Gemstones and their creation continue to carry a certain mystery and enigma. Until recently the art of gem cutting remained a secret held by a small segment of the population. This closely-guarded craft was handed down through certain families from generation to generation. In the first part of the twentieth century a group of American gem cutters cooperated in promoting the art of gem cutting. They searched out and published information on it.
Today there are many amateurs and professionals who cut gemstones.
The art of cutting gemstones is called faceting. What the gem cutter or faceter does is cut many facets or faces on the rough stone. A faceter starts with a piece of rough stone. For good quality the rough should be transparent and free of inclusions or fractures. One of the easiest and most common types of minerals to facet is quartz.