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Native cut

native cut A poorly proportioned gemstone supposedly fashioned by primitive means; considered pejorative.

Native Cut: A gemstone that has been cut, faceted and polished by the miners where the stone was found. Often not symmetrical and most frequently cut to retain weight or deepen colour.

Native cut gems: These are generally cut by eye, usually in Asia, Africa or S. America, on a lap, or more often a jamb peg or similar machine. The cuts are typically oval to cushion shaped with windows, low crowns and bellied pavilions.

Native Cut: Often referred to as Indian cut. This fashion of diamond cut is very rough. The diamonds appear as thin slivers. Few facets if any are made. The cut is designed to lose the least amount of weight from the rough diamond.

The native cut specimens are sent here and recut, as, when native cut, the direction of the grain is seldom correct to produce the moonlight effect in symmetrical fashion.

The typical native cut had a lopsided step pavilion with a prominent "window" in the center, and it just seemed rather lifeless. A standard brilliant pavilion with decent angles evened out the color and made this a real sparkler.

Cutting standards are far more relaxed for colored stones than for diamonds. Most rubies are faceted overseas, producing what the trade calls "native cuts." Dealers here often have to recut off-center which produces asymmetrical gems.

Stones of Burmese origin generally command the highest prices. One thing typical to rubies is that a vast majority of these gems are "native cut" in the country of origin. Custom cut stones are usually valued more per carat.

Again, because it is not terribly expensive, cutters can focus on beauty more than weight retention. This means that good cutting, proportions and symmetry are to be expected. Stay away from misshapen native cut gems, ...

You can better expect good cutting techniques, symmetry and proportions. Note here that it is important to stay away from the badly shaped native cut gems. They can be cheap enough to cut with good proportions.