Your favorite cutter and personal opinion

[Ryon]

I am looking for an amethyst or possibly something a little unique to put in a ring and wanted to know who you thought was the best cutter.

Here are some stones I have been looking into, take your pick ( don''t pick on price, just which is going to look the best in your opinion )


Pink Quartz- http://www.webgraphicsengineering.com/Gemstones/detail.cfm?zNum=4206


Amethyst (really fine color)- http://www.webgraphicsengineering.com/Gemstones/detail.cfm?zNum=5366


Pink Tourmaline (1st one)- http://precisiongem.com/html/html/PinkTourmaline.html

I would like to thow in an honorable mention to Jeff White (his round and cushion cuts seem amazing) and Peter Tocorra has some great stones at a low price. They didn''t have any stones up at the time that interested me, but they both have great gallerys and I could request a gemstone.

Maybe too much info, but help me narrow it down. Please don''t say they are all good, pick one haha.

If you have personal experience or own a gemstone by any of these cutters please tell of it, Thank you

 

[brandy_z28]

Date: 5/25/2009 3:51:42 PM
Author:Ryon
I am looking for an amethyst or possibly something a little unique to put in a ring and wanted to know who you thought was the best cutter.

Here are some stones I have been looking into, take your pick ( don''t pick on price, just which is going to look the best in your opinion )


Pink Quartz- http://www.webgraphicsengineering.com/Gemstones/detail.cfm?zNum=4206


Amethyst (really fine color)- http://www.webgraphicsengineering.com/Gemstones/detail.cfm?zNum=5366


Pink Tourmaline (1st one)- http://precisiongem.com/html/html/PinkTourmaline.html

I would like to thow in an honorable mention to Jeff White (his round and cushion cuts seem amazing) and Peter Tocorra has some great stones at a low price. They didn''t have any stones up at the time that interested me, but they both have great gallerys and I could request a gemstone.

Maybe too much info, but help me narrow it down. Please don''t say they are all good, pick one haha.

If you have personal experience or own a gemstone by any of these cutters please tell of it, Thank you

If I got to pick out of those three I''d pick the concave amethyst. I generally don''t like amethysts but that one is PRETTY.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I am surprised not to see Barry Bridgestock - http://www.acstones.com/ on this list. He cuts some amazing rounds and ovals. He is one of my favoties and a popular vendor with PSers.

Gary Braun also has a few amethyst up for sale - http://www.finewatergems.com/amethyst.html.

The pink tourmaline from Gene is very pretty but according to his description there is a vein that can be seen at some angles. Make sure that won't bother you.

 

[karee888]

Don''t forget about Dan Stair or John! They''re also great.

Dan

John

 

[T L]

As much as I love RH's concave cutting, that's way too much $$$ to spend on a 4 carat amethyst. I would try Barry Bridgestock at acstones for a nicely cut Uruguayan amethyst (that source has very fine color). As many PS'ers can attest to in the vendor photograph thread, his photos are the most like the stone in real life as well.

 

[Ryon]

Thanks guys, so far its one for the amethyst and a bunch of new cutters haha.

Maybe a better question would be, is anything going to beat Richard Homer''s concave faceting?

Also the Rose quartz was the finest he could find and is on clearance btw is why it is a lot cheaper.

 

[Ryon]

Thanks tourmaline lover but Richard has quoted some very reasonable prices to me.. I don''t think it would be right to share those numbers with everyone, however getting your personal cut from him has its advantages. His stones are all way to big for her finger so I have to get a smaller one.

 

[T L]

Date: 5/25/2009 4:21:05 PM
Author: Ryon
Thanks guys, so far its one for the amethyst and a bunch of new cutters haha.

Maybe a better question would be, is anything going to beat Richard Homer's concave faceting?

Also the Rose quartz was the finest he could find and is on clearance btw is why it is a lot cheaper.

If I were to buy a RH cut, I would buy a more valuable stone. I think in this case, 90% of the $$$ you're spending is going to be on the concave cutting, whereas if you get a rare gem, you're not spending as much on just his cutting. The rose quartz is also like $2/carat in the rough, so you're spending a lot for his cutting there. If you're set on an RH concave cut though, and you're on a tight budget, I guess the rose quartz is an option. I just don't like putting all of my $$$ towards the cutting.

 

[karee888]

Barry and Gary at Finewater both have wonderful amethysts.

 

[T L]

Date: 5/25/2009 4:24:59 PM
Author: karee888
Barry and Gary at Finewater both have wonderful amethysts.

I've heard that Gary's amethsyts don't look anywhere as nice as the vendor photograph from someone who bought one. As far as Barry's amethysts, I've found them to be lovely in his photos and in the PS'ers photos posted here. Barry typically uses Uruguayan material, and that makes a difference as well. It's a much richer puple with red flashes, otherwise known as "Siberian" color.

 

[karee888]

Date: 5/25/2009 4:26:53 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 5/25/2009 4:24:59 PM

Author: karee888

Barry and Gary at Finewater both have wonderful amethysts.

I''ve heard that Gary''s amethsyts don''t look anywhere as nice as the vendor photograph from someone who bought one. As far as Barry''s amethysts, I''ve found them to be lovely in his photos and in the PS''ers photos posted here. Barry typically uses Uruguayan material, and that makes a difference as well. It''s a much richer puple with red flashes, otherwise known as ''Siberian'' color.

Sad.

Well, I can vouch for Barry''s, at least. I LOVE MINE. It is fantastic. Blue and pink flashes....totally gorgeous!!!! A great size, and a wonderful price.

 

[Ryon]

Well if the prices were even and I wanted a 7x7 amethyst who would you pick as the cutter? I''m thinking I can''t get a better cut for a gemstone than Richard Homer''s Concave.

Thanks everyone for giving me more cutters, but if you could only pick one, who would it be?

I am very bad at making decisions and giving me more options makes it worse haha.

Also if I pick an expensive stone and an expensive cutter it will just end up costing me more money.

Tourmaline is the more expensive option and has an advantage in hardness.

 

[T L]

I think all the cutters posted, except for Dan Stair (sorry, not crazy about his cutting - don''t kill me, just my opinion), are comprable to each other. In this case, I think it''s the matter of finding a good color for a good price in the shape you want.

 

[karee888]

Date: 5/25/2009 4:37:26 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I think all the cutters posted, except for Dan Stair (sorry, not crazy about his cutting - don''t kill me, just my opinion), are comprable to each other. In this case, I think it''s the matter of finding a good color for a good price in the shape you want.

Agreed. Except for the part about Dan.

 

[Ryon]

Yeah in that photo to real life image topic Dan didn''t do so well, I agree with you 100%.

Out of all that it seems Gary is the safest bet to you guys because his pictures are the most authentic and comparable to the gemstone.
So you guys are making me think that concave faceting is overrated and nothing better than anything else, is that right?

 

[Ryon]

**Barry not Gary sorry about that

 

[CharmyPoo]

I think the conclusion is that Barry (ACSTONES) and John (GemRite) have the most accurate photos.

Concave cutting is a matter of preference. Some like it and some don't like it. Me .. not so much unless it is something very different that I am looking for.

I personally will always see an amethyst / quartz as cheap stones. I like amethyst becauses there are few other stones with the deep purple and I do love purple. Too bad I haven't found one worth keeping.

 

[Ryon]

Thank you, quartz is a cheap stone, but price is that last thing I care about. It was just about finding the right cutter and I think I got it narrowed down pretty well thanks guys!

If I find more stones I will ask for your opinion again, but as for the prices that seemed so high at the begining, they are really insane, but if you talk to him about cutting a stone for you it comes out to be drastically cheaper and simliar to all the other cutters you have shown me.

As for now I am locked on either Richard or Barry. Either way I don''t think I can go wrong.

 

[karee888]

here is a thread on my barry amethyst --

amethyst

 

[FrekeChild]

Barry and Richard have VERY different looks to their cutting styles. Barry is more of a chunky facets cutter and of course Richard can cut flat faceted gems, but his concave cuts are very spiky looking. I personally prefer Barry''s cutting, because I do NOT like concave cuts, but that''s totally a personal preference.

Oh, Barry is also BY FAR the cheaper of the two (Barry vs. Richard).

 

[Ryon]

That looks great, I like all the flashes of color you got a amazing stone. Did you ever get it set?

I''m thinking about a 7x7 and a simple tiffany setting, nothing fancy, just simple and perfect.

 

[Ryon]

Date: 5/25/2009 5:13:15 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Barry and Richard have VERY different looks to their cutting styles. Barry is more of a chunky facets cutter and of course Richard can cut flat faceted gems, but his concave cuts are very spiky looking. I personally prefer Barry''s cutting, because I do NOT like concave cuts, but that''s totally a personal preference.

Oh, Barry is also BY FAR the cheaper of the two (Barry vs. Richard).

I have never seen a concave cut, I was honestly expecting everyone to tell me it was the best thing ever haha, so I am kind of in shock.

Does anyone have REAL-LIFE pictures of a concave (besides the ones from that blue saphire ring), I have seen a couple, and they all looked great but I wonder how it looks in a video.

Can you tell me a little more about why barry''s gems seem to jump out at you more or be more specific, I am new to gemstones.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I've bought an amethyst from Barry (it was large, about 5 ct) and it was gorgeous. Without a doubt, Barry's my favorite cutter (although the others aren't too far behind) and I tend to buy from him more now (and I like that his pictures are very reliable and true to life).

Out of what you posted, though, I would go with the amethyst. My first gemstone purchase was a Richard Homer sapphire and it's beautiful - and because of the concave faceting, VERY different from anything else I've bought since then (with more traditional faceting).

ETA: I have 6 stones from Barry, I think. There might be another one that I can't remember, but definitely at least 6. I LOVE his cuts - and my jewelers (both stores I go to Chicago) rave about his cutting.

ETA 2: Here is the link to the amethyst I bought from Barry - that's actually stone #7, lol

Link

 

[Ryon]

Date: 5/25/2009 5:26:31 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
I''ve bought an amethyst from Barry (it was large, about 5 ct) and it was gorgeous. Without a doubt, Barry''s my favorite cutter (although the others aren''t too far behind) and I tend to buy from him more now (and I like that his pictures are very reliable and true to life).

Out of what you posted, though, I would go with the amethyst. My first gemstone purchase was a Richard Homer sapphire and it''s beautiful - and because of the concave faceting, VERY different from anything else I''ve bought since then (with more traditional faceting).

Your a great person to talk to then since you have cuts from both.

Do you have pictures of your best stone by Barry and your Sapphire from Richard?

Try to compare them.. which shines more etc.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Links to my Richard Homer sapphire ring:

1

2

 

[karee888]

Date: 5/25/2009 5:17:04 PM
Author: Ryon
That looks great, I like all the flashes of color you got a amazing stone. Did you ever get it set?


I''m thinking about a 7x7 and a simple tiffany setting, nothing fancy, just simple and perfect.

i''ll be getting it set after i leave the netherlands.

i have a blue spinel, pink tourmaline, amethyst, teal tourmaline, mint tourmaline, and maybe something else from barry. his cuts are amazing. and the 7mm amethyst was a fabulous price -- the cheapest stone i own but it''s gorgeous!!

 

[Ryon]

Well Barry has some amazing cuts but that saphire i just saw was insane.... It is different but in a good way, I don''t think any cut I have ever seen compares to that. Where did you get that setting from? It looks great.

The cushion amethyst was great as well, I''m just kinda shocked you guys are picking these over that concave maybe I have to see it in real life to understand.

It seems like everyone here has a bunch of stones by Barry though so I still will talk with him and see what we can come up with, that cushion you got for your mom is nice...

Tough decision...

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 5/25/2009 5:31:57 PM
Author: Ryon

Date: 5/25/2009 5:26:31 PM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

I''ve bought an amethyst from Barry (it was large, about 5 ct) and it was gorgeous. Without a doubt, Barry''s my favorite cutter (although the others aren''t too far behind) and I tend to buy from him more now (and I like that his pictures are very reliable and true to life).


Out of what you posted, though, I would go with the amethyst. My first gemstone purchase was a Richard Homer sapphire and it''s beautiful - and because of the concave faceting, VERY different from anything else I''ve bought since then (with more traditional faceting).

Your a great person to talk to then since you have cuts from both.


Do you have pictures of your best stone by Barry and your Sapphire from Richard?


Try to compare them.. which shines more etc.

Aw thanks!

Well let''s see, this is what I have from Barry - I''ll link to a picture of each:

1) Green tourmaline (dark), round, 6.5 mm, set into a halo

2) Green tourmaline (bright), oval, 8.5 mm x 7.2 mm, unset

3) Green tourmaline (light/yellowish), round, 8.5 mm, set in Lotus setting

4) Colorless tourmaline, round. 8.5 mm, unset

5) Blue spinel, round, 8.1 mm, set into a trellis setting

6) Pink Malaya garnet, round, 6.5 mm, unset

7) Purple amethyst, cushion, 10 mm, set into a halo

So my favorite Barry stones are probably the spinel and Malaya garnet. They''re actually the ones that perform not so well in pictures, but they''re beautiful in real life.

Barry has an excellent eye for color and of course for cutting. The precision of the faceting is incredible - I can stare at the facets for a long, long time and I have the worst attention span normally! They give off great color and chunky flashes of light, and he has some really unique pieces as far as color goes (both the spinel and the garnet are color changes - the spinel goes bright violet in fluorescent lighting, and the garnet goes from this pale pink to this bright golden color in daylight).

On the other hand, Richard''s stones are fabulous as well. It was my first colored stone, and I honestly think it was a great purchase, especially since I was so new to the colored stone thing. Plus, I haven''t bought any other concave cut stones, so it''s my very unique piece among my collection.

It''s really apples and oranges. Some PSers love concave gems and some hate it. Personally, I like the look and love my sapphire, but I''m more of a traditional cut girl, which is why I go more for Barry''s stones than Richard''s (and as Freke said, Barry''s stones are less expensive, so I buy more and more

). It kind of depends on the look - my sapphire doesn''t sparkle like my Barry stones (although it''s hard to compare that, since I don''t have any Barry-cut sapphires) but in daylight, the concave faceting makes for a very mesmerizing look.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 5/25/2009 5:42:55 PM
Author: Ryon
Well Barry has some amazing cuts but that saphire i just saw was insane.... It is different but in a good way, I don''t think any cut I have ever seen compares to that. Where did you get that setting from? It looks great.


The cushion amethyst was great as well, I''m just kinda shocked you guys are picking these over that concave maybe I have to see it in real life to understand.


It seems like everyone here has a bunch of stones by Barry though so I still will talk with him and see what we can come up with, that cushion you got for your mom is nice...


Tough decision...

Thanks! I love my sapphire - it''s my sentimental piece (BF''s one year anniversary present to me) so I wear it everyday.

The setting is the James Allen 1.9 mm common prong in white gold. There is also a slightly thicker 2.2 mm version as well.

1.9 mm common prong

2.2 mm common prong

Also, the sapphire is a 1.21 ct. cushion, 6.9 x 5.5 mm

 

[VRBeauty]

I have to defer to the experts here, but it seems to me that an amethyst doesn't inherently have the light return and brilliance that you might get from a sapphire or zircon. In theory, at least, a good concave cut should enhance the light return. So for an amethyst, I think a concave cut might add life to the stone. However, I'd go for a slightly more saturated amethyst than the one you posted...