This page gathers the gemstones in our collection fashioned with laser-assisted cutting. Where traditional lapidary work relies entirely on wheel, lap and hand, laser cutting introduces a computer-guided beam to shape, separate or pattern the rough with exceptional precision. It is particularly suited to fine, repeatable geometry and to detailing that would be difficult to achieve by hand alone, and the stone is still finished by conventional polishing to bring up its lustre.
Two varieties appear under this filter: Peridot and Amethyst. Peridot is the gem-quality form of the mineral olivine, its green owed to iron within the crystal structure itself, so the colour is intrinsic rather than added. It is doubly refractive, which gives a soft, oily brilliance. Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz, ranging from delicate lilac to deep violet, and is the harder and more robust of the two at 7 on the Mohs scale.
When choosing between them, weigh colour first — warm green against cool purple — then durability. Peridot, at 6.5 to 7, benefits from protective settings; amethyst is more forgiving in daily wear.
