The Gemstone

In this first 'Behind the Bench' episode, Susan Thomas goes over possibly the most integral element of jewelry making, the gemstone.

The gemstone that is being cut is a large rough amethyst stone hand-cut into two different shaped stones. Using a gem-saw to cut the specimen requires excellent knowledge due to a plethora of challenging steps. Joseph goes over the various stages of creating the 'crown' and 'pavilion' through 'faceting'. Next, Joseph will go over an essential step, polishing, creating the refined luster for your gemstone.

Finally, watch how the large amethyst specimen is transformed into two elegantly cut amethyst gemstones.