Faceting Made Easy, Part 5: Gemstone Transferring and Crown Cutting

Note: This is a six-part edited version of Trevor Hannam’s Faceting Made Easy, a general introduction to faceting and a guide for learning to cut a standard brilliant gem. Part 5 includes Chapters 11 and 12. These chapters cover gemstone transferring techniques and crown cutting. The International Gem Society thanks Mr. Hannam for permission to post his work.

Gemstone Transferring Techniques

You must have a transfer jig, like the typical one illustrated below. (Most faceting machines include one). You’ll need it for transferring your gemstone from one dop to another. After cutting the pavilion, you’ll need to move the gem to another dop, this time with the crown facing up. A transfer jig is a very efficient and accurate way to do this without losing facet alignment.

Check Your Transfer Block and Dop Sticks

Make sure to check your transfer block’s alignment. Put a couple of dops of the same size in the holders, then bring them together. Run a fingernail across where they join. If your nail digs in at the junction at one point but not at another, have an engineer examine the transfer block’s alignment. (First, check your dop sticks for bending, which could also…