Gem Cut Studio !!better!!

| Software | Best For | Price | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Dedicated facet design & light simulation | ~$100 (one-time) | | GemRay | Advanced light physics (older interface) | Free / Donation | | GemCad | Legacy predecessor to GCS (no light sim) | ~$70 | | Rhino 3D + Grasshopper | Professional jewelry CAD (overkill for faceting) | $1,000+ |

Gem Cut Studio is a dedicated design and simulation suite for faceting. Unlike general-purpose CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software, it is built from the ground up with the logic of a faceting machine in mind. It allows users to visualize how light interacts with different gem materials, calculate precise cutting angles, and export instructions that can be followed at the mast. Key Features That Set It Apart 1. Real-Time Ray Tracing gem cut studio

Essential for any faceter who wants to move beyond following someone else’s diagrams. | Software | Best For | Price |

The crown jewel of GCS is its optical simulation engine. You can assign a real refractive index (RI) to your design—say 1.54 for quartz or 2.42 for diamond—and the software will shoot thousands of virtual light rays through the model. You get a heatmap of light return, showing you exactly where light leaks out or where extinction (darkness) occurs. This allows you to optimize a design for a specific material before you ever touch a lap. Key Features That Set It Apart 1

: Advanced rendering (beta 1.2) that simulates how colors change when viewed from different angles or how color zones (like in Ametrine) interact within the stone.