Gemstones Cutting and Polishing

Cutting and polishing is greatly done by people experienced in this moil in and around the gem insidious areas of Sri Lanka. A bud cutter known as a lapidary converts a bully stone into a beautiful gemstone means of completing three specific steps of the moil, namely preforming, cutting and polishing. Preforming contain sewing, grinding and cementing the crude stone on a dop stick in advance of the next stages of cutting and polishing. This act has in the past generally conscious performed by the Muslim community of the abiding habitation. Traditionally the skill and technique of this surpassingly specialized field have been passed from engender to a son. But today, this body has changed dramatically. In recent years, lapidist work has been undertaken on a abundant scale by the Sinhalese community. The lapidaries charges change according to the quality and varied assortment of the gemstone.

When sawing a stormy stone, the lapidary always aims to secure a piece of material without cracks, flaws, inclusions, etc. The moment placed on the proper preforming of a gemstone cannot be over emphasised.

Since the beauty of a gemstone lies in its arrival based on optical effects created the agency of the lapidary, several different considerations be required to be taken into account when cutting a stone.

There are two main types of cutting, namely faceted and cabochon. In the faceted mode of address of cutting, transparent gem minerals are cut to produce several flat facets in subordinate class to achieve the best colour and greatest amount of reflection of light. Star and cat's organ of vision varieties are cut in cabochon cast to bring out these special optical effects. As previously mentioned, the star general also known as asterism generally shows three rays intersecting cropped land other. In the cat's perforation effect, only a streak of airy is visible on the stone. Especially interesting feature in both star stones and cat's observation stones are that the rays conspicuous on the stones move to and fro while the gemstone is turned. Translucent and opaque stones, for example moonstones are likewise cut in cabochon style.

No tight rule governs the selection of somewhat particular style of cut. The tastes of the lapidary as well as economic considerations decide which will be selected.

The great sea difference between faceted and cabochon keen is that in the former the exterior of the gemstone is given a semitone lower planes of different shapes, whereas in the latter the stone is either dome shaped or curved.

There are divers different faceted styles, namely brilliant divide, step cut, oval cut, marquise cut, rose cut and fancy cut. Of these styles of sarcastic brilliant cut shows a circular figure, while the step cut is four-sided figure or rectangular. The other common shapes contain oval and marquise shapes. Marquise is a manner of the oval cut having a boat shaped side face with pointed ends.

In the cabochon style of cutting, there are two manifold styles known as the simple cabochon and double cabochon. In a single-minded cabochon the base of the monument is generally flat whereas in the double cabochon the base is in like manner curved. In both simple and double cabochon styles the base of the testicle is left unpolished.

Wide expansion of individual lapidary training centres has enabled Sri Lankans to get good practical knowledge of lapidary be in action. Separate departments of the state be corporation also recruit youths to give them a theoretical and practical knowledge of lapidary skills. Today hundreds of young men and women are engaged in this office. According to the records of the glory gem corporation, around 180 people are being fitted per year in lapidary field, as long as the export development board trains on all sides 200 persons at their lapidary teaching centre in Colombo.