VIRTUAL TOUR OF A GEMCTUTTING SHOP IN PESHAWAR

I have prepared a virtual trip to a gem cutting shop in downtown Peshawar, Pakistan for your enjoyment.  I hope all of my friends and customers enjoy the "trip" as much as I did.

CUTTING OPERATION IN DOWNTOWN PESHAWAR (Pakistan)
Peshawar is capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan.  In downtown Peshawar, there are about 25 -30 gemcutters working in small shops . They usually cut and sell their material to local vendors who, after much hardship, sell the choice cut stones in Bangkok.  The nominally cut material is generally sold to local jewelers in Peshawar .

Despite the large variety of rough gemstones available in Peshawar from local mines and trade, the local cutting operations are not as evolved as the ones in China, India, Sri Lanka, or Thailand.  Local gemstone producers have, over time, developed supply chains to cutters in these other areas since the price is competitive.  It is one of Mercari Traders' long-term ambitions to develop a high quality local gem cutting operation in Peshawar.  This type of service would help both MT (reducing both supply chain time and cost) but would develop a new artisan level service that will improve the quality of life for many local people.

The shop in the picture above, is barely 9 feet by 6 feet in area.  The cutter is using a locally developed cutting technology (a platform approximately 5' x 2') called a "Pattra" in the local language . There are 6 diamond discs / wheels mounted on the "Pattra".  This platform is made in such a manner so as six cutters can work simultaneously, three on each side of it .

During the time I took this picture, there were three student cutters working around the Pattra.  I sat on the  ground with the teacher/owner and started chatting over a cup of famous peshawari green tea (called "Kehwa"in Urdu).  One student was faceting while the other two are busy polishing.  In general, during a 6 person operation, 2 people form, 2 facet, and 2 polish simultaneously .

The picutre above shows the student that is faceting.  The tourmaline mounted on his dope makes a sweet sound when he brings it in to contact with the wheel.  There is a tin container mounted on top of the assembly, through which water is pouring on the wheel for lubrication.  Of particular interest, the handle (they call it "Angura"), which holds the dope stick, has no angle gauge.  When I inquired about this, the owner, a 35-year old gentleman with almost no formal education, replied very confidently and pointed to a youngster of 6 or 7 year (sitting to the right of the faceter in the picture above) and told me that he had been in this profession since he was the youngster's age.  I don't think he wanted to answer the question directly.  All he meant was that his father taught him the skill and he is using his family knowledge and his personnel experience to cut and thus he does not require any gauge to fix cutting angels.  This is just one example where the local level of craftsmanship is quite sufficient, but they are unaware of the higher standards of the western world.  These are the cultural biases that MT would have to overcome when developing a local cutting operation.

The above picture shows the two students who are polishing stones.  They are using chromium dioxide for polishing all stones except Ruby.  For Ruby, they use Micron One polish.  The wax or lock used on dope stick is manufactures in their shop from some sticky material they call "chapri" with some marble powder and other unidentified traditional components.

The production rate for this small cutting operation is approximately 200 carats per week.  

In Lahore and Karachi (two far off and well developed cities in Pakistan), the gemcutting technology is far more evolved with better skills and equipment.  The cutting there may be comparable to India or Sri Lanka .

July 7th 1999

An Example of their Aquamarine Cut.