AAA Oregon Sunstone Faceted Teardrop Bracelet

Faceted

Facets are flat faces on geometric shapes. The organization of naturally occurring facets was key to early developments in crystallography, since they reflect the underlying symmetry of the crystal structure. Gemstones commonly have facets cut into them in order to improve their appearance.

 

Of the many hundreds of facet arrangements that have been used, the most famous is probably the round brilliant cut, used for diamond and many colored gemstones. This arrangement of 57 facets was calculated by Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919. Slight improvements have been made since then, including the addition of a 58th facet (a culet) on the bottom of the stone. Since this is calculated to show maximum brilliance, round diamonds are rarely cut in any other arrangement, although recently the Princess cut is becoming popular. Other cuts, including "rose" cuts, are most typically found in antique jewelry. See diamond cuts for an in-depth discussion and diagrams of various shapes and ways of cutting faceted stones.

The art of cutting a gem with facets is a very precise activity. The aim with a faceted cut is to produce an article that sparkles with internally reflected light, and that shows off the "fire" of the stone. Accordingly, only transparent or translucent stones are usually faceted.

The angles between each facet are precisely calculated. As the aim is to maximise the effect of the internal reflections, these angles depend on the refractive index of the material. This means that although the name and general shape of a particular cut may be the same between different materials, the actual angles will be slightly different, for the maximum effect.

Thus, although cubic zirconia and rock crystal may look similar to diamond, and all can be cut in a round brilliant cut, the angles must be different to produce the same optical effects. Additionally, as diamond has a refractive index significantly higher than the other natural transparent stones, it can have a much greater sparkle than other materials.

While some facets can be cut by cleavage, specialised machines are used for cutting arbitrary facets. These consist of two main features:

a flat abrasive, usually diamond dust of precise size bonded onto a metal disk (called 'laps') or carried by an oily fluid on a smooth metal or ceramic disk, and
a system for holding a stone onto the disk at a precise angle and position.
This usually requires the stone to be attached to a holder or dop, which is then placed in an indexed vice. This allows progressively finer abrasives to be used without disrupting the orientation of the stone. The final abrasive must be smaller than the wavelength of light, so that the scratches it creates are invisible. Modern machines tend to have indexed gears for moving the stone, so that rotating the stone to cut the next facet can be more precisely controlled.

An older machine called the jamb peg faceting machine used wooden dop sticks of precise length. By placing one end into one of many precisely located holes in the jamb peg, the other end, with the stone, could be precisely placed onto the lap. These machines took considerable skill to use effectively.

Much less commonly, faceters use cylindrical machines, which leave concave facets. This technique is most noticeably used around the gem's girdle.

Sunstone

Sunstone is also called feldspar (a variety of oligoclase). This gemstone varies from golden to orange to red-brown, and can be transparent or translucent. Sunstone is metallic-looking due to sparkling red, orange or green crystalline inclusions (these are hematite or goethite).

Sunstone has a beautiful glittering sunlight effect as a result of its tiny metallic inclusions. The copper or pyrite inclusions cause sparkling flashes of light as millions of particles playfully interact with light. This feature is known as "Schiller" or “Aventurescence? Sunstones are nearly always cut as cabochons to reflect this phenomenon, but the deeper colors may also be to exhibit their superior luster.

Sunstone is formed and crystallized in lava flows. Sunstones range in color from water clear through pale yellow, soft pink, and blood red to deep blue and green. Some of the deeper colored gems have bands of varying color while others exhibit Pleochroism, showing two different colors when viewed from different directions.

The feldspar group’s wide variety of unusual gems includes moonstone, non-phenomenal orthoclase, phenomenal and non-phenomenal labradorite, sunstone, and amazonite. Of these feldspars, moonstone is a constant favorite, while sunstone from Oregon is gaining attention as a natural and untreated product of the United States. 

Sunstone is a stone of personal power, freedom, and expanded consciousness. Of all the stones on Earth, this one truly reflects the qualities of Solar Light-openness, benevolence, warmth, strength, mental clarity and the willingness and ability to bestow blessings upon others. These are also the desired qualities of leadership, and Sunstone can kindle the fire of leadership within those who wear or carry it. Those who feel called to lead may find that Sunstone helps them find the inner conviction and self-discipline to move forward. Those who are held back by fears and self-doubt may discover that Sunstone melts away the sense of unworthiness that can keep one from fully being who one is. Sunstone emanates a rich and positive spectrum of energies, and when one attunes to it one sometimes feels that a cornucopia of enrichments has entered one's life. It engenders a sense of abundance in regard to all one's needs and desires, and indeed it can assist one in the manifestation of prosperity, as well as the acquisition o knowledge and the attainment of wisdom.

Sunstone is a Fire element ally that carries the frequency of the Solar Ray, representing enlightened leadership and the ability to utilize knowledge and wisdom for the highest good of all. The Solar Ray carries the energy of Ra, the sun God, whose energy brings forth the potential life within the Earth. This reminds us of the initiation of Light we are all currently undergoing, in which our turn nature is being brought forth by continual exposure to higher frequencies of Light.

Sunstone teaches of leadership as the act of placing oneself in service to others, instead of insisting that others be of service to oneself. Sunstone energizes the second and third chakras, stimulating not only leadership and will, but also creativity and sexuality. The blend of these energies can bring exceptional adventurousness, fun and innovative experimentation into one's romantic and/or artistic expressions. This is a combination of great exuberance which one should find very enjoyable. Sunstone activates and aligns the second and third chakras, enabling one to more easily manifest Divine Will through one's actions and creations. It stimulates one's creative and sexual energy and can increase one's physical stamina. 

Sunstone has the wonderful ability to reveal ego-based desires and motivations. It is an excellent stone to use in business dealings, due to its ability to reveal the true motivations held by others and expose dishonesty.

SPIRITUAL  Sunstone teaches one to utilize one's skills and abilities in service to others. It is a stone of abundance, helping one take action to manifest one's desires in physically. Sunstone emanates the Solar Ray, attuning one to Light and the energy of the Great Central Sun.

EMOTIONAL  Sunstone warms and stimulates the emotional body. It can help one transform anger into energy, judgment into joy. Its raises the vibration of one's emotional patterns.

PHYSICAL  Sunstone warms the body, increasing metabolism, digestion, and vitality. It helps balance the endocrine system and aids reproductive problems due to imbalanced hormones.

AFFIRMATION  I claim my true place of leadership, giving and receiving abundant blessings.