They get chewed up in the process ;)
BoJackHorseman
Your work does look promising, I'll give you that.
Pr0xycast
Are there leftovers? If so, can you do anything with them that's worthwhile?
cowsruleusall
Nope, the leftovers are just powder. You can use a trim saw to salvage some pieces, but for lab sapphire it's not worth it.
edgarallanpost
From the thumbnail this looked like a butt plug
GABRG3
Beautiful OP, lucky client...
Itllb0k
This is brilliant, great photos!
LeumisRichardson
What is the cost of a jewel cut lab sapphire these days anyway? I've heard it has come down due to industrial electronic use of sapphire.
flameswithin
It depends. I specialize in cutting gems to a MUCH higher standard than commercially cut stones, so my prices are a bit higher.
LeumisRichardson
I'm just a bit weird in that I appreciate artificial jemstones more than "real" ones. As an engineer I appreciate the work that went into it
flameswithin
Thanks. I put do a lot of experimentation to find just the right angles for optimal visual performance. You'd probably be into that, too ;)
LeumisRichardson
Optics are fascinating indeed.
Roqinn
Nicely done and such a beautiful color!
ThePotatoBandit
Instructions were unclear, made an enchanted soul stone that won't shut the fuck up
Udroi
Level 20 crafting? gz
ozythemandias
Can I do this with a chunk of salt? Serious question
flameswithin
Theoretically. However, you use water as a coolant and lubricant during cutting, which would melt your salt crystal :-\
ozythemandias
How do I get started? Also, What do you suggest I use to adhere it to metal like a cufflink base.
flameswithin
Talk to @cowsruleusall
cowsruleusall
Phil, you know some people have actually done this with halite, right? Mineral oil with copper sulfate as a dessicant for lube.
flameswithin
TIL.
seige
So much gets lost it seems. What happens to the rest?
flameswithin
Ground to powder. In general you don't want to waste much, but in this case, I was cutting to a client-specified size, etc.
seige
Eek. Any use for expensive powder?
Datrenegadezambie
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE POWDER
mancrush
Mixes it with his father's ashes and then snorts it ala Keith Richards.
Xaldyn
What is the powder used for?
cowsruleusall
Absolutely nothing, and for some materials like emerald or aquamarine the dust is actually extremely toxic.
Xaldyn
Then why bother powdering the scraps...?
Trecares
The term cutting is a bit misleading. They are actually grinding away the unwanted material. Powder is the result.
truthsmiles
I tried using 8,000 grit for pre-polishing, but I find it causes chafing and sometimes bleeding.
shoutuckerfatheroftheyear
this is a common problem. You want to start a little more corse. Try a cheese grater for better results.
flameswithin
I recommend LOTS of Crystalube.
SoapyMammaryMasturbation
Not sure if extended masturbation joke or actual shop-talk...
LeCacty
Heh...
PicklesAreCapitalism
Daamn. Can we get a finished product?
flameswithin
If I had a brain I would have included it with the gallery, lol.
PicklesAreCapitalism
You should be able to edit it to add the link in at the bottom. It's beautiful! What's it being set into?
flameswithin
I'm honestly not sure, though I think a ring. It's an anniversary gift if I remember the client's messages correctly.
flameswithin
http://imgur.com/I6gYRVE
ilmastodontti
I love this post almost as much as I love my job. Which is setting these babies in precious metals.
flameswithin
Mine too!
ilmastodontti
Still, this post is the closest I've ever been to cutting one. I'm in awe! And a bit envious. Oh, Well we all have our special fields.
Dontwantnoneunlessyougotbadpuns
Ah, so this is how the Crystal Gems were made.
MarkPenrice
No, that involved putting some goopy stuff deep in the ground and waiting for a long time. What were YOU doing during study break?!
Dontwantnoneunlessyougotbadpuns
Yes, I know. Kindergarten and all that.
MarkPenrice
No no, Classroom Gems. Tch.
MarkPenrice
(Though I guess it might explain why Sapphire and Ruby are so leeeetle)
felix28
So what do you use to cut the stone
FoxyEllie
Diamond.
rockgolf
Scissors.
cowsruleusall
Faceting machines. Small tabletop things with spinning metal diamond disks.
TheGameDoctor
cold nip.... nvm
flameswithin
I've literally made this joke at work before.
NipplesInAJar
Nipples? Nipples.
jackpkmn
Now we know why you keep them in jars in the fridge!
LeVagabond
uh, I'm not really into gemstones, but the last two pics... that stone has gorgeous colors inside. would you have some more, maybe ruby? :o
MarkPenrice
i c wat u did thar
flameswithin
I have tons of lab created ruby on hand. Shoot me a message on my etsy store: http://alternativeslapidary.etsy.com/
NikkiSweet
Emeralds?
flameswithin
I *really* don't like cutting natural emeralds if I don't absolutely have to. I haven't gotten my hands on any lab created ones yet.
flameswithin
Woah! I wasn't expecting comments! I just posted these for a client, heh. @timbazi @felix28 -- I cut the stone with a faceting machine.
DrepperForever
I like your work op
TemporaryUzername
do faceting machines have an angular and rotational index that you manually set to make this "true" ?
flameswithin
That is exactly correct.
RyeInACan
welcome to the frontpage.
flameswithin
Wheeeeeeeee!!!!!
ProfessorKamenRider
What do you do with the leftover diamond you've removed?
flameswithin
I don't cut diamonds (though the abrasive on my tools is diamond). The powdered stone is simply waste that is discarded.
Morgan96
More!!!!As someone who was studying to be a G.G...More,More,More!!! Please?
flameswithin
Check out the rest of my account, there are a few albums of various cuttings and trips.
AlphaIndustrial
Can you like put gems in my gear? I need Intl and Atk speed.
hedwerx
Magical gems are for Elves and lute players boy, what you want is a good Dwarven rune.
[deleted]
[deleted]
AlphaIndustrial
I think were larping the wrong game here guise
hedwerx
Impossible, Dwarves never larp the wrong game. It's everyone else.
klar971
This is fascinating, and I've thought about going into the gem biz. Can you share any more pics of pieces you've worked on? Love it!
flameswithin
Sure, check my etsy: http://alternativeslapidary.etsy.com/
jurassicbark
WE LIKE WHAT YOU GOT. GOOD JOB.
PandolfsParade
Head bent over. Raised up posterior.
AprilFoolinAround
Get shwifty!
m00ki3
Oh yeaaaah
JonNRb
*Hamburger music starts playing*
kligson
I definitely wouldn't mind seeing more. How long did the whole process take?
flameswithin
There are a few other albums in my imgur account, have a look! Don't remember how long this crown took but average time to cut a stone....
flameswithin
.....is 2-4 hours.
felix28
Pic 7 why wouldn't you leave it like that, does it serve a purpose cutting the tip off.
MakeItAGoodOne
Some people prefer the tip cut off. Others do it for religious reasons.
mondaytofridayplane
Thank you
flameswithin
This is the crown of the stone, which calls for a large table facet. Stones perform better optically with a table than without.
ArcherSeven
Yo, I am looking to get another imgurian an engagement ring before long, and we both prefer the idea of using a lab created sapphire....
ArcherSeven
Do you do custom rings / can you recommend anyone / do you have any pointers we should keep in mind?
flameswithin
There are a few jewelers I recommend, but my usual number one is Custom in Charlotte, NC -- http://www.madebycustom.com/
flameswithin
I'm a jeweler as well, but for now I'm only offering custom stone work. My etsy is http://alternativeslapidary.etys.com/
ArcherSeven
Awesome, thank you! I'm getting a DNS resolution failure on your etsy URL, though.
flameswithin
*sigh* this is why I can't have nice things. http://alternativeslapidary.etsy.com/
1metalnation
Just PM him dude
ArcherSeven
Thought others might be interested in the information as well.
1metalnation
We are, but if you're genuinely interested pming is a way better way of going about it
ladyb14
I'm definitely glad you asked! Community knowledge ftw!
TachyonCode
So out of curiosity, how much would it cost for me to get one of these the size of my fist?
flameswithin
Probably a cool grand, assuming you could get me to agree to take on the project, heh.
TachyonCode
Sweet! I'll keep it in mind for when I win the lottery XD
docweird
I saw this movie - soon a bunch of guys speaking a Brit accent will rob your place. Gunfight and chase ensues...
Kitakita
I find it weird we get these large gems and then chop them in falf and throw one part away
thatoneyanderezelda
It's sad when it is cut in falf
Kitakita
You dug this up from a year ago just so you can point out my typo :(
thatoneyanderezelda
Sorry...I was on random and thought the word "falf" was hilarious because I was delirious from work
Kitakita
nice
meccit
Well, this is a grown Sapphire, so the cost of material is probably much less than the cost to cut and mount it.
flameswithin
It's certainly an irony of what I do. I usually try to get the biggest stone I can from a piece of rough. This was an exception.
LeftHandPanda
Have you ever made a wrong cut and messed the whole stone up? Or if that happens do you just change the design to compensate?
flameswithin
Hah. I make mistakes all the time. You learn how to fix them though. It's rare that a mistake is ever fatal to a stone, but I've had to.....
flameswithin
....change course completely a few times. Usually there's just lots of cursing involved.
nwr9349
how does one get into gem cutting OP? I've always wanted to learn and work with precious and semi precious stones
TheBlix
Why does it sound like you are talking about Emma?
cowsruleusall
Check out the US Faceter's Guild, or Faceting 101 on YouTube for basic info.
TheDoctormoriarty
Yeah that doesn't sound like your setting up a heist or anything
Xaldyn
You can find a trainer in either Silvermoon or the Exodar. And it's not necessary, but it's a good idea to train Mining, too, for materials.
BullshitInhibitor
You are not prepared... http://imgur.com/aTbfcXc
UrGrammasMonkey
Excellent
Cheomesh
I looked into it a while back. There are places that sell the tools and the raw gems - pony up cash, find some lessons 1/2
Cheomesh
and have at it! 2/2
jesusthealienrapist
Be Jewish
yeetly
Or an African warlord in the diamond trade.
flameswithin
Best bet is to find a gem and mineral club in your area. Many offer classes, or at least will be able to point you in the right direction.
PiccoloCallingPeopleNerds
Sadly my town had it's last gem and mineral convention a year ago. ;w; I was barely getting into it and wanted a hunk of meteor for a ring.
cowsruleusall
Check out the US Faceter's Guild, or Faceting 101 on YouTube for basic info.
IamMattman
This is what I do as well. There are tons of facebook groups for getting into the trade. Feel free to PM me
JoeyBellows
Is there good money to be made in it or is it a nice hobby?
flameswithin
Mostly it's a nice hobby.
flameswithin
Matt??? Is that really you???
IamMattman
Now I'm racking my brain trying to think of who I know in the NC area lol
IamMattman
Yes! Who are you?!
flameswithin
Wait, I was thinking you're Matt T, this is Phil!
IamMattman
Hey Phil, I'm not Matt T though, ha