Rough gemstone specimens on this site are not polished or otherwise refined. Faced stones (which are sliced on one or more sides) may show superficial saw marks, small edge nicks and/or protrusions where the surface severed from the blade. Rough specimens are pictured both wet and dry to best show imperfections such as saw marks and fractures (which are easiest to see on dry material), as well as the closest approximation of how a material will look when polished (which is easiest to see on wet pieces). 

Though specimens are generally selected for the potential they show on their raw surface, it is ultimately impossible to know exactly how rough material will look and behave on the inside until it is cut (unless perhaps the material is completely transparent). Therefore, it’s wise to approach raw material with an adventurous spirit - the process of cutting rough is simply a gamble that every lapidary takes, though usually one that pays off.