Lapidary

lap·i·dar·y  /ˈlapəˌderē/  

[L. lapidarius, fr. lapidarius pertaining to stone: cf. F. lapidaire.]

n. (pl. -dar·ies) 1. a person who cuts, polishes, or engraves gems. 2. the art of cutting, polishing, or engraving gems.

adj. of or relating to stone and gems and the work involved in engraving, cutting, or polishing.

A lapidary is one who cuts gemstones. American gem cutters are perhaps the finest in the world but I'll bet most don't know this.

Gem faceting is the craft/art of transforming a piece of gem rough (raw crystals worthy of such speculation) into a gemstone shaped with flat, polished surfaces. Usually, a faceted gem is "cut" in a shape which has a top and a bottom, called the crown and the pavilion. Light enters the gem through the crown, reflects internally on the pavilion, and is directed back through the crown and to the eye.

A faceted gem is judged by the amount of light returned to the eye and the manner in which this light is displayed. Colored gems should be cut to display that color over the entire stone, not just the around the edges. And a gem should display color with esthetic sensitivity and finesse.

As a whole, most stones are cut in a simplistic manner, easier for production, using proportions maximizing yield over beauty. American gem cutters are unique. They use correct proportions and develop more beautiful, complete designs.

Seeing is believing. My wife, Claire, is a gem cutter. Come out and look at some of hers. They're gorgeous!