Registration for this schedule starts on 12/01/2025 and ends on 08/15/2026
Participants must be 18 years to 120 years old when the program starts.
Registration for this schedule starts on 12/01/2025 and ends on 09/05/2026
Participants must be 18 years to 120 years old when the program starts.
Registration for this schedule starts on 12/01/2025 and ends on 10/25/2026
Participants must be 18 years to 120 years old when the program starts.
CONCAVE/FANTASY GEM CUTTING
INSTRUCTOR: LARRY MATTOS
This idea of Concave cutting is to add Slices, Grooves, Dimples, or whatever shape of tool you would like to use, cut into the flat Facets of a Gemstone.
COURSE
The price of the course is $200.00 per student.
You will also need to buy a $100.00 tool kit with all the necessary tools and misc. items to complete a finished Concave Gemstone. You will keep the tool kit.
The course will be 5 days. Time, number of students, and machines available will dictate this objective. We will also go over how a Foredom Flex Shaft tool will be used for polishing Concave shapes. Since this is a Concave Cutting Course, we will not be learning any flat faceting, but we will be using the V5 faceting machine to finish the stone.
FANTASY MACHINE
The class will be on learning how Concave Gems are cut using the Ultra Tec Fantasy machine. We will also spend time on the different functions of the machine, and tools that can be used.
CUTTING TOOLS
We will spend time on many different shapes and sizes of tools, what the effects of each tool has, and where to buy them.
EXPERIENCE
The class is open to anyone who is already a Gemstone Cutter.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
This class is based on using the Ultra Tec V5 Faceting machine, and the Ultra Tec Fantasy machine. If you own a Fantasy machine, bring it if possible. You will also need a cone-shaped dop stick for a 13mm stone to transfer into, and your table adaptor. You will need to go to our website, (ashtongems.com), find the tab for “FANTASY / CONCAVE CUT DIAGRAMS”, and download the “Mary Ann Cut” cutting diagram. You will need to make a 13mm diameter (Quartz Material) preform. Do all the P1 steps, including polishing. From here the Concaves will start. Bring any V5 flat laps you will need to finish the crown.
Class Fee: $200
Estimated Materials Fee: $100 Kit Fee
Prerequisite: Gem Cutting Experience
Larry Mattos
I first learned about Rock Cutting when I was 12 years old. My Grandmother took me to a Lapidary class, put on by a local Gem and Mineral Club. I mostly watched, but I did cut a few Cabochons. I spent most of the time there watching the men who did Faceting. This was in 1970. 19 years later, I bought a Graves Faceting Machine. I think it cost about $900.00 back then. I think I had only cut about 25 stones on that machine, because it never would cut a straight Girdle. In 2008, I bought an Ultra Tec V2 Faceting Machine. I have been cutting on that machine since.
I believe in 2013 Ultra Tec stopped making the V2 Mast, and started making the V5 mast. The basic machine is the same, only the mast was modified for Concave Cutting. The Machine is now called the V5 Faceting Machine.
In 2011 I met with Joe Ruben and Robert Mendoza at the Ultra Tec Booth in Tucson. They showed me the Fantasy Machine that was on display. It had not gone out for sale to the public yet. After thinking about the Fantasy Machine for a few days, and what the possibilities were, I ordered a Fantasy Machine. It took a few weeks to understand how the machine worked, and what it would do. Since it was a new Machine, there wasn’t any material, or information on how to cut Concave Gems. I spent about a year playing with the tools, and the Machine to understand how different tools affected to the Gemstone look. I made Cutting Diagrams for each of the different Concave Gems I designed. Anyone can go to our website (ashtongems.com) and download the Cutting Diagrams for free.Please contact William Holland School of Lapidary Arts if you have any questions.