Faceting is a fun and extremely rewarding mixture of art and engineering! Essentially, it is the process of using a faceting machine to cut precise surfaces on gemstones or crystals that will enhance the stone and create a stunningly beautiful play of light through the designed angles.

 

Take a quick glance through the window of any jewellery store and you’ll quickly see rings with faceted stones ranging from elegantly simple to stunningly complex – so when it comes to faceting your own stone, you’ll soon discover a world of possibilities!

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So how does it work?

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The first step is to select the type of pattern you would like to cut. There are countless manuals, magazines and books with hundreds of different styles to choose from, with a range of patterns/instructions that cater for everyone from the beginner to the expert. Next, a rough stone is carefully attached to a faceting machine on a special “arm”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once secured, the stone is brought down to a grinding lap where the first cut can be achieved. Special controls on the machine then allow the stone to be rotated with precise movements, allowing the next cut to begin. When all cuts (or facets) have been completed, the surfaces are cut with a finer grade lap and then polished on a polishing lap and the stone is ready to be set in a ring of jewellery of choice!

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If you would like to discover the magic of faceting, here at the Southern Rockhounds club rooms we have machines that can be hired during session times. Many members also bring their own machines, and there are plenty of friendly faces that will be more than happy to show you how it all works!

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So if you’d like to start a brand new hobby that’s both challenging and immensely rewarding, or if you’d just like to visit and observe the fascinating art form in action, simply come along to one of our scheduled workshops. We’d love to see you there!