Hayek Cut - Featured ImageHayek Cut - Featured Image

The Hayek Cut for Gemstones


The Hayek cut is great for light to medium-colored gem rough that’s blocky but not square enough for an emerald cut. Learn how to facet this lively design.

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Any time you have a blocky piece of rough that's not square enough for an emerald cut, try the Hayek cut. Named after the Nobel Laureate economist F. A. Hayek, this design was developed to fit a specific piece of beryl rough. However, you'll find this cut very useful for faceting other types of gems, too.

Gemstone Recommendations

Hayek cut - Beryl
Hayek-cut beryl

To the right, this beauty has a Barion-style pavilion, which accounts for its great brilliance.

In rough with light to medium colors, the Hayek cut will have outstanding optical performance. However, I would caution against using this design for darker rough material.

This is a fairly simple design to facet. Now that you have it in your repertoire, you should find multiple occasions to cut it for your customers.

Diagrams

Hayek Cut Instructions

  • Angles for R.I. = 1.56
  • 45 facets + 4 facets on girdle = 49
  • 96 index
  • L/W = 1.500 T/W = 1.066 T/L = 0.710
  • P/W = 0.807 C/W = 0.110
  • H/W = (P+C)/W+0.02 = 0.937
  • P/H = 0.862 C/H = 0.117
  • Vol./W^3 = 0.628

Pavilion

StepAngleIndexNotes
143º96-06-12-18-24-30-36-4248-54-60-66-72-78-84-90Cut to temp center point (TCP)
290º44-92Meet with step 3 at edge from step 1
390º24-72See step 2
475.5º24-72Meet at 1-2-3
575.5º44-92Meet at 1-2-3
642º09-57Add the mains last
741.5º45-93
841.4º33-81
941º21-69

Crown

StepAngleIndexNotes
a42º04-52Steps a to f meet at corners
b42º24-72
c30.7º25-73
d31.5º23-71
e32.2º05-53
f31.4º03-51
g25º04-52Meet e-a-f
h22.1º24-72Meet c-d-b
TTableMeet h-d-e-g and g-f-c-h

Carl R. Downey

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