Once upon a short time ago, all faceted and cabochon cut gemstones displayed
a
traditional disciplined shape. Faceted stones featured a round brilliant cut
or one of
its variations, and cabochons routinely were cut in rounded or domed
geometric
patterns such as ovals, squares and circles.
Along came some
enterprising lapidaries and they started mixing the two
disciplines. Not only
did they start cutting facetable crystals using cabochon
techniques and vice
versa, but they also began adding peculiar channels, tunnels,
dish effects, plateaus,
and step conceits. These innovation quickly caught the
gemcutting world--and
the world of Fantasy cutting has been flying ever since.
A German gemcutter
named Bernd Munsteiner really got Fantasy--or
Sculptured - lapidary started.
The lapidary world was slow in accepting his unique,
geometric designs but once
started they took off . . . largely because they were so
visually pleasing--and
easy to cut.
How do you cut those well-known, severely geometric appearing Munsteiner
or Fantasy cuts?
Well, it's actually easier than traditional faceting
or cabochon cutting. Select
a piece of gem material (it's better to cut softer
materials because many of the
intricate patterns that make up fancy cutting can
be difficult to prepolish and
polish) and shape it by hand on a coarse wheel
or lap (coarse is NEVER
less than 180 grit!). 
First, (A) the gemstones you see above (left) were shaped, one by hand or the
other while mounted on a stick. Once the basic shape was achieved, a silicon
carbide wheel's edges (B) were trued with a diamond dresser tool to assure
sharp
right angles (vital for cutting channels and other optical conceits.)
Following
these two initial steps, the sequence followed by experienced
Fantasy cutters
(C) ) imparts artistic elements over the surface - top and
bottom - of the stone.
The final step (D) consists in applying a fine finish
on all the cut edges (EXCEPT
in those cases where it's decided to offer a surface
contrast such as leaving
some surfaces "frosted" i.e., unpolished, to make them
stand
out against the more reflective surfaces (a technique that is achieved best
only
with quartz which frosts easily).
These conceits or embellishments range from
"V" shaped channels cut
singularly or in series along with convex and
concave curves, flat areas or
"plateaus," stepped flats (also called
"rice paddies"), round and circular optical
indentions called (by famed
New England gem sculptor Michael Dyber) "Optical
Dishes" (as shown
below) or the folding and flowing curtain-like patterns of
Texas gemcutter Larry
Woods..
It goes without saying that most of these artistic effects are cut on
the sharp
or uniquely dressed edges of the silicon carbide wheel. Diamond wheels
are
superb for fast roughing and finishing, but they're near useless for channeling
and plateauing simply because they can't be dressed - and most diamond
wheels
have no side edges to work with. In short, the embellishments consist
of whatever
the sculptor or carver can think up. Behind this apparent
indifference to traditional
optics theory lies the desire to maximize the
enhancement of surface reflections,
scintillation (also called "twinkle"), texture properties,
surface
light play, visual interest in new and different shape configurations. The final
step
in this 1-2-3-4 sequence is #4 polishing.
The shift in emphasis
from internal to external dramatization is not without
benefit.
Brilliance,
the term used to describe the return of internal white light whose
impact varies
inversely with distance, virtually disappears when a gem is viewed
rom more
than two feet. Visual recognition of shape and light variation, though,
is
possible up to 10 feet and it's around this unavoidable truth that the sculptor
hangs
his visually pleasing contributions. You can see and appreciate an oddly
sculpted
Munsteiner from a much greater distance that the brilliance of a
traditionally
faceted gemstone.
Once the broad flat facets and lines of the shape have been
cut in - and before the
exquisite channeling and other lapidary devices are employed
- many gemcutters
proceed directly to prepolish and then polish. Such a half-way
step gives one an
attractive finished stone appearance albeit it may appear somewhat
plain.
The interesting geometric shapes and channels on a Munsteiner cut are
(C)
usually cut strictly on the edge of a dressed silicon carbide wheel. Refining,
prepolishing and polishing are often carried out (D) with small wheels, sanders,
polish bearing sticks, etc.
This intersection is where the carver-sculptor
begins applying his or her true
creative skills. Often, cutting and/or channeling
on the squared, dressed edge of a
silicon carbide wheel (diamond wheels aren't
so good because they don't cut on the
side, too) the carver - using a single
motion - inflicts a deep channel with 45 degree
sides. The channel is cut in
one moving, continuous motion. Were s/he to cut the
channel in a series of addresses
to the wheel, it would introduce "planing" and
this is virtually impossible
to polish later.
The above display of imaginative gem cutting displays vividly the range and
sweep and the random creativity - that can be accomplished by combining cabbing
with faceting methods.
More could be said on the techniques of this style
of gemcutting, but it's not
necessary.
You simply cut a shape, apply your
own personal conceits to the surface, polishing
the whole thing - and you have
a finished, professional level Fantasy cut. Likely as
not, the stone never leaves
the lapidary's hands. With considerable justification,
many gemcutter contend
that no great need exists for dopping (gluing a stone to
a stick so you can hold
it more securely) and the cost of equipment is minimal.
Most of the lapidary
activity is conducted in a hand held mode because the
fingertips give much greater
and more precise control of the stone. It's easier, too,
to refine and shape
the stone with small diamond abrasive tools, wheels, etc. Indeed
some gifted carvers,
use an inexpensive lathe and make their own cutting tools out of
wood, plastic,
buttons, metal dowels, etc.
What happens when a transparent or translucent
gemstone crystal is covered with
random and artistically flat surfaces is a transformation
of the stone--usually--into a
geometric appearance. This occurs especially when
channels are introduced because
they are often cut in a parallel series.
Keep in mind that Munsteiner-Fantasy cutting is an extension of advanced cabochon
cutting
and carving or sculpturing represents a completely different discipline. May
excellent
carvers or sculptors turn out magnificent gemstone creations, often using
lapidary
optical tactics - but their ideas are not Fantasy cutting.
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