1 ounce = 141.747616 carats, according to Google calculator =p 1 carat is 200mg.

I heard sometime ago that the best cut for an emerald is the square cut. If it was cut another way--for example, the way a diamond would be cut (I know there are plenty of ways to do this)--would it ruin the emerald?

Also, if you cut a gemstone incorrectly so that the angle is wrong, or it makes a chip or crack, is the gemstone unsalvagable? Or can you guys do something to save it? I guess if it was a large gem, you could use it to make something smaller, but what if it was already a small gem?

Rough emeralds often found in octagonal shapes, but they often retain more weight when cut as octagons as well as emerald-cut, and also retain more colour saturation in these shapes. So, basically, they "look prettier" in such styles. But it isn't rare to see other gems cut in the same manner. It is a pretty basic cut.

Depends on the scale. If we're talking a small chipping on a decent sized gem, you can just cut a little further and scrape off that layer. Cutting, if you are new to it, is a money-pit. Everyone practices with quartz since it is worthless and plentiful. If you screw up bad enough, you can't salvage it. You can't use glue or anything like that, y'know =p The hard truth of it is that there are many mistakes that you can't fix. Cutting a gem is slow and painstaking because a lot is at risk if you go too fast or are clumsy.

Oh man, so I guess being a jeweller isn't for me. I'm clumsy as hell!!

Thanks for the quick reply!

Oooh thanks. I doubt I'll be able to make use of that information, but you never know. :) It's something I've always wondered.

I want to ask you: Is Corundum a rare mineral and expensive? I know it has hardness 9 but at my University, when I studied the minerals, corundum was set free to touch, to scrape with another minerals and anyone could steal it easy.
Thanks,

BR

Not rare as far as I know... It is used in abrasives (though often a synthetic version) from Sandpaper and onward. Valuable only if you have some select gems growing out of it =p

How hard is it to get into the Gem business?

What would be your appraisal of an .42ct IF, color rating E diamond with excellent symmetry and a good polish?

Kinda tricky. Most folks say to go to GIA, but the degrees there are rather quick to get, and, in my opinion, don't prove much. I spoke to the right person who had a good number of contacts and he got me in touch with a local dealer who took me under his wing as of late.

"IF"? I'm a bit hazy on that abbreviation... I'd need to know the symmetry first off. You tell me excellent symmetry and good polish, but are we talking Brilliant cut? Marquise? Also, its dimensions would need to be a must. If I had the sample in my hands, I could give an accurate ballpark figure, but based off of what you told me? Maybe $350.

IF=Internally Flawless.

Carat weight: .42
Color: E
Clarity: IF
Depth %: 62.0%
Table %: 54%
Girdle: Medium to slightly thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Faint
Measurements: 4.79x4.82x2.98 mm (Round Cut)

Oh, I was mistaken. The Polish and Symmetry are both Very Good under the GIA grading report.

Double Post:
So there are schools out there to learn what you do... But from what I gather they are toooo easy to get degrees from, huh?

Hmmh... I'd like to see the sample as opposed to read measurements, but I'd say $700-800ish maybe. Could be wrong. I'm just a beginner by most standards anyhow =p

Yeah, the college is expensive. The degrees they give you are for everyday things a jeweler should know about. There should just be one large degree, not a bunch of one to two month-long courses. But still, while I was freelancing, I'd get called into a business or two and one time, a fella in there was a GIA grad. Didn't know his arse from a peridot. The guy was a complete moron despite having alllll the degrees from there. I am a firm believer in apprentice-ship in this field.

Good to know... Hands on is always better that classroom work. How long have you been in the gem biz?

As for the diamond, it is one of the most brilliant diamonds I have ever seen. By far above the shit they sell in the jewelry stores around town. So I would say 400 is a bit of a low ball estimate O.o

Well, Marquise pieces I've seen of 0.42ct are $400-$500. Like I said, a shot in the dark.

Well, I'm 21. Been collecting since I was 5 or so. Freelanced starting at age 16. Built up a small rep around here for helping out if a business is swamped or another set of hands is needed. Only a few months ago did I finally decide to work fully under a store. My appraisal skills are my rustiest but that's due to lack of experience.

I see, so this has been an interest of yours since a young age. I used to collect rocks that I thought looked cool as a kid... but they were never worth anything :/

Got any other neat tricks to weed out the fake stones?

Yessir. Refer to page 1, in response to the first post Nadienne made. A neat trick I derived m'self after going through a mineralogical optics-intensive lab.

... I read that one, I was hoping for some others.

o rly. Any others?

Well, there are a few:

Hardness
Weight
Specialized Dating if you have the excess hardware (probably don't~)
Compare RI's
Optical Analysis
See if it is Isotropic (Glass) by crossing polars and noting its extinction

Lotsa processes. A fake can be ID'd in a heartbeat by a Gemologist. The intention of a fake is to fool your everyday Joe.

If I can scratch it, it ain't real.

What's the most expensive and/or rarest metal used to make jewellry? Do the metals from meteorites (usually very rare on earth but common in space) get used to make things?

Rhodium?

Well, lotsa nice gems are still scratchable. Comparing hardness ranges is one way to do it.

It's a close race between Platinum & Titanium as far as prices go.

O_o I was refering to diamonds

Where can I find kryptonite.

You never SAID diamonds >_O You said verifying things as real or fake. That could range from the metal being gold to whether your emerald is real or glass. Weight is the big-time give away. Followed by the appearance. But you get the ability to differentiate them on sight after you've seen the comparisons often enough (and diamonds do get scratched!).

Over in the comic book forums =o Shhh!