With Time and Patience
Yates cuts and polishes his gemstones on his Ultra Tech brand faceting machine. He uses the magnifying headband visor to clearly see the faceting progress and any inclusions, or flaws, that become visible. The facets are formed by applying the gem to the lap, a disk on the machine coated with diamond dust. Yates chooses the lap he needs depending on how much grinding and pre polishing the gem requires to perfect the facet. He chooses another specific lap to apply oxide for the final polish. Water is constantly dripped onto the lap so the gem is not damaged by overheating. The arm called a quill lifts, turns and rotates. Yates sets and resets the angle of the quill to create facets on the gemstones.
The top, or crown, of a garnet.
A close up of sanding the garnet's facet receiving a final polish with a fine grit lap.
The facet to the right on the pavilon is duller because it has only been pre-polished. The shinier one has had a final polish with oxide material. The gem is held on the dop with wax that is heated along with the gem using an alcohol lamp.
The beginning of the pavilion or the bottom of the gemstone.
The first of the facets appearing on the garnet.
SWAN VALLEY - Swan Valley resident Ray Yates said he applies patience and time to transform rough gemstones into polished, multi-sided or faceted, light-catching creations worthy to be set in jewelry. He cuts and polishes semi-precious and precious gemstones including garnets, amethysts and sapphires with the aid of a faceting machine.
Since he was a young boy, Yates said has been interested in geology, the study of the earth, and how gemstones are formed underground. Yates has found sapphires in Philipsburg, Mont. and garnets in Virginia City. He now purchases them from sources online and at rock shows.
Yates is a self-taught faceter and he wants to study to take the test to become a gemologist. He then would be qualified to identify and evaluate gems.
"You can pretty much teach yourself how do just about anything this day and age," said Yates.
Gemstones are found on every continent including sapphires in Montana and Africa, sunstone in Oregon and garnets in Madagascar, Afghanistan, Brazil and Russia.
Yates possesses a collection of rough stones which includes sapphires, garnets, sunstone, citrine, amethyst, topaz and peridot which he will facet using a diagram or a "recipe" of angles set on his Ultra Tec faceting machine. He has stacks of papers that contain diagrams of designs recommended for specific gemstones and from which he can choose. Yates said that the number of designs are infinite. He hopes to create some original designs which will show off each gemstone's refractive index or sparkle.
The gemstone is shaped and polished on the crown, (top); the girdle, (middle); and the pavilion (bottom) which can end in a point or an edge. After cutting the facets, he pre-polishes and then polishes the gemstone.
Yates uses a disk called a lap containing diamond dust of varying degrees of grit and for the final polish he either applies an oxide or very fine diamond paste to a specific lap. Each step in faceting and polishing is repeated many times until the desired cut and polish is reached. It can take up to six hours for a single gemstone to be finished.
The size of the stone is measured in carats (cts). A carat is two-tenths of a gram. Yates works with rough stones that are five to fifteen carats on average. Some can be as large as 60 cts. Finished stones are approximately 35 percent of the rough stone's starting weight.
Yates said he likes creating something lasting from the diverse and colorful gemstones. For example, besides being deep red, garnets come in orange to deep green depending on the minerals in its composition. "I like them all," he said.
According to Yates, the value of the gemstones depends on their cut, color and clarity. If there is no inclusion or flaws, such as cracks or fractures, or other mineral forms within the stone, it is worth more. Yates said inclusions are sometimes not seen until the gemstone is faceted and polished, making them more translucent. Gemstones are sold by the carat.
Yates said that it is worth the time and effort it takes to produce the finished faceted gem which includes grinding, sanding and polishing. He likes "to share the joy [result of the process] with his fellow man."
Yates started his business, Alchemy Enterprises, about 13 years ago. "It is an appropriate name," said Yates, "because it means transforming from the mundane to something extraordinarily refined. Yates said he also tries to apply alchemy spiritually, always striving to improve life and humanity, "not just advance it or take it for all it is worth, but truly improve it in some way, such as design something that brings joy and beauty into the world that uplifts the overall spirit. For to improve the whole you must start with yourself. To uplift another is to uplift yourself."
For now, the jewelry settings for his gemstones are pre-made, but Yates said that he wants to take silversmith classes so he can make his own settings. At this time, there is a pair of apatite earrings which he cut and set in purchased settings for sale at the Grizzly Claw Trading Company in Seeley Lake.
Yates said, "There will be more [at the Grizzly Claw] as I continue to move forward." Yates added that while he has done some custom cutting for customers in his home, his family members are usually the recipients of his jewelry. He wants to create more jewelry and be able to offer it in the next few months. He is also planning on a website called Gemstone Alchemist.
Yates belongs to the United States Faceters Guild. He said he gets help with challenges by contacting other faceters through that website. Faceters also can share the designs they create.
For more information, contact Yates at truepooh_27@yahoo.com.
For those who are interested in more information about gemstones and faceting, Yates recommends a visit to http://www.minedirect.com or http://www.facetingrough.com
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