glennklein.com

Faceting History : Cutting Diamonds & Colored Stones

330 Pages

228 Pictures

60 Pictures in color

Glenn's, "FACETING HISTORY: CUTTING DIAMONDS AND COLORED STONES," book has long been needed by those who are interested in learining about the methods and equipment that were first used in the faceting of diamonds and colored gemstones and those that have evolved for use through the centuries up to the present day. The book provides a good description of the vast differences encountered in fashioning diamonds as compared to faceting colored stones. The book gives information about where in the world the most precious gemstone rough has come from, how cut design patterns have improved over time, and has very interesting descriptions of famous and historic gemstones that have shaped history and been instrumental in Wars. Advances and improvements that have come about during the past one hundred years are included as well as picture examples from Glenn's own collection. This book serves as an excellent tool that is needed by any jeweler to present a knowledgeable and informative sales presentation to a customer. Glenn has written many articles about faceting colored gemstones. Those articles have been published in various magazines and lapidary guild newsletters to help and encourage faceters to improve their own cutting and polishing abilities

Glenn with his UltraTec faceting machine.

See book reviews at the end of this page.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter One: An Introduction to Faceting

Early Faceting Information

Remains Scarce

A Definition of Faceting

Lapidary Defined

Cabochon and Faceted

Stone Differences

GIA’s Description of a

Gemstone

The Work of a Faceter

Is Needed

Chapter Two: Early Man’s Stone Appreciation

The Dawn of History

First Written Words

Man Settles Down in a Home

Man Values Stones

Early Stone Improvement

First Gemstones Brought to

Europe

Gem Legends

Confusion of Gem Names

Gemstone Myths

Time of the Roman Empire

Gemstones Mounted in

Jewelry

First Faceted Gemstones

Jewelry-Arts Expansion

Jean Baptiste Tavernier, the

Famous World Traveler

Chapter Three: Diamond Fashioning Procedure and Equipment

Introduction to Diamond

Fashioning History

Louis de Berquem

Diamond Characteristics

Crystallography

Planning

Cleaving

Sawing, Bruting, Girdling,

Rounding

Dopping

Mechanical Dops

Wooden Vice, Tang

Diamond Bort

Scaife, Wheel, Mill, Disc, Lap

Blocker, Grinding First Few

Principal Facets, Cross

Cutter, Cross Worker

Brillianteering, Placing The

Remaining Facets, Polishing

Modern Day Mass

Production, Diamond Cutting

Centers, Guilds, and Unions

Famous Contributors to

Diamond Fashioning

Chapter Four: Colored Stone Faceting Procedure and Equipment

General Faceting Procedure

Early Colored Stone Faceting

and Equipment

Moh’s Scale of Hardness

Jamb Peg

Jamb Peg Improvements

Faceting Heads

Preforming and Saws

Proportion and Shape

Laps

Abrasives and Polishing

Light, Crystal Structure,

Dichroism

Reflection

Refraction

Double Refraction and

Birefringence

Dispersion and Fire

Critical Angle

Color Absorption

Idar-Oberstein

Early Instruments Used to

Aid a Gemologist With the

Identification of Transparent

Gemstone Minerals

Chapter Five: The Evolution of Cut Designs

Early History of Cut Designs

The Point Cut

Three Brothers

Table Cut, Mirror Cut, Tablet

Cut

Step Cut, Trap Cut

The Emerald Cut

The Rose Cut

Double Rose, Rosette

The Cardinal Mazarin Cut, the

Peruzzi Cut, and the Round

Brilliant Cut

Marcel Tolkowsky

Present Day Cut Designs

Chapter Six: Famous and Historic Gemstones

Introduction

The Koh-i-Noor

Charles the Wise

Charles the Bold

Agnes Sorel

The Great Mogul

The French Blue, the Hope

Diamond

The Regent Diamond

Marie Antoinette

The Orloff

The Cullinan

Chapter Seven: Sources of Diamond and Colored Stone Rough

Diamond Rough Material

Diamond Sources in India

Diamond Sources in Brazil

Diamond Sources in Africa

Other Sources of Diamonds

Colored Stone Rough

Material

Rubies

Mogok, Myanmar (old Burma)

Sapphires

Kashmir Sapphires

Cornflower Blue Sapphires

Emeralds

Egyptian Emeralds

Columbia South American

Emeralds

Chapter Eight: Advances in Faceting Over the Past One Hundred Years

Electrical-Powered

Equipment Becomes

Available

Mud Saws

Diamond-Impregnated Saw

Blades

Jamb Peg Machines

Modern Faceting Heads

The Early Mineral Clubs

The Founding of the

American Federation of

Mineralogical Societies

(AFMS)

AFMS and Federation Gem

Shows

The Great Depression Years

A Colored Stone Faceter in

1946

A Diamond Cutter in 1946

Professional Faceters

Amateur Faceters

Rock Hounds in the Western

United States

Australian Faceters

Organizations

World Class Faceting

Competition

The Formation of the United

States Faceters' Guild

(USFG)

Future Faceting Museum and

Hall of Fame

Appendix I: Views of Inclusions Found Inside Colored Gemstones, From the Author's Own Collection.

Bibliography

*************************************************************************
Book Reviews of "Faceting History"

"Marion remarked the other day that it was the first time in years that I had taken a book to read in bed. Once started, I couldn't leave FACETING HISTORY alone. For many years I have been interested in the history of diamond cutting...where we came from and how it all started. Your style of writing is easy to read and I can now trace our foot prints from where we came."

Basil Watermeyer of Johannesburg, South Africa---the originator of the Barion series of outstanding cut designs and author of the excellent book, "Diamond Cutting."

*****************************************************************************************************

"I was impressed by the attention to detail and quality of the book. I was thoroughly impressed with the obvious depth of Glenn's research and his outstanding presentation regarding not just the history of gemstones, but also the equipment and work methods employed through the centuries. It is a book you will study and refer to from time to time, and use to look up those little-known facts we like to know periodically, but often forget. It is also fascinating and informative. I will keep this book as a valued addition to my personal library. I would recommend this book to any Rockhound, lapidary, jeweler, student, or anyone else interested in gems and jewelry."

JIM PERKINS of Medina, Ohio,------ an accomplished facetor, author of many cut design patterns, and author of numerous faceting articles that have appeared in National magazines.

*****************************************************************************************************

"The scholarly text is well supplemented by facet diagrams and historical photos and illustrations."

STUART OVERLIN...Gems & Gemology, "GIA" the Gemological Institute of America.

*****************************************************************************************************

"You have a very fine book. You are an excellent writer and did a great job."

HUBERT RACKETS of Pagosa Springs, Colorado,------ award winning facetor.

*****************************************************************************************************

Note that these new second edition revised books contain more text and many more pictures than the first editions did. Lots of the pictures are now in color. The books are FINE QUALITY hard cover versions that are only available by ordering from this website. Ordering from other sources will get you the old first editions! Glenn is happy to sign your copies ordered here. State your own choice of wording if you are gift giving etc. Click the PRICE & ORDER INFO page for prices and ordering information.