The Secret Teachings of Gemcutting

50 gemstone designs are presented here with full color photos, design information, cutting advice, and historical background. This collection consists of the time tested, industry-standard gemstone designs that can been found in the jewelry from high-end brands as well as independent bespoke jewelry designers. Each design is presented in two different height options so that they are compatible with both lower RI stones (such as amethyst and emerald) and higher RI stones (such as ruby, sapphire, and spinel).Aside from the designs, the book includes 30 pages of essential gemology for cutters which contains invaluable information about gemstone design, optics, crystal systems, hand preforming, gemstone physics, modifying diagrams, pairing rough gems with appropriate designs, and more. This information is critical for cutters who want to understand how these elements influence the appearance of the final stone.Traditionally, the gemstone cutting trade has been very secretive and this collection marks the first time these designs have been compiled for public consumption. This volume will prove useful for gemcutters who want to cut these essential designs and for jewelers who would like a visual aid for designing gemstone-based jewelry as well as presenting different gemstone styles to their customers.The gemological information presented here is practically a gemstone design crash course all on its own. Cutters with and without a gemology background will take something away from this book, whether it has to do with orienting trichroic stones or cutting the perfect cushion mixed cut.