What Faceted Stone Sizes Will Sell Best?

Gem Varieties and Cut Stone Sizes

Basically, commercial gem cutters are almost unbeatable for stone sizes under 1 carat, and sometimes up to 1.5 carats. Furthermore, for gem materials like quartz or topaz, the commercial houses can't be beaten for any size, at least in terms of price. However, I sell larger quartz stones by promoting their quality. The larger in size the gem, the more obvious the difference in quality becomes. On the other hand, I don't think topaz is worth cutting, unless it's a collector specimen or color.

So, if you're a custom cutter looking for an opening, once commercially cut gems reach 1.5 carats, they become expensive. Since good stones in larger sizes for commonly cut gems are rarer, rough costs become more of an issue than labor costs for commercial houses. When rough cost and size becomes a factor, custom cutters can compete.

The Magic Number

So, custom faceters can claim the market sweet spot of cut stone sizes of 1.5 carats and up. Of course, exceptions exist. If you have popular gems in an unusual color or can cut designs unavailable commercially, you could still sell smaller stones. Also, if you've established good business relationships with jewelers who care about quality, you might be able to sell them smaller custom cut stones.

Remember, cutting a 2 or 3 carat stone takes almost the same time as cutting a 1 carat stone. So, cutting larger stones will work to your advantage against a commercial cutting house. Fortunately, you can find a lot of rough that will cut in this size range at a fair price. Plus, most people want stones big enough to show gem quality as well as excellent cutting. As custom faceters, you can offer quality stones and gem design far superior to commercial cutting.