⭐ Show Us Your Cut Stones - Before And After Photos

Can't wait Wally ya teaser :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

The pavillion is looking great so far. Seems to be very clear. Are they ones you found Dan?

Enjoyed cutting my first garnet design is a Square Brilliant pavilion, with a Wally Special crown. I have no gemmology training but as the stone was very dark, I decided to do a bit of free-styling and flatten out the main crown facets into a large step cut arrangement in the hope that bigger windows would let me see into the stone better. A few fiddley micro facets was the price I had to pay for my experiment.

If anyone has tricks for getting the best out of dark stones, please educate me. 8)

Happy with the end result :lol: ........ nice photo of some dust, sorry about the poor focus

:Y: Very Nice Wally

I absolutley love garnets! All time favourites! Great colour and nice cut too.!!

Wally69 said:

Enjoyed cutting my first garnet design is a Square Brilliant pavilion, with a Wally Special crown. I have no gemmology training but as the stone was very dark, I decided to do a bit of free-styling and flatten out the main crown facets into a large step cut arrangement in the hope that bigger windows would let me see into the stone better. A few fiddley micro facets was the price I had to pay for my experiment.

If anyone has tricks for getting the best out of dark stones, please educate me. 8)

Happy with the end result :lol: ........ nice photo of some dust, sorry about the poor focus

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I think it's turned out pretty damm good. I stay clear of this dark stones now to much chance of it turning out black.

If anyone has tricks for getting the best out of dark stones, please educate me. 8)

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There is quite a Que for the answer to that holy grail, when you find out let me know . But lowering the crown would help a heap to reduce light travel length.

Wally69 said:

Happy with the end result lol ........ yikes nice photo of some dust

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What dust? :lol:



Playing around with a program called 'Retouch Pilot'. Only got a demo one. Second play with it.

That certainly does the trick

Very nice there Wally :Y: Garnets are often so dark as to be difficult to do much with, that one is quite nice. I mucked around with very dark pyropes for a while and had some moderate success employing a low rose cut crown with no pavilion, basically a tiny cab with facets on top. Somewhat surprisingly, it did not totally window as might be expected.

Thanks for the advice guys.

At 4.3mm and just over 0.65ct, getting the facet meet points right was very satisfying but I have been thinking there must be a better yielding way of using some of my other garnets and a flat faced stone with fancy cut pavilion may be worth considering.

The Staffordshire Hoard may be my inspiration. with some flashing facets to add a bit more pizzazz.

Wally69 said:

Enjoyed cutting my first garnet design is a Square Brilliant pavilion, with a Wally Special crown. I have no gemmology training but as the stone was very dark, I decided to do a bit of free-styling and flatten out the main crown facets into a large step cut arrangement in the hope that bigger windows would let me see into the stone better. A few fiddley micro facets was the price I had to pay for my experiment.

If anyone has tricks for getting the best out of dark stones, please educate me. 8)

Happy with the end result :lol: ........ nice photo of some dust, sorry about the poor focus

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...7799_d7eab321-f28f-41af-b51e-59a6b8eecbfa.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...7799_d93fddd6-f332-4f1a-8a4f-a6cb4231b7b9.jpg

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Don't know what you're worried about, looks awesome

My first Peridot is hot off the dop and scaled in at 1ct and 5.3mm am very happy with it, it even sparkles magnificently under house lighting. Cant wait till the sun comes out.

Discovered that the wifes iPhone takes a better photo under the kitchen bench lights than my iPad.


(Before image is a few posts back)

Luv your talent Wally, really good :Y: :Y:

Beautiful stones Wally. You are showing great talent.
Mackka

Very nice peridot Wally. Barney has really been getting some fantastic photos of his stones lately, real pro type stuiff, he's using a lightbox and a very fancy looking camera.

I think the way to do it is use very white and bright but diffuse lighting through a piece of white material so it lights the stone up but gives little glare.

I'll probably be going for a beer with him today or tomorrow, I'll ask him about the most important aspects of getting the right pic.

He's got a FB page called Australian gemstone faceting where he's been putting his photos. Some amazing shots there.

Cheers Heath, just checked them out.

He has certainly been busy with some great cuts. See what you mean with the photos, he has nailed it.

Say gday from me. :Y:

Wally69 said:

Cheers Heath, just checked them out.

He has certainly been busy with some great cuts. See what you mean with the photos, he has nailed it.

Say gday from me. :Y:

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Some really good pics hey.

I will say g'day for you. He was talking about coming back on here but he lost his password and hasn't mentioned much more about it, he's been pretty busy with a bunch of stuff, hopefully he comes back here soon to share some of his amazing work.

He's also been doing a fair few coloured gemstones for this bloke too who does some fantastic jewellery pieces.

http://www.alistairkelsey.com/

Be nice to find one of these rings while out detecting.

Nice Wally! :Y: I got these back today, various quartz and a garnet cab- all from SA, found them myself but got someone to cut them. First bit of cuttable garnet I've found, even though it's a cab. Most of the garnet I've found has been too small or too dark, or both.

Australian Pink Zircon - before shot with a couple of nasty inclusions to work around



Halfway showing the true colour of the stone and me contemplating if the crack and inclusion will disappear with a bit of modified design work



Thankfully I was able to work around all the cracks but one small one in the girdle that should be covered up by a seated setting

Net result surprised the daylights out of me, it produces a kaleidoscope of colour with the most amazing sparkle and some of the facets flash through the various spectrums of technicolor when a bit of sunshine hits it. I love my first Zircon. :lol:

Putting the spare time to good use there mate, the pic next the flower looks fantastic.