Several months ago, in the December 2008 issue of Jewelry Artist, I read an article by Helen I. Driggs, Managing Editor of Jewelry Artist, about 10 tips for buying cabochons. I got to thinking that the same restraints that applied for buying cabochons could also be applied to buying any rough material for cutting cabochons or faceted stones. Remember, that a major constraint in jewelry making is time – time to cut the stone and, time to make the setting and time to set the stone. ((The other major constraint is cost of material, but that can be covered in a later article.)) Here, then, are 10 factors that should be considered, in my opinion, from the cutter/jewelry maker’s point of view.
- Size – If you are cutting a stone for a piece of jewelry, that gigantic stone with the wonderful color and pattern might be beautiful, but size means weight, larger and thicker bezels and settings that will have to be fabricated piecemeal. You may end up having to settle for a desk piece or a display case stone.
- Shape – Don’t go wild with your cabochon or faceted shape. Funky shapes are cool and interesting, but they may be the devil to cut and polish, and almost impossible to construct a setting to fit. When I first started cutting, back in the 1960’s, yes I am that old; I bought a number of booklets showing fancy cuts. Most of them took hours to cut, and for some, I had to construct strange devices to polish them. Also, remember, if you are cutting to sell your piece so you can afford to buy more material, time adds cost and strange shapes mean you will lose a lot more material – adding to material costs also.
- Workmanship – Is the back of your cab flat? Do you have a reasonably narrow girdle? If it isn’t, you’ll have to adjust your design to support the irregularities. That will add to your fabrication time and the need and cost of purchasing more metal. For easier setting of fancy shapes that are thick, try making the setting deeper with an extra set of bezels.
- Material – Is the stone brittle or otherwise delicate? Trust me – buy an extra piece. You never want to break a stone, but it happens. If I am in a good mood, some time I will tell the story of how I turned a 14 carat Kunzite into a 2 1/2 carat Kunzite. And, that nice 30×40 cab that I dropped on a concrete floor after polishing.
- Cost – This, I believe is the most important factor of all – Does it fit your budget? Will it fit your customers’ budget when you’re done making the piece? If not, move on to more comfortable material. It’s not a good idea to buy a piece of rough material and then be afraid to cut it because you might make an error.
- Skills – Do you have enough confidence or experience to set the stone you’re working with? It might be a good idea to practice with a less expensive stone – maybe quartz first, or second or third. By all means, buy that wonderful stone if it’s a good price, but realize practice makes perfect, and you might hold it for a while before you use it. You’ll know when you’re ready.
- Color – Just because you like certain colors doesn’t mean everybody does. Sure, that blazing, hot pink drusy is just fantastic – but will your customers think so? If you plan to sell what you make, try to purchase raw material in many colors to offer choices to your customers. Look in some of the professional journals to see what colors are popular this season.
- Supporting Cast – Don’t forget to buy smaller accent stones. It might seem boring to get a bunch of plain round, 3-5 mm stones, but at 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning, when you decide you need an accent stone to finish a pendant, you’ll be glad you have them on hand. Make a list and follow it. ((For myself, I try to keep about a dozen each of 1-3 mm accent stone – rubies, CZ’s, emeralds, sapphires, etc. on hand.))
- Quantity – It often pays to purchase stones in quantity. If it’s material you love and your customers love it, buy enough to get a price break ((and also to make more later)). Ask the seller how much you need to buy to reach the price break and go for it. Sometimes you will be surprised that the discount pays for, or nearly pays for, the additional quantity.
- Love Eternal – If you see something so fantastic you have to have it, if you can afford it, and will make a piece from it, even if it’s for yourself, buy it. The funny thing about gem material is that it is a limited commodity. You may never, ever see that kind of stone again, and regret really is a terrible thing. When I talk to people about cutting material I continuously emphasize this latter point. If you think you’ll be “haunted” by the rough to make a particular cab or faceted stone if you love it, buy it, and make a present for yourself.
Article written and submitted by:
Mike S. Hakulin Sr.
Copyright, 22 Feb 2009
