Unusual/interesting cuts, anyone?

[AB]

After poking around these forums for a while, I've grown increasingly fond of unusually cut stones. The few Munsteiner pieces I've seen around here are just awesome, so I was hoping you all might be able to show me some more unusual or interesting cut stones (not necessarily by the Munsteiners). Asschers seem to be the only thing slightly different, but now it seems everyone is getting one of those too! Are they just too rare? Expensive? Not interesting to people in these parts? I saw Richard Wise has a Munsteiner ametrine or 2 and someone mentioned something from the gem trader recently, but where are all the fantasy cut stones? Anyone have anything carved? Negative/reverse faceting? Free form? As an aside, I'd also love any information anyone might give me about how to see more of these, where I might find some to purchase, how much they might cost, etc... Even searching around the 'net I still have trouble finding examples of stones like this, let alone for sale. What gives?

 

[Kismet]

You might want to take a look at the gem intrusion stuff at gem fix. http://www.gemfix.com/gem_intrusion_1.html

 

[Burberrygirl]

You might want to take a look at the gem intrusion stuff at gem fix. http://www.gemfix.com/gem_intrusion_1.html

Ditto, BB has some unique gems under Gem Carvings: http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/ ... ategory=75 and Osiris Gems has some unique things like the "Liquid Flower" cut, http://osirisgems.com/. Crasru recently posted pictures of a set she had made for her friends wedding present.

 

[chrono]

Some designs are not suited to certain gemstone varieties due to their lower RI or tone, thus many coloured gemstones are cut to improve/highlight the colour of the rough which might mean different shapes and facet patterns. In short, no they aren’t rare or too expensive. A few places with unique carvings or designs are the GemTrader (as you’ve mentioned yourself), http://www.acstones.com, http://www.multicolour.com, http://www.steveperrygems.com, http://www.johndyergems.com and Uli (I do not remember his webpage URL) . Another place for ogling unusual cuts is http://www.faceters.com

ETA
I see that Burberry remembered Uli's webpage. Thanks!

 

[Burberrygirl]

Here's another site I just remembered: http://www.gemscapes.com/index.htm.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Most gem buyers favour the traditional cuts, so they are most common. Unusual stones can sit for a long time, tieing up capital.

Once you leave the "usual" cuts - for example, step cuts, round brilliants, trillions and so on, you have the fantasy facet cuts. There are a lot of very talented cutters who, with the help of a computer or not, design their own cuts for their own use or published in books. Jeff Graham, for example, developed quite a few interesting cuts and so have many of the precision cutters mentioned on this board. Doug, Gene, Barry, Dan, Lisa and Dana (among many others, as I am sure I didn't list a lot of great people) all cut fantasy designs, as well as more traditional cuts. These designs have beautiful outlines, interesting facet patterns (some with frosted facets to highlight a figure), etc.

Concave cutting is when a stone has facets that are not flat, but rather curved in. This gives it an interesting shimmer effect and cna be combined with complex patterns for some outstanding stones. Richard Homer is perhaps the most cited name in concave cutting (at least on PS), but many others also use this technique.

Finally, there are carved gems, which can combine facets, buff tops, cabs or just be totally handcarved. There is some amazing artistry here, but also a lot of mediocre stones (aka, cut a few lines in it and call it a modern carved stone). As you said, Munsteiners have a strong name, as does Dyer (klewis has 2 amazing Dyer tourmalines), Dyber and . If you check out the lapidarist cutting competitions (such as AGTA Spectrumand the Idar-Oberstein competition), there is usually a carved stone category, where you can see amazing work and get to know a few top of the line names.

Idar Oberstein, in Germany, is a cutting center that seems to have a lot of cutting edge techniques, including some amazing carved stones. Uli (Osiris Gems) is from that area.

Hans Meevis does a lot of free hand carving, which he sets in gorgeous pieces he designs. He also does some interesting experiments with stones set in other stones, metallic objects placed in stones and CZ laminates.

 

[AB]

Awesome! Thanks to everyone so far, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Anyone have any of these with real life pictures? I'm sure they all look great on the vendor sites, but are these things you could actually set and wear? I think I've seen a pic or two of a Dyer/Dyber on PS, but that ring is the first piece of jewelry I think I've seen using something like this. So, it seems that the PS community clearly knows about the more unusual stuff (evidenced by all the replies here), you guys just don't dig 'em? I would have thought all the collectors here would have at least something from one of these guys/gals, but they certainly seem to be in the minority. Not a problem, I just was starting to think I was crazy for liking 'em...

 

[breezing]

i have this piece from Uli at osirisgems.com and have spent countless hours making the "spoke" move around the interior. i personally prefer these types of cuts and love the flat table on it. i do have some photos of it and will try and post when i get off work.

edit - forgot to add it's a mali garnet with 11 facets. i will be having a 12 facet version of this (which i'm told gives the appearance of a light ball moving around) cut shortly once i decide on the stone.

 

[arjunajane]

the ring you mention with the John Dyer tourmaline (belonging to klewis) I understand would still be considered a traditionally faceted stone. It is a trillion (commonly used cut) but Dyer has modified the facets to become brighter in what he calls his 'super trillion'. Klewis' other tourm by JD I would think falls into the fantasy cut category. There is also the aforementioned finished set belonging to crasru. Speaking personally I admire and really like a lot of these designs, however for the most part I buy my gems to set and wear so traditional faceting is more appealing. Fantasy cuts can also be made into (usually custom) finished jewellery with striking effects, I just think it is one of those 'niche' appreciations. I would enjoy owning a Dyer or Dyber fantasy cut to admire, although am unsure I would set it. Are you planning a purchase at all?

 

[AB]

I was thinking about it, and I guess it'll be hard not to with some of these new options... I was starting to think I wouldn't be able to find something I really liked in this category, but I'm sure at least something will catch my eye soon -

 

[Fly Girl]

I was fortunate to go to a gemstone roundtable featuring Sherris Cottier Shenk. Take a look at her eye candy. www.carvedgems.com

Her work is stunning in person. My favorites are pieces where you get a diffraction pattern from the interaction of the carving on the back of the piece with the carving on the front of the piece. Several gemstones were purchased that evening, and will be custom set by T Lee, www.tleegold.com ,who sponsored the roundtable. No LOGRs for these!

 

[lelser]

I was fortunate to go to a gemstone roundtable featuring Sherris Cottier Shenk. Take a look at her eye candy. www.carvedgems.com

Her work is stunning in person. My favorites are pieces where you get a diffraction pattern from the interaction of the carving on the back of the piece with the carving on the front of the piece. Several gemstones were purchased that evening, and will be custom set by T Lee, www.tleegold.com ,who sponsored the roundtable. No LOGRs for these!

Sherris is wonderful. We did a joint show together in Switzerland last year, and have helped each other out at events.

The carved stone labeled "Hargrave" earlier in this thread was not carved by Dalan (although he's a lovely man and an excellent carver) but by my friend Naomi Sarna www.naomisarnadesigns.com.

Cheers,

Lisa

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I apologise to Naomi Sarna for the wrong credit. Her work is very lovely and deserves recognition. Since I can no longer edit the post, I have contacted PS admins for the correction.

Lisa - thank you for pointing that out.

 

[redfaerythinker]

I would like to personally blame this thread for my purchase of this stone.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I would like to personally blame this thread for my purchase of this stone.

Blame? You should thank us as it is beautiful ! I really want to see pictures, as I wonder how this cut will look in a smaller stone (if I identified the photo correctly, it is around 2cts, isn't it?)

 

[redfaerythinker]

Yep, it's 1.89 cts and 7.5mm. It's gonna go in a pendant for my mom and she's a tiny person so I hope it will be a good size. I'm super excited, I've wanted to see one of these cuts in person for awhile and this was the perfect excuse!

 

[kenny]

I was wondering if a gem was ever formed into the ring itself - as in drilling a finger-sized hole in a large gem and then faceting the top.
Obviously it would be very fragile.

Ever heard of this?

 

[chrono]

Jadeite is the only one that I’ve seen made into an entire ring itself (shank and all) with the top being carved or buffed into a decorative design.

 

[Fly Girl]

Jadeite is the only one that I’ve seen made into an entire ring itself (shank and all) with the top being carved or buffed into a decorative design.

I'm pretty sure I've seen onyx or calcite rings in shops that carry those inexpensive Mexican and South American stone carvings.

DH and I got jadeite rings as promise rings many years ago. Mine busted in a few months. He still has his in a drawer.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I've seen band style rings carved from all sorts of stone, specially quartz. I have a hematite band I cocasionally wear with a diamond (nice contrast!). It isn't going to last forever, but they are very cheap.

I have also seen some quite large rings, carved in a signet ring shape, where the top (where the initial or coat of arms would be) was druzy. These are quite heavy and, although they should be taken care of, didn't seem that delicate (no facets to abrade).

 

[delayedreaction]

Here's something that might be a little more sturdy. Nephrite shank, bezeled tourmaline. http://www.rwwise.com/products/id|1004

 

[klewis]

Here is a comment made by Richard Wise in connection to an Amertine in his gem gallery.

"From the hand of the master, Tom Munsteiner.
This magnificent fantasy sculpture is a study in both gem cutting and three dimensional design. Gem sculpture by modern masters like Munsteiner, Dyber and Dyer will, once the hype has dissipated, define jewelry design in the second half of the 2oth Century and the name Munsteiner will equal that of Lalique..

I would love to see some of John Dyer's 'Dreamscape Cuts" in person, I can't imagine how they would look and I wonder if anyone has had the pleasure of seeing one in person?
Some concave cuts look to me like a halved citrus fruit with very fine lines radiating from the centre and these don't appeal much to me. I like that liquid flower cut and also the spoked cut from Osirisgems- beautiful especially, I'm sure, to see how that plays when the stone is in movement. The pics are great but it's like trying to imagine the flight of a bird from a single frozen image.

 

[T L]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Gene's cuts. Some are really unique and beautiful. I love the concave cut aqua in his avatar. I love his concave cutting. Here's a sapphire.

 

[iLander]

Richard Homer, and in fact most cutters, have special cuts up their sleeve. You may not see them on the site because it was sold and they haven't done one lately.

I purchased this stone from Richard and set it into a big solitaire. It is fun to wear and play with.

Here's the thread with RL pix: post142831.html#p142831

 

[klewis]

Here are a couple of pieces from Munsteiner's workshop.

TL After your comment I looked for other examples on Gene's website but didn't find any, although there's of other lovely stones there.

 

[T L]

Here are a couple of pieces from Munsteiner's workshop.

TL After your comment I looked for other examples on Gene's website but didn't find any, although there's of other lovely stones there.

Gene doesn't do concave cuts that often, but when he does, they're brilliant. I think he just sold an Afghan tourmaline cushion with a concave cut. Look through his "latest cut stones" on his menu by date (they're archved files). There's many more examples in his sold work.

 

[brandy_z28]

I would like to personally blame this thread for my purchase of this stone.

NICE! I sure hope you post LOTS of pictures when you get it!

 

[gsellis]

I saw Hans Meevis and John Dyer, but you missed the giant in the field (he is 6'7" without the boots and the cowboy hat).

http://www.gemstarz.com/Photoalbum/photoalbum.htm

Dalan Hargrave

Dalan also created a suite of ribbon novelty cuts. I have the book, but not the time.

 

[T L]

This stone is a half carat sapphire. How do you get that much detail in a half carat? Osirisgems.