Arc1 approached us quite a few months before release of the Gemstones, and we were amazed! The idea behind this yoyo not only stands out, but is absolute brilliance. It’s a design that really shows that an aesthetic first yoyo doesn’t have to compromise the level of play and it really shows that the boutique yoyo market is not done innovating and creating amazing ideas! To anyone who might be thinking the small size will be limiting or that the caps are a bit of a gimmick, let us assure you, this is absolutely not the case. The size and weight feel perfectly balanced and don’t detract from what tricks it can handle. The caps on the side of the yoyo offer unique ways to change play style on a single yoyo, and they work really well. We’ll be the first to say, the Gemstones yoyo is pure craftsmanship.YoYoTricks.com Gemstones Yoyo Review
The Gemstones is the first yoyo by Arc1 and I always think of it as a passion project. I had been playing with the idea of making a yoyo for almost as long as I was introduced to the current yoyo scene back in 2019. This desire came partly from an even older wish to design and market physical products. When I was re-introduced to the yoyo scene I felt this was the right moment to make that dream come true. I set out to make the design something special and unique that hadn’t quite been done before. A design that approached the shape from a looks first perspective rather than a performance first approach. The yoyo itself got its shape from the outline you would get when you let two brilliant cut gemstones meet at their culet and this is also the reason why I decided to go for the plural of gemstone as the name. With the rough concept in my head I went searching for a CAD designer to help me which I eventually found in Mark Diehr of Mk1 yoyos. Mark helped me turn the idea all the way from a sketch into a prototype. He is also the one who came up with the spintop caps. A feature that made the Gemstones even more special and an absolute joy to play! Playing the Gemstones is tons of fun. It’s an undersized yoyo but despite its size it packs a punch with almost two thirds of its weight distributed in the steel rings. Its small size also makes it very pocket friendly. The polycarbonate body is not polished but fresh from the lathe which makes it grind friendly. Even though the yoyo comes with finger spin caps, it is actually easier to finger spin it without any caps on. This is aided by the slightly funnel shaped hub design. However because the yoyo is designed for looks the finger spin caps are included to offer finger spin capabilities with a more refined aesthetic look. The real fun of course begins when you install the spintop caps. These allow you to balance the yoyo as a spintop on the palm of your hand or on any flat surface you can find. This is a bit similar to the spikes found on the Magicyoyo LM1 but without the risk of landing on the spikes by accident or having your slack get caught behind them during regular play. The caps are interchangeable. You can press fit them on by hand and you need to remove them with air pressure. For this reason an air needle is provided with the yoyo. You will also need a good modern bike pump or powerful air compressor that can generate roughly 12 BAR. The caps will shoot out at a considerable force and with a loud bang so you must cover the yoyo with damping material like a blanket and wear ear protection. You also need to make sure the direction the cap will shoot out at is not down. If you have the cap shooting down, the yoyo will almost certainly get dinged by colliding with the cap. Connect it to the pump or compressor, prepare for the bang and pump the air into it. If there are any air leaks between the pump and the yoyo, there is a high chance you won’t be able to generate enough pressure. The finger spin caps especially need a lot of pressure to be removed. Intended use: This product is intended for use by professionals only. Imperfections we don’t classify as a B grade: Visual – Since the polycarbonate parts are not polished or blasted some superficial machining and handling marks can be visible in the right light. Mostly on the flat of the black caps. Vibe – Because of the many parts and materials used in the construction, all these yoyos have a very slight vibe, mostly noticeable on the nail when measured at the steel edge and during a finger spin. This does not affect play.Manufacturer's Description of The Gemstones Yoyo
Making the Gemstones
Playing the Gemstones
Changing the caps
You will need to wind the tip of the needle with tape until it is thick enough to screw in the axle hole, creating an airtight seal. I find paper masking tape works best.Additional information
The laser engraving is done on an angled steel surface. As a result the alignment can be off by a little bit on all colours. At some points the lines seem too thick under certain angles. This is mostly occurring in the silver ringed versions.
Almost all the hubs in the black yoyos miss pin pricks of anodisation, probably due to the fitting technique.
