Topaz is one of the gemstones which can be found in Colorado. Collectors dig in locations where Topaz has been found and they sometimes make very impressive discoveries.
The owner of this Colorado Topaz wanted it faceted into a cushion cut and to achieve the maximum yield possible with his piece.
This was a very clean piece of material and sparkled with a lot of brilliance when it was finished.
See the steps that I used when faceting it.
This is the piece of rough Topaz which the customer brought to me which he had found here in Colorado.
Here you can see that I have shaped the Topaz into a cushion cut preform and also glued it to a dop stick.
It is now mounted into my faceting machine.
I form the cushion shape by hand.
You can see the first 4 facets I have placed on the pavilion in order to set the main angles and to also center the culet.
You can see that I have added many more facets and a more complex pattern has developed.
A pattern such as this produces a much more brillant finished gemstone than a step cut would.
Here you can see that I have started polishing the first couple of facets.
I use a special lap which puts a very high polish on Topaz.
You can see that more facets have been polished.
I do them in a particular order and in a symmetrical fashion in order to keep the pattern balanced.
Here you can see the polishing lap that I am using.
I have put the first few facets onto the crown.
I have started polishing the first few facets on the crown.
Here you can see the finished stone.
The finished stone is very brilliant.
→ Take me back to examples of Gemstones I have Faceted from Rough . . .
Denton Anderson,
Gemologist & Gem Cutter
click photo for Video
Graduate Gemologist, GIA, GG
Over 20 years of experience.
