Locally cut by Tanzanian artisans
THE LAPIDARY
As miners we quickly understood the importance of cutting and polishing our gems locally to add value to these. This is why, in 1985, we established one of Tanzania’s oldest lapidaries in Dar es Salaam which is today a cornerstone of our commitment to quality and local expertise. This approach aligns with our mission to foster local craftsmanship, create jobs, and pass down skills that elevate every gem we source.
Having our own lapidary is integral to our gem’s journey – from mine to jewellery. It allows us to maintain full traceability and uphold our quality standards for each gemstone we cut. It also gives us the freedom to create and to apply our craft on all the gem varieties we source in designing unique jewellery collections.
From the very beginning, we have been committed to training young Tanzanians in the art of gem cutting and polishing. Today, a dozen experienced men and women work in our lapidary, crafting at our quality standards the rare East African gems we source into fine works of art. A skillset and quality standard we pride ourselves in passing on to the next generation of Tanzanian gem artisans.
THE LAPIDARY
As miners we quickly understood the importance of cutting and polishing our gems locally to add value to them domestically. This is why, in 1985, we established one of Tanzania’s oldest lapidaries in Dar es Salaam which is today a cornerstone of our commitment to quality and local expertise. This approach aligns with our mission to foster local craftsmanship, create jobs, and pass down skills that elevate every gem we source.
Having our own lapidary is integral to our gem’s journey – from mine to jewellery. It allows us to maintain full traceability and uphold our quality standards for each gemstone we cut. It also gives us the freedom to create and to apply our craft on all the gem varieties we source in designing unique jewellery collections.
From the very beginning, we have been committed to training young Tanzanians in the art of gem cutting and polishing. Today, a dozen experienced men and women work in our lapidary, crafting at our quality standards the rare East African gems we source into fine works of art. A skillset and quality standard we pride ourselves in passing on to the next generation of Tanzanian gem artisans.
THE CUT
While inherently beautiful in their natural state, gemstones’ true potential is unlocked by skilled artisans through cutting and polishing. At Lithos Africa, our cutting process focuses on enhancing a gem’s beauty and quality, rather than just maximizing its weight.
THE CUT
While inherently beautiful in their natural state, gemstones’ true potential is unlocked by skilled artisans through cutting and polishing. At Lithos Africa, our cutting process focuses on enhancing a gem’s beauty and quality, rather than just maximizing its weight.
Orientation
Pre-Shaping
FACETING
Polishing
Our gemmologists and cutters start the process by carefully selecting the finest rough stones to be cut. We then determine the ideal orientation of each stone depending on its natural colour, clarity and carat to define the optimum cut, ensuring the best balance of the 4Cs.
Next, the gem is pre-shaped using a grinding lap (circular disc) with coarse diamond powder. This is where the rough stone begins to take its first geometric form: any unwanted inclusions (or imperfections) are removed in the process and the final shape (round, oval…) of the stone is defined.
Faceting requires precision and experience. The cutter places hundreds of facets on the pre-shaped stone at precise angles using fine diamond powder. The skill lies in symmetrically arranging these facets to best reflect light within the stone, which will enhance the gem’s colour and brilliance.
The final step is polishing, where a very fine diamond power is used to bring each facet to a high sheen. This gives the stone its luster and completes its transformation into a cut gem ready to be set into a unique piece of jewellery. A good polish on a well cut stone is what gives it life.
Orientation
Our gemmologists and cutters start the process by carefully selecting the finest rough stones to be cut. We then determine the ideal orientation of each stone depending on its natural colour, clarity and carat to define the optimum cut, ensuring the best balance of the 4Cs.
Pre-Shaping
Next, the gem is pre-shaped using a grinding lap (circular disc) with coarse diamond powder. This is where the rough stone begins to take its first geometric form: any unwanted inclusions (or imperfections) are removed in the process and the final shape (round, oval…) of the stone is defined.
FACETING
Faceting requires precision and experience. The cutter places hundreds of facets on the pre-shaped stone at precise angles using fine diamond powder. The skill lies in symmetrically arranging these facets to best reflect light within the stone, which will enhance the gem’s colour and brilliance.
Polishing
The final step is polishing, where a very fine diamond power is used to bring each facet to a high sheen. This gives the stone its luster and completes its transformation into a cut gem ready to be set into a unique piece of jewellery. A good polish on a well cut stone is what gives it life.
‘At Lithos Africa, we perfectly balance the 4cs to achieve the highest quality and beauty’
THE FOUR Cs
In gemmology, the standard for grading and evaluating a gemstone is the 4Cs by GIA.
COLOUR
Colour is the most important attribute in valuing any gemstone. It first refers to the Colour we perceive: its Hue (blue, green, red…). The Colour is then graded for the intensity and depth of its Saturation and Tone. Usually, the deeper the Colour, the rarer the gemstone. When sourcing our stones, the first selection criterion is the attractiveness of its natural colour.
CLARITY
Clarity is an essential component in determining the value of Gemstones. It indicates the relative presence or absence of natural inclusions found in a stone. Our gemmologists observe each Gemstone under 10x magnification to determine its Clarity grade which ranges from Internally Flawless to Included. Most natural gemstones have inclusions, making those without exceptionally rare.
CUT
The quality of the Cut is very important in enhancing the natural beauty of a Gemstone. It will determine how light is reflected through the stone and back to one’s eye, intensifying its colour and brilliance in the process. Our artisans Cut each gemstone in our collection with skill to achieve the highest quality. Cut is graded on the precision of the proportions, symmetry, polish and brilliance of each gem.
CARAT
The Carat is perhaps the most well-known feature of the 4Cs. It refers to the weight of the stone, which plays an important role in complementing the other Cs : where larger stones with good Colour and Clarity tend to be rare to find. The Cut is crucial in balancing the yield in Carats with the quality of the Colour and Clarity of each stone.
COLOUR
Colour is the most important attribute in valuing any gemstone. It first refers to the Colour we perceive: its Hue (blue, green, red…). The Colour is then graded for the intensity and depth of its Saturation and Tone. Usually, the deeper the Colour, the rarer the gemstone. When sourcing our stones, the first selection criterion is the attractiveness of its natural colour.
CLARITY
Clarity is an essential component in determining the value of Gemstones. It indicates the relative presence or absence of natural inclusions found in a stone. Our gemmologists observe each Gemstone under 10x magnification to determine its Clarity grade which ranges from Internally Flawless to Included. Most natural gemstones have inclusions, making those without exceptionally rare.
CUT
The quality of the Cut is very important in enhancing the natural beauty of a Gemstone. It will determine how light is reflected through the stone and back to one’s eye, intensifying its colour and brilliance in the process. Our artisans Cut each gemstone in our collection with skill to achieve the highest quality. Cut is graded on the precision of the proportions, symmetry, polish and brilliance of each gem.
CARAT
The Carat is perhaps the most well-known feature of the 4Cs. It refers to the weight of the stone, which plays an important role in complementing the other Cs : where larger stones with good Colour and Clarity tend to be rare to find. The Cut is crucial in balancing the yield in Carats with the quality of the Colour and Clarity of each stone.