Inclusion Management and Gemstone Faceting

When dealing with included gemstones, faceters have to estimate two things:

• The value a gem will lose by leaving in an inclusion
• The value a gem will lose if you remove an inclusion

You’ll have to make a choice: remove it or leave it.

Despite the impulse to just cut away the inclusion, many times, leaving it in a gem is the least costly inclusion management solution, both in terms of labor and the value of the finished gem. To make your decision, you’ll need to consider the inclusion type and both its visibility and location.

Types of Inclusions

An inclusion is anything that will interfere with the free passage of light. Although these are often solid materials, you may also face fractures and veils — partially healed internal fractures similar to fingerprints. The type of inclusion will make a difference in inclusion management.

Fractures

Faceters frequently leave fractured areas in emeralds and diamonds. However, this is rarely acceptable in other gems.

Fractures represent a weak area in the gem that’s prone to breakage. In almost every case, you should remove fractures from your rough. You should leave a fracture in a gem only on the very rare…