Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2017 7:57 pm
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Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:04 pm Posts: 1642 Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Yellow apatite for sure is not the most sought after material, but how can you resist when at a mineral show you find a coupla nice chunks of clean Durango apatite for sale at the price of a coffee?
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:08 pm
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Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:06 pm Posts: 2267 Location: Chapel Hill, NC / Toronto, ON
I haven't done much cutting in a while, but did get a few things done recently! 18.67ct rutile, "Gnome's Geode". The dispersion is way, WAY stronger in real life. I'll see if I can get someone else to take a pic for me.
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 10:07 pm
Valued Contributor
Joined: Fri Dec 25, 2015 8:31 pm Posts: 276
maialetto wrote:
Yellow apatite for sure is not the most sought after material, but how can you resist when at a mineral show you find a coupla nice chunks of clean Durango apatite for sale at the price of a coffee?
If you can find someone who can set them as well as you polish them I'm sure people will take interest in them! It's just about the only natural rough that appears at shows with consistent availability and good shapes down here in Australia. I'ld have far too much trouble faceting it myself, but the lower hardness makes me think it might be a good starting material for carving, if only because it should take less time and be compatible with less expensive tools.
Also Arya, how did you orient that piece of rutile? If the birefringence is as strong as the image shows, I might try making a doublet based off that twinned calcite article that was in Gems & Gemology. Using some of NorlandProd's new adhesive I should be able to get a doublet that doesn't show the glue too much, though at a 35 degree critical angle due to 1.7 into 2.8 RI it wouldn't be that impressive except as a study piece.
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:45 pm
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Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:06 pm Posts: 2267 Location: Chapel Hill, NC / Toronto, ON
Martine wrote:
Hi Arya
That rutile is absolutely stunning!!! Great design too! Is it natural? Where did they dig out this clear rutile?
Martine
It's synthetic Rutile has way too much iron in nature so it's always either dark red or completely black. Also Shifter55, it's oriented down the C axis which is supposed to minimize birefringence.
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 8:03 pm
Established Member
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 9:20 am Posts: 20 Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Hey, micellular Thanks for the compliments! Currently none of my designs are up anywhere. Once I have a few good ones I will hopefully get them onto the gemology project
Post subject: Re: Off the dop - post YOUR latest creation
Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 12:02 pm
Valued Contributor
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:45 am Posts: 178 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada
Okay so I had some Umba valley sapphire rough that ended up with some not great inclusions in it...but I learned a lot from cutting this one. Rough was hexagon shaped so I asked GO for some designs and ended up going with "Hanuka" by Jack Rowland from Bob's Rock Shop. Thanks Lefty for the tip, and everyone else for great suggestions.
Overall I'm pretty happy with it...my largest return yet at 37% and a great learning experience despite it being a little included
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