Alternative faceting patterns

I am trying to cut citrine or quartz for an emerald style square or rectangle thick enough to be top drilled on the girdle to mount a setting for a pendant and would prefer that the pavilion and crown have the same cuts so the pendant can spin and show the same face. Does anyone have a suggestion for a faceting diagram that might work?

Duplicate an Emerald cut, but for a pendant you have a choice of either 2 tables or 2 keels.

As you are having a wide girdle to allow for drilling, I would suggest 2 tables working with 3 steps based on the normal pavilion cutting angles, 44 girdle, 42 main but then add a third at 26 preceding the table, or you could try 40 being quartz critical angle.

The process would be simple, cut one side, transfer then cut the second side the same. I suggest trying on some quartz jelly bean first to see what works the best before going to the bigger piece.

Greatly appreciate to quick response. I will give it a try and let you know how it worked. Thanks again

Here’s an alternative that I think would work great for you. Check out a Jeff Graham design called
Pillow (Check50.JRG).
It’s a checkerboard that is intentionally cut the same on both the crown and pavilion, and it will tolerate a thick girdle without looking strange. I’ve used it in several situations where I had either very thin, or very saturated rough, but I’m about to cut some peridot with this design. It makes a beautiful stone which is square, with clipped corners. Take a look. I think you might like it.

Thanks for the suggestion LKB. I will check it out and post my results.

Being a gem faceter who is nuts on brilliance and light return, I would use two pavilions which could be cut at rather low angles because the effect is like an apex crown, which allows a cut below the critical angle of the material. So maybe 35 degrees for the mains angle…I’d have to check, write if you’d like me to model such in GemCad for you. Virtually any design could be cut with two identical pavilions, as has been mentioned.

Beyond that, I would counsel cutting a normal stone and mounting in a bezel rather than drilling it…like so many requests on the various forums, I ask, “why?” Drilling takes a lot of time and is asking for trouble, esp. if you have not done it before. Do-able, but why, when a nice bezel is easy to do and attractive. And a swivel attached to the bezel is also easy to do. A girdle thick enough to drill through is also going to compromise your optical performance somewhat, leaving a dark area in the stone. There is a reason, or more than one, that things are done as they usually are…HTH, royjohn

Thanks Royjohn,
My basic reason for drilling the stone and not bezel setting it is that I don’t know squat about metalsmithing and don’t have any of the required equipment at the moment. I have explored the possibility but lack the time to develop a new skill when I haven’t yet mastered the old one. You never know though perhaps one day… Thanks for the suggestions and advice. Always greatly appreciated. Rocksteady

Good day LKB,

I looked for the Jeff Graham Check50 Pillow design that you suggested but was not able to come up with anything that provided the angle information. I even tried to find the original book but had no luck with that either. Do you have a copy of the facet diagrams that you would be willing to share?

Thanks ~ Rocksteady

Yes I do have the design, and I’m happy to share it. I’m not home at the moment, But within the next 3 to 4 hours I will be back there so I can scan it. What’s the best way to get it to you?

Thanks LKB. A pdf sent to my email would work best.
larryzolcienski@hotmail.com should do it.

Much appreciated and thanks again.

Hi royjohn,
Just a little follow up to your previous comment. I agree completely with the idea of not drilling the stones. I have not taken up metal-smithing per se but have been experimenting with various wire wrapping and/or weaving techniques to mount the stones for pendants and have been extremely pleased with the results. I have been closely following the work done by a Vietnamese artist named Lan Ahn on you-tube. She is incredibly talented and produces amazing settings.

All the best my friend, RockSteady74