GemDiagram Docs

Rough Planner: Yield & Handoff

Once you've found an orientation you're happy with, it's time to hand it off to your lapidary setup — or to export the cutting diagrams.

The yield result

The orientation you picked shows:

  • Yield %: What percentage of the rough becomes the finished stone (e.g., 45%).
  • Rough weight: The estimated carat weight of the uncut rough.
  • Finished weight: The estimated carat weight of the cut stone (rough weight × yield %).
  • Material: The gemstone type (used for density calculations).
  • Orientation: The tilt and rotation angles for your setup.

These numbers are estimates — the actual yield depends on how cleanly you cut, how much polish dust is lost, and the exact shape of your rough.

Export cutting diagrams

Click Export as PDF to generate cutting diagrams that show your design positioned inside the rough at the optimal orientation.

The PDF includes:

  • Perspective views: How the stone sits in the rough, at the tilt/rotation angles you found.
  • Tier-by-tier diagrams: The standard pavilion/crown tier tables, same as the Developer's Export → PDF.
  • Measurements: Reference dimensions for the rough and the expected finished stone size.

You can print this PDF or send it to your lapidary machine's control software (if it reads PDF), or use it as a visual guide while hand-cutting.

At the faceting machine

With your PDF in hand, you're ready to set up the stone:

  1. Mount the rough on the dop (the cutting stick) at the tilt and rotation angles shown in the PDF.
  2. Align the cutting head to the flat/girdle plane as indicated.
  3. Start cutting the tiers in sequence, following the PDF's tier-by-tier guide.

See Cutting Assistant: At the Machine for a step-by-step guide to the cutting workflow itself.

Weight estimates vs. reality

The finished weight shown by Rough Planner assumes:

  • Perfect yield (100% of the design volume becomes polished stone).
  • No breakage or regrinding.
  • Perfect polish (no dust loss).

In reality, yield is usually 5–20% lower due to polish loss and minor breakage. The estimate is optimistic — it tells you the best-case weight. Budget for actual weight to be 80–95% of the estimate.

What's next?