Thanks! I sure did learn a lot. I don’t mind that I cut exactly what I wanted — a pretty trillion rhodolite — but I’m following the good advice from both of you to cut quartz now for a while. I’m going to practice the novice and pre-master competition cuts in amethyst and citrine till I can do those well, because the criteria for judging are clear and I can evaluate myself. I’ve got some good rough squirreled away and when I get back to it I hope to do it justice.