A little bit about the inventor -
Quincy D Howell (1908-1992)
Quincy D Howell
Quincy D Howell, inventor of the Idaho Cut, was born to poverty in 1908, lived through WWI, the Depression, and served in WWII in the Army Air Corps. Before retiring from the US Air Force as a Lt. Colonel, Quincy learned to facet gems. It was an art form particularly suited to his meticulous and experimental nature.
Quincy faceted for over 30 years and cut over 6,500 stones. He won the National Championship in 1970, was in National Geographic Magazine in 1974, and was considered one of the top five experts in the faceting world.
Quincy invented and named many unique “cuts”, which is an arrangement of the precise and intended facets that reflect light through the stone in infinite combinations.
It is the fleeting pursuit of the artist to arrange the facets in the most beautiful way possible. After completing the invention of his Masterwork, Quincy Howell named it the Idaho Cut. This was a fitting tribute to the Gem State, its people, and a remarkable gift of excellence that is uniquely Idaho. In 2021, three of Quincy Howell's grandchildren and one of his sons started the legislative process to adopt the Idaho Cut as the official cut for faceted gemstones for the State of Idaho, believing this would strengthen the heritage of this great state and provide a pattern of beauty for all Idahoans to enjoy. Because Idaho is considered the Gem State, it is only fitting that the Star Garnet (adopted in 1967 as the Idaho State Gem) finally has a little company.
It is the fleeting pursuit of the artist to arrange the facets in the most beautiful way possible. After completing the invention of his Masterwork, Quincy Howell named it the Idaho Cut. This was a fitting tribute to the Gem State, its people, and a remarkable gift of excellence that is uniquely Idaho. In 2021, three of Quincy Howell's grandchildren and one of his sons started the legislative process to adopt the Idaho Cut as the official cut for faceted gemstones for the State of Idaho, believing this would strengthen the heritage of this great state and provide a pattern of beauty for all Idahoans to enjoy. Because Idaho is considered the Gem State, it is only fitting that the Star Garnet (adopted in 1967 as the Idaho State Gem) finally has a little company.
July 2022 Idaho Magazine: "Art Becomes a State Symbol" by Stephen Q Howell
Click here for the link to the full article.
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS) National Award for Faceted Gemstones - 1970
1979 Idaho Stateman:
Portrait of a Distinguished Citizen
Idaho Statesman article: "Boise Rockhound Turns Specialist, Now Teaches Faceting to Others" - Apr 1973
National Geographic magazine article: "The Glittering World of Rockhounds" - Vol. 145, No. 2, Feb 1974
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