Price of cutting rough stones?

[aries2]

Hi!
How much could it cost to have a rough stone cut?
Thanks!

 

[strmrdr]

It varies depending on the size and material that is being cut.
If you provide more information we can help you better or you can contact one of the cutters from the board.

Richard M and Micheal E are 2 that come to mind.

 

[strmrdr]

contact info:

https://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/profile/myprofile.asp?userID=5560

https://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/profile/myprofile.asp?userID=6578

 

[aries2]

Hello!
I am thinking of buying a 17ct rough peice of aquamarine. It has no rock on the outside it it just the blue stone and I would like to have it cut into a pear shape. Would it be worth it to do this, or is it a better idea to just try and find an aqua of that size and shape? I just can''t seem to find an aqua of the color, size and shape that I want anywhere and thoght buying the rough and having it cut may be a good idea. What do you think?
Thanks for the info!!

 

[strmrdr]

99 times out of a hundred if your buying rough then having it cut to a standard shape your getting took.
If the seller could make more money by having it cut they would.
The only way id consider it is if i wanted an unusual cut or a cut I designed.
Having a cutter source some rough and cutting it for you might be a different story.

 

[lonewoodminer]

Hi
Just to give you an idea our cutter in Australia charges from $20 to $25 per ct finished weight, not much when you consider the skill and time involved. Special jobs may cost slightly more.

How much are they asking for the rough? What do they describe the stone as. The origion of the stone can have a major affect on the price and the end result.

Regards Andrew Lane
www.aussiesapphire.com.au

 

[Michael_E]

Aries2,
It''s not so much cutting the rough, as it is getting good rough in the first place that determines what you end up with. Aquamarine comes in a wide range of colors and has a number of different types of common inclusions which can affect it''s price radically. If the stone is very pale or has inclusions that will affect its final appearance, then you may get it for a low price, but then be unhappy with the finished product. The problem with inclusions in aquamarine is that they are often very hard to see without inspecting the stone closely under a microscope, submerging it in water or mineral oil or even cutting and polishing a window on the rough. You also want to be careful that the shape of the rough is suitable for cutting the finished shape that you desire or you may end up wasting a lot of the piece trying to get an inappropriate shape out of the rough. The average weight retention in cutting varies from a low of 10% to a high of almost 50% depending on a whole range of factors. This means that you might end up with a 1.7 carat stone or a 7.5 carat stone, It all depends on the starting shape, the finished shape and any inclusions that must be cut out. The cost for cutting can vary quite a bit due to this variation in finshed weight, in that while many cutters charge based on finished weight, they also have a minimum charge to contend with. I would expect any aquamarine cut from rough to cost a minimum of $100 and more likely two or three times that amount for a very well done piece with maximum weight retention. Can you post a picture of the rough ?

 

[aries2]

Here is a pic of the rough:

http://www.africangemstones.co.za/plate9.htm

Thinking about #36...the one I was looking at origionaly has been sold.
Thanks!!!

 

[widget]

Here''s the picture...I hope!

 

[aries2]

Yup...thats the pic, except I think #36 is below the one you have circled... but that one is also just as nice! The colors look great don''t they, they look like nice deep blues!

 

[MJO]

Hi,

Take a look at this cut stone:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10202&item=4967981575

I have not bought anything from this seller but have emailed him and checked on his other sales. He seems very good and honest.

 

[Michael_E]

Stone #36 looks like it would be a good shape to cut a pear. The one thing that bothers me a bit about both Hilmar Bosch''s site and his American agent at Select Gems is that they give carat weights and no dimensions. It''s hard to tell from that picture just how deep the stone is. Regardless, he sells quality stones that are just as they are described as far as color and clarity. Those particular Aquamarines are as good as Aquamarine gets. If you weren''t too particular about the length to width ratio on your stone you could probably get over 30% weight retention by cutting fatter pear whereas #27 would cut a longer, narrower pear. It''s kind of fun imagining what you can get out of any given stone isn''t it ?

 

[strmrdr]

Michael's post clearly demonstrates why I think its better to let the cutter select the rough for you.
The fact that they can usually get better pricing is the icing on the cake.
I had a similar conversation with him a while ago that taught me that lesson well. :}

 

[aries2]

Wow! That stone is beautiful...just the color I''m looking for!

 

[aries2]

Thanks for the input!!! It sounds like I should just try and find one that I like and not get the rough unless I have a TON of $...maybe someday (hopefully

)