The Art of Gems Cutting - A Master's Touch The process through which gemstones are cut and polished is known as lapidary, which is the fancier term for lapidary. The person who cuts and polishes these gemstones is known as a gem cutter or a lapidarist. Some of the common techniques that are used in lapidary or gem-cutting work include sawing, grinding, sanding, lapping, polishing, drilling, and tumbling. All gems are cut and polished using progressive abrasion by finer grits of harder material.