Can anyone recommend a custom stone cutter and also a general mass
production cutting service?
I have noted Cresent Gems and visited the web site but would like to
see what else might be available.
I have a nice green untreated Montana Sapphire mined about 47 years
ago (by me) when the $2.00 a day fella was there trying to ‘make a
go of it’ at a Rock Creek Location near Phillipsburg, Montana. The
stone weighs appprox 7 carats and appears to be without ‘silk’ It is
somewhat flattish and I am sorry it is in saftey box or I would
measure it. I believe it would make a great free form.
I also have a package of rough Peridot from Arizona, collected 30
some years ago, which I never got around to cutting.
Is that Sapphire facet grade? This may not be, as to your freeform
comment, but people not familiar with faceting, in any way, are often
unclear as to terms. In any event try Wholesale Gem and Jewelry Business Directory - International Gem Society for cutting services and heat
treatment. I this is facet grade (the peridot should be) or could be
redeemed to such by heat treatment never cab it.
Another thing you can do, even if you do not want to permanently
belong to that list is to direct yourself to http://www.usfacetersguild.org -join the list and ask the question.
Between those, and I am sure supplied by this list you
will have your solution. With proper cutting this should produce a
stone well over a caret, hard to say, perhaps closer to two, or
perhaps best use of material would be two stones. Good luck, on that
and the peridot.
Thanks for your answer Jake. Yes, all is facet grade. Peridot is in 3
grades. I faceted for 30 years. Am 79–needless to say, retired for
many years. Thanks for your info. I think I could get get more than
one carat from the Sapp. That is why free form. It is a good color.
I sold my MDR on Orchid a few months ago. Haven’t been cutting, for
too long a time.
That is why I recommended that you might want to look into a custom
cutting service. Moreover one that can be trusted, it could be that
the sapphire could be cut using what is called a shield cut (or some
others). This is usually used on garnet, or other dark stone, but
since this is shallow, compared to usual, this would give much
greater yield, as you mentioned your stone was somewhat “flat” in
shape. In any event it is rare to get a Montana sapphire of over 1
caret, a custom cut would also add value. What would be the best
course of action, style of cut, should be left to others far more
expert than I. Could be you may find someone (like Jef Gram) you
could talk into it, all they could say, at worse is no.