@urban.sterling: If concave faceting looks so awesome, why is every stone in the mall cut with flat, straight lines? Because curves are expensive. To cut a traditional, flat-faceted gemstone, a lapidary presses the rough crystal against a flat, spinning lap (think like a record player with abrasives). It is efficient, mathematical, and relatively fast, plus you can automate it. Concave faceting throws that entire process in the bin. You obviously can’t use a flat disk to make a curve. To cut these lenses, the cutter has to use a specialised machine (often called an OMF, or Optical Machining Fixture) and grind each individual facet using tiny, diamond-coated cylindrical mandrels. It takes way longer and it requires a master’s understanding of light behaviour. And because you’re carving deep grooves into the stone, you sacrifice a lot more of the rough crystal’s weight, which the average consumer really cares about. It’s why 1.00 carat stones are so much more expensive than 0.99 carat stones. Mass manufacturing hates losing weight and time. So the industry sticks to flat mirrors, and leaves the concave lasers to the artists.

Mason Mignanelli

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Region: AU

Monday 23 March 2026 08:07:06 GMT