Hiddenite Faceting Information
Essential Tips and suggestions about Hiddenite Tourmaline Faceting. Helpful information, details and guides on how to Facet Hiddenite Tourmaline stones.
Hiddenite (Spodumene)
Color: Emerald green, yellow-green, yellow
Moh's Hardness: 6-7
Refractive Index: 1.655-1.68
Critical Angle: 37.31°
Specific Gravity: 3.16-3.20
Cleavage: perfect in 2 directions
Fracture: Uneven, very splintery
Dispersion: .017
Heat Sensitivity: Yes
Birefringence (double refraction): Medium (.015)
Crystal Structure: Monoclinic
Treatments: None
What I prefer to polishing with: Tin lap with Alumina oxide. Zinc laps with 8,000 pre-polish and 50,000 polish.
Jeff's Comments: Saw as little as possible, it is very tender and will fall apart from too much sawing and the vibration. Orient for best color which is usually the "c", cut slightly off the from the cleavage plane ("c"). Use a fine lap during the cutting process, a coarse lap tends to aggravate cleavage problems and chipping.
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.
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