Awhile back I was asked to create "some kind of knife maybe" out of a large shard of citrine quartz. The shape reminded me of a paleolithic double-ended scraper so I launched into my first "faux knapped" carving project. The idea was to use concave "dimples" to give a knapped look to the edges.
Little did I realize the vast number of concavities that would be required to work the entire edge (from both sides) .....not to mention the hundred-plus dimples added to the field purely for optical effect. My largest diamond ball tool at the time was only 1/2" in diameter, so that decided the size of the largest dimples with the others being of various smaller sizes on down to 1/8".
The photos are taken through the low-domed top of the stone. The bottom is v-shaped with rounded sides meeting in a culet line that runs end to end. Each dimple required two grinding steps and five sanding and polishing steps using diamond paste and hardwood dowels shaped to fit each of a half-dozen sizes of dimples.
The final "look" is really cool..... with the domed top acting as a magnifier while the dimples act as reducing lenses. The overall effect is of bubbles within bubbles that constantly change and re-group as the "artifact" is tilted at different angles.
Every millimeter of this piece is polished to perfection.
120.65 x 40.22 x 18.07mm 391.20 carats
