Economics behind Ideal cut

[T L]

Date: 7/28/2009 7:46:58 PM
Author: glitterata
That octohedron is gorgeous! Almost a shame to cut it into a mere gemstone. Is it common to find such well formed pieces of solid geometry?

What spec stone(s) did it end up turning into, do you know?

There is an ebay seller that sells small but really perfect octahedron crystals. I enjoy looking at his listings.

Here's one

http://cgi.ebay.com/SECRET-OF-THE-UNIVERSE-BILLION-YEARS-OLD-ROUGH-DIAMOND_W0QQitemZ360174222871QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item53dc0e7e17&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

 

[John P]

Date: 7/28/2009 8:35:13 PM
Author: Rockdiamond
I think a lot of folks agree with you glitterata
In fact, there are people wearing rough diamonds- I believe even De Beers retail stores were carrying them.
The ones in the photo- and the one I posted above.
These are brown Indian Diamonds that have been determined to be pretty much untenable to polish, and are finding buyers ( probably some of the eBay stones John mentioned) in the rough state.
Since they're rejects, their value is a fraction of the rough used to cut fine diamonds- even lower color clarity diamonds.
They still cost a heck of a lot more than fishtank rocks

.

I love this stuff. In the 17th and 18th century there was a trend for diamonds to be set in natural rough form, especially as the Brazilian discoveries supplemented the Indian supply.

This setting of a 1.09 ct macle by Michael Baska seems perfectly natural.

 

[John P]

And it's not quite in-the-rough but it's beautiful, and I hope my friend Al Gilbertson doesn't mind my including his incredible cabachon-cut diamond ring here. The luminescence is somewhat helped by the backlight of a restaurant candle off Groenplaats in Antwerp. But it's breathtaking even with no special effects.

 

[glitterata]

Tourm, I love that! Something new to start saving up for...

 

[T L]

Date: 7/28/2009 10:13:18 PM
Author: glitterata
Tourm, I love that! Something new to start saving up for...

I have pondered the thought of buying one for my collection since they''re such perfect natural crystal formations. Other gems, like spinels, also form perfect octahedrons like that as well.

 

[John P]

Date: 7/28/2009 7:59:09 PM
Author: Gypsy

Thank you John for your gracious reply. It takes a lot of skill to turn my asking into a favor seem like I'm doing you a favor.

Credit to my wife. She trains me rigorously.

Date: 7/28/2009 7:59:09 PM
Author: Gypsy
I'm really excited about starting the courses. And I will likely try to go to Carlsbad for the labs. And I'm also wanting to take some advanced CAD design and metworking cases up here in SF (there is a school that I heard about that Neil also spoke highly of). I'm not sure what i'll do with it, short of helping people on here more accurately, but at this point it's about the journey not the destination.

One thing I would suggest is don't limit yourself to GIA-only workshops. Get active in local gemological circles and sessions. Also, as soon as you're enrolled in any GIA course you can begin attending the GIA Alumni Association meetings in your area. It's nice to gather with like-minded people when it comes to "the journey."

Brava btw.

 

[Gypsy]

Modest too. A true credit to the wife, and to yourself.

Thank you John, I will check that out! And thanks for the kind encouragement I think it will be a nice change of pace.

 

[Sharon101]

Date: 7/28/2009 2:15:57 PM
Author: Gypsy
I''ve been gathering knowledge in anticipation of my GIA courses (YAY)...

Here''s what limited (very limted) knowledge I''ve been able to piece together and it''s probably not entirely techinically accurate. Rough comes in different shapes. Something about 2, 3, and 4 ''points'' (I think point is the wrong word). One of these (I think it''s the 4 point) rough shapes are better for cutting super ideals-- takes less effort to polish them and what not. Don''t ask me why... I could try to paraphrase but I''d get it wrong. Anyway, as I understand it (and again, could be completely wrong here) this shape is more sought after in rough, so some of the cost comes from getting high quality rough that''s suited to cutting ideals with less effort. Then apparently to be a diamond cutter you have to be apprenticed... you can''t just go to school and become one (who knew!), so the cutters of ideals have spent a lot of time invested in their trade... and the better the cutter, the more he gets paid. So... I think some of it is just a function of the process.

I think that ideal cuts are coming more and more common, a lot of stores that didn''t carry anything of the sort a when I started my diamond search are now carrying some type of superideal ... I think Kay, Helberg, Jareds, etc (all mainstream diamond sellers) now carry thier own ''ideals''... and yes with a premium.

But it takes an educated buyer to understand the value of optimal light performance. And even then... a lot of people have different priorities they prefer. Such as size, color or clarity, which will make them decide to go with a ''non-ideal'' over an ideal, because something''s got to give in their budget.

Experts, please feel to correct me... I do need to know this stuff, and don''t want to be misinforming people on here. LOL.

Gypsy, I really enjoyed reading yout take on things. I think you have explained some very interesting concepts in a very simple, easy to understand way!

 

[Sharon101]

This has been one of my favourite reads here on PS ever. I love knowing some of the process that goes on behind the scenes. There is so much planning involved in every step of the way. I find it intreguing that each step is a huge financial gamble to someone. It makes me have much more respect for all diamonds that end up in the market place, knowing all the hands that touched it and all the trading done to end up with the finished product!!!! And.....each step has soooo many decisions, so many outcomes! Ultimately it comes down to some very clever planners trying to read the market. Personally the stress would kill me!!!!! But thats business. Every decision has the potensial to make or break you. Every business can only afford so many mistakes or lessons.

My dh runs a business like this. Each piece of stock has been expertly eyeballed and analysed by him in a process that can take hours looking at stock for his shop. He knows what he is doing as he factors in beauty, cost, what the market will bare, demand etc. Times change and you have to always be on top of new trends and buying patterns. The actual business of trading is far from the glamour of the actual product.

I personally love knowing the business side of how rough ends up in a beautiful showcase or on a website. It is nothing less than fasinating knowing about the craft involved, and the huge risk and gambles involved by all who are part of the process!

Thanks everyone who contributed here!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/29/2009 6:50:26 AM
Author: Sharon101
This has been one of my favourite reads here on PS ever. I love knowing some of the process that goes on behind the scenes. There is so much planning involved in every step of the way. I find it intreguing that each step is a huge financial gamble to someone. It makes me have much more respect for all diamonds that end up in the market place, knowing all the hands that touched it and all the trading done to end up with the finished product!!!! And.....each step has soooo many decisions, so many outcomes! Ultimately it comes down to some very clever planners trying to read the market. Personally the stress would kill me!!!!! But thats business. Every decision has the potensial to make or break you. Every business can only afford so many mistakes or lessons.

My dh runs a business like this. Each piece of stock has been expertly eyeballed and analysed by him in a process that can take hours looking at stock for his shop. He knows what he is doing as he factors in beauty, cost, what the market will bare, demand etc. Times change and you have to always be on top of new trends and buying patterns. The actual business of trading is far from the glamour of the actual product.

I personally love knowing the business side of how rough ends up in a beautiful showcase or on a website. It is nothing less than fasinating knowing about the craft involved, and the huge risk and gambles involved by all who are part of the process!

Thanks everyone who contributed here!

Ditto - Pricescope at its best!