Pears are step cuts?

[beaujolais]

I was looking at one site and in their colored stones they list their pears as step cuts. Also, their cushions are listed as step cuts. Why am I not getting this?

 

[chrono]

A typo maybe?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 2/14/2008 12:02:38 PM
Author: Chrono
A typo maybe?

Either a type or they just don''t know much about pears or cushions!

 

[Ninama]

Here''s a wild n crazy rock the seller is calling "Fancy Pear Step Cut"

 

[FireGoddess]

Yikes.

Some people will say anything....to sell anything.

 

[beaujolais]

Was just told that any stone with rectangular as opposed to diamond shaped facets in the pavilion is referred to as a step cut. The facets do not not need to be long and rectangular steps as they are in emerald cuts. Step cuts are very common especially in many kinds of stones over .50cts.

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 2/15/2008 4:41:07 PM
Author: sonomacounty
Was just told that any stone with rectangular as opposed to diamond shaped facets in the pavilion is referred to as a step cut. The facets do not not need to be long and rectangular steps as they are in emerald cuts. Step cuts are very common especially in many kinds of stones over .50cts.

Sonoma, nothing seems to confuse people more that cut names. I hope the following may simplify it a bit.

There are 3 basic gem cuts: step, brilliant and mixed. A step cut facet is square or rectangular, as your source explained. A brilliant facet is always triangular or some variation of the triangle. A mixed cut features both step and brilliant facets on the same stone. The only major exception I can think of is the table facet which can be nearly any shape based on the geometry of the stone''s crown facets; and occasionally some odd-shaped facets in unusual designs. Of course I''m referring to what is called "flat faceting" as opposed to "concave faceting" (like Richard Homer''s) which is another matter altogether.

All the "named" cuts are simply unique variations of step and brilliant facet shapes, created by cut designers for added brilliance, unusual shapes, etc. The Barion cut, for instance, was designed by Basil Watermeyer to bring some of the brilliance of "round brilliant" diamonds to shapes like the octagon, square, pear, etc. It accomplishes this by adding "transition" facets below the girdle that then allow a cone-shaped pavilion with brilliant facets to be cut.

Many stones cut in Asia feature brilliant-cut crowns and step-cut pavilions. That''s because it''s easier to follow the stone''s natural contours and add weight to the bottom of the stone with square/rectangular facets. Brilliant facets on a stone''s pavilion, if cut at the right angle for the gem species, eliminate excess weight an add brilliance to a stone.

Sometimes there''s a trade-off between weight, brilliance, windowing, extinction etc. Many gem-producing countries like Sri Lanka do not allow their gem rough to be exported. The aim is to keep the "value added" to the stone through the cutting process at home. That''s a worthy goal but sometimes the local cuts are simply awful. With many of these so-called "native-cut" gems one must decide whether the weight (and money!) lost by recutting makes economic sense. Some of the locals are genius-level when it comes to "swindling" stones to make recutting economically impossible. Those stones should simply be enjoyed for their color or other attractive features.

On the other hand, "native cut" stones are not always bad. Some are beautifully done and display the handiwork of masters at the manipulation of color and light. I personally have a great appreciation for "funky" cuts but sometimes it''s difficult to convey that understanding to clients who are understandably jittery about such matters.

Hope this helps.

Richard M.
www.artcutgems.com