is a concave cut just enhancing a bad stone?

[trs]

I was told to stay with traditional cuts round square etc. because I will have a better chance at obtaining a good stone. I am looking for a sapphire as it is the hardest stone aside from the diamond in deep orange. the sapphire will be my center stone for e-ring. Does anyone have knowledge of the subjet of cut when it comes to the sapphire?

Thanks for the input

 

[strmrdr]

thats a loaded question with a ton of different answers but what it boils down to for me is no.

You can get a awesome stone cut from the best rough that is either cut traditional or concave.
You can take a stone that the color is a little off and make it into a spectacular stone with concave cutting sometimes.
The color will still be a little off but the brightness and sparkle can make up for it for a lot of people.
So could that be called enhancing a bad stone? Well maybe ... But Id look at as getting the best possible finished product from that material.
Its really no different than using some of the other "trick" cuts to fine tune the color and performance of a cut stone.

It really boils down to what one likes.

 

[velouriaL]

Well, if you think about it, all stones (well, hopefully) are cut so that the best is made of the material at hand. Almost no stone is "bad" if it had the cut that best suits it. Yes, some material is better than others (i.e., less included, more appealing color, less extinction and color zoning, etc.), but it seems to me that cut the most important factor in picking out a stone. In fact, some cutters (like Michael E.) have been known to buy not-so-attractive stones on ebay for cheap, cut them in such a way that really makes the best of the material, and then resell them. It''s a real tranformation... like "My Fair Lady"!

Concave faceting, likewise, has some benefits for some stones. Apparantly (according Richard Horner''s website), it can improve the look of stones that have less than desirable feautures like color zoning, lack of brilliance, and extinction. So, yeah, concave faceting is one way to make a stone look better than it would with certain other cuts. But that''s what all cutting, ideally, does anyway.

So, I think, the question you really should be asking is whether or not you and your significant other prefer the look of concave or traditional faceting better. I like it a lot, but we stayed away from it because my boyfriend prefers a traditional look. We went with an extremely well-cut fancy princess. It''s totally unique, like a concave cut, but had traditionaly facets.

Also, you mention that you''re interested in sapphires because they''re the next hardest to diamond. Please be aware that this is not your only choice.
Just as hard as sapphire:
Spinel, Crysoberyl

Less hard, but probably suitable for everyday use in the right setting:
Garnet, Tourmaline (less so), and others

 

[MINE!!]

Date: 6/6/2005 5:12:14 PM
Author: strmrdr
thats a loaded question with a ton of different answers but what it boils down to for me is no.

You can get a awesome stone cut from the best rough that is either cut traditional or concave.
You can take a stone that the color is a little off and make it into a spectacular stone with concave cutting sometimes.
The color will still be a little off but the brightness and sparkle can make up for it for a lot of people.
So could that be called enhancing a bad stone? Well maybe ... But Id look at as getting the best possible finished product from that material.
Its really no different than using some of the other ''trick'' cuts to fine tune the color and performance of a cut stone.

It really boils down to what one likes.

Well said strmrdr. I was refraining for answering first because I am parital. There are MANY beautiful traditional cut stones and many beautiful concave cut ones as well. BUT there are a lot in both catagories that really look like crap. I think it is a matter of preference as oppsosed to fixing a ''bad stone.'' I have NO DOUBT that my stone was a BEAUTIFUL stone before it was cut and NOT a bad stone.. I just chose to have a stone cut into a concave because I like the style.

Concave cutting is like any other cutting, you take a stone and create something beautiful from a cut. I am sure that some have improved ''badly cut'' stones with concave cuts for many different reason. Just as I am sure that people have recut traditional cut stones with another traditional cut to enhance the stone.

I also tend to believe that if you have a ''bad stone'' meaning LOTS of inclusions and fractures and such.. that it would not matter how you had a stone cut.. it would still be a ''bad stone.''

If you do not like the concave cut then it is not for you. But the idea of staying away from concave becuase it is only only trying to improve a ''bad stone'' is incorrect.. IMO.

 

[cflutist]

Date: 6/6/2005 5:22:06 PM
Author: velouriaL
Well, if you think about it, all stones (well, hopefully) are cut so that the best is made of the material at hand.

Well not true all of the time. Sometimes weight retention is the deciding factor which is why certain "native cuts" were cut from certain rough.

I had a 3.05ct "native cut" sapphire that was cut deep to retain weight so it would be that magic 3+ ct stone.
It had beautiful color but was lifeless. Richard Homer recut that stone for me, it lost weight, now only 2.55ct,
but is so much more beautiful to my eye now.

On the other hand, a fellow PS member had a dark navy blue sapphire which would not benefit from concave faceting. So the color of the material does matter too.