Hi everyone.
I make jewelry more as a hobby and by commission and I have someone who wants me to recreate an old ring that has square shaped stones but they are very simple like a square pyramid with the top cut off. (not a square princess or square step stone, too many facets). I create my jewelry models and even the gem stones that will fit on the computer. Is there a gem cutting or gem sourcing company that likes to see the exact shape and dimensions by opening up 3d models? Since I’m not a jeweler by trade, I don’t even know the gem shape names enough to communicate well so if there are gem cutters that like opening up models and going by exact dimensions and shapes that way, it would help me get the project done. I was thinking of trying Lambert in Thailand but not sure if they like 3d models? Thanks!
I assume that for normal jewelry construction, you get the gems cut first because they want to cut the gem at the best optimum tolerances. But I’m recreating and designed the ring first and now have specific dimensions for the stones. But by luck, the original stones had a lot of inclusions and is a 400 year old ring so the stones look beat up. So rough cutting any gems should work. I just don’t know where to seek them.
Hello Rick,
There is allot going on - or not - in your two posts. But perhaps one start’s with a guess based on your description. The shape and cut is what is could be a “portrait cut”. The expert cutters will perhaps clarify, where / if I am off; conceptually shape is independent of cut style. But a quick search and by luck I landed:
A good guess ? or not? and the contradiction with the forgoing statement in some of the examples at the above page.
Thank you,
Andy
p.s. I do not agree with all of the text on the page of the link above, but the idea of a portrait orientation as with use of paper for a printer - a shape defined by the origin and up axis [ Y up / vertical / long / X wide / horizontal is there.- one can then rotate the defined shape.
Hi Andrew. Here’s the cut I’m talking about. Super simple but this is how the original ring from the 1700’s is. Perhaps called a coffin cut now? Very easy to cut but the issue is if it’s only 8mm by 8mm by 2mm high, can a typical lapidary person do that or those people only cut larger stones? The other issue is that the original ring had heavy inclusions in the emerald so I can’t use lab created ones I suppose.
Not that I want to, I could try to do something like that on my lapidary equipment. I think that you would be better off looking for someone who facets if you are looking for precision and quantity. Others may have better ideas…Rob
Andrew, what you show is a typical dimension for a medium to large sized stone for a ring, altho’ it is thinner than the usual stone. Very easy for any decent faceter to cut for you, only six facets The only technique issue is the large bottom facet, assuming that you want that polished rather than frosted, but it’s not a big deal, just takes a little more care and time. Given that the average cutter charges about $150 to $300 for a five carat stone with about 57 facets, a rate for what you want would be much less. It would be less than an hour’s work, I think. Bigger cost would be the rough, depending on what you want…but one could use thin rough that is not useful for larger gems, so there’s that to consider, too. A faceter might have a suitable thin piece in inventory that wasn’t suitable for a larger stone. -royjohn
Hello royjohn,
I think ? you mean what Rick showed.
Andrew
Hello Rick,
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Maybe post some pictures of the ring?
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I would classify [using some CAD terminology] the objects you posted in your rendering as truncated pyramid.The top view object appears to have a square base.
Thank you,
Andrew
Hi Rob (and Andrew was curious about this). I finally finished what I think should be the final stone shape in order to replicate the old ring. I added as much height to the stone the setting would allow so that the color would not be transparent. I am not very good at sculpting details from scratch in Zbrush so I had someone help me on Fiverr. Anyways, the final stone size would be about 7 by 7 by 3mm high for center stone and about 6 by 6 by 3.2mm high for the 2 side stones. As you can see from an image of the original, the center emerald has a lot of inclusions or cloudiness from being in the water a long time. Amethysts seem kind of imperfect as well. Got any suggestions on where I could get stones made that look like the original instead of perfectly clear gem quality? (I don’t even know how to get gem quality ones either). I tried asking Lambert in Thail
and some questions by email but they never got back to me. I think you just send them rough large stones and they cut them based on the stone, not the size? Or I can give a size?
Please check my pictures when you have time and thanks for asking.
I looked at the pictures and will suggest the same as before. While these cuts could be made by a lapidary (not me), you might be better off looking for someone who facets. I believe that royjohn is one and he might have some suggestions. I don’t remember what the stones material is, possibly amethyst and ruby. Flats and sharp edges like these may wear quickly. The lower edges don’t appear to have any angle to them to allow the bezels to be pushed over and hold the stone in place. That being the case, the setting has to be deep enough to allow the metal to be pushed over the sharp angle at the top. Good luck…Rob
Yeah I did my best with the main goal of replicating the dimensions and the details of the original. The original sharp angle stones lasted 400 years being bounced around in sand on the ocean floor hurricane after hurricane. (But maybe it was buried pretty well, usually they blow sand off before they find stuff). If the stone setter doesn’t like the bottom part with no angle, I guess they could omit that but the stones would only be 1.5mm high which I think would make the stones too transparent. One solution to use my stone dimensions would be to cut the corners, slide the stone in, and solder them. Or I can simply cast the stones in place but not confident it would look as good. There’s a local professional jeweler I’m going to ask if they will help me with this project since I don’t really know what I’m doing.
I just realized that if I keep these exact stone shapes, they will have to be set from under the ring and then some pieces can be laser welded to make a bottom seat? so I will fix that. Thanks!