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 Post subject: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 2:57 pm 
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Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 10:15 am
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Location: Cary, NC
To all,

Given that Heliodor (Golden Beryl), and the higher grades of Citrine are running about the same in cost per carat in rough. Is Heliodor going to give a 'brighter' and better looking stone (given good cutting and selection of the cut)? Also, are there any issues or tricks with polishing Heliodor with 100K diamond or are there better alternatives (I've known the horror of polishing quartz until I found the Gearloose products)

I've been looking around to stock up on practice material and I love the look of some of the Heliodor cut stones. I know it's a Beryl but would appreciate some views from people that cut both and which one they prefer more.

My thanks,

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Faceter: When turned into a zombie, they stumble around crying "roooouuuuggghhhh"


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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:01 pm 
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Joined: Thu May 12, 2016 2:18 am
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Durnik wrote:
To all,

Given that Heliodor (Golden Beryl), and the higher grades of Citrine are running about the same in cost per carat in rough. Is Heliodor going to give a 'brighter' and better looking stone (given good cutting and selection of the cut)? Also, are there any issues or tricks with polishing Heliodor with 100K diamond or are there better alternatives (I've known the horror of polishing quartz until I found the Gearloose products)

I've been looking around to stock up on practice material and I love the look of some of the Heliodor cut stones. I know it's a Beryl but would appreciate some views from people that cut both and which one they prefer more.

My thanks,



I would rather cut and polish Beryl than quartz any day. Beryl has a higher RI, and is one of the easiest materials to polish. It is a joy to work with.

Can you really get Heliodor rough in top color, clean, and big sizes for a couple of dollars a gram like you can top citrine?


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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:08 pm 
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Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 10:15 am
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Location: Cary, NC
1bwana1,

private PM sent with the dealer info as I do not want to put one dealer in front of another. I've bought a lot of rough from the people on this forum and in every case I have been astounded with the quality and customer service.

All of them were even kind enough to recommend a cut and where the table should be placed to help a rank amateur. You can't ask for better service than that.

My thanks,

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Faceter: When turned into a zombie, they stumble around crying "roooouuuuggghhhh"


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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:22 pm 
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Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2017 11:28 pm
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If anyone could supply me with a good Heliodor source, I would greatly appreciate it. I have been Faceting for a little over a year and would like to start cutting something other than Citrine, Amethyst and synthetics.


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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:43 am 
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Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2013 9:16 am
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Location: Germany
Hi Durnik,
as Steve stated, beryl is always the first choice before quarz.
Cutting and polishing is really easy and through the higher RI the brilliance is better.
But good cuts look good in both varieties.
But the advantages are clear on the helidor sides.
You can send me your dealer too, if the prices are in that range.
Thanks!

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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:20 am 
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Looks like we need to find a good parcel of golden Beryl to split up. I never really looked or it before. I will keep my eye out...


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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:43 am 
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1bwana1 wrote:
Looks like we need to find a good parcel of golden Beryl to split up. I never really looked or it before. I will keep my eye out...


for that price range,count me in also, if possible. :D
about 100-200 grams.


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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:55 pm 
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Typically it is cheap because it is relatively easy to produce via irradiation (which of course drags the price down for natural and treated alike when there isn't an effective test). But the color is beautiful and stable, and even with a note about possible irradiation helidor has been a great seller for me.

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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 7:58 pm 
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I've been seeing lighter yellow rough going for around 1-2USD/carat myself, apparently from Vietnam?
Unfortunately the poor shapes have stopped me from buying any, how well-shaped has the rough your supplier is selling been like?

[edit:fixed last sentence, what a mess.]


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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 11:01 am 
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I developed the new Creamway to polish a wide variety of stones, Beryls and Quartzes are two minerals that polish rather quickly using that lap.

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 Post subject: Re: Heliodor vs Citrine for practice and any difficulties
PostPosted: Sat Mar 16, 2019 1:39 pm 
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Shifter55 wrote:
I've been seeing lighter yellow rough going for around 1-2USD/carat myself, apparently from Vietnam?

Note that Vietnam produces aquamarine but has no known sources of naturally colored heliodor (at least as of the last time I read up on it). A lot of more poorly-toned aquas from there are treated though. Just another thing to be aware of.

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