Gems Guide Update

[meamalso2]

I was using the gems guide and ran some numbers. The star cut is listed as never being the most valuable cut. I think this is because the original price for the cut was $800, when the cost dropped to $400 for the cut it became the best cut for gems with starting values of $301-$600. Updating this will change the ranges to the cuts before and after the star cut, and allow the note about the star cut to be removed.

[InfinitySquared]

That is correct; I've just done the math for it and confirmed it.

Profit for star cut for a $400 gem would be:
You send off $400 for the gem, $400 for the cut
You get back a gem worth $400*4 = 1600
Total profit, $1200

Profit for a heart cut for the same gem:
Send off $400 gem, $1000 cut
Get back a gem worth $400*5=2000
Total profit, $1000

The star cut is most profitable for gems worth $300-599.

So the updated list of best cuts according to original gem value would be:
0-40: Don't Cut; sell as-is
41-60: Oval
61-83: Plumbbob
84-171: Crystal Ball
172-299: Brilliant
300-599: Star
600+: Heart

[Carl]

Thanks you two! Math isn't a strong suit of mine. The guide is updated with the new information.

[Wai]

May I suggest that if you emerald cut all gems below $40 they will pay dividends if used in transfiguration to soul-piece.  I find that 4 emerald cut of one type on the bottom row and a different emerald cut stone on top right work very well.  I place a stone between 300 to 500 in the top left and two other stones with different cuts (usually an oval and a pear cut) in the top middle to achieve a soulpiece worth between 2000 and 4000.  Heart cutting the soulpiece multiplies my overall investment by a least a factor of 10.  I have found using higher value gems in the seven positions after the top left makes very little difference to the value of the soulpiece produced.