Abstract:
A stone cut and method for cutting a stone that increases the number of facets on the stone as well as the scintillation, brilliance, and light reflectivity of the stone. The stone cut and method includes cutting angles and increasing the number of facets that, either separately or together, manage the external and internal light flow dynamics of a round cut diamond to a higher level of efficiency, effectiveness, and performance.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/619,982, filed Jul. 14, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Generally, the present invention relates to a cut precious stone and a method for cutting a precious stone. More particularly, the method for cutting the precious stone and the cut of the precious stone of the present invention produces a precious stone with more brilliance, scintillation, and light dispersion.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Traditionally, gemstones have been cut in many shapes and configurations. Typically, precious stones, such as diamonds, are cut to accent high coefficients of brilliancy, scintillation, and dispersion of light. In general, gemstones, particularly diamonds, are cut such that light entering upper portions of the stone are totally reflected and refracted within the stone, and light also emerges back through the top portion of the stone to the eye of the observer.  
         [0004]     Many different stone cuts have attempted to bring out the greatest possible life of a diamond, i.e., give a diamond the most “fire” as possible. One such cut for diamonds that has received much glory and admiration is the round or “brilliant” cut. The round or brilliant cut is popular for diamonds gemstones as well. A brilliant-cut diamond is generally a round diamond with fifty-eight sides. A girdle (the outer edge of the gem) forms a junction between a pavilion (the lower section) and a crown (the upper section) of the gemstone. The crown typically includes many flat faces, or facets, the largest typically being the table, which is substantially parallel to the girdle. The pavilion includes many facets that cover the pavilion and can extend from a lower tip of the pavilion (the culet) to the girdle or some portion thereof. The crown of a typical brilliant-cut gemstone generally includes star facets, bezel or upper main facets, and upper girdle facets, while the pavilion generally includes pavilion main facets and lower girdle facets.  
         [0005]     Many gemstone cuts vary with respect to which facets are cut onto the gemstone and which are emphasized on the particular gemstone cut. It has become generally accepted that the more facets a gemstone has, the more brilliance, scintillation, and light dispersion the gemstone will portray, up to a point where the gemstone becomes too busy. The goal of a gemstone cut is to prevent leakage of incident light through the bottom portion of the gemstone and to manage external and internal light flow to maximize the return of white and color through the top of the gemstone. The traditional round brilliant cut model, due to its unique faceting arrangements, has limited ability to return white light significantly. This results in the general observation of a dark tone appearance with the round brilliant cut diamond. The dark tone appears even with diamonds that are cut to very perfect proportions having very white body color. This observation becomes even more pronounced with round brilliant cut diamonds that are cut to less than ideal proportions where leakage of light is significant. The loss of light through the bottom of the diamond creates dead zones.  
         [0006]     Furthermore, due to the light return and internal light flow efficiencies of the round brilliant cut model, the proportions that are necessary for this model to achieve optimal light performance requires extraordinary loss of rough diamond material during the cutting process. Although, at the optimal light performance level for the traditional model, the diamond appears more impressive than the poorly cut diamonds, the magnitude and quality of brilliance, dispersion and scintillation that a round shape diamond cut is capable of achieving is not maximized. Nonetheless, the current desire of many cutters to cut diamonds to the ideal cut proportions of the traditional round brilliant cut is discouraged by the requirements of significant weight loss of the rough diamond material. This provides one explanation for the high numbers of round brilliant diamonds with poorly cut proportions that are produced every year.  
         [0007]     Therefore, it would be advantageous to cut a gemstone, such as a diamond, with proportions that prevent light leakage and with a faceting arrangement that is more efficient and effective in returning more white light, color light, and scintillation. Also, it would be more advantageous to provide a faceting arrangement that can harmonize and properly balance the gemstone&#39;s key components of light performance, its brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation. Thereby, a higher level of visual and aesthetic beauty would be provided to the gemstone. A faceting arrangement that improves the total light return efficiency of the diamond by changing the pathway which light travels within the diamond would also be advantageous. Thereby, the weight loss during cutting would be significantly reduced. Overall, it would be desirable to produce a gemstone with a faceting arrangement that returns more brilliance, fire (dispersion), and scintillation, and that appears lighter and that can be cut with less weight loss to achieve a greater light performance than the traditional model.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     An embodiment of the present invention provides a stone cut and a method for cutting a stone providing increased scintillation, brilliance, and dispersion of light. The cut, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, has a girdle, crown, and pavilion, and includes an increased number of facets on either or both the crown or the pavilion over the traditional number of facets. The increased number of facets may be obtained by providing additional upper girdle facets (over the traditional number) surrounding the perimeter of the stone above the girdle. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper girdle facets preferably extend from a lower side along the girdle of the stone to a common upper vertex located toward a table on the crown. Preferably, there are three upper girdle facets per side of the table.  
         [0009]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the increased number of facets may be obtained by providing additional lower girdle facets (over the traditional number) on the pavilion of the stone. The increased number of facets on the pavilion portion results from an increase in the number of lower girdle facets. Preferably, the lower girdle facets are positioned between each pair of pavilion main facets and extend from an upper side along a girdle of the stone to a portion of the pavilion. Also preferably, there are three lower girdle facets between each pavilion main facet.  
         [0010]     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the pavilion main facets, on the pavilion of the stone extending upwards from the culet, vary in thickness. The pavilion main facets can alternate in thickness between thick and thin. In one embodiment of the present invention, the thick pavilion main facets are about 50 percent thicker than the thin pavilion main facets.  
         [0011]     According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, one of the lower girdle facets is rotated about an axis.  
         [0012]     These and other features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, the scope of the invention being set out in the appended claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The detailed description will be better understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters represent like elements, as follows:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a top plan view of an embodiment of a stone cut according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a bottom view of a stone according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of a stone having a crown as in  FIG. 1  and a pavilion as in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3A  shows a side view of the stone of  FIG. 3  having rotated girdle facets;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows angles and dimensions of a stone as shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of another embodiment of the present invention of a stone cut according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  shows a bottom view of a stone as shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a bottom view of a stone cut according to another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a top view of a stone cut as in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     According to  FIGS. 1-3 , stone  10 , such as a diamond, cut according to an embodiment of the present invention, is generally similar to a brilliant-cut diamond. Stone  10  has a generally round shape, when viewed from the top downward or bottom upward, and a generally pyramidal shape when viewed from the side. Stone  10  generally has girdle  60  defining the outer edge and widest portion of stone  10  in a top downward or bottom upward view; crown  40  defining the upper portion above girdle  60 ; pavilion  80  defining the lower portion below girdle  60 ; and culet  20  defining the lowest portion of pavilion  80 . For purposes of explanation, features of stone  10  will be referenced with respect to central axis  12  that extends from culet  20  ( FIG. 3 ), at a lower portion of stone  10 , through the center of table  102 , as represented by the dashed line  12  of  FIG. 3 . Furthermore, the outer edge of stone  10 , girdle  60 , will be referred to as the periphery of stone  10 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a top view of an embodiment of the present invention of stone  10  cut with many flat faces, or facets, on crown  40 . For example, according to one embodiment of the present invention, crown  40  has fifty-one (51) facets. The largest facet on crown  40  is table  102 . According to the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 , table  102  has a ten sided configuration or a decagon shape with ten vertices adjoining adjacent sides of the decagon. However, table  102  may have fewer or more sides instead.  
         [0025]     Each side of table  102  of  FIG. 1  forms one side of a substantially triangular shaped star facet  104 . Adjacent star facets  104  adjoin at vertices nearest table  102 , thereby encircling table  102  with a ring of star facets  104 . Also located on crown  40  are ten upper main or bezel facets  106 . Bezel facets  106  are substantially kite shaped with four sides or edges and four vertices. It is preferred that an axially center-most upper vertex V 1  of each of bezel facets  106  adjoins table  102  at the point where vertices of adjacent star facets  104  adjoin table  102  and each other. It is also preferable that the axially center-most lower vertex V 2  of each of bezel facets  106  extends to girdle  60 . Therefore, one set of opposed upper and lower vertices V 1  and V 2  of each of bezel facets  106  extends between girdle  60  and table  102 , while circumferentially adjoining lateral vertices V 3  and V 4  of bezel facets  106  adjoin with the lower-most vertex of star facets  104 .  
         [0026]     The remaining surface area of crown  40  is occupied by upper girdle facets  110 ,  112 , and  114 . Upper girdle facets  110 ,  112 , and  114  are positioned around the periphery of crown  40  between the lower-most vertices V 2  of adjacent bezel facets  106  and with a bottom side along girdle  60 . Traditionally, there are two upper girdle facets positioned between each adjacent pair of bezel facets  106 . However, in accordance with the principles of embodiments of the present invention, the embodiment of  FIG. 1  preferably has three upper girdle facets  110 ,  112 , and  114  between each adjacent pair of bezel facets  106 . Upper girdle facets  110 ,  112 , and  114  preferably extend from girdle  60  to a common vertex  120 , extending towards table  102  and which preferably adjoins the lower-most vertex of star facet  104  and the adjoining lateral vertices, V 3  and V 4 , of bezel facets  106 . The inclusion of a third upper girdle facet  114  preferably between each pair of bezel facets  106  increases the scintillation and light dispersion of stone  10 . Moreover, the additional upper girdle facet provides a crown of a round-shaped diamond with an additional set of facets typically equal to the number of sides of the polygonal-shaped table  102  of stone  10 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , when table  102  is in the preferred shape of a decagon, ten extra facets are incorporated onto crown  40  of stone  10  by configuring three upper girdle facets  110 ,  112 , and  114  (i.e., by providing an extra girdle facet) between each pair of bezel facets  106 . Therefore, according to this embodiment, a total of fifty-one (51) facets are preferably provided on the crown of a stone  10  with a decagon-shaped table  102 . This is roughly a twenty-five percent increase in the number of crown facets over a traditional round stone with a decagon-shaped table  102 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of a stone  10  showing pavilion  80 . Generally, there are preferably pavilion main facets  202 , lower girdle facets  220 ,  222 , and  224 , and a culet  20  on the pavilion of stone  10 . The pavilion main facets  202  are preferably configured substantially in a kite shape with a lower vertex on culet  20  and an upper vertex on girdle  60 . According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper vertex of pavilion main facets  202  preferably terminates at girdle  60  in alignment with the lower-most vertex of corresponding bezel facets  106 .  
         [0028]     Culet  20  can preferably be a point, as shown in the figures, or a planar polygonal surface with a number of sides equal to and determined by the number of pavilion main facets  202 . A planar polygonal culet surface is preferably formed by providing a facet instead of a point for culet  20 . The culet facet may also mimic the configuration of table  102 , thereby taking on as many sides as that of table  102 , only in a reduced size. Accordingly, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2 , culet  20 , if cut to be a facet instead of a point, is preferably in the shape of a decagon because pavilion  80  has ten pavilion main facets  202 .  
         [0029]     Lower girdle facets  220 ,  222 , and  224  preferably have a top side along girdle  60  and a lower vertex extending toward culet  20 . Although traditionally there are only two lower girdle facets between adjacent pavilion main facets  202  on a round diamond, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2 , there are preferably three lower girdle facets  220 ,  222 , and  224  on pavilion  80  between each pair of adjacent pavilion main facets  202 . A first lower girdle facet  220  preferably has one side in common with a side of a first pavilion main facet  202  and another side in common with a side of a third lower girdle facet  224 . Additionally, a second lower girdle facet  222  preferably has one side in common with a side of a second pavilion main facet  202  (adjacent the first pavilion main facet) and preferably has another side in common with a second side of the third lower girdle facet  224 . The additional lower girdle facet increases the scintillation and dispersion of stone  10 .  
         [0030]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a lower girdle facet is preferably rotated clockwise or counterclockwise about an axis extending from culet  20  to girdle  60  and preferably (though not necessarily) lying in the plane of the lower girdle facet such that the facet is not tangent to a common imaginary general circumference of stone  10  about which the other lower girdle facets lie and to which the other lower girdle facets are tangent. Therefore, generally a micro-facet (not shown) is created between the edges of the rotated lower girdle facet and its neighboring facets. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lower girdle facet is preferably rotated at least about 0 degrees and at most about 10 degrees. It is more preferred that the lower girdle facet be rotated at least about 0 degrees and at most about 4 degrees. However, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the angle of rotation may vary from such preferred minimum and maximum values if the desired improved scintillation and light dispersion is nonetheless achieved.  
         [0031]     For example, as shown in  FIG. 3A , if lower girdle facet  224  is rotated clockwise about an axis extending from culet  20  to girdle  60  and where the axis lies along the common edge of lower girdle facets  220  and  224 , the adjacent edges of lower girdle facet  224  and lower girdle facet  222  are not coextensive. Accordingly, a new micro-facet M is created between adjacent edges of lower girdle facets  222  and  224 , respectively. Additionally, a tapered micro-facet (not shown) is also created between lower girdle facet  224  and girdle  60 . This tapered micro-facet begins at the upper left edge of lower girdle facet  224  at girdle  60  and expands along girdle  60  to a maximum width at the right edge of lower girdle facet  224  bordering lower girdle facet  222 .  
         [0032]     Likewise, lower girdle facet  224  could be rotated counterclockwise about an axis extending from culet  20  to girdle  60  and preferably (though not necessarily) lying in the plane of the lower girdle facet  224 , creating a micro-facet between the respective edges of lower girdle facet  224  and lower girdle facet  220 . Furthermore, lower girdle facet  224  can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise about an axis parallel to girdle  60 . In this respect, rotating the lower girdle facet  224  clockwise about an axis that is parallel to girdle  60  and that extends from left to right causes a slight flattening of the corner of the lower girdle facet that intrudes into the general diameter of stone  10  along the left and right edges of lower girdle facet  224  with lower girdle facets  220  and  222 , respectively. Moreover, lower girdle facet  224  may be rotated about an axis located at some point between adjoining edges of lower girdle facet  220  and lower girdle facet  224 , and adjoining edges of lower girdle facet  222  and lower girdle facet  224 , thereby creating micro-facets around the perimeter of lower girdle facet  224 .  
         [0033]     It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that each lower girdle facet of stone  10  can be rotated in the same direction and at the same degree or each lower girdle facet of stone  10  can be rotated in different directions and/or degrees. Furthermore, the axis of rotation can be directed in any orientation.  
         [0034]     A stone in accordance with the principles of the present invention may have a crown  40  as in  FIG. 1  or a pavilion  80  as in  FIG. 2 , or both, as in  FIG. 3 . Thus, an additional upper girdle facet may be provided between each bezel facet  106  of a round cut stone, without altering the traditional number of lower girdle facets. Similarly, an additional lower girdle facet may be provided between each pavilion main facet  202  of a round cut stone, without altering the traditional number of upper girdle facets. Or, additional upper girdle facets, as in  FIG. 1 , and additional lower girdle facets, as in  FIG. 2 , may be provided on the same stone  10 .  
         [0035]     From a side perspective view of a stone with additional upper girdle facets and lower girdle facets, such as in  FIG. 3 , the combination of upper girdle facets  110 ,  112 , and  114 , and lower girdle facets  220 ,  222 , and  224  form a substantially smaller kite-shaped facet within a larger kite-shaped facet. In particular, the girdle sides of upper girdle facets  110 ,  112 , and  114  are adjacent the girdle sides of lower girdle facets  220 ,  222 ,  224 , respectively, of pavilion  80 . Upper girdle facets  110  and  112  and lower girdle facets  220  and  222  form what appears to be a larger kite-shaped facet with a smaller kite shaped facet therein, formed by the combination of the additional upper girdle facet  114  and the additional lower girdle facet  224 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0036]     Exemplary preferred measurements of a stone  10  cut as in  FIG. 3  are provided in  FIG. 4 , where the dimensions are given as a percentage of the width or diameter L of stone  10 . There are a number of different standards for an “ideal cut” diamond according to the American Gem Society (AGS) and Gemological Institute of America (GIA). However, due to the increased number of upper and or lower girdle facets of the embodiments of the present invention, stone  10  can deviate from the “ideal cut” standard set by these reputable organizations and exceed the visual equivalent and/or benefits of an “ideal cut” stone. In accordance with this deviation, girdle  60  has a preferred thickness T, between crown  40  and pavilion  80  of at least about 0.50 percent and at most about 4 percent of the total diameter L of stone  10 . In a more preferred embodiment, girdle  60  has a thickness T of at least about 0.50 percent and at most about 2.95 percent of the total diameter L of stone  10 . Table  102  preferably has a cross-section width L 1  of not less than about 50 percent and not more than about 66 percent of the diameter L of stone  10 . It is more preferred that table  102  has a cross-section width L 1  of not less than about 52 percent and not more than about 60 percent of the diameter L of stone  10  at girdle  60 . Angle θ 1 , between the horizontal or girdle  60  and the side of crown  40 , is not less than about 30 degrees and not more than about 37 degrees. In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, angle θ 1  is preferably not less than about 33.7 degrees and not more than about 35.8 degrees. Angle θ 2 , between the horizontal or girdle  60  and a side of pavilion  80 , is preferably at least about 39 degrees and at most about 43 degrees. More preferably, angle θ 2  is at least about 40.5 degrees and at most about 41.5 degrees. Crown height HI of the present invention is preferably at least about 11 percent and at most about 18 percent of the total diameter L of stone  10 . More preferably, crown height HI is at least about 14 percent and at most about 16.5 percent of the total diameter L of stone  10 . Pavilion depth, as indicated by H 2 , is preferably not less than about 40 percent and not more than about 46 percent of total diameter L of stone  10 . It is more preferable that pavilion depth H 2  be not less than about 42.2 percent and not more than about 43.8 percent of total diameter L of stone  10 .  
         [0037]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 5 , crown  40  is preferably in the shape of a twelve sided polygon, i.e., is a dodecagon-shaped table  502 . Abutting each side of dodecagon-shaped table  502  are preferably star facets  504 . Adjacent star facets  504  encircle dodecagon table  502  with adjacent star facets  504  adjoined at lateral vertices. Because star facets  504  extend from a side of dodecagon-shaped table  502 , there is preferably an equal number of star facets  504  as sides of dodecagon-shaped table  502 , or twelve star facets  504 . Additionally, there is preferably a substantially kite-shaped bezel facet  506  extending from each vertex V of dodecagon-shaped table  502  and terminating at girdle  60 . Two or three upper girdle facets  510 ,  512 ,  514  may be provided between the lower portion of each bezel facets  506 . Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 6 , there preferably are an equivalent number of pavilion main facets  602  extending from culet  604  toward and terminating at girdle  60 . Pavilion main facets  602  are substantially kite shaped. Located between each adjacent pair of pavilion main facets  602  may be two or three lower girdle facets  606 ,  608 , and  610 . It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that placing a twelve-sided table or twelve pavilion main facets on a stone may only be appropriate for a stone of a certain size, i.e., a quarter of a carat or more, because a small stone may become too busy and, thus, take away from the effectiveness of the cut.  
         [0038]     As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the number of sides of the polygon shape of the table of a stone cut in accordance with the principles of the embodiments of the present invention can be altered without changing the scope of the present invention. Generally, fewer than eight sides on the polygonal table does not provide the desired scintillation, and more than twelve sides on the polygonal table generally result in a diamond that is too busy. Similar principles are true for the associated crown and pavilion facets. However, depending on the size and quality of the initial stone, the number of polygonal sides of the table and other crown and pavilion facets may be altered. Thus, fewer or more sides on the table and/or facets on the stone are nonetheless within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0039]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , an exemplary stone  800 , shown cut to be a precious gem, preferably has pavilion main facets  870  that alternate in thickness. Generally, stone  800  has a table  802 , which is the largest facet on the crown on stone  800 , the table  802  preferably having the same number of sides as the number of pavilion main facets  870 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 7  shows a pavilion portion of stone  800 . The pavilion portion has a culet  850  at a bottom-most point. In another embodiment of the present invention, culet  850  could be a facet instead of a point, as described above. Substantially kite-shaped pavilion main facets  870  preferably extend from culet  850  to girdle  860 . Pavilion main facets  870  preferably vary in width. It is preferred that a first pavilion main facet  872  be at least about 30 percent wider, at its widest part, than a neighboring second pavilion main facet  874  and at most about 60 percent wider than the neighboring second pavilion main facet  874 . It is more preferable that a first pavilion main facet  872  be at least about 40 percent wider than a neighboring thin pavilion main facet  874 , and at most about 50 percent wider than a neighboring thin pavilion main facet  874 . According to one exemplary embodiment, there are preferably ten pavilion main facets  870  around the pavilion or stone  800 . Of those ten, five preferably have larger angles, about 42 degrees, and five preferably have smaller angles, about 30 degrees, thus totaling 360 degrees and resulting in the alternating widths of pavilion main facets  870 . It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the overall size of stone  800  and the number of pavilion main facets in total on stone  800  will be determining factors in the varying width of pavilion main facets  870 . A further determining characterization for the width variation between pavilion main facets  870  is the overall reflectivity of light from stone  800 .  
         [0041]     Alternating the width of the pavilion main facets  870  changes the internal symmetry of stone  800 . Light that enters stone  800  is reflected differently from a traditional round cut stone because of the varying width of pavilion main facets  870 . The altering width of pavilion main facets  870  produces five-fold symmetry in stone  800  with a ten-sided pavilion. A result of pavilion main facet width alteration is an increase in brilliance and scintillation and improved internal light flow.  
         [0042]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, stone  800  can include three (rather than two, as in traditional round-cut stones) upper girdle facets  820 ,  822 , and  824 . Upper girdle facets  820 ,  822 , and  824  are preferably positioned between adjacent bezel facets  806 . Upper girdle facets  820 ,  822 , and  824  preferably extend from girdle  860  and terminate at a common vertex at adjoining lateral vertices of bezel facets  806 . Furthermore, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, stone  800  can include three (rather than two, as in traditional round-cut stones) lower girdle facets  880 ,  882 , and  884 . Lower girdle facets  880 ,  882 , and  884  are positioned between adjacent pavilion main facets  870 . Lower girdle facets  880 ,  882 , and  884  extend from a region on the pavilion to girdle  860 . Lower girdle facets  880 ,  882 , and  884  align with upper girdle facets  820 ,  822 , and  824 , respectively at girdle  860 .  
         [0043]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, lower girdle facets can be rotated such that the facet is not tangent to a common imaginary general circumference of stone  10  about which the other lower girdle facets lie and to which the other lower girdle facets are tangent. Lower girdle facets can be rotated counterclockwise or clockwise about an axis extending from culet  850  to girdle  860 . A lower girdle facet may also be rotated about an axis parallel to girdle  860 . Depending on the axis of rotation, rotation of a lower girdle facet generally generates a micro-facet (not shown) at the boundary between the rotated lower girdle facet and neighboring facets. The rotation of lower girdle facets is similar to rotation of lower girdle facets described above.  
         [0044]     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 8 , table  802  preferably has ten sides, or has a decagon shape. As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , extending from each side of table  802  is a generally triangular-shaped star facet  804 . Star facets  804  abut each other at lateral vertices forming a ring around table  802 . Extending from each vertex of table  802  is a bezel facet  806 . Bezel facets  806  extend from table  802  to girdle  860 . Two or three upper girdle facets  820 ,  822 ,  824  may be provided between the lower portion of each of bezel facets  806 .  
         [0045]     It will be appreciated features described above with respect to one embodiment typically may be applied to another embodiment, whether or not explicitly indicated. The various features hereinafter described may be used singly or in any combination thereof. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to only the embodiments specifically describe herein. Furthermore, the principles of this invention can be applied to other gemstone cuts without exceeding the scope of the invention as contemplated by the inventor.  
         [0046]     The present invention also contemplates methods for forming the embodiments of the stone as described above. According to one embodiment, the method preferably includes forming a pavilion portion having a culet and forming a crown portion having a table with a predetermined number of sides. The method also preferably includes forming a girdle which separates the pavilion portion from the crown portion. Additionally, the method preferably includes forming three upper girdle facets per side of the table where the upper girdle facets extend from the girdle to a vertex at the table. Pavilion main facets are also preferably formed with this method extending from the girdle region toward the culet region. The pavilion main facets preferably extend from near the culet toward the girdle on the pavilion portion of the stone. According to another method of the present invention, which may or may not be performed in conjunction with the above-described method, three lower girdle facets are preferably formed on the pavilion portion of the stone. The lower girdle facets are preferably positioned between adjacent pavilion main facets. According to another method of the present invention, which may or may not be performed in conjunction with either or both of the above-described methods, the thickness of the pavilion main facets may be varied in an alternating circumferential pattern. According to yet another method of the present invention, which may or may not be performed in conjunction with any, several, or all of the above-described methods, at least one lower girdle facet is preferably rotated such that the facet is not tangent to an imaginary general circumference of the stone. The method may further include forming multiple lower girdle facets on the pavilion portion of the stone where the lower girdle facets are at multiple angles not tangent to a common imaginary general circumference of the stone.  
         [0047]     While the foregoing description and drawings represent the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various additions, modifications and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the accompanying claims. In particular, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms, structures, arrangements, proportions, and with other elements, materials, and components, without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be used with many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, materials, and components and otherwise, used in the practice of the invention, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from the principles of the present invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and not limited to the foregoing description.