The Pentafan design is a cut for larger gems with deep color saturation. You’ll get a lot of use from this cut, since there are not many suited for this purpose. Shown here is an almandine garnet, one of the most difficult gemstones to facet for brilliance. Even though the color saturation was quite deep, it turned out to be a great performer. There are continuous flashes of color as the gem is moved.

Pentafan Design - Almandine Garnet

D. R. Jerkins apologized that he couldn’t send us an example of the Pentafan design sooner. The gems sold out too quickly. Now that’s a problem we should all have!

By bringing the pavilion facets to a point at the corners of the girdle, instead of at the culet, the play of light is greatly altered. There is also a uniform dispersion of light throughout the stone, instead of the standard bright center surrounded by dark regions.

Pentafan Design: Diagrams

Pentafan Design - Diagrams

Pentafan Design: Instructions

Pavilion

Crown

Detailed faceting instructions by Jeff Graham available at The Rock Peddler