Loose Colored Gemstones are Art.
This Green Sapphire is a Fantasy Cut Gem Carving by Cutting Edge Award winning gem cutter John Dyer. It would make a beautiful engagement ring flanked with two trillion cut diamonds!
The trend of innovative gem cutting began in both Europe and America, and many attribute it to a German cutter named Bernd Munsteiner (b. 1943). He began in Idar-Oberstein, a region of Germany that has been famous for over 500 years for its tradition of fine gem cutting. Munsteiner’s style was geometric, abstract and thoroughly modernist. He would leave parts of a gem raw and unpolished to produce a stark contrast with the cut and polished sections. Often he would cut and facet only the back of the gem, making the design appear to be embedded in the gemstone. Sometimes he would integrate inclusions into the design.
The gem cutting establishment in Idar-Oberstein rejected his work but international critics were enthusiastic and Munsteiner went on to receive many international awards. Following the introduction of “Fantasy Cut” gemstones by Munsteiner in the 70’s, many lapidary artists have begun producing this style of gem cutting art. Bernd’s son Tom continues this tradition along with many other lapidary artists, some of whom are represented in our gallery. Other Cutting Edge lapidaries in our gallery include Larry Winn, Steve Walters, Michael Dyber, and John Dyer.