gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059 
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Post by gemfeller on May 2, 2024 12:22:44 GMT -5
I love rutilated quartz and I invested in a fairly large parcel of rough many years ago. But it's challenging rough: odd shapes, pits, and other issues that make selecting and orienting cabs unusually difficult. And none I've cut so far was more difficult than this one.
I could tell from the rough there was unusual beauty to be revealed if only I could navigate all the problems. The main ones were the shape of the rough, and deep pitting that was directly above the most attractive parts -- as usual! And orienting the brightest area to the top of the hoped-for stone was almost impossible because of the shape. I must have cut 4 or so "bottoms" at different angles to get the best orientation possible. After I got it as close as I could, it was breath-holding time as I carefully tried to eliminate the seemingly bottomless pits on the top.
After an hour or so of "cut a little, look a lot," success! The end result weighs 17.57 carats and measures 25 x 14.5 x 8 mm. The video only hints at the stone's brightness. In hand it is almost blinding as it turns in he light. Thanks for looking!
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roQhound
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2023
Posts: 104
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Post by roQhound on May 2, 2024 12:35:52 GMT -5
That's a beauty and I can see that it would be really difficult to work with that material. Great job!
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Post by pebblesky on May 2, 2024 12:58:21 GMT -5
The end result is super satisfying and totally worth your effort!
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on May 2, 2024 13:29:36 GMT -5
The end result is super satisfying and totally worth your effort! Thanks -- wish you could see it in hand. |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on May 2, 2024 13:31:43 GMT -5
That's a beauty and I can see that it would be really difficult to work with that material. Great job! Thanks. It's normally pretty easy to cut, but this particular stone was a hot mess in the rough. I feel lucky to have salvaged a cab out of it much less a really nice one. |
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realrockhound
Cave Dweller
Chucking leaverite at tweekers
Member since June 2020
Posts: 4,491
Member is Online
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Post by realrockhound on May 2, 2024 13:37:23 GMT -5
At work now, but hopefully I’ll be on lunch soon. Can’t wait to check out the vid. Still a type of material I need to get around to cutting
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Post by rockjunquie on May 2, 2024 14:03:08 GMT -5
Mic drop!!
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on May 2, 2024 14:11:40 GMT -5
I guess I like your comment but I have no idea what it means  |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on May 2, 2024 14:18:02 GMT -5
Wow, that’s gorgeous.👍
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Post by rockjunquie on May 2, 2024 14:53:10 GMT -5
I guess I like your comment but I have no idea what it means It means you just dropped something so fabulous no one can top it.  |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on May 2, 2024 18:25:34 GMT -5
I guess I like your comment but I have no idea what it means It means you just dropped something so fabulous no one can top it. Now I REALLY like it!  |
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Post by chris1956 on May 2, 2024 18:51:49 GMT -5
That is outstanding!
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Post by jasoninsd on May 2, 2024 21:16:24 GMT -5
OMG! That is the way this material is supposed to look when worked! Outstanding!! Oddly...I just finished working a cab of rutilated quartz as well...but I still need to polish the back. It looks NOTHING like yours!  |
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Post by liveoak on May 3, 2024 6:11:55 GMT -5
Looks WELL worth your efforts ! A super nice one.
Patty
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on May 3, 2024 14:21:00 GMT -5
OMG! That is the way this material is supposed to look when worked! Outstanding!! Oddly...I just finished working a cab of rutilated quartz as well...but I still need to polish the back. It looks NOTHING like yours! This one's unusually nice, so don't be disappointed with yours. I could see the potential in the rough but I had almost nothing to work with in the way of material. I still haven't given it a final polish because I'm pondering having another go at it to change the angle of the bottom to create a near cat's-eye effect. But it's a gamble and I'd lose a fair amount of weight as well as narrowing the shape quite a bit. Decisions, decisions.... |
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Post by rockjunquie on May 3, 2024 14:49:37 GMT -5
OMG! That is the way this material is supposed to look when worked! Outstanding!! Oddly...I just finished working a cab of rutilated quartz as well...but I still need to polish the back. It looks NOTHING like yours! This one's unusually nice, so don't be disappointed with yours. I could see the potential in the rough but I had almost nothing to work with in the way of material. I still haven't given it a final polish because I'm pondering having another go at it to change the angle of the bottom to create a near cat's-eye effect. But it's a gamble and I'd lose a fair amount of weight as well as narrowing the shape quite a bit. Decisions, decisions.... It's gorgeous the way it is.  |
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059
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Post by gemfeller on May 3, 2024 15:06:03 GMT -5
This one's unusually nice, so don't be disappointed with yours. I could see the potential in the rough but I had almost nothing to work with in the way of material. I still haven't given it a final polish because I'm pondering having another go at it to change the angle of the bottom to create a near cat's-eye effect. But it's a gamble and I'd lose a fair amount of weight as well as narrowing the shape quite a bit. Decisions, decisions.... It's gorgeous the way it is. Thanks. I'm coming to that conclusion myself. I don't think my poor heart could stand the tension of a rec-cut anyhow. |
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Post by pebblesky on May 3, 2024 15:06:54 GMT -5
It's gorgeous the way it is.  Thanks. I'm coming to that conclusion myself. I don't think my poor heart could stand the tension of a rec-cut anyhow.  |
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