Brilliant Pear: Online Faceting Designs and Diagrams
Jeff Graham’s Brilliant Pear gem design will produce a pleasingly shaped stone, ideal for novice faceters. Professionals will also like this design because it cuts fast — and pear shapes sell well.
1 Minute Read
I have several different versions of the Brilliant Pear gem design. You can find cutting instructions for this version here. Although similar, the Brilliant Pear found in my book, Learn to Facet the Right Way, is a different design.
Notes on the Brilliant Pear
I designed this Brilliant Pear to cut like a Standard Round Brilliant (SRB) and look like a pear. It has excellent brilliance or light return, much better than any traditional pear I've ever seen.
Unlike many pear designs, this one employs a centered culet, which makes it much easier to cut. The pavilion is basically a split mains variation of the SRB with 3 elongated sets of facets. The crown is an even simpler modification of the SRB pattern.
The Brilliant Pear doesn't entail the numerous height and elevation angle changes required in many pear designs, so it's relatively simple to cut.
Please note: I cut the stone in the photo with a high crown to maximize the yield of some rather pricey rough. The version presented in the diagrams and cutting instructions in this article employs a lower crown and larger table.
Cutting Remarks
The design angles presented here are intended for materials with a refractive index of 1.62. They'll wear very well on topaz and tourmaline. For quartz and beryl, add 2 degrees to the pavilion.
Cut this design in order, i.e. P1 precedes P2, etc. The P8 facets are shown for faceters who cut this design large. They add some interest as the size of the stone increases. On smaller stones (3 carats or less), you can and should eliminate the P8 facets. They would be too small to have any noticeable effect and would be difficult to cut.
Enjoy cutting your own Brilliant Pear.
Detailed faceting instructions by Jeff Graham available at The Rock Peddler
Jeff R. Graham
The late Jeff Graham was a prolific faceter, creator of many original faceting designs, and the author of several highly-regarded instructional faceting books such as Gram Faceting Designs.
Related Articles
“3LD” Triangle: Faceting Design Diagram
Trig Glitter: Faceting Design Diagram
Button: Online Faceting Designs and Diagrams
Spiral Sun: Faceting Design Diagram
Latest Articles
Classic Engagement Ring Stones
Broken Bangle — The Blunder-Besmirched History of Jade Nomenclature: Book Review
Cuprite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
Gemstone Radiation Treatment
Never Stop Learning
When you join the IGS community, you get trusted diamond & gemstone information when you need it.
Get Gemology Insights
Get started with the International Gem Society’s free guide to gemstone identification. Join our weekly newsletter & get a free copy of the Gem ID Checklist!