GradingSep 20, 2023
Navneet Gems Introduces Portrait-Cut RubiesEditorsSep 28, 2023
The Gemstone World Is In Its Unique Cut Era
Associate Editor Lauren McLemore recently spoke with Columbia Gem House’s Eric Braunwart about the uptick in non-traditional gemstone cuts.
The “Woz Cut,” seen here in Australian sapphires, is an octagonal cushion cut named for a friend of Columbia Gem House founder Eric Braunwart. It is one of the company’s many proprietary cuts and one of this author’s favorite gems from the HardRock Summit.
In recent years, unique gemstone cuts have grown in popularity.
At the HardRock Summit trade show in Denver this month, I saw interesting cuts everywhere. Eric Braunwart, founder of Columbia Gem House, noticed it as well.
Columbia Gem House is one of a handful of companies that has been experimenting with interesting cuts long before this recent trend took hold.
Their gems have trademarked names like “GeoCut,” “Snowflake Cut,” and “Fan Cut,” and many were on display at their booth in Colorado.
At the HardRock Summit trade show in Denver this month, I saw interesting cuts everywhere. Eric Braunwart, founder of Columbia Gem House, noticed it as well.
Columbia Gem House is one of a handful of companies that has been experimenting with interesting cuts long before this recent trend took hold.
Their gems have trademarked names like “GeoCut,” “Snowflake Cut,” and “Fan Cut,” and many were on display at their booth in Colorado.
While many of the company’s unusual cuts are meant to be experimental, artistic or just interesting to look at, others, like a particular style called the “Woz Cut,” carry more significance.
The Woz Cut is named after an old friend of Braunwart’s who developed the cut about 40 years ago.
Shortly after he started in the business in the late ‘70s, Braunwart met John Wozencraft, who became his friend and at one point, his roommate.
Wozencraft was a gem-cutter, which, Braunwart explained, was not so common in the United States at that time.
“[Wozencraft] was a commercial gem-cutter as opposed to one of the amateur faceters, who are great but spend hours and hours and hours on one stone,” Braunwart said.
Wozencraft once came up with an eight-sided cut with a diamond-shaped table on it, and Braunwart loved it from the start.
“It was very different. Most people didn’t really do fancy shapes 45 years ago. They would do an oval or a round or a pear shape, but they didn’t do fancy shapes,” said Braunwart.
“John specialized in fancy shapes and this was his signature cut.”
While going through some old inventory a year ago, Braunwart found one of Wozencraft’s eight-sided cuts.
“I thought, ‘gosh, I should do something sort of reminiscent of that,’” he said. “So, I’m sure the exact facet pattern isn’t the same, but we call it a Woz Cut because his name was John Wozencraft. It’s a tribute cut.”
Columbia Gem House added the Woz Cut to its inventory 6 months ago.
“It’s nice for me, because I’m looking back over as long as I’ve been doing this and some of the people I’ve worked with and trying to think of things that remind me of them and this definitely did,” Braunwart said.
“I really loved [the cut] then and I like it now, and people seem to like it now too.”
A while back, Wozencraft moved to Bangkok, Thailand, to bring his fancy cutting skills to that area of the world, and he lived there for some time. He and Braunwart eventually lost touch.
“Maybe if this thing gets out there, then he’ll call me!” Braunwart said hopefully.
Columbia Gem House has used the Woz Cut on various gemstones, including sapphire, spinel, amethyst, tourmaline, and, for bigger sizes, quartz. The octagonal cut can be made into a square cushion shape or lengthened into more of an elongated cushion.
“We may get these long crystals of neon-green beryl or aqua or tourmaline, and by taking that Woz Cut and stretching it out, we can do a very long stone,” Braunwart said. “We’ve cut some that are 18 millimeters by 5 millimeters, like really long stretched out ones.”
The ability of this cut pattern to be “stretched” (as seen below) can have practical aspects also.
“It better utilizes the rough and creates a very interesting, unusual stone,” Braunwart said.
Proprietary cuts and custom carvings always have been enticing for designers or consumers looking for something truly one-of-a-kind, and true creativity and skill in this area long has been a celebrated art.
The American Gem Trade Association’s Spectrum and Cutting Edge Awards have been around since the 1980s.
But lately, it’s not uncommon to see some dealers keeping an assortment of unique-cut pieces stocked in inventory.
Columbia Gem House has a secret weapon when it comes to unusual cuts.
The U.S.-based company first set up its own managed cutting factory in China around 40 years ago, which allows it to experiment with production.
For example, Columbia Gem House can offer the Woz Cut in calibrated sizes, rather than it being limited to a one-of-a-kind cut likely used in a limited-edition piece.
It’s a good time to have such an operation.
“There’s a big demand for unusual cuts right now,” Braunwart said, adding that he believes the demand is also unique to the U.S.
“I would be very surprised if I could go and sell them in India or China or something like that; there, I think they want the more standard cushions, ovals and pear shapes.”
One particular thing that sets apart many, though certainly not all, of the trending unusual cuts from most standard cuts is a faceted girdle, which Braunwart said tends to be harder to set versus a soft, curved girdle like a cushion.
It’s especially difficult with prongs, because the sharp angular aspect of the feature increases the risk of chipping.
Cutting the faceted girdle is more work, and it takes more time. If a company doesn’t have Columbia Gem House’s level of managed cutting production overseas, there is another place these gemstones likely are coming from—American cutters.
“America has some of the best cutters in the world [and] most of them are one-of-a-kind cutters,” Braunwart said.
In the past, these cutters weren’t really a practical option for larger companies with big inventories. It made more sense from a volume, time and cost perspective to buy mostly from production cutters overseas and leave only the custom, finer work to be done in the U.S.
“If you’re cutting in Thailand, you’re cutting for the Middle East, Europe, China, you’re going to do whatever is the most common denominator—rounds, ovals, pear shapes, etc. They don’t do a lot of calibrated fancy cuts,” Braunwart said.
Things appear to be changing, though. One of Braunwart’s theories for why these unique cuts seem more common now is the increase in the number of American-cut stones on the market.
“Some of [the American cutters] are starting to do a little bit of production cutting where they’ll do 12 to 15 [unique-cut] stones a week that might all be different stones, but generally all will have faceted girdles,” Braunwart said.
While jewelry setting may remain a bit of a challenge for the faceted girdle cuts, I’m excited about the prospect of more unusual cuts becoming available.
Even though some companies like Columbia Gem House are able to mass-produce calibrated sizes of some cuts, I think these cuts are still different enough to give consumers that unbeatable feeling of having something unique.
All this talk of the new unique cuts on the market also has me really excited to see this year’s entries for the 2023 Spectrum Awards, for which the submission deadline recently was extended.
More on Editors
The Latest
AuctionsOct 24, 2025
Bonhams Under New Ownership, Top Executives ReplacedLondon-based investment firm Pemberton Asset Management acquired the auction house for an undisclosed amount.
GradingOct 24, 2025
DMIA to Hold Diamond Testing Instrument DemoThe workshop will give attendees the chance to try out and ask questions about three different diamond verification instruments.
CrimeOct 24, 2025
Video Emerges of Louvre Jewelry Robbers Fleeing the Scene The footage shows two of the jewelry heist suspects descending from the second floor of the museum and then escaping via scooter.
Brought to you by
Are Earrings an Overlooked Category? What Retailers Need to Know NowAs the holiday season quickly approaches, consider stocking one category that sometimes gets overlooked: earrings.
CollectionsOct 24, 2025
Piece of the Week: Wyld Box Jewelry’s ‘Ray of Light’ EarringsFounder and designer Rosanna Fiedler looked to a vintage Cartier clutch when designing the sunlight-inspired drop earrings.
Weekly QuizOct 16, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsOct 23, 2025
Jewelry Sales Resilient Despite Struggles at LVMH, KeringThe luxury conglomerates faced a challenging Q3 amid geopolitical and economic tensions.
SourcingOct 23, 2025
Petra Diamonds Turns to Shareholders to Raise Capital The struggling diamond mining company, which owns the historic Cullinan mine, has launched a rights issue to raise about $25 million.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
WatchesOct 23, 2025
‘Million Dollar Hip Hop Watches’ Recounts Watch HistoryThe book details the journey of watches as symbols of hard-earned success in hip-hop for artists like 2Pac, Jay-Z, and more.
AuctionsOct 23, 2025
Freeman’s | Hindman Names New VP, Senior Specialist for Jewelry & WatchesAlexis Vourvoulis, who most recently worked at Tiffany & Co., brings more than two decades of jewelry experience to her new role.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
The Taylor Swift Effect: Antique Diamonds EditionThe superstar’s August engagement put the stamp of approval on an already hot engagement ring trend.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
Don’t Forget These Diamond Jewelry Trends When Stocking for the HolidaysRetailers should offer classic styles with a twist that are a perfect fit for layered looks, experts say.
AuctionsOct 22, 2025
Pink Diamond, Vanderbilt Jewels to Headline Phillips’ Geneva AuctionThe nearly 7-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond could sell for around $9 million.
SourcingOct 22, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.
CollectionsOct 22, 2025
Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Bird on a Rock’ Finds New PerchChief Artistic Officer Nathalie Verdeille has reimagined the iconic design in both figurative and abstract creations.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
JFC Kicks Off Halloween Costume ChallengeFive dollars buys one vote toward an industry professional you want to see dressed up as a hero, or a villain, this Halloween.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
Hillsborough Antique Show Gets New OwnerRecently acquired by KIL Promotions, the November edition of the public show in San Mateo, California, will be held Nov. 7-9.
GradingOct 21, 2025
GIA Examines Rare Bicolor Pink DiamondThe stone’s two zones, one pink and one colorless, may have formed at two different times, the lab said.
MajorsOct 21, 2025
Pomellato Brings ‘Global Attitude’ to Rodeo Drive FlagshipHollywood glamour meets Milanese sophistication in the design of Pomellato’s new store in Beverly Hills, California.
Lab-GrownOct 21, 2025
Grown Brilliance Opens First FlagshipThe New York City store showcases a chandelier with 1,500 carats of lab-grown diamonds designed by an FIT student.
Events & AwardsOct 21, 2025
‘Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture’ Opens at MADThe Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.
AuctionsOct 20, 2025
Sotheby's To Auction 10-Carat Vivid Pink DiamondMaking its auction debut, "The Glowing Rose" is expected to fetch $20 million at the November jewelry sale in Geneva.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
2 Mozambique Police Officers Killed at Gemfields’ Ruby MineThey were attacked on Oct. 15, as approximately 40 miners without licenses marched on the mine’s gate.
CrimeOct 20, 2025
See the ‘Priceless’ Jewels Stolen During Daytime Heist at the Louvre It took the masked thieves less than 10 minutes to steal eight irreplaceable jewels from two display cases in the museum’s Apollo Gallery.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
Pristine Gems Names New Director of European SalesGemologist Lauren Gayda has previously worked at The Clear Cut, Taylor & Hart, and Effy Jewelry.
IndependentsOct 17, 2025
From the Jazz Age to the Information Age: London Jewelers Turns 100In 2026, the jewelry retailer will celebrate a milestone only a small percentage of family-owned businesses survive to see.
Events & AwardsOct 17, 2025
An Edit of Italian Jewels Is Coming to NYCThe new showcase dedicated to Italian jewelry design is set for Oct. 29-30.
