Chrysopras gemstone carving poject
step by step

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nur in Englisch




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Time 3 to 6 hours depending your skills, work speed and organization.
Weight
Dimensions

Carving technique as instructed by gemstone carver Markus Herrmann and realized in his workshop in Idar-Oberstein.

Carving and photos of the educational project by Hubert Heldner.



01  The rough Chrysopras has been sliced and a center hole was drilled. 02  Thikness about 1.5 cm.
Katerina Kestemont at work03A large silicon carbide wheel served to shape 04a rough preform,
05and to separate front and back petals. 06The individual petals are roughly modulated.
Katerina Kestemont at work07The next step is done on a large diamond wheel 08as demonstrated by Katerina Kestemont.
09Here the petals are ground deeper 10and the separation between high and low petals is accentuated.
11I start grinding diagonally between the petal to create the over lapping of them. 12The shape of the petals is not defined yet.
13With a narrow diamond wheel the separation between the petals is ground deeper. 14The flower gets some life. The texture of the coarse diamond wheel can easily be seen.
15Also the back side is carved, taking into account the overall thikness of the flower. 16The next step requires small diamond coated tools with a finer grit.
Markus Hermann working on an ametrin flower.17At least 3 different shapes are used to schape the surface and the separation between the petals. 18The flower still looks bulky.
19I proceed with a rounded and quite wide grinding tool. 20The surface and also the shape of the petals is defined.
21Nicely seen here the shape of the petals. 22This is still a coarse grinding step and the tool leaves a rough surface.
23Ondulating the petals carefully from the front and backside. 24And then working on the final thikness
25of the petals. 26Working with a very thin diamond blade the separation between the petals is carved to its final depth.
27I start grinding with silicium carbide wheels which are fashioned into exactly the same shapes as the diamond tools. 28Smoothing the surface first with roundes shapes, and then with narrower and sharper silicon carbide wheels.
29At least 2 different smoothing grits are used (400 and 600 mesh) 30All carving traces have to disappear on the front and back side.
31The shape has been ground to a thikness where it becomes translucent. Good material without cracks is required. 32The chrysopras flower is ready to undergo the fine grinding (1200 mesh) and final polishing step.
33This is the reward for several hours of work. 34The finished chrysopras gemstone carving.



The history of gemstone carving
Idar-Oberstein the city of gemstone carvers.