"B" Still My Heart - ametrine"B" Still My Heart - ametrine

“B” Still My Heart: Online Faceting Designs and Diagrams


Due to the single-fold symmetry of heart gem designs, most hearts can be tedious and time consuming to cut. Jeff Graham’s “B” Still My Heart can minimize these problems. This design was voted one of the 12 best of 1999 by the Columbia-Willamette Faceters' Guild.

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Due to the single-fold symmetry of heart gem designs, most hearts can be tedious and time consuming to cut. On the other hand, a Barion heart, like "B" Still My Heart, can minimize these problems. This design was voted one of the 12 best of 1999 by the Columbia-Willamette Faceters' Guild.

You can find cutting instructions for "B" Still My Heart here.

Cutting Remarks

The prototype "B" Still My Heart, a 16 mm stone cut from a piece of pale, pinkish Brazilian ametrine by Jeff Graham.

While reviewing my references for ideas and approaches to heart-shaped cuts, I noticed a marked scarcity of Barion hearts. This is unfortunate, because a Barion heart offers a number of advantages over more conventional heart designs. For example, it reduces the elevation angle changes needed to cut the pavilion and increases the gem's optical performance. And these aren't the least of the benefits.

I received a lot of good feedback on the "SweetHeart" cut, and quite a few people asked me for a Barion heart. So, here it is: the "B" Still My Heart design.

I based it on a round pavilion. For all practical purposes, its length to width ratio (L/W) is 1.0. Basically, you cut to center point and then shape it into a heart. Since it employs an essentially round pavilion, the heart has outstanding light return or brilliance for a quartz. This also cuts well in topaz and tourmaline with no changes. I recommend using it for a large, light to medium-colored stone. Aim for a target size of 14 mm or larger.

You can easily see the under-girdle "cheeks" formed by the Barion facets P12-19 with an edge-on view of a "B" Still My Heart.

Notes on Light and Dark Gem Materials

If you cut this in light material, don't be afraid to tangent ratio and raise the crown angles some if you want to chase dispersion. This design has plenty of brightness to trade off against increased dispersion when cut in light materials. If you use darker material, you'll employ the full effect of the "B" Still's high light return to maximum advantage.

During the upcoming Tucson show, I'll be on the lookout for some primo rhodolite for some "B" Still My Heart garnets.

Enjoy cutting your "B" Still My Heart.

Random - Cosine - ISO

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.

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