This thread is for those metal and gem collectors that want to get the most Simoleons out of their collections as possible. With a little graphing, I came up with the following guidelines for making the most profit from your gems and metals.

Edit: I've updated this information to also take into account the ORIGINAL sell-value of the metal or gem.
Edit: I've also included a post near the bottom of this page that indexes the metal and gem types, as well as the various gem cuts.

Based on your metal's original retail value:
below 55, just sell it
55+ smelt! (1.75x-40)

Based on your gem's original retail value:
below 40, just sell it
40-60 Oval cut (1.5x-20)
60-83 Plumbob cut (2x-50)
84-166 Crystal cut (2.6x-100)
167-500 Brilliant cut (3.5x-250)
500+ Heart cut (5x-1000)

The Pear, Marquis, Emerald and Sculptor's Egg cuts never come out on top, so only make those if you're into looks. =3

For Geodes and Septarian Nodules, found in World Adventures:
18-367 Polished Split Cut (2.4x-45)
368+ Heart cut (5x-1000)

For Tiberium, also found in World Adventures:
95+ Spire Cut for sure! (70x-6500)

And there you have it. I hope someone finds this helpful!

Oh! And posted by CatEars, so everyone knows how to unlock all of these cuts:
"You have to get x amount of gems cut before a new type of cut become available.
Here: 4 ... cuts to open up the oval cut. 8 more to open the pear cut. 16 total cuts for plumbbob, 30 for marquis, 45 for crystalball, 60 for brilliant, and the heart type becomes available after your sims finds All the gem types."

And a quick explanation for those who need it:
"You can find gems around town as well as in the trash cans. If you left click on the gem while it's in your Sim's inventory, you'll have the option to get it cut, while the cuts available vary depending on the number of gems you've already cut [see above]. Anyway, each cut costs, yes, but it also increases the value of the gem. After a day? or so, you can "Get mail" and your pretty cut gem will be in your Sim's inventory. Then, you can display it around your house, even on a pillow or stand, or you can sell it.

"If you go gem hunting, you might pick up metals, too. Those are basically ore until you have them "smelted," which is melted down into a pure bar so the excess rock can be removed (this is available by clicking on the metal in your Sim's inventory). That costs but also increases the metal's value by 75%. Then you can sell it or display it."

If you found this thread helpful, I'd also like to recommend the Walden95 Post Directory that makes finding other useful threads like this one a piece of cake!

(Edited because I can't spell, etc.)

Thanks for the info. This is really useful.. or will be once I've collected one of each, and only intend to make money from the rest! =)

Thank you, I find it helpful! I was just wondering about cuts and smelting earlier today!

Yay! I feel accomplished. ^^

How do you get those cuts available?

I've got gems that were worth well over 500 and only got 2 options for cuts.

Can someone bother to explain what is going on? What you are talking about smelting etc?

Are you talking about the gems in the trashcans? I always sell them...I had one that was worth 549 and got excited and sold it...

Is this wrong?

Thanks! Comes in very handy. I am printing it out as I type!

Thanks. I got the guide too but didn't take the time to do the math.

You have to get x amount of gems cut before a new type of cut become available.
Here: 4 emerald cuts to open up the oval cut. 8 more to open the pear cut. 16 total cuts for plumbbob, 30 for marquis, 45 for crystalball, 60 for brilliant, and the heart type becomes available after your sims finds All the gem types.

Hope i helped too.

CatEars wrote:Thanks. I got the guide too but didn't take the time to do the math.

You have to get x amount of gems cut before a new type of cut become available.
Here: 4 emerald cuts to open up the oval cut. 8 more to open the pear cut. 16 total cuts for plumbbob, 30 for marquis, 45 for crystalball, 60 for brilliant, and the heart type becomes available after your sims finds All the gem types.

Hope i helped too.

Thanks! I hadn't been getting them cut because I just wanted my most expensive ones displayed. I didn't realize how you got new cuts. This helps a lot!

Krizstyling wrote:Can someone bother to explain what is going on? What you are talking about smelting etc?

Are you talking about the gems in the trashcans? I always sell them...I had one that was worth 549 and got excited and sold it...

Is this wrong?

No, there's nothing wrong with that! That's what I did before I read up on it. You can find those gems around town as well as in the trash cans. If you left click on the gem while it's in your Sim's inventory, you'll have the option to get it cut, while the cuts available vary depending on the number of gems you've already cut. Anyway, each cut costs, yes, but it also increases the value of the gem. After a day? or so, you can "Get mail" and your pretty cut gem will be in your Sim's inventory. Then, you can display it around your house, even on a pillow or stand, or you can sell it.

If you go gem hunting, you might pick up metals, too. Those are basically ore until you have them "smelted," which is melted down into a pure bar and removing the excess rock (this is available by clicking on the metal in your Sim's inventory). That costs but also increases the metal's value by 75%. Then you can sell it or display it.

And thank you, CatEars, for explaining how to get more cuts while I was away! <3

Thank you! I noticed several days ago that the smelting value just didn't add up for some metals, but the gem pricing guide you posted will be very useful!

You definitely want to get your pink diamond done in a heart-shaped cut. Mine are worth $6,000 and over $7,000 now.

shay480 wrote:
You definitely want to get your pink diamond done in a heart-shaped cut. Mine are worth $6,000 and over $7,000 now.

Holy smokes, I know! I almost had a heart attack when I got the gem back!!

I want to display them, but I'm afraid I'll invite a klepto over for dinner and lose them. Then again, kleptos seem more interested in bathtubs and showers than they are in gems. . .

I use some of my less expensive ones to decorate my gardens.

Decorating the garden is such a cool idea!!!
I'm glad I bookmarked this--I keep coming back to re-copy the numbers.

Edit: I've made over 20,000 simoleons in one evening of gem and metal hunting... my sim can definitely retire.