just dopped my firt sapphire to facet

[XTMess]

well here goes nothing
A few months i found the perfect beginner sapphire to cut at glen innes.
dark blue so it won't be too devastating if i happen to ruin it, but hopefully it'll come up nice. slow and steady.
So the big leap into the deep end has been started. lol
Will let you know how I progress

[FlashGP]

Good cutting (seems more appropriate than good luck).

Be careful at the prepolish and polishing stages.  The stone heats up and can fall off the dop.

[XTMess]

So I've cut the pavilion.
Round brilliant.  However I thought because of how deep the color of the sapphire is. May not be worth cutting the mains in as they most likely won't be seen anyhow. The polish came up ok.
But my forearm got scratched as I was taking off the lap.

[XTMess]

[FlashGP]

I've only cut 2, a dark natural and a synthetic. While the photos don't do them justice, the mains give sparkle to the gem as it is moved. 

They are easy to cut (compared to quartz) and it won't matter as much if the meets aren't perfect as long as they are nicely polished.

Merry Christmas and Happy Faceting.
Flash