| [Vol. 1] The size and facets of gemstones
| 2003/07/14 by
Junichiro Soejima |
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Can I have a heavier stone, please?
Have you ever heard a customer ask this question?
You have certainly heard customers inquire about
larger gemstones. Why is this? What about facets?
What is better for customers, a stone with more
facets or one with less? The size of the stone
is not a simple matter of carat weight, and to
create a truly beautiful gemstone, a full understanding
of the role facets play must be reached.
It is generally true that the heavier the stone,
that is to say the larger the carat size, the
bigger the stone. However, this is not the whole
story. A stone may have a lower carat weight than
another, but posses a larger crown, and a superior
proportion. In this sense, the lighter is more
desirable, more beautiful, than the heavier stone.
Carat size is not a true indication of size: it
is only one measure. Customers can be easily confused
by this distinction.
The size of the stone is important, but is it
true that the larger the stone the more beautiful
it is? Again, the answer is generally, yes, with
one important condition: the number of facets
must compliment the size of a stone. For example,
a stone with 58 facets of below 1.5 mm size is
lifeless and lacks brilliance because each facet
is too small to adequately reflect the light.
This stone needs to be single cut with fewer facets
(ideally eighteen). The optimum size for 58 facets
is 8 mm, and for even larger stones, more beauty
will be gained from employing more facets. It
is vital to ensure that the full potential beauty
of the gemstone is realized by using the correct
number of facets in relation to the size of the
gemstone.
Some sellers employ the myth that more is beautiful
when talking about facets to customers. If a stone
is 4.3 mm, but with a hundred facets, it may be
promoted by saying that it is more difficult to
cut more facets compared to, say, a traditional
58 facet round-brilliant stone so it is more beautiful
and is worth more. Also, it is easy to tell customers
that a heavier stone may be larger than another,
lighter one, when the opposite may be true. Talking
about the carat weight of a stone and trying to
push more facets in these simple terms is, however,
a disservice to our customers.
We must explain the real beauty of the gemstones,
and that size is one of the three most important
factors governing the beauty of gemstones. Interwoven
with this point is that for each size there is
an optimal number of facets to bring the full
beauty of the stone out. If the customer understands
these points clearly, he or she will realize the
true beauty of the gemstones and sales will be
promoted. |
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