FACETING

Faceting is the process of cutting a transparent or translucent stone in order to reflect and diffract light. The equipment used at the club is able to cut gems up to a hardness of around 9 on the Mohs scale, that is, about as hard as sapphire, but not diamond or moissanite.
The goal of faceting is generally to cut a gem that has high brightness, scintillation (sparkly) and diffraction (has rainbows inside).
The club requires members to complete a short course before using the machines. This course covers best practice when using the machines. The course costs $65 dollars and takes 4-6 days. Only one student may complete the course at a time.