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ť Sphene: Can it be concave cut?

Sphene: Can it be concave cut?

P: 4/11/2008 6:11:31 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	Trying to think of a new way to satisfy my two latest colored stone cravings at one shot. Is sphene too soft or unsuitable for concave cutting in some way? I've done a cursory search to see if there are any in the usual places, and haven't seen any. Would concave cutting it affect the amazing dispersion of sphene, either positively or negatively? *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/11/2008 6:11:31 PM

There are 22 replies to this message. There are 22 replies on this page.

P: 4/11/2008 7:04:04 PM
Pandora II Ideal Rock Total Posts: 6,257 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 8/3/2006	I bought 3 sphene earlier this year which Richard Homer found for me at Tucson. 2 rounds just over a carat each and a 4ct fat oval. He recut the oval to maximise dispersion and I lost 30 pts in the recut - well worth it! He never suggested concave cutting to me. Sphene is only around a 5 on the Mohs so very soft. Revolution might be better equipped to comment as he has been cutting sphene recently.
Posted: 4/11/2008 7:04:04 PM

P: 4/11/2008 7:21:12 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	Yes, the dispersion is so high to start with, I suppose it could be gilding the lily. Have you posted photos of yours? *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/11/2008 7:21:12 PM

P: 4/12/2008 7:15:58 AM
sonomacounty Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,271 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 12/5/2007	Tell me does dispersion on a sphene do all the colors (red, blue, green, purple, etc.) or moreso, just sphene colors (yellow, brown, greenish)? Thanks.
Posted: 4/12/2008 7:15:58 AM

P: 4/12/2008 7:02:00 PM
Pandora II Ideal Rock Total Posts: 6,257 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 8/3/2006	Selkie, I haven't seen them IRL yet - they are in Wink's safe while I finish procrastinating about the setting - so no photos as you can take screen shots of sphene (I saw them on Wink TV). If you go for sphene, don't even think of doing more than a pendant or earrings - bezelling or too much work going on near the stone would make me nervous. I'm just going for super-simple yg pronged settings - but I'm umming and ahhhing about the prongs... Sonoma - for a good idea of their dispersion take a look at Revolution's sphene here:
Posted: 4/12/2008 7:02:00 PM

P: 4/13/2008 9:03:56 AM
sonomacounty Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,271 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 12/5/2007	Sonoma - for a good idea of their dispersion take a look at Revolution's sphene here:> ---- Oh, yes, breathtaking. Question, still unsure - will it's dispersion be in the yellow/gold/brown tones or will it also do blue, green, red? I believe, you answered the question with "yellow/gold/brown tones". Correct? --- Now, I think I read that the sphenes that show more dispersion (quality of cut dependent, of course) are the lighter colored ones, but I think the brownish ones are much more pretty. --- Oh, and I finally found a round light violet /blue sapphire to put in that setting I was trying to fill.
Posted: 4/13/2008 9:03:56 AM

P: 4/13/2008 4:04:12 PM
Pandora II Ideal Rock Total Posts: 6,257 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 8/3/2006	The last one I looked at in the flesh had a honey brown body tone and had fire like a diamond x2 - red, green, blue - every shade of the rainbow. The greenish ones I've seen had less visible dispersion - but it may have been that the cut wasn't top notch. When I asked Richard to find my stones, I was originally after a greenish stone, but my main priority was killer dispersion. So I asked him to buy the best he could find - the result was honey-brown. The green/yellow stones available didn't match up.
Posted: 4/13/2008 4:04:12 PM

P: 4/13/2008 5:54:54 PM
sonomacounty Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,271 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 12/5/2007	Thanks Pandora. <The last one I looked at in the flesh had a honey brown body tone and had fire like a diamond x2 - red, green, blue - every shade of the rainbow.> Oh my goodness, how wonderful is that. I think the honey brown ones are the prettiest, actually.
Posted: 4/13/2008 5:54:54 PM

P: 4/13/2008 6:06:24 PM
Pandora II Ideal Rock Total Posts: 6,257 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 8/3/2006	It was stunning - and a snip at Ł90 GBP... But, I haven't seen mine IRL yet and I want to see what they look like first before buying anymore!
Posted: 4/13/2008 6:06:24 PM

P: 4/13/2008 11:48:34 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	I've only seen three sphene in person, but their flashes of red, green, yellow, etc. were amazing. I've actually just bought a couple of cheapish ones off eBay, on a whim. For fun, like. I'm looking forward to the end results of yours, Pandora so c'mon now, make up your mind! *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/13/2008 11:48:34 PM

P: 4/14/2008 3:57:41 PM
Revolution Cut Rock Total Posts: 162 Last Post: 8/14/2008 Member Since: 1/29/2008	Greetings troops! Well, here is my take on both questions that have been posed here. 1: Concave cutting: I would not concave cut a sphene for the reasons mentioned above. Too soft. The resulting ridges on the back would be too suceptible to chipping and would ultimately be the death of the stone. I believe the "guilding the lily" comment is perfect. The dispersion is so high you wouldn't gain much with the concave cut anyway. 2: Dispersion: The material that I have been cutting lately comes from Pakistan. It has a beautiful golden body color and VERY stron red, green, yellow and golden flashes. You don't often see blue flash in this material though there is a little. THere is a green-bodied material that comes out of madagascar. It also has brilliant red green and gold flashes and even some blue though it doesn't really compare to the Pakistan material. Think of it like comparing the brilliance of a diamond and the brilliance of zircon. BOth have good dispersion but the zircon really pales in comparison to the diamond. Same with sphene. Pakistan=diamond, Madagascar=Zircon. Both beautiful but the Pakistan material is superior in virtually every way. So, thats my $.02 worth. I hope it helps Jeff S. "Only two things are infinite: Human Stupidity and the Universe, and I'm not so sure about the Universe" -Albert Einstein-
Posted: 4/14/2008 3:57:41 PM

P: 4/14/2008 6:42:41 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	Excellent info, Jeff. Thanks. That one of yours Pandora posted is beautiful. *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/14/2008 6:42:41 PM

P: 4/15/2008 12:27:48 AM
Revolution Cut Rock Total Posts: 162 Last Post: 8/14/2008 Member Since: 1/29/2008	Selkie, Thanks for the compliment. I am quite proud of that particular stone. I have more of the material but that is by far the best one I have cut so far. Emphasis on SO FAR. There are many more to come. I have also promised to do a step-by=step on cutting a Pala tourmaline that I got last year. I am hoping to start that project this week. Anyway, thanks again. I love the ego strokes! Jeff S. "Only two things are infinite: Human Stupidity and the Universe, and I'm not so sure about the Universe" -Albert Einstein-
Posted: 4/15/2008 12:27:48 AM

P: 4/16/2008 12:38:49 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	Date: 4/15/2008 12:27:48 AM Author: Revolution I have also promised to do a step-by=step on cutting a Pala tourmaline that I got last year. I am hoping to start that project this week. Anyway, thanks again. I love the ego strokes! You're welcome! I'm really interested to learn more about the cutting process start to finish, and look forward to your demo. *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/16/2008 12:38:49 PM

P: 4/26/2008 2:24:19 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	The first of two new sphenes has arrived. This one is a trillion, 1.7ct from Pakistan. *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/26/2008 2:24:19 PM

P: 4/26/2008 2:27:49 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	It's eyeclean, just dirty! *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/26/2008 2:27:49 PM

P: 4/26/2008 2:28:38 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	I think this will make a nice pendant. It's 7.8mm. *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/26/2008 2:28:38 PM

P: 4/26/2008 2:31:15 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	I thought about trying to combine the zircon and sphene...any ideas? *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/26/2008 2:31:15 PM

P: 4/26/2008 6:26:08 PM
Skippy123 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 19,823 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 11/24/2006	I don't have any ideas but both those stones are beautiful, congrats Selkie!!! Skippy "The only things that stand between a person and what they want in life are the will to try it, and the faith to believe it's possible" Rich Devos
Posted: 4/26/2008 6:26:08 PM

P: 4/27/2008 3:33:03 PM
Love in Bloom Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,535 Last Post: 11/19/2009 Member Since: 3/31/2007	Congrats on your sphene. I'm so curious as to what one looks like in person; they look so cool from the pictures. And I'm totally diggin' that zircon / sphene combo . Would love to see them dangling in halos! ETA: Skippy, your avatar is oober pretty! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the axe came into the forest, the trees said the handle is one of us. -bumper sticker
Posted: 4/27/2008 3:33:03 PM

P: 4/28/2008 9:42:42 AM
dreamer_dachsie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 5,533 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 12/16/2007	I think the colors of the zircon and the sphene looks great together (at least on my monitor)! DD * Dreamer *
Posted: 4/28/2008 9:42:42 AM

P: 4/28/2008 1:37:21 PM
Selkie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,616 Last Post: 11/11/2009 Member Since: 1/11/2006	I actually ended up taking the trillion sphene and the zircon to a local jeweler. I'm getting the zircon set in a simple Stuller east/west WG bezel ring, and the sphene will be in a yellow gold bezel pendant. I don't have the funds right now for a custom setting to incorporate them both in a single pendant, unfortunately. *** Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Posted: 4/28/2008 1:37:21 PM

P: 4/28/2008 7:30:49 PM
FrekeChild Ideal Rock Total Posts: 12,880 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 12/14/2007	Date: 4/28/2008 1:37:21 PM Author: Selkie I actually ended up taking the trillion sphene and the zircon to a local jeweler. I'm getting the zircon set in a simple Stuller east/west WG bezel ring, and the sphene will be in a yellow gold bezel pendant. I don't have the funds right now for a custom setting to incorporate them both in a single pendant, unfortunately. Dang I was really digging the color combo on those together. Sphene is pretty amazing to look at, but I don't think I've ever seen any IRL. I'll have to get on that. What are the specs on the zircon? (I heart zircon-so pretty!!) _______________________________ "Women are either goddesses or doormats." Pablo Picasso "In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane." Mark Twain
Posted: 4/28/2008 7:30:49 PM

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