Faceting Designs

This is a simplified version of a classic Asscher cut--it's fast and easy to cut but performs great!

I recommend this as a first cut for people who are just starting out.

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This is a simple regular icosahedron, and it's a very simple design, just two angles and five-fold symmetry, but the tricky part is polishing such large facets. In the end it's well worth it for the beautiful and enchanting gem you will create. You will need an 80 index gear for this one.

Every nerd loves 20-sided dice, but few have the ability to create them from gemstones. Now, the ancient secret of Plato's polyhedron is yours.

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This is a simple variant on a classic opposed bar with proportions designed to match an emerald from Minecraft. It gives a very cool and unique look!

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This is a slightly less simple variant on a classic opposed bar with proportions designed to match a diamond from Minecraft. The video shows the older version because I lost the footage of cutting the new version of the diagram.

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This is a simple trillion design with a Triforce symbol built into the crown facets. Kind of cool but fiddly to facet. In looking afterwards I realized this ended up very similar to Arya's 'Treforze' but I don't recall seeing it before I made this one.

The most basic interpretation of a rupee, a simple long hexagon with 45 degree bevels and two flat faces. Because it has two flat tables it can't really sparkle and light passes right through, but these stones still look very cool.

A classic rupee with two additions: small secondary bevels on top and a two-step pavilion, which allows it to bounce light back at the viewer instead of it just passing through as on a classic rupee. Still simple and easy to cut, and doesn't stray too terribly far from the original rupee look.

This rupee variant has a basic step pavilion with some brilliant facets, giving it a more lively look than the basic step cut. Don't be intimidated by the hundredths of a degree on P5--just get close and finely adjust the angle until the facets meet.

This was my first attempt at a pixel cut rupee, using the classic pixel cut opposed bars but with a rupee outline. It does work but I was never 100% satisfied with it--the crown is very unlike a rupee's. Still, the stones are brilliant and beautiful.
Good for corundum and up, but it will even work on quartz though with worse performance.

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This was an attempt to invert a pixel cut rupee, putting one tier of split bar facets on the pavilion and a shallower classic rupee crown to act as the opposing bars. From my one test cut I think it works better in the simulation than in person--the stone is beautiful but not very pixelly.

This design should work even with quartz but I cut it in YAG.

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This pixel rupee variant has three tiers of doubly split pavilion facets, allowing most pixelation to happen in the pavilion with a more classic crown. I think this is the closest yet, though it's not super easy and has weird symmetry. Don't be intimidated by the fine angles--just adjust until the facets are flat and rectangular.
Good for corundum and up--it's very shallow so don't try it with anything lower RI.

This design takes a different approach, with the entire pavilion made from brilliant facets and a few steep steps to define the girdle. Don't be intimidated by the hundredths of a degree on P5--just get close and finely adjust the angle until the facets meet.

This is a fun, high-crowned diagram that I designed to go in the pommel of a sword or dagger. It cuts a very cool and brilliant stone and gives crazy dispersion with YAG.

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I wanted to make a more angular teardrop design with an aggressive profile. I've cut this design a couple Halloweens in a row now, this is the updated 2024 version.

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I love coffin cuts and felt like adding a cross on the crown would bring something extra to it. This one does well with selective frosting as well--I did an earlier version in black moissanite.

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This one's just wacky--designed for black moissanite, leave the back flat and only polish the eyes, nose and mouth facets. I have this stone set in a ring for myself. Not for the faint of heart but it's really not that hard, just time-consuming.

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