Stormlight retention as a function of gem size

[Shardlet]

Note though, with your square/rectangle example the salt would be the square and an ion would be a line.  A salt is by definition a compound while an ion is a cinstituent of a compound.  I know some ions are compounds, but several others are not.  An ion is an atom or molecule which has a net positive or net negative charge.  If there is no charge it is not an ion.

 

The closest definition of an acid and base according to what you are describing Isomere (as far as I know), is the Lewis theory which involves donation and acceptance of lone pair electrons.  The Bronsted-Lowry definition involves proton donation and is the more classic acid-base theory.  Add to that, oxides simply are just plain not considered salts chemically or legally. (note: I am a patent examiner in the chemical arts, thus I included legally).

 

 

Edit: note: this information is offered educationally and not antagonistically. 

 

Edit 2: I did not make the definition for a salt.  If you are interested, Wikipedia has a decent, though a bit thin, article on salt (chemistry).  New additions with this edit are underlined.

Edited July 11, 2013 by Shardlet

[Isomere]

I had no idea oxides were excluded from salts, thanks for the clarification. A salt then is an electrically neutral ionic compound whose constituents can be formed through proton exchange reactions.

Going back to the thread topic, most of the Stormgems are ionic compounds, but diamonds are covalent. Based on what we know, that doesn't change how long they remain infused. Structure must not be what determines how long stormlight can be held.

[Shardlet]

I suspect the capacity of the gem (for stormlight) is a result of the size, cut, and clarity (i.e., lack of inclusions or flaws) of the gem.  I expect that the retention time is also a result of these same features (to a degree) with the possible addition of surface area.  I have not seen any indication that one type of gem holds stormlight better than any other type.  The color of the light emitted is definitely affected by the gem type.  We know diamonds are best if you need good white light (say, for surgery).  If I am not mistaken, Shallan also indicates that her gems emit a colored light.  I expect this is simply a filtering effect (i.e., an amethyst absorbs the portions of the visible light spectrum that do not contribute to making an amethyst's purple coloring).

[Galladon]

Physics Yaaay 

 

I think there are two ways storing energy in gems (with modified physiks) and we want to combine them into something that is close to a laser but has some major attribute changes.

This is based on the assumption that stormlight is very close in its behavior to actual light.

 

1: Hyperreflexive storage:

          Conditions:-Infusion state must be extremly short 10^(-xx)s or metaphysical

                     - Hyperreflexive by extremly high refraktive index - beyond physically

known (extremly slow Stormlight-speed n=c/c(matter); n(glass)=1.5; needed faktor maybe 10000 honestly don't know- could calculate but don't want to(-: ) or other means.

 

Capacity: proportional to the critical Thermic-energy output(J/s) of Stormlightinteraktion within the medium

 

 Storage: Surface*Power*Duration*(k)coefficient- m^2;*J/s*s*k/m^2

 

Leakage: proportional to the Surface

 

2:Electron stimulation storage:

 

Conditions: - Super-stable gem-specific Energy levels( The longer the better - normal: couple of ns in lasers-or so, would have to look it up- couple of seconds would be awesome)

-non excitability: under those conditions Electrons would be highly susceptible to stimulated emission - we dont want that.

 

Capacity: proportional to total number of excitable electrons n (n* delta E)

 

Storage: logistical growth of stored energy (eg:90% very fast last 10% very slow)

 

Leakage(emission): proportional to Volume

 

Those are the two parts.

First the light is infused( Elektrons get excitedand light is trapped within(high refractive index) ) so we have an added capacity. The electrons are the stable element (if one emmits a photon another excites it again) the reflection is sort of a buffer and is ultimately responsible for the leakage. For it all to work time dimensions have to be changed drastically(but it's magic anyway

In conclusion I'd say The leakage is a Function that is exponentially falling at a very slow rate (faster rate until total energy=Capacity of excitable electrons, then slower drop) and is tied thightly to surfacearea.

 

This would be supported by the fact that cut gemstones hold stormlight better (can't find the quote)- uncut means enlarged surfacearea due to the microscopic structure which also inhibits the reflection.

 

I hope someone reads this- I am so proud

 

Edited July 11, 2013 by Galladon

[Crysanja]

sorry for the confusion

i just remembered the salt grids. guess it was our example - its a while back =)

 

there are just several options where the stormlight could be held/contained in.

 

one is within the grid - problem here is why some grids and not others.(ice crystals would be funny)

C--C

|  x  |

C--C

 

it could be in the bounds of the atoms - but this is unlikely, because of the huge difference of diamonds to the other gems.

 

next would be the atoms itselfe - the question would be then, why in thouse, and not in others(including compositions).

 

 

 

wonder if the diffusion of stormlight produces heat? then they could discharge quicker in water.

[Isomere]

Brandon has said that infusing stormlight is similar to charging a feruchemical metal or a hemalurgic spike. Source

That means that stormlight represents an investiture in the gems. Does it get stored in the lattice space? in the atoms? in the chemical bonds? I'd say none of these, but rather is stored in the gem's spiritual realm aspects. 

[Gloom]

A chip, a broam, these things are money. They are slivers of gemstones suspended in glass. Are they poor containers for Stormlight? Sure they are. Are they gemstones? No they aren't.

 

Dalinar doesn't have broams inside his Shardplate, he has gemstones. Cut gemstones. Cut gemstones are better containers for Stormlight than chips or broams. So when we are looking at actual longevity of a gemstones ability to hold Stormlight, we really have only a fraction of the information we need.

 

So what do we know?

 

A cut gemstone holds Stormlight better than an uncut gemstone.

A large uncut gemstone holds more Stormlight than a smaller one.

Some types of gemstones are better at holding Stormlight than others.

Chips and broams are slivers of gemstone suspended in glass.

 

What can we infer?

 

An uncut gemstone can hold more Stormlight than a chip or broam.

A sliver of gemstone is for all intents an uncut gemstone.

A gem will hold Stormlight longer than a chip or a broam.

[Kurkistan]

A chip, a broam, these things are money. They are slivers of gemstones suspended in glass. Are they poor containers for Stormlight? Sure they are. Are they gemstones? No they aren't.

 

Dalinar doesn't have broams inside his Shardplate, he has gemstones. Cut gemstones. Cut gemstones are better containers for Stormlight than chips or broams. So when we are looking at actual longevity of a gemstones ability to hold Stormlight, we really have only a fraction of the information we need.

 

Why couldn't they cut the gemstones embedded in spheres? It's not exactly impossible.

 

Even if they didn't and the stones were rough, they would still be "gemstones" because... that's what they are. Rough or uncut gemstones, but still gemstones.

 

So still useful for examinations of size as a factor in stormlight retention, so long as we make the (rather easy) assumption that the extra stormlight held by a cut stone is a difference in quantity, rather than quality; that the two "kinds" of gemstones are fundamentally of the same type and behave in the same way.

 

So what do we know?

 

A cut gemstone holds Stormlight better than an uncut gemstone.

A large uncut gemstone holds more Stormlight than a smaller one.

Some types of gemstones are better at holding Stormlight than others.

Chips and broams are slivers of gemstone suspended in glass.

 

We don't know the third point, actually. I'm not even sure where you inferred it from.

 

What can we infer?

 

An uncut gemstone can hold more Stormlight than a chip or broam.

A sliver of gemstone is for all intents an uncut gemstone.

A gem will hold Stormlight longer than a chip or a broam.

 

The first is only true if the uncut gemstone is larger than the gem in some sphere, I would think.

 

The second is possible, and perhaps even a bit more likely than not, but by no means guaranteed. It also directly contradicts your first claim.

 

The third is, once again, dependent on size, to some extent; especially if the gemstones in spheres are actually cut. Even if they are rough, I would say that a cut gemstone the size of a speck of dust would still hold less light than a rough gemstone large enough to be in a broam.

 

As for the "longer" part, we actually don't even know--that I can recall--that uncut stones hold stormlight for any shorter than cut stones. They're less "brilliant" and bright, but my entire argument might be wrong and all stones of all types might, conceivably, just hold stormlight for X hours no matter what. Or I might be wrong and whether a stone is cut is all that matters. Or I might be wrong in some other new and interesting way. The problem is that we're deeply unsure, and so cannot safely infer as you have.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Kurkistan

[Shardlet]

Yeah, I think the statement in the book is that cut stones hold stormlight better than uncut stones.  Better may apply to any or all of quantity of light, quality, of light or longevity of light.

[Gloom]

Okay, the gemstones on Jasnas fabrial were each bigger than a broam. Shallans had to have been of comparable size and they were each worth ten or twenty broams. A broam is encased in glass. A broam is worth 1000 chips, and a mark is worth 5 chips. Kaladins father had a goblet with 100 diamond broams in it. So a broam is likely smaller than a marble.

 

Why couldn't they cut the gemstones embedded in spheres? It's not exactly impossible.

 

Difficult, but your right. It wouldn't be impossible. Of course, each of these gems is only worth a chip, and it's hours of work to cut, polish and sand each one. Now marks on the other hand...nope, wouldn't waste the time cutting them either. Cutting a broam may be possible, but once again, were looking at a cost in labor. Gem cutters always get paid well.

 

We don't know the third point, actually. I'm not even sure where you inferred it from.

 

Okay, we don't know that some types of gemstones are better at holding Stormlight than others. I misremembered why emeralds were more valuable.

 

The first is only true if the uncut gemstone is larger than the gem in some sphere, I would think.

 

It would hard for a gemstone to be smaller than anything other than perhaps the gem in a broam. For perspective, in the fifteenth century, the average coin weighed less than a paper clip. .77 grams. A dime weighs 2 grams. Consider the hassle of carrying around a bag filled with 100 marbles everywhere you go. Chips have to be as small as feasible. Marks would likely be larger than chips, and broams larger than marks. Most of the size difference would be in the glass, not the gemstone. The average glass marble weighs 18.5 grams. Gems are lighter than glass, but the glass would always be a factor. Consider how comfortable it is to carry around 10 dollars worth of quarters at 5.5 grams each, and that is just 40 quarters.

 

An uncut gemstone can hold more Stormlight than a chip or broam.

A sliver of gemstone is for all intents an uncut gemstone.

 

I wasn't clear here. What I was trying to say is that because an uncut gemstone is larger than the gem fragment in money, that it would hold more Stormlight.

 

 

The third is, once again, dependent on size, to some extent; especially if the gemstones in spheres are actually cut. Even if they are rough, I would say that a cut gemstone the size of a speck of dust would still hold less light than a rough gemstone large enough to be in a broam.

 

See above.

 

As for the "longer" part, we actually don't even know--that I can recall--that uncut stones hold stormlight for any shorter than cut stones. They're less "brilliant" and bright, but my entire argument might be wrong and all stones of all types might, conceivably, just hold stormlight for X hours no matter what. Or I might be wrong and whether a stone is cut is all that matters. Or I might be wrong in some other new and interesting way. The problem is that we're deeply unsure, and so cannot safely infer as you have.

 

Granted, assumptions are being made.

[Shardlet]

Okay, the gemstones on Jasnas fabrial were each bigger than a broam. Shallans had to have been of comparable size and they were each worth ten or twenty broams. A broam is encased in glass. A broam is worth 1000 chips, and a mark is worth 5 chips. Kaladins father had a goblet with 100 diamond broams in it. So a broam is likely smaller than a marble.

 

How big is the goblet though?  I have seen goblets that hold about 1/3 cup and I have seen goblets that can hold a gallon.  I am very hesitant to make an assumption about the size of the spheres.  

 

Difficult, but your right. It wouldn't be impossible. Of course, each of these gems is only worth a chip, and it's hours of work to cut, polish and sand each one. Now marks on the other hand...nope, wouldn't waste the time cutting them either. Cutting a broam may be possible, but once again, were looking at a cost in labor. Gem cutters always get paid well.

 

I seriously doubt that the gem inside a broam is the same size (even roughly) as that inside a chip.  I am open to the denominations bearing their value based somewhat upon convention (e.g., it is cheaper to make a penny than a dollar bill, yet a dollar has a greater monetary value).  But, I think that would be very unlikely in a system like this.  It would be too easy to melt (or nearly melt) the glass of a sphere and add additional glass to it to make your chips become broams.  This suggests to me that a broam must be such that it could not be mistaken for or made from a chip.

[Kurkistan]

Just an update on spheres: They are all approximately the same size, about "the size of a thumbnail"--so yes, about a small marble. The size of the gemstone within the glass is all that changes, ala Word of Shallan's Exposition.

 

EDIT: I've just been assuming (in an acknowledged fashion) that, at least within denominations of the same gemstone, it was all done by mass of the stone. So 1000 diamond chips have the same amount of actual diamond as 1 diamond broam.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Kurkistan

[Gloom]

I acknowledge that the gem inside a broam is substantially larger than that inside a chip. It is the gem inside each denomination of (for lack of a better word) coin that changes in size.

 

I stand by my assertion that it wouldn't be cost effective to cut any gem that is going to be used as coin except in the crudest fashion. Gem cutting is expensive. Cutting the gem will cost a substantial portion of the broam and would cost more than the other denominations.

 

EDIT: I've just been assuming (in an acknowledged fashion) that, at least within denominations of the same gemstone, it was all done by mass of the stone. So 1000 diamond chips have the same amount of actual diamond as 1 diamond broam.

 

Think carats instead. Technically, anything up to a 4 carat diamond could fit inside a broam. I find it doubtful that it would be that large though. Possibly one carat, likely less. The value of a gem is relative to what could be done with it in most cases. I tend to think that if a gem is big enough to be worked, especially in the case of emeralds, it wouldn't get turned into coinage.

[Crysanja]

i think thouse things are about the useage of the by-products of gem cutting.

as long as it can hold stormlight it is a sliver. if its larger its going to be a higher denomination.

 

just take a cookie, hit it hard. the smallest parts are the things we speak about.

 

btw its very difficult to see the sliver in a dull sphere, thats why you want infused ones.

[Kurkistan]

I'd like to note that gem cutting is probably far less expensive on Roshar than is the norm. They'd have developed sophisticated techniques and have an unusually large number of jewellers, I would think.

[Gloom]

I'd like to note that gem cutting is probably far less expensive on Roshar than is the norm. They'd have developed sophisticated techniques and have an unusually large number of jewellers, I would think.

 

We have machines that can cut gems for us. We can just dump them in by the batch and poof, they are shiny and smooth. They are still expensive, and all we can do with them is look at them and use them to impress people.

 

i think thouse things are about the useage of the by-products of gem cutting.

as long as it can hold stormlight it is a sliver. if its larger its going to be a higher denomination.

 

just take a cookie, hit it hard. the smallest parts are the things we speak about.

 

btw its very difficult to see the sliver in a dull sphere, thats why you want infused ones.

 

Agreed. The fragments left over from gem cutting are what I'd always assumed were what was embedded in the glass of chips, marks, and broams. I doubt we'll ever clarification on this though.

[Kurkistan]

We have machines that can cut gems for us. We can just dump them in by the batch and poof, they are shiny and smooth. They are still expensive, and all we can do with them is look at them and use them to impress people.

 

Either I'm very ignorant or you are vastly oversimplifying the modern world of the lapidary. By my understanding, people use motorized tools, but the vast majority of the work on each gem still has to be done with one-on-one human supervision. "Shiny and smooth" isn't going to cut (har har) it, when we specifically are looking for cut, well-crafted gems rather than just gems distinguishable from rocks.

 

Also, I was mostly referring to the ease of getting gems cut in Roshar as compared to other societies of roughly comparable technology, since the Rosharian focus on gemstones would necessarily give them unusually robust industries revolving around them. I suspect that mining is also more advanced on Roshar than one would naturally assume.

 

You are also assuming that gems are as scarce on Roshar as they are on Earth, which assumption is not very well founded. There is enough emerald in a wealthy, but still relatively small, city to by dispersed through innumerable braoms to illuminate a bottomless upside down pyramid. That's a lot of emerald.

 

Even if scarcity is about the same in terms of how much of each gem type is accessible on the planet's surface, I wold hazard that a society with a much much higher demand for gemstones would still manage to get more in circulation.

 

As you said, all we want gems for here on Earth is to look at: they want them to light their homes and feed and house their people. The entirety of gem mining, cutting, setting, and distribution is a relatively frivolous niche industry in the real world (albeit a very large frivolous niche industry), while it is far more vital on Roshar.

 

Agreed. The fragments left over from gem cutting are what I'd always assumed were what was embedded in the glass of chips, marks, and broams. I doubt we'll ever clarification on this though.

 

I can see this as a possibility, though I also see the gems in at least broams being cut, at least a bit, as a good possibility as well.

 

Also: Oh ye of little faith.

 

Brandon will almost certainly drop the "source" of the gems in spheres in exposition at some point, especially if they are the end destination of shattered soulcasting stones or the shaping process. Failing that, we have a several decades in which someone can ask him at a Q&A or AMA or signing.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Kurkistan

[Gloom]

Either I'm very ignorant or you are vastly oversimplifying the modern world of the lapidary. By my understanding, people use motorized tools, but the vast majority of the work on each gem still has to be done with one-on-one human supervision. "Shiny and smooth" isn't going to cut (har har) it, when we specifically are looking for cut, well-crafted gems rather than just gems distinguishable from rocks.

 

Granted, I was vastly oversimplifying the process. We can cut gems with greater precision due to our technological advancement, and we can do it faster, but you are correct.

 

Also, I was mostly referring to the ease of getting gems cut in Roshar as compared to other societies of roughly comparable technology, since the Rosharian focus on gemstones would necessarily give them unusually robust industries revolving around them. I suspect that mining is also more advanced on Roshar than one would naturally assume.

 

I'm doubtful about the mining. One reason for this is Dalinars' comments about caves and crem when he was dreaming about being Heb.

 

You are also assuming that gems are as scarce on Roshar as they are on Earth, which assumption is not very well founded. There is enough emerald in a wealthy, but still relatively small, city to by dispersed through innumerable braoms to illuminate a bottomless upside down pyramid. That's a lot of emerald.

 

Even if scarcity is about the same in terms of how much of each gem type is accessible on the planet's surface, I wold hazard that a society with a much much higher demand for gemstones would still manage to get more in circulation.

 

Quite to the contrary. I believe that gems are far more accessible in Roshar than they are in the real world. They may not recover a large number of gemstones through mining, but they do harvest a large number of them from various great shells. The difference is in consumption. Our society has very little use for gemstones outside of some optical applications and jewelry, while Rosharian society consumes gemstones regularly. I'll cite Jasnas smoke stone as evidence.

"The Soulcaster rested against the back of her skin, the smokestone dark and cracked.

I won't argue that this smokestone, which was presumably a large one can't be re-cut into smaller stones, but some of the stone will be waste...unless it is going to end up in chips of course.

 

As you said, all we want gems for here on Earth is to look at: they want them to light their homes and feed and house their people. The entirety of gem mining, cutting, setting, and distribution is a relatively frivolous niche industry in the real world (albeit a very large frivolous niche industry), while it is far more vital on Roshar.

 

To me this is further evidence of how valuable and expensive a commodity gemstones are in the Rosharian economy. The greater the demand for a limited resource, the more valuable it becomes. Supply and demand has always driven markets, and this resource is rarely attained without danger which would further drive up the price.

[Kurkistan]

I think you underestimate their mining skills, though it is a tangential point.

 

WoK Chapter 19:

“We need to get someplace safe,” [Dalinar] said. “Is there a cellar nearby?”
“A what?”
“Cave in the rock, man-made or natural.”
“No caves,” the woman said, joining him at the window. “How would men make a hole in the rock?”
With a Shardblade or a Soulcaster. Or even with basic mining—though that could be difficult, as the crem would seal up caverns and highstorm rains made for an extremely potent risk of flooding. Dalinar looked out the window again. Dark shapes moved in the moonlight; some were coming in their direction.

 

The fact that digging out a cellar is "basic" mining suggests more sophisticated techniques, though the dangers are obviously quite steep. Which in turn suggests yet more sophisticated techniques to mitigate those dangers.

 

---

 

As for supply/demand, I'm suggesting that the actual of supply of gemstones will go up if demand is a real demand rather than incidental: so existing resources will be exploited more completely and efficiently and much more effort will go into finding new sources of gems. Also, they probably won't go around burying their money with people's bodies, which is actually a fairly significant drain on our supply of jewels in the present day.

[Gloom]

I think you underestimate their mining skills, though it is a tangential point.

 

This is probably true, at least outside of Shinovar. One of the slaves in Kaladins wagon was concerned that he would end up in a mine, and was relieved that he would just be working a war camp instead. Metals need to be mined for armor, weapons, pots, pans, wagons, etc. The Shin are willing to pay top dollar for soulcast metals. All of these things point towards mining being a vital part of the Rosharian economy.

[happyman]

Supply and demand is a useful rule for economics, but it's not absolute.  New technologies and social changes can also affect it.  Especially new technologies.  They can change both the effective supply (by making things more accessible) and the demand (by making things more useful).  When the demand for X increases for some reason, the price spikes for a bit, but it's not uncommon for this to lead people to find better ways of getting X as a way of getting wealthy quickly.  This in turns drives up the supply, and the whole thing establishes a new equilibrium somewhere in between the prior value and the spike.

Also, the existence of creatures which actually grow gemstones would throw the whole argument in an interesting direction.  It's not like we don't have experience with this, though; lots of things we need are produced by animals and plants.  It does mean, though, that Roshar's gem market it almost entirely unlike ours.

[Gloom]

Supply and demand is a useful rule for economics, but it's not absolute.  New technologies and social changes can also affect it.  Especially new technologies.  They can change both the effective supply (by making things more accessible) and the demand (by making things more useful).  When the demand for X increases for some reason, the price spikes for a bit, but it's not uncommon for this to lead people to find better ways of getting X as a way of getting wealthy quickly.  This in turns drives up the supply, and the whole thing establishes a new equilibrium somewhere in between the prior value and the spike.

Also, the existence of creatures which actually grow gemstones would throw the whole argument in an interesting direction.  It's not like we don't have experience with this, though; lots of things we need are produced by animals and plants.  It does mean, though, that Roshar's gem market it almost entirely unlike ours.

 

I agree with the first part.

 

As for the second part...Pearls are grown and harvested. The level of danger involved with harvesting pearls from farms is significantly reduced from that of harvesting pearls from natural sources. This has had an effect on the price of pearls, though those pearls that are harvested from natural sources are touted as being superior. Even then, modern scuba equipment has further reduced the danger and increased the quantity of naturally harvested pearls. So we do have some basis for comparison on grown precious stones.

 

Thoughts on the OP:

 

I concur that the size of the gemstone should have some effect on the amount of time it can hold Stormlight. I would further hypothesize that a cut gemstone will hold stomlight longer than a similarly sized uncut gemstone of the same type. This is pure speculation on my part, and there is evidence against this.

A dun sphere was worth just as much as an infused one; all you had to do was leave it out in a highstorm, and it would recharge and give off light for a week or so.

This quote can be interpreted to mean all spheres, since he referenced this time with chips and referenced diamond broams going dun during weepings. So we can assume that anything the size of a the gem in a broam or smaller will lose its stormlight within a standard week our time. As for larger gemstones and cut gemstones, we don't have enough information to make a determination, but I'm still leaning towards the idea that larger gemstones hold stormlight better than the pea sized or smaller gemstones in currency.

 

Thoughts on money:

 

Chips, marks, and broams are all about the same size according to Shallan, and about the size of a thumbnail. I'm assuming that Shallan doesn't have oversized thumbs, so I'd guess that means that they are smaller in diameter than a US dime.

 

They are made of glass, and have a gemstone in the center. The gemstone inside a chip is small enough that when it is dun, the apothecary needed a jewelers loop to verify it wasn't counterfeit. The differences between chips, marks, and broams are visually distinct. This leads me to believe that the size of the gemstone within is significantly larger for each level of currency.

 

An emerald broam is worth 1000 diamond chips. A mark is worth five chips of the same denomination. Diamond is the least valuable gemstone because it can't be soulcast. I have yet to find a direct correlation between the value of a diamond broam in comparison to an emerald broam. I'd speculate that a diamond broam is more valuable than an emerald mark, but I don't have enough to go on to speculate how much more.

 

I would speculate that the gemstones inside currency are uncut, as defined by the standards of cut gems, but shaped to conform to a size standard. Unfortunately, I have no in-world information to base this speculation on.

[Kurkistan]

UPDATE:

 

New info from Brandon:

 

Source (~2:00 in the recording):

Miyabi (on behalf of Kurkistan): Do bigger gems hold more stormlight than smaller gems? So a broam would hold it for, maybe, 20 hours where a chip might hold it for 6 hours or something.

 

Brandon: Um, the cut of the gem, and how flawless the gem is has more to do with how long the stormlight stays than size.

 

So I'm wrong .

 

On the plus side, I think we can still salvage a reason for broams to last longer than chips: they're bigger than chips, so thus probably better cut—as we got from the discussion which Gloom's point provoked—and/or less flawed.

[Gloom]

I was wrong as well it would appear, at least partially wrong.

 

So basically what Brandon is saying is that the gemstones clarity is the defining point in a gemstone. Gems are cut to increase clarity and hide or remove flaws. Both cut and uncut gemstones of any size absorb the same amount of stormlight, but leak at different rates.

 

It just occurred to me how easy it would be to find gemstones in Roshar. Just take a walk through the Unclaimed Hills, the Horneater peaks, or along any mountain stream after a Highstorm and start looking for glowing rocks.

[Shardlet]

It could be the actual shape, number, and orientation of the facets that play a significant role in stormlight retention as well.