Bixbite Facet / Faceting Information
Bixbite Facet / Faceting Information
Bixbite (Beryl)
Color: Red to strawberry-red
Moh’s Hardness: 7.5-8
Refractive Index: 1.57-1.60
Critical Angle: 39.87°
Specific Gravity: 2.65-2.75
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Conchoidal, tough
Dispersion: .014
Heat Sensitivity: Moderate, depending on how clean the rough is
Dichroism: weak
Birefringence (double refraction): Weak (.006-.009)
Crystal Structure: Hexagonal
Treatments: None usually.
What I prefer to polishing with: Cerium oxide with a Spectra Ultralap.
Jeff’s Comments: Rough is rare and expensive, usually small and not clean. Cuts and polishes like any other Beryl, usually no problems… I like to use a 1200 Nu Bond lap for pre-polish, it makes the polishing stage faster and easier. Orientating on the “c” is slightly better.
Design Notes: About any design will work well. I prefer a deeper design and often cut Barions. Step cuts are used a lot because of the small narrow crystals that are available.
Design Links: Signature #4 – This is one of my favorite cuts in Beryl
Blue Ice – Designed for very long crystals
About the author
Jeff R. Graham
The late Jeff Graham was a prolific faceter, creator of many original faceting designs, and the author of several highly-regarded instructional faceting books such as Gram Faceting Designs.
All articles by this author
