How to cut rough stones β orientation, preform, faceting & cabbing basics
Track: Gemology Β· Duration: 42 min
Video lesson
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Course reader
How to cut rough stones β orientation, preform, faceting & cabbing basics
Gemology workbook β ID, cutting, evaluation, setting, and birthstones next to the video.
Orientation
- Locate color banding, cleavage, fractures β the βpathβ of the finished gem starts here.
- Mark table and culet direction; saw or grind away unusable crack zones first when possible.
Faceting vs cabbing
- Faceting machine: index gears, mast height, laps (diamond, cerium, oxide) β progressive grit sequence.
- Cabbing: wheels for domes and calibrated sizes β great for opal, jasper, turquoise (with water and dust control).
Dust. Silica and some gem dusts are hazardous β wet cutting where appropriate and capture dust at the source.
More tutorials: Open video search on YouTube
Lesson quiz
Each attempt uses a random set of questions with shuffled answer choices. Pass at 70% or higher to mark the lesson complete.