January 24 Through February 4—TUCSON, ARIZONA: Annual show
Welcome to the GemologyOnline.com Forum
A non-profit Forum for the exchange of gemological ideas
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 5:06 pm

All times are UTC - 4 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:13 pm 
Offline
Established Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:24 pm
Posts: 49
I've got a chunk of cuptrite from Onjanga, Namibia I got a few years back. Somethining like 15 g corner of a larger crystal.
When I was more active in gemology (hobby, not pro) I saw some of Jay Medici's stones and loved them- he does amazing work on difficult stones. I saw him at a local rock show in Michigan and inquired about cutting, but back then his 6 month lead time seemed a bit much. I do believe he is well-known.

Time has passed, and I'd like to get this rough cut into the glorious gem I know is inside. But I lost his card and now can't seem to find any way to contact Jay, and I don't know any other cutters I would entrust it to.

So I turn here- I know both hobby and pro cutters drop in occasionally. So I appeal to you all and your acquaintances:
Who cuts such material (well), and would they be interested in taking such a commission?

Reply in response, or let me know by PM (they have that here, don't they?)

I don't drop by very often any more so I may not see a reply immediately.

_________________
Looking at, learning about, "investing" in, aesthetically pleasing minerals, sometimes even when I should be working. I'm an intellectual property attorney- patents, copyright, trade secrets ... drop me a line if I can help you out.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 2:15 pm 
Offline
Established Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:24 pm
Posts: 49
hate to do this but...
bump :)

Thanks!

I'd even be grateful for hints/suggestions on techniques and such. I might just get into cutting myself some day.

_________________
Looking at, learning about, "investing" in, aesthetically pleasing minerals, sometimes even when I should be working. I'm an intellectual property attorney- patents, copyright, trade secrets ... drop me a line if I can help you out.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 3:42 pm 
Offline
Moderator: Lapidary Diamonds
User avatar

Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:32 pm
Posts: 1747
Location: Florida, United States
I suggest that you post a picture of the rough stone.

_________________
http://adamasfacet.com


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2019 2:43 pm 
Offline
Established Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:24 pm
Posts: 49
I've got some shots but am having difficulty signing up for imgur. When I have things worked out... you can see it- 110 ct of coppery goodness.
Attachment:
oblique crystal.jpg
oblique crystal.jpg [ 194.31 KiB | Viewed 3155 times ]
Attachment:
oblique crystal.jpg
oblique crystal.jpg [ 194.31 KiB | Viewed 3155 times ]
I


Attachments:
side illum xtal up.jpg
side illum xtal up.jpg [ 195.99 KiB | Viewed 3155 times ]
side thickness.jpg
side thickness.jpg [ 90.3 KiB | Viewed 3155 times ]
crystal edge1.jpg
crystal edge1.jpg [ 271.74 KiB | Viewed 3155 times ]
back low light.jpg
back low light.jpg [ 97.49 KiB | Viewed 3155 times ]

_________________
Looking at, learning about, "investing" in, aesthetically pleasing minerals, sometimes even when I should be working. I'm an intellectual property attorney- patents, copyright, trade secrets ... drop me a line if I can help you out.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2019 4:57 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
I'm seeing what appears to be conchoidal fracturing.
Cuprite has 3 directions of well defined cleavage,


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2019 2:13 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 2:51 am
Posts: 755
Location: South Africa
Norman's photographs are of a very typical piece of Onganja cuprite. I have cut several large cuprites from Onganja (see photo below - the square stone is 32.34 ct), but did not respond to Norman's request because I presume he is looking for a local cutter in the USA, and I am in South Africa. Getting the rough to me and the cut stone back to him would be problematic.
Attachment:
Cuprite1.JPG
Cuprite1.JPG [ 611.52 KiB | Viewed 3124 times ]


Last edited by Duncan Miller on Wed Aug 21, 2019 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2019 10:49 am 
Offline
Valued Contributor

Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:04 am
Posts: 257
Location: Idaho
You might check with Coast to Coast Rarestones - some of the members of that company have been known for cutting large, soft, and difficult gems in the past. Perhaps they could make a recommendation.

https://www.rarestone.com/our_people.php

_________________
Lapidarist by Passion
Goldsmith by Necessity

Facetron x2
Polymetrics OMF
GemCad/GemRay/Gem Cut Studio
Matrix 9/Rhino 5, 6, 7
REVO A (still hanging on...)
B9 Creator Core 5 Series XL
Indutherm MC-15


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2019 6:18 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
Thanks Duncan. I've never seen anything like this before
I did a wee search and it seems that a lot of this material is coated in malachite.
Thank you too, Norman.
Please post when you get the material cut.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 2:38 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 2:51 am
Posts: 755
Location: South Africa
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
I did a wee search and it seems that a lot of this material is coated in malachite.

That is true, but often the coating is removed with acid to check the clarity of potential faceting rough. Onganja collector mineral specimens usually are left with their malachite coating, but not always (see https://www.mindat.org/gallery.php?loc=2423&min=1172).


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 12:15 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
Wow!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2019 4:40 pm 
Offline
Established Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:24 pm
Posts: 49
First, a big thanks to Ms Voltaire for posting the pictures for me. It may or may not have been obvious, but the ruler is in inches. Big.

Second... Wow, Duncan... those are awesome. And I am in the US... I've gotten rough from South Africa some years ago... but yeah, I'd worry about safety in transit. Each way. :)

Third- thanks to everybody for their comments and suggestions.

And I WILL post pics if it gets cut

Promise.

;)

_________________
Looking at, learning about, "investing" in, aesthetically pleasing minerals, sometimes even when I should be working. I'm an intellectual property attorney- patents, copyright, trade secrets ... drop me a line if I can help you out.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 7:49 am 
Offline
Active Member

Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2017 10:39 am
Posts: 62
Location: Birmingham - England
When I saw these I took a look around the UK mines info
and there are a few mentions but nobody seems excited
about it -

While the material may be soft it does look nice when cut.
perhaps it's been overlooked in the UK a little.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:06 am 
Offline
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:31 pm
Posts: 4015
Location: North Carolina
The rarity and low hardness keep it out of the mainstream, but it has incredible optical properties and is highly sought after as a collector's stone. That is just a more limited market with a bit less fanfare.

_________________
Rough and cut classic and exotic synthetic gems:https://store.turtleshoard.com


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:58 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
I bought a faceted cuprite in Idar-Oberstein in the 80s.
Doesn't hold a candle to Duncan's.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Seeking cutter for large cuprite
PostPosted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 3:06 pm 
Offline
Established Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:24 pm
Posts: 49
Barbra Voltaire wrote:
I bought a faceted cuprite in Idar-Oberstein in the 80s.
Doesn't hold a candle to Duncan's.


Neither of my ~1 ct, precision cut little "crumbs" (compared to this big ol' loaf of copper (I) oxide) do either.

I've seen big 'uns, and they are really special. Even wikipedia thinks so ;)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuprite

_________________
Looking at, learning about, "investing" in, aesthetically pleasing minerals, sometimes even when I should be working. I'm an intellectual property attorney- patents, copyright, trade secrets ... drop me a line if I can help you out.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 4 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 36 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Gemology Style ported to phpBB3 by Christian Bullock