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Gem Search
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ALL
GEM CATALOG |
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Beryl
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Chrysoberyl
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Corundum
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Diopside
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Feldspar
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Garnet
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Opal
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Peridot
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Quartz
- Catalog< |
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Spinel
- Catalog |
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Topaz
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Tourmaline
-Catalog |
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Zircon
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Closeouts
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Gem Cuts and Information |
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Cuts
| Color
| Clarity
Types of Cuts for Gemstones
There is no general
rule which can be applied to the various cuts.
However, three groups, or types, of cut can be
named: Faceted cut, plain cut, and mixed
cut.
The faceted cut is practically applied
only to transparent stones. The number of even
facets gives the gem higher luster and often a
better play of color. Most facet cuts are built
on two basic types, the brilliant cut and the
trap or emerald cut. The plain cut can be
leveled en cabochon (domed). This is suitable
for agates and other opaque stones. In mixed
cuts, the upper part is level and the lower part
is faceted, or vice versa.
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Brilliant-Full Cut /
Round-Brilliant Cut
This cut has been specially
developed for the diamond. The word "brilliant"
alone refers to a diamond, whereas, in the case
of other gems, the mineral name should be given
(i.e. Round brilliant-cut sapphire). This cut
has at least 32 facets, plus the table on the
upper part, and 24 faces on the lower part. When
there are less, it is called a "Round
Cut." |
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Eight Cut
This cut is also usually for
the diamond, normally diamonds that are too
small for a full cut. This cut has 8 facets on
the upper and lower parts as well as the table
on the upper. |
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Rose Cut/Half Dutch
Rose
The Rose Cut
and Half Dutch Rose are Facet cuts without a
table or pavilion that vary in the number and
positioning of facets. These are old cuts not
normally used today since thy do not produce
much brilliance. |
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Step Cut
A simple type of facet cut,
specially used for colored stones, but also
occasionally for diamonds. Several facets are
cut parallel to the edges, the facets becoming
steeper towards the girdle. The lower part
usually has more facets than the upper part. A
step cut can be used in combination with other
cutes (i.e. Oval-Step cut or Square-Step cut,
etc). |
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Scissor Cut
A type of step cut. The facets
are divided into four sub-facets by the
"scissors", some have truncated corners while
others are cut with square
corners. |
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Ceylon Cut / Old Mine Cut /
Antique Cut / Cushion Cut
This cut is mostly referred to
as the "Cushion Cut" and it can vary in shape
from ovalish /squarish to ovalish /
rectangularish. It is a primarily cut used on
ruby and sapphire that is cut in Ceylon (Sri
Lanka). This very popular cut has numerous
facets in both upper and lower parts and is
normally a very brilliant cut. This cut allows
the cutter to obtain maximum weight so it is not
always symmetrical. |
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Emerald Cut
A step cut with an octagon
shape, especially used for emerald, but also
popular for longer-shaped diamonds and other
colored stones. Most have truncated corners
while others can have square
corners. |
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top
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As part of the description, most of the
gemstones listed have a description of it's
color. Color is described in terms of tone,
saturation,
and one of 31 hue
descriptions as used by the GIA.Tones
are described as:
- Colorless
- Extremely Light
- Very Light
- Light
- Medium Light
- Medium
- Medium Dark
- Dark
- Very Dark
- Extremely
Dark
- Black
Saturation is an
indication of how "strong" or "vivid" a color
is. Saturation is listed as:
- Grayish
- Slightly
Grayish
- Very Slightly
Grayish
- Moderately
Strong
- Strong
- Vivid
* The term "Brownish" can be
substituted for "Grayish" with colors of a
orangish hue.Hues are described
as:
- Red
- Orangy Red
- Red-Orange or
Orange-Red
- Reddish
Orange
- Orange
- Yellowish
Orange
- Orangy Yellow
- Yellow
- Greenish
Yellow
- Yellow-Green or
Green-Yellow
- Slightly Yellowish
Green
- Green
- Very Slightly Bluish
Green
- Blue
- Violetish
Blue
- Violet
- Bluish Purple
- Purple
- Reddish
Purple
- Purple-Red or
Red-Purple
- Strongly Purplish
Red
- Slightly Purplish
Red
- Red
Some exceptions to these hue
descriptions are made with gemstones that are
brownish, or pinkish. Orangy pinkish is
sometimes described as "peachy".
Clarity is a subjective term, however the
following is how we describe clarity:
Opaque: the
stone will not transmit light through it.
Translucent,
or cloudy: the stone transmits light, but you
cannot see clearly through it.
Heavily
Included: the stone is transparent, but the
stone is littered with inclusions, which are
very visible without magnification.
Moderately
Included: the stone is transparent, but
there are several inclusions, which are visible
without magnification.
Slightly
Included: the stone has some very minor
inclusions which may be visible without
magnification.
Very Slightly
Included (Eye-Clean): the stone has some
very minor inclusions that are not readily
visible without magnification. Some Inclusions
may be visible without magnification once you
see them under magnification and know exactly
where to look.
Very Very
Slightly Included: the stone has some very
very minor inclusions which are difficult to see
under magnification.
Loupe Clean
(Clean): no inclusions were seen using 10x
magnification. However the stone was not
examined microscopically. The stone may be
internally flawless or flawless.
Internally
Flawless: the stone was examined under a
microscope of at least 40x magnification, and no
inclusions were seen. The stone has some
external blemishes.
Flawless: the
stone was examined under a microscope of at
least 40x magnification and no inclusions were
seen and the stone has no external
blemishes.
top
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