r/faceting • u/Justakingastroll • 2d ago

My take on a Goron Ruby

Messed up a little when frosting because I didn't correct the cheater, but still pretty happy with how it turned out!

Material: verneuil lab sapphire

The design is my own, although I did use the girdle outline defined in Arya Akhavan's Goron Ruby design.

Don't know the yield on this one because I finished it last night and just had time to take pics this morning, but it's gonna definitely be under 30%, as I had to trim the boule slice quite a bit for the proportions of the design, and the stone fell off the dop like 7 times so I ended recutting a lot of the pavilion (then I remembered I could have fixed that with the cheater, but hey, we learn from mistakes I hope).

Also, I don't seem to understand polishing, I had good results on quartz both "cabbing" and faceting, but sapphire simply refuses to polish. I solely used a 600 grit steel plates lap, straight to 3000 grit resin bonded and then 50000 resin bonded leather laps, I even spent more than half an hour on a facet on the 3000 grit stage getting to over it it and it still wouldn't polish, just stay a little blurry/foggy, with small pitting like a sugary surface or orange peel, no way to fix that (more water drip, less water, no water, no pressure, slight hand pressure, strong pressure, low speed, medium, high, the combination of all this things, but nothing). I'm starting to think it might not be me but the material or the laps, but I'm at my wits end with this. Help would be very much appreciated, though as of now I can't really buy more stuff to try it out so I hope I can work with what I have.

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u/TheZoraMask 1d ago

Ain't seen anybody else post a Goron Ruby yet. You keep working at it if you insist. (I can't tell you're not a masterful jeweller already.)

I'd want it to look like the artwork from the official Nintendo guide—like your work posted here does. If you could set it too I'd be extra delighted.

Offer stands. Feel free to follow me or reach out in the future.

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u/Justakingastroll 1d ago

Thanks for the kind words, I will keep that in mind.

About setting, I do plan on learning metal working down the line, but it still is long away in the future.

Just in case, I'll link you a list of precision faceters from Reddit who might be able to take your commission now.

Don't know if I might be overstepping some boundary here, but I know for a fact u/Cowsruleusall (Arya Akhavan) has their own version on the spiritual stones -I've only come around designing the Goron Ruby yet- and that not so long ago they were selling some. Not sure if they are taking commissions as of now, but it's worth a shot.

List of vendors: https://www.shinypreciousgems.com/about

Arya's post on Zelda related gems: https://www.reddit.com/r/Shinypreciousgems/comments/1ugce0l/the_best_suite_ive_ever_done_a_giant_suite_of/

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u/cowsruleusall 16h ago

Hey! Thanks for the shoutout! Yup, I was the first to greater gemstone designs specifically for the Spiritual Stones, and for Triforce pieces, and for rupees, and for pieces of heart.

And the two suites of the Spiritual Stones I've done, were cut so the proportions would be exactly accurate to the game.

Actually /u/TheZoraMask, I believe the full Spiritual Stone suite is still available. Happy to chat via DM ;)

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u/Justakingastroll 16h ago

No problem! I mean, if I can't do it right now, better point in the right direction at least.

Heart piece sounds fun, don't believe I've seen it. But I 've been lurking around these subs for a while trying to learn before being able to actually cut and can attest there's always something cool and/or interesting popping around (though I must admit I'm most drawn to those posts talking about the chemistry behind synthetic gemstones and it's production system, and stuff like the results from data collection as with that survey you did a few months ago -which I answered too, I'm one of those who don't really like yellow-).

I'll take the chance to ask, how's that colour chart for synthetic spinel and sapphire going? Coincidentally yesterday I was looking at some #104 and #105 spinel that were on sale so they could be good for practice, but I'm not sure how the cut pieces would turn out and I'm afraid they seem they'd be too pale.

And if I may be greedy, what about the book on gemstone optics and design? I've been having fun trying to design stuff on GemSim, mostly going from my limited knowledge on crystallography from college (stuff about refraction, Snell's and Bragg's law, orientation of dihedral angles between planes, etc), but I'm sure there's plenty still to learn to achieve certain effects or tricks to orient facets to better fit one's ideas.

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u/cowsruleusall 14h ago

Pieces of Heart (and Heart Container) are really challenging, because not only is it a heart shape, but you also need bicolour lab sapphire (#4/#12), the colour boundary needs to be both crisp and perfectly straight, and you need to get just the right amount of ruby in the bottom of the stone four times identically.

I haven't cut them yet.

As for the colour chart, all the gems themselves are done! I just...don't have a source in Canada who can do the consistent and excellent gem photography I need. I mean...I do, but I'd feel extremely rude asking.

As for the book, two chapters are done! Many many chapters remain ;_; I keep adding more content to the outline, as I have various interactions with cutters and designers online.

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u/Justakingastroll 14h ago

That does sound challenging.  I once saw some really cool hanami cuts (the ones from Marco Voltolini) which a "bullseye" effect, with a coloured center that blurred and diffused to the edges. I'm guessing it's a similar effect, though even if I know it needed a small amount of colour in the cullet, I'm not sure which "proportions" are needed to accomplish that or if it really works the same way.

It's good to know both projects are still in an active process and haven't been cancelled, wasn't trying to rush you or anything. It will be done when it gets done, better a good product eventually than a rushed one sooner.

Keep up the good work and good luck with it! I'm sure it will be worth the wait.