What Does Rough Cut Gemstone Mean?

A well-cut gemstone is beautiful but a far cry from what was found in the ground.

Gemstones go through a number of phases before they reach the jeweler's display. An important one is the rough cut, a step after mining but before the final cut.

Significance

The rough cut is the first step where the gemstone's individual qualities become apparent. Removing the rock or other ore surrounding the pure gem, the rough cut maintains as much of the volume of the original gem as possible while enabling a skilled cutter to see inside the gem.

Function

An expert will thoroughly evaluate the rough cut for dimensions and impurities to determine further action with the stone. Major inclusions might cause the cutter to split the "rough" into several roughs, which will then be evaluated as individual smaller pieces.

Effects

From the rough cut, the cutter will use several factors to determine the shape, angles and size of the final cut. The most obvious of these is maximizing final volume, or carat. The depth and brilliance that will result from the interaction of dimension and cut is also an important factor, especially for smaller or more artistic cutters.

References

• Rough & Cut Gems
• PrettyRock: Hand Cut Gemstones Are Beautiful