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name: polish-gemstone locale: wenyan-ultra source_locale: en source_commit: 82c77053 fence_basis_commit: 82c77053 translator: "Julius Brussee homage — caveman" translation_date: "2026-04-26" description: > Polish cut gemstones to final finish using progressive abrasive sequences. Covers pre-polish sanding, polishing compounds, lap selection, and quality assessment for both cabochons and faceted stones. Use when a cabochon or faceted stone has completed cutting and is ready for polishing, selecting the correct compound and lap for a specific species, troubleshooting a polish that will not reach full lustre (orange peel, haze, scratches), or re-polishing a stone with surface wear. license: MIT allowed-tools: Read metadata: author: Philipp Thoss version: "1.0" domain: lapidary complexity: intermediate language: natural tags: lapidary, polishing, finishing, abrasives, gemstones

磨寶石

漸磨序磨寶石至光成、用合磨劑與盤、為糖果及刻面石。

用

• 糖果或刻面石切畢備磨→用
• 為某石擇正磨劑與盤→用
• 排磨不達光（橘皮、霾、痕）→用
• 磨已磨之石面磨耗→用

入

• 必：切備磨之寶石（糖果頂成而平、或刻面諸面切）
• 必：石種識（磨劑與盤擇依材）
• 可：糖果機含磨輪/墊
• 可：刻面機含磨盤
• 可：磨劑：cerium oxide、aluminum oxide、diamond paste（諸微粒級）、tin oxide、chromium oxide
• 可：磨盤：tin、copper、ceramic、Batt、BATT lap、Corian、Lucite、leather、felt
• 可：10x 放鏡或寶顯為察

行

一：面備

確石面自切段已正備。

Pre-Polish Surface Check:
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Check              | Requirement                              |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Previous grit      | All scratches from the cutting stage     |
| scratches          | must be removed by the final grit        |
|                    | (typically 1200 or 3000)                 |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Surface uniformity | No flat spots on cabochons, no uneven    |
|                    | facets on faceted stones                 |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Cleanliness        | Stone thoroughly cleaned between grits   |
|                    | and before polishing. Grit contamination |
|                    | is the #1 cause of polish failure        |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Dop security       | Stone securely dopped — shifting during  |
|                    | polish destroys facet geometry           |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+

1. 10x 放下察石
2. 尋切粒餘痕——平行線
3. 痕餘→磨前返合粒段
4. 徹清石：超聲清或刷以皿皂水
5. 清手、dop、工區——粒污易轉

得：磨前粒級無痕、徹清、dop 牢。面當指甲滑如玻。

敗：細粒重磨痕仍→石恐有向硬（剛玉、藍晶常）。試變磨向。污為因→清諸物易水源。

二：磨前序（糖果）

糖果石、過磨前粒段。

Cabochon Pre-Polish Sequence:
+------+-----------+------------------------------------------+
| Stage| Grit      | Purpose                                  |
+------+-----------+------------------------------------------+
| 1    | 220       | Shape and dome (cutting stage — done)    |
+------+-----------+------------------------------------------+
| 2    | 600       | Remove 220 scratches, refine shape       |
+------+-----------+------------------------------------------+
| 3    | 1200      | Remove 600 scratches, smooth surface     |
+------+-----------+------------------------------------------+
| 4    | 3000      | Remove 1200 scratches (optional but      |
|      | (or 1500) | recommended for hard stones like agate)  |
+------+-----------+------------------------------------------+
| 5    | 8000      | Pre-polish (some machines include this)   |
|      | (or 14000)| Fine diamond paste on appropriate pad     |
+------+-----------+------------------------------------------+

TIME PER GRIT: Spend equal time at each stage. Rushing a grit
stage means scratches carry forward and become visible after
polishing. A typical cabochon takes 3-5 minutes per grit stage.

1. 序過各粒段——勿略粒
2. 各段、放下察、確前粒痕盡除乃進
3. 段間徹清石與手
4. 全面持均壓動
5. 流水以防熱積

得：磨前序畢後、石面當均緞滑、10x 下無見痕。

敗：某粒痕仍→留之續磨、勿進。深痕不出→退一粒重磨。粗粒污為持痕最常因。

三：磨劑與盤擇

為某石種擇正磨劑與盤。

Polishing Compound Guide:
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Compound          | Best For                                 |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Cerium oxide      | Quartz family (agate, jasper, amethyst,  |
|                   | chalcedony), feldspar, obsidian          |
|                   | Mix: paste consistency with water        |
|                   | Lap/pad: leather, felt, or Batt          |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Diamond paste     | Universal — works on everything          |
| (50,000 mesh /    | Essential for corundum, spinel, topaz,   |
| 0.25-0.5 micron)  | garnet, and other hard stones            |
|                   | Lap: tin, copper, ceramic, Corian        |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Aluminum oxide    | Corundum (ruby, sapphire), spinel,       |
| (0.3 micron)      | chrysoberyl                              |
|                   | Lap: ceramic, tin, wax                   |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Tin oxide          | Quartz varieties, opal (gentle polish)  |
|                   | Lap: leather, felt, Lucite              |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Chromium oxide    | Jade (jadeite, nephrite), emerald        |
| (green compound)  | Lap: leather                             |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Linde A           | Corundum, spinel — traditional choice    |
| (aluminum oxide)  | Lap: wax, ceramic, tin                   |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+

Polishing Lap Guide (Faceted Stones):
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Lap Material      | Use                                      |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Tin (type metal)  | General-purpose polish lap. Good for     |
|                   | most stones with diamond or alumina      |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Copper             | Diamond polish for hard stones          |
|                   | (corundum, spinel, topaz)                |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Ceramic (BATT,    | Diamond polish. Forgiving, good for     |
| Darkside, Last    | beginners. Works on most materials       |
| Lap)              |                                          |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Corian (solid     | Oxide polishes. Good for quartz family   |
| surface)          |                                          |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Lucite/Plexiglass | Oxide polish for quartz, softer stones   |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Leather/felt      | Cabochon polishing. Cerium oxide or      |
|                   | tin oxide                                |
+-------------------+------------------------------------------+

1. 配磨劑於石種
2. 擇合盤或墊材
3. 未知或罕石→ diamond paste 於 ceramic 盤為穩起擇
4. 備劑：氧化物與水混為薄漿；diamond paste 少加於盤
5. 均施劑於盤——劑過致「橘皮」紋

得：合石種之劑+盤對。誤對費時、生劣成。

敗：標劑首試不出佳磨→試：(1) 異盤材、(2) 細劑級、(3) 減壓。某石感速→試低 rpm。皆不→ diamond paste 於 tin 或 ceramic 行於幾諸材。

四：終磨

行磨程。

Polishing Technique:

CABOCHON POLISHING:
1. Apply compound to the leather/felt wheel
2. Run the wheel at moderate speed (lower than grinding)
3. Hold the stone lightly — REDUCE pressure compared to grinding
4. Move the stone across the wheel surface with gentle sweeping motion
5. Polish for 2-5 minutes, checking progress with a loupe
6. Add compound sparingly — too much creates orange peel

FACETED STONE POLISHING:
1. Charge the polishing lap with compound
2. Set the SAME angle as the cutting stage for each facet tier
3. Lower the stone gently onto the spinning lap
4. Polish each facet with light, consistent pressure
5. Check each facet under a loupe before moving to the next
6. Re-charge the lap periodically but do not over-charge

SPEED AND PRESSURE:
- Polishing speed: 50-75% of cutting speed
- Pressure: LIGHT — let the compound do the work
- Heavy pressure causes heat, orange peel, and facet rounding
- On faceted stones, heavy pressure rounds facet edges ("soft meets")

1. 施劑於盤/墊
2. 設正角（刻面）或於頂角持（糖果）
3. 輕均壓磨
4. 每 1-2 分 10x 察進
5. 至面全光、無餘痕乃止
6. 末沖：徹清石以除諸劑遺

得：全磨面、刻面石如鏡光、糖果深均光。10x 下無見痕。刻面邊銳、合精。

敗：常磨事與解：

• 橘皮（紋面）：劑過、壓過或盤污。清盤少施劑
• 持痕：粗粒污。清諸物、察劑污、重磨
• 軟合（圓刻面邊）：壓過。減壓用硬盤
• 霾（無全光）：劑誤於材或過乾。試異劑或加水/延

五：質察

放下察成石。

Final Quality Checklist:
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Criterion          | Standard                                 |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Lustre             | Full, even lustre across all surfaces    |
|                    | No dull patches or haze                  |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Scratches          | None visible under 10x magnification     |
|                    | Check under multiple light angles        |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Orange peel        | None — surface should be optically flat  |
|                    | on each facet / smoothly curved on cabs  |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Facet edges        | Sharp and well-defined (faceted stones)  |
| (faceted)          | No rounding or "soft meets"              |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Dome uniformity    | Smooth, even curvature (cabochons)       |
| (cabochons)        | No flat spots or high points             |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Cleanliness        | All compound residue removed             |
|                    | Stone cleaned ultrasonically or by hand  |
+--------------------+------------------------------------------+

1. 徹清石——餘劑可擬磨光
2. 多角下亮向光察
3. 10x 放察餘痕
4. 刻面：各面察驗合精
5. 糖果：驗頂返一不擾光點（「光返試」）
6. 記末重與寸

得：專質磨之寶石——全光、10x 下無見痕、刻面銳邊或滑頂、無遺。備鑲、展、賣。

敗：某處不合→刻面可點磨各面、糖果可返磨輪某區。除廣缺勿全石重磨。

驗

• 磨前面磨始前無痕
• 各粒段間石具皆清
• 為石種擇正磨劑
• 用合盤或墊材
• 磨中持輕壓
• 末察 10x 下無見痕
• 諸面達全光
• 刻面銳邊（刻面）或滑頂（糖果）
• 末清除諸劑遺

忌

• 粒污：磨敗最常因。一 220 粒於磨盤生深痕。段間痴清諸物
• 壓過：重壓生熱（可裂石）、致橘皮紋、圓刻面邊。讓劑為工——壓略過石自重
• 劑過：盤過充生漿層致橘皮非平磨。少施劑、定期重充勿載盤
• 劑誤於石種：cerium oxide 美於石英劣於剛玉。Diamond paste 行於皆而貴。配劑於石
• 略察：磨完前必 10x 察。裸眼不見之缺、鑲飾或買者察時即顯

參

• cut-gemstone — 切段磨前必正畢；自切之痕磨單不可修
• appraise-gemstone — 磨質直影石「切」級之評、尤光與面成評