When I was playing Old School RuneScape as a kid, back before it was even called ‘old school’ and just RuneScape, I remember not knowing what to do with any of the gems in my inventory. I had no idea why they were labeled as ‘uncut’, how to use them, or how to cut them so they could be used.
Of course, there were also a high number of scammers at that time, offering to cut gems for people and running to the bank once the victim trades their valuable jewels. Fortunately, most of Old School RuneScape’s current player base is adults.
They are no longer naive enough to fall for scams as simple as these. Now, most OSRS scams target millions to billions of GP, instead of the few thousand someone’s gem collection might be worth.
It took more time than I’d care to admit to realize all this material is used in the Crafting skill. Each gem in RuneScape can be combined with a gold or silver bar at any smelting furnace to create various jewelry, such as rings, bracelets, and amulets.
But, before gems can be used to craft jewelry, they must be properly cut. In fact, cutting gems is often the first step on any player’s journey to 99 Crafting. Read on to discover how to cut gems in OSRS.
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Step One: Obtaining Gems
The first step to cutting gems in RuneScape is to obtain the gems. There are several ways to obtain gems. You receive gems at different rates, depending on the method you choose.
Usually, Mining is the most consistent way to receive gems. You have a small chance of mining a gem when mining ore rocks.
Additionally, if you have 40 Mining and have completed the quest “Shilo Village,” you can mine the gem rocks. They are exactly what they sound like, mineable rocks that give gems instead of ores.
Keep in mind, you’ll have little control over the gems you get here. But, gem rock mining is one of the fastest ways to build up your gem collection.
Gems in RuneScape can also be obtained as somewhat frequent drops from a variety of monsters and enemies.
I recommend training your Slayer skill, as many of the monsters you’ll be asked to kill drop gems. And if you ever need to skip a Slayer task, you can do that – just make sure you know how.
Moreover, when using the Slayer Master Konar, you can obtain Brimstone Keys that will open the Brimstone Chest. Large numbers of noted gems are often dropped by the Brimstone Chest.
The random events that happen intermittently throughout your playtime can also reward you with gems. These tasks are often simple and take less than a minute to complete, so always attempt them when they pop up. Their rewards are often valuable for newer accounts.
Meanwhile, there are a number of gem stalls and stores throughout Old School RuneScape.
Stalls requiring 75 Thieving to steal from can be found in Ardougne, the Kourend Castle courtyard, and Prifddinas. Shops where you can purchase gems can be found in Falador, Al Kharid, Keldagrim, and Mol Ur Rek.
Step Two: Grab a Chisel
The second step in learning how to cut gems in Old-School RuneScape is relatively simple: obtain a chisel.
The chisel is a very basic item that can be found in abundance throughout the game. You can buy one from most general stores and charter ship traders across the land of Gielinor.
Step Three: Confirm Skill Levels
Third, simply make sure your Crafting level is high enough to cut the gems you want.
At level one, you can only cut Opals. At level 13, you can cut Jade, and at level 16, you can cut Red Topaz. Keep in mind, it’s possible to fail at cutting these gems and crushing them.
From this point on, however, you will no longer crush gems. You can cut sapphires at level 20, emeralds at 27, and rubies at 34. From then on, you can cut diamonds at level 43, dragonstones at level 55, onyxes at 67 and zenytes at 89.
Final Thoughts
With your desired gems, a chisel, and the required Crafting level, simply use the chisel on your gems to cut them. Your character will continue cutting all the gems they’re able to in their inventory.
The action of cutting gems rewards Crafting experience, as well as cut gems you can smelt into jewelry for more Crafting experience. To level up your Crafting skill even faster, consider learning how to get to Entrana in OSRS.
