The Factory
Sorting rough sapphires at the factory.
Examining rough for inclusions. Can you spot the crack within the stone?
Unheated sapphires sorted into three categories, with a fourth group on the right showing the same stones after heat treatment for comparison.
The preforming machine, the first stage in shaping a rough stone.
Preforming a sapphire. The intended shape is planned in advance, but confirmed only after inclusions, cracks and impurities have been worked out of the stone.
A handheld shaper, an alternative preforming tool used to work the rough stone before cutting
Constant calliper checks throughout production, ensuring every stone meets its size specification.
Calibrating the stones for precise shape and size, a critical step in every order
A steady drip of water on the lap during calibration, keeping heat and friction in check
Pavilion facets being cut into the stone.
Adjusting the angle at which the stone meets the lap during faceting.
Polishing begins with the table, the flat top facet of the stone. The completed table is visible here.
Dopping the stone, a tedious but essential step. Each stone is dopped twice, once for each side, before the stone is complete.
Verifying the alignment of the dopped stone, ensuring it is perfectly straight and even.
Quality control. Every stone that leaves production is checked against the required order specifications: colour, shade, size and purity