(possibly dumb) Recutting Question

[GG414]

As I''m sure many of you have experienced when shopping for colored stones, it can be pretty difficult to find the perfect color stone you want in the shape you desire. Since color is obviously the most important, is it possible to have a stone you find recut into a different shape altogether? e.g. Can you take an oval stone you find and have it recut into a square barion?

The reason I''m asking is b/c all the recuts I''ve seen on here have been to get a more precise cut, but retain the same general shape (like the recent jeff white recut of the cushion sapphire into a better cushion sapphire). My guess is that it''s technically possible but may involve substantial weight loss and might affect the color of the stone.

This is a purely hypothetical question. I don''t have a particular stone in mind, but was just wondering for future purchases.

Thanks!

 

[FrekeChild]

Yes it''s possible, providing the stone is a big enough size to get the size you want in the shape you want. However, if speaking about an oval into a square barion, I''d imagine the weight/size loss would be substantial. Its a bad investment idea in general, because most often you''re paying a certain amount per carat, and when a lot of that weight is lost, it is almost like money is lost as well. However, (and I''m pretty sure there will be some kind of debate about this) some of the value will be regained through an improved cut.

Others would know better than I though.

Did that make any sense?

 

[GG414]

Date: 5/14/2009 5:21:09 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Yes it''s possible, providing the stone is a big enough size to get the size you want in the shape you want. However, if speaking about an oval into a square barion, I''d imagine the weight/size loss would be substantial. Its a bad investment idea in general, because most often you''re paying a certain amount per carat, and when a lot of that weight is lost, it is almost like money is lost as well. However, (and I''m pretty sure there will be some kind of debate about this) some of the value will be regained through an improved cut.


Others would know better than I though.


Did that make any sense?

Yeah, makes perfect sense. I understand the throwing money away argument. But, I was really just thinking about the situation where say. . . you had your heart set on an extremely rare color of a particular stone but couldn''t find it in the shape you wanted and didn''t care how much $$ it took to get it. (still hypothetical)

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/14/2009 5:35:36 PM
Author: GG414


Yeah, makes perfect sense. I understand the throwing money away argument. But, I was really just thinking about the situation where say. . . you had your heart set on an extremely rare color of a particular stone but couldn''t find it in the shape you wanted and didn''t care how much $$ it took to get it. (still hypothetical)

If it''s a very rare colour, then you would be MAD to do a recut. Colour trumps everything with coloured gemstones. Recutting will almost certainly result in substantial weight loss and may very well result in an alteration to the colour of the stone. Plus you will probably have paid $$$ to have most of it ground away - since the price rises considerably with the size of a stone, you stand to lose a lot of value....

That''s my two pence worth anyway...

 

[chrono]

The answer is yes, you can recut it in whatever shape or form you wish. However, as mentioned, the weight loss could be extremely great (maybe even 1/2 the original size) and the colour could end up worse. There''s the cost of the original stone, the cutting fee and the loss of value with the smaller size. It''s a lose-lose situation all around. If it is especially rare, a good cutter might even refuse the job because he knows the worth would be so much more to leave it as it is.