[Jewelry making - Article 00107] - Re: [Orchid] Cutting black star sapphire crystal

[Dean & Candy Welter]

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    To find and orient the star in your saphire crystal you can lightly
    dome both ends of the crystal, sanding up to 600 grit.  Then use
    liberal amounts of a light oil like "Crystalite's crystal lube" or
    3-M's sewing machine oil on the domed ends.  You will be able to see
    the chatoyance in the crystal then.  The reason you dome both ends
    is because usually one end of the crystal will have a stronger
    chatoyance than the other.  Now that you have established which end
    has the strongest star you can dop the stone with the best end out. 
    

    Now is the tricky part.  It helps to dim room lights if possible and
    have a source of light that you can look down like a pen light or
    small flashlight.  It is extremely important that you be looking
    from the same direction as the source of your light.  You need to
    orient the "star",which will just be a spot of chatoyance at this
    point, in the middle of the stone.  It helps if you have your burner
    lite and can warm your dop wax occasionally so you can move the
    stone.  Sighting down the penlight slowly turn the dop in your
    fingers and watch the chatoyant spot on the crystal.  When you have
    it properly oriented on the dop stick it will remain in the center
    throughout 360 degrees of rotation of the dop.  

    Now that you have the crystal oriented on the dop stick you can cut
    it on a trim saw at 90 degrees to the dop, any and all pieces you
    cut from this crystal now will be oriented so the star will be
    centered.  It is helpful, if the crystal is large enough for several
    stones, to mark the top of each slice in some manner, i.e. with
    aluminum marking pencil or permanent marker,  for future reference. 

    Good luck, I hope this was of some help. Dean Welter wshelter AT povn.com 

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