Recently cut gems (AB Facet Designs)

[mehoose]

Thanks, here's another one, this time with a closed c-axis and quite dark, except in certain orientations. Cut in a simple opposed bar to make the stone do at least something.

Hang on,, my screen's on the blink   

[RoughCreations]

Gladstone Tasmania smoky citrine quartz
Cut by RoughCreations in a "Frost Star Hex 2" facet design from Book 5 by Andrew Brown Facet Designs

The crown is slightly modified, didn't have quite enough material for the full design, however it still works well.

26mm L x 26mm W x 19mm H
70.5ct
Eye Clean
Available.

[Faceting Frank]

Very nice RC. Those facet designs show up much better with big stones like that one. Who do you buy your quartz rough from?

[swirly]

nice stone. what polishing lap did you use.i have faceting for 50 years and i still have trouble polishing quartz.

[Faceting Frank]

If your a member of the OZ facetors guild swirly you will find a good quartz polishing method in facet talk July-Aug 2022 page 11. I've polished heaps of quartz stones with this method with no problems. If you can't get to see it I will scan a copy of it and post it on here.

[RoughCreations]

nice stone. what polishing lap did you use.i have faceting for 50 years and i still have trouble polishing quartz.

Thanks.
It's funny you should ask because this has possibly been the most difficult and problematic quartz piece I have ever polished... And I have cut a fair bit of quartz.
The big table facet was hell. Complete misery. I almost launched the Star into the sky more than once. Then it became personal.
What worked? Some ideas that I got from this forum actually. I used a home-made polycarbonate lap (I thought it was perspex until recently!) I sanded the business side with 120 grit Wet and Dry paper on a flat piece of glass as a base.
I used good quality cerium oxide, very dilute, in a spritzer spray bottle.
I used a constant slow drip with the tap, I only sprayed one spray at a time, once a minute. If I got excited and used more sprays to speed things up, instant scratches and instant heartache. If the water on the lap looked milky, there was too much cerium oxide present.
Go slow and steady.
I must add I tried lots of other laps including my favourite Darkside, even a Creamway with Zirconium Oxide, and various combinations of diamond too, but to no avail.
I can't guarantee that this will work on my next stone, or even for you - but it worked on this stone 

[RoughCreations]

If your a member of the OZ facetors guild swirly you will find a good quartz polishing method in facet talk July-Aug 2022 page 11. I've polished heaps of quartz stones with this method with no problems. If you can't get to see it I will scan a copy of it and post it on here.

That would be great, we always need some more weapons in our armoury in the fight against quartz.

RC

[RoughCreations]

Very nice RC. Those facet designs show up much better with big stones like that one. Who do you buy your quartz rough from?

Thanks, very true. I have a reasonable supply of quartz that I have collected over the last few years, mostly from fossickers in Tas that know I buy facet quality smoky. So it is really through word of mouth, I don't have any regular suppliers. I have a friend in Zeehan that used to run the Gem Show, he has a network that he keeps an eye out in for good bits on offer, and then contacts me.
I may also go back to doing some fossicking myself near Gladstone NE Tas from time to time, but this is more for the experience, than pure return on my time.
If you would like a free bit to try Frank, let me know, I will send you a facet quality chunk, I have many shades available, the darker, coffee coloured more saturated stuff is best suited for crown-frosted designs.
RC

[Faceting Frank]

Just checking this is readable.

[Faceting Frank]

Probably need to download and enlarge. This method works very well for me with small-medium size stones up to about 15mm dia. polishing directly from a 1200 grit lap. Haven't cut large quartz stones for years, but back then I used a small damp rag with cerium on it, touching the lap as it rotated with heaps of pressure on the stone. Same method as the brush I suppose. The only thing I do differently to the above facet talk topic, is to keep the brush on the lap with the bigger facets.

[Faceting Frank]

Thanks for the offer RC, but I've got plenty of clear and smokey quartz. I thought you may have had a reliable and trustworthy overseas supplier of faceting rough.

[swirly]

thanks a good article.

[RoughCreations]

'Honey Flower' frosted design cut in Gladstone citrine quartz
20mm L x 20mm W x 15.7mm H
33ct
Eye clean
Available.


Cut by RoughCreations in a "Honey Flower" frosted facet design by Andrew Brown Facet Designs.
This video demonstrates the significant lightening of the stone from smoky to citrine tones that occurred during heat treatment. The stone appeared darker under most lighting than it did in the first part of the video.
I heated the stone for about two and a half hours at just below 300 Celcius in my kiln using investment powder. I slowly ramped the temperature up and down over about 30 minutes at both ends. I wasn't expecting such a dramatic colour-change, stones that I have lightened in the past have only changed in quite subtle tones.
RC

[Faceting Frank]

It's changed heaps, looks like a different stone altogether. Never knew heating quartz would do that.

[MakkyBrown]

Gee that lightened a lot. I prefer the light one.