Windows at the Smithsonian Gem Exhibition????

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Stolen from my favorite vendor:

"The story of windows began 100.000+ years ago:
Human sapiens worshipped the coloured pebble they found.
To make them even prettier they rubbed them against each other to smooth the surfaces (a process aptly called ‘bruting’).
They had to follow the natural crystal shape. Windows were inevitable.
I imagine cave-man/women even valued them: A way to look at a new, coloured world. Magic!
Today, the first cutter in a remote jungle, still follows the crystal. I sometimes come across crystals that have been simple polished along their natural facets. It can be very nice but of course there is zero brilliancy.
Next time you go in a museum with ancient precious stones, take a look. Those are basically pebbles or crystals with smoothed surfaces."

 

[theredspinel]

Stolen from my favorite vendor:

"The story of windows began 100.000+ years ago:
Human sapiens worshipped the coloured pebble they found.
To make them even prettier they rubbed them against each other to smooth the surfaces (a process aptly called ‘bruting’).
They had to follow the natural crystal shape. Windows were inevitable.
I imagine cave-man/women even valued them: A way to look at a new, coloured world. Magic!
Today, the first cutter in a remote jungle, still follows the crystal. I sometimes come across crystals that have been simple polished along their natural facets. It can be very nice but of course there is zero brilliancy.
Next time you go in a museum with ancient precious stones, take a look. Those are basically pebbles or crystals with smoothed surfaces."

They're all pebbles or crystals with smooth surfaces. I dont think theres any great mystery; Just like in any field, advancements are made and the craft continues to get better and better. No doubt in another 10 000 000 years, the precision cut stones we see as the perfection of today will be viewed by that society as we view the ones in museums.