Who can cut an opal briolette?

I have a nice piece of aust. dark crystal opal with loads of fire.
I’ve preformed it to a beautifull freeform drop cab sort of a
fat[depth] pear. I love it and it’s a gorgeous stone as is.

The thing is… I’ve gotten it in my mind that it would be even more
special as a facetted stone!

Does anyone know a qualified faceter that would be interested in
trying to make this happen?

It’s over 30ct right now with all of the junk removed and lot’s of
fire. I’m close to the DC area. I’d like to stay within one state
away but distance really isn’t as important as quality and honesty.

Slyghtly Askew

My money would be on Steve Green, who owns Rough and Ready Gems. His
website is briolettes.com. He is my first call when I need high
quality, well cut briolettes. I don’t know if he’ll cut your opal,
but it’s worth a shot…he does cut opal briolettes from his own
material. As a matter of fact, click the “photos” link on his site,
and top of the second page shows a beautiful pair of facetted opals.

Matthew Crawford
www.MatthewDesigns.com

Does anyone know a qualified faceter that would be interested in
trying to make this happen? 

Try Steve Green: http://briolettes.com

Beth

My father was a rockhound and later got interested in faceting. He
liked to challenge himself with fancy cuts and unusual stones. He
faceted a virgin valley opal just to see what would happen. He did
it and it is unusual and interesting, but unfortunately, it is not
that attractive. Faceting should enhance the play of color in a
stone, but with opal, it seems to me faceting interfered with the
natural beauty of the stone. I would advise against faceting an opal.

Just my 2 cents.

Nancy

Beth,

If Steve Green isn’t able to assist you, you may email Wayne Emery
or Doug Turet. They are both on the digest and may respond as well.
Though, hopefully, Steve has them already cut.

Roger Dery

Faceting should enhance the play of color in a stone, but with
opal, it seems to me faceting interfered with the natural beauty of
the stone. I would advise against faceting an opal. 

This makes perfect sense. The idea of a domed cab is that it
reflects minimal light back at the viewer so the viewer can better
see the colors and patterns of the stone. Flat facets, it seems to
me, would work in a contrary manner, and not display the play of
color to its full advantage, since it would to some degree be
obscured by light reflecting from the flat facets.

Lee

This makes perfect sense. The idea of a domed cab is that it
reflects minimal light back at the viewer so the viewer can better
see the colors and patterns of the stone. 

I have faceted Mexican white jelly opal that has play of color, and
it very beautiful, and I believe it makes best use of this type of
material as the colors seem to float in the stone and my opinion the
color is intensified. There is Australian crystal opal with a blue
color almost like blue moonstone that I faceted a piece of and it
was really pretty. If I can take a picture of the one I have I will
post it.

Richard Hart

What I wonder about this manner of cutting opal is how often they can
actually be cut this way and be effective. I don’t recall ever seeing
precious opal, at least not Australian, that wasn’t directional in
fire in some way, except perhaps for Lambina. A stone clear enough to
facet that could also be viewed with good fire from multiple
directions I’m guessing is fairly rare.

Derek Levin
www.gemmaker.com

Thanks to all who responded! The people that use the orchid site are
always very helpful.

I received a variety of points of view as well as contacts to help.

hanks to all,
Slyghtly Askew

I have wondered what a cab would look like if just the back was
faceted instead of being flat. Would the stone’s look be improved if
the underside only was either faceted or even rounded? This may be a
dumb question as I know nothing about faceting.

Ardetta

I have wondered what a cab would look like if just the back was
faceted instead of being flat. Would the stone’s look be improved if
the underside only was either faceted or even rounded

This type of cut is called a buff top and can be beautiful, indeed.
We happen to have a large, oval buff top amethyst with diamonds in a
platinum ring. The facets bounce the light around so the stone has
gorgeous purplish/pinkish reflections inside.

We also have on consignment a white gold necklace with smaller
triangular shaped buff tops, alternating amethyst, citrine, blue
topaz and peridot. Not quite as striking as the ring, but unusual.

James S. Duncan, G.G.
James in SoFL

I have wondered what a cab would look like if just the back was
faceted instead of being flat. 

Well, of course, then it would no longer be a cab… In order for
the back to be faceted, it would stick out like, well, a faceted
stone instead of lying flat. This is called “buff top” and is done
sometimes. But it is “neither fish nor fowl”, and IMO, stones
generally look best either cabbed or faceted, not in between.
Incidentally, the o[pposite is done too-- faceted only on top. This
is called rose cut, and can be very nice, especially on stones that
are too dark or included for light to bounce through them, like
marcasite or some garnets.

A rounded back is pretty common, and again IMO it does not
accomplish much except to make the stone harder to set. It also
makes the stone into a magnifying glass (if it is transparent), so
it becomes very important what the metal under the center of it
looks like.

Noel

Ardetta, you asked " I have wondered what a cab would look like if
just the back was faceted instead of being flat."

Look at a commercial class ring with a “stone” set in it. Most of
those have facets on the back and the top is a smooth cab. It does
look different than a smooth back. Whether it looks better or not is
individual taste.

Judy in Kansas

Ardetta,

My mother has a ring that has an opal cab, faceted on the bottom.
The opal is very clear with LOTS of fire & play. Very beautiful. It
probably wouldn’t be as stunning on a not-as-clear opal but who
knows? Every person has different likes/dislikes. Let me know if you
try it.

Mary

I now see front facet cabochons at the gems shows. They are very
pretty. I have a couple that I haven’t set yet.

LL Fowler Designs
Fort Collins, CO 80526

I now see front facet cabochons at the gems shows. They are very
pretty. I have a couple that I haven't set yet. 

I’m having trouble visualizing this, as cabochons, by definition, do
not have facets. Anywhere.

James S. Duncan, G.G.
James in SoFL

 I'm having trouble visualizing this, as cabochons, by definition,
do not have facets. Anywhere. 

A strange animal, but they do exist. I have a few somewhere in my too
large gem collection, malachite or something, and a couple of other
things, I don’t remember. They are like cabochons in that they have a
flat bottom, no pavilion, and no defined girdle, but the top is
faceted, usually in a checkerboard pattern.

I’m having trouble visualizing this, as cabochons, by definition,
do not have facets. Anywhere.

A strange animal, but they do exist. I have a few somewhere in my
too large gem collection, malachite or something, and a couple of
other things, I don't remember. They are like cabochons in that
they have a flat bottom, no pavilion, and no defined girdle, but
the top is faceted, usually in a checkerboard pattern 

Okay, I do understand what you’re saying, but gemstones that are cut
en cabochon have no facets. What you are describing is a modified
rose cut (emphasis on the word modified). Feel free to use Google,
Wikipedia or Merriam-Webster to look up the definition. You’ll find
it to be a gemstone with a convex surface that is polished, but not
faceted. I don’t feel as if I’m nitpicking here, just trying to avoid
confusion.

James S. Duncan, G.G.
James in SoFL

James,

Yes, I understand what you’re saying, but these stones are
definitely faceted, not exactly a modified rose cut. If I can think
of the name of the lady who cuts them, I’ll let you know. I just
turned 54, and I have 50’s moments where I can’t remember my own
name, let alone someone else’s. :wink:

Brian Corll
Brian Corll, Inc.
1002 East Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Hmmm… rose cut. Yeah, the 16th century Antwerp cut is the basic
idea, but as I said the stones I have are cut in a checkboard
fashion rather than the triangular pattern of the old rose cut (which
I like, I wish it were used more today). I’m doing some photography
of new pieces later this week or next weekend. I’ll dig out some of
the stones I have and send you some images so you can see what I
mean.

Brian Corll
Brian Corll, Inc.
1002 East Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055