To Cut or not to Cut?

[chrono]

I am undecided whether I should cut the larger 2.5 carat oval to match the smaller (1.2 carat) 6.2 mm round or keep looking for a matching 6 mm round. The larger stone could do with some tweaking but a recut to match is quite a large carat weight loss.

Since the stones aren't particularly durable, I did not dare photograph them loose. There is some colour distortion and glare with the gem cover on but I think the colour and dispersion comes through reasonably well.

 

[chrono]

Different light source this time: one is by the window and the other is high bay type lighting. They are a darker richer green under this type of lighting.

 

[VapidLapid]

cut and keep looking. Of course I mean cut the oval only to tweak. a 50% yield might be awesome if it was being cut from rough, but not so great on a recut.

 

[T L]

It's kind of hard to find nice clean sphene like that these days, so I would keep looking for a match for the smaller stone.

 

[GregS]

I would keep looking as well.

Have you considered going with Demantoid's instead? I'm sure you have, but I figured I'd ask.

 

[LD]

Chrono if I asked you the same question what would your advice to me be?

I'm guessing it would be "Don't cut it, are you mad? Losing all of that weight? LD you're not on a diet"! Or something like that!

So I guess that puts me in the "don't cut" camp

 

[chrono]

The stones are pretty cheap (around $50), which is why I am asking about cutting. I don't think I can get demantoids for anywhere near that price. Does that affect or change your answers?

 

[LD]

Is this a demantoid or a sphene?

Anyway, I don't think I could ever bring myself to butcher such a pretty stone. Yes it is in need of a minor tweak but that's different to a half body amputation.

 

[chrono]

Both are sphenes. Yes, they are very pretty which is why I am hesitant. Gene would do it!

 

[VapidLapid]

Gene might do it, but it would depend on what he paid for the stone and what he could charge for it after. But Gene doesn't do re-cuts. If he were presented with the original rough I suspect the stone would be close to the size it now is, and better cut!
I am confident that you will find a match to the 6mm. The real question then is what to do with your 2.5 ct sphene!

 

[chrono]

To clarify my joke, if this sphene belonged to Gene and he purchased it for around $50, there's no question he will do the half body amputation.

Guess I'll keep looking for the other match. The 2.5 ct is definitely in need of tweaking. I haven't contacted Jerry (GemMart) but I hope he's open to working on this one.

 

[movie zombie]

i'm not a fan of recuts.....and for a stone that cost $50 i'm not sure i'd spend more $ on it.
yes, i'd keep looking.
love the color, though.

 

[ChrisA222]

Chrono,

Dan Stair has cut three Sphenes for me, he is familiar with the material (not the easiest to work with). I would definately reccomend him.

I've not used Jerry for Sphene, but I have used him for Sphalerite.

Good luck!

If you go through Dan, he has a design he came up for me to tweak pavillions, which doesn't lose much weight, looks great, and only costs an hour to do. Email him and tell him that you're interested in oval pavillion fix that he does for me.

I'd certainly not recut the whole stone---in addition to losing all the weight, you're going to pay double what the stone cost, just for the recut. Just do the quick fix on the pavillion, find another 6.2mm round, and have a pendant/earring set.

Good luck!

On a side note re:dispersion pics.....of course my Sphenes show dispersion in other lighting, but they look best in strong incandescent, IMO.

Love them, a personal favorite.

 

[GregS]

I've had Jerry re-cut a dud Sphene I bought from Multicolour, he did an excellent job.

 

[chrono]

Thank you all! I do have the option of getting a 5.8 mm sphene which looks like a potential match colour-wise, then trim the 6.2 mm a little to make them a pair of earrings. Is that a better idea?

 

[FrekeChild]

I'd probably call them a match at 5.8 and 6.2. I don't think the size difference would be that big or noticeable with your face between them.

I'd recut the other for beauty and not chop it down to half it's weight.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

From your pictures, I don't think they're good enough match color wise to warrant a recut. I lost about 50% of the weight when I had Pete recut my sphenes.

 

[T L]

I've had Jerry re-cut a dud Sphene I bought from Multicolour, he did an excellent job.

I was thinking of sending my six carat one to him. Did you lose a lot of weight in the recut (sorry for the threadjack Chrono).

Chrono,
Make a pendant out of the oval to go with your future sphene earrings.

 

[chrono]

Threadjack away. I don't mind learning more about recutting sphenes.

I've emailed an inquiry about the 5.8 mm sphene and hope to be able to pair it with the 6.2 mm sphene. I'll save the 2.5 ct oval for a pendant, pending some tweaking. Don't worry folks, major surgery has been averted.

 

[cm366]

Love the idea of an oval pendant and earrings - there's no way that Gene would recut that oval to match! Tweak it, sure, but don't butcher it!

 

[GregS]

@TL: It displayed zero dispersion. He tweeked the pavilion and polished it, I only lost a few points. It now put's on a nice light show, as it should.

 

[T L]

@TL: It displayed zero dispersion. He tweeked the pavilion and polished it, I only lost a few points. It now put's on a nice light show, as it should.

Awesome, thanks for letting me know. I have to contact him as I've been wanting a recut on that stone forever.

 

[kgizo]

Lovely sphenes. The pic by the window makes them look especially nice. It's not a budget friendly approach, but I always vote for having more when it comes to something you like. Since the color speaks to you I think you'd enjoy having a pendant to go with the earrings.

 

[PrecisionGem]

If what you want is a pair for earrings and the two stones match, then by all means recut the one. $50 is pretty cheap so what's to loose? Getting a good color match may take some time when you limit it to a 6 mm round.

When cutting pairs from rough, always one stone ends up getting smaller than it could have been. But that's why there is premium for matched pairs.

 

[chrono]

Thanks for chiming in, Gene. And thanks to all my other PS enablers.

 

[FrekeChild]

Does that mean you've come to a decision?

 

[chrono]

I've inquired about the 5.8 mm sphene and hope to own it shortly.

 

[pregcurious]

Hope it's on the way to you.

 

[minousbijoux]

Those sphenes are quite a lovely shade of green.

 

[katharath]

I've inquired about the 5.8 mm sphene and hope to own it shortly.

Ooh, I hope this works out for you! Your sphenes are so beautiful in color...seems much harder to find that body color plus gems that aren't cloudy at all...I hope your new one is a great match in color/clarity.