Sizing, Grading and Matching Process

For any given color (excluding Specials):

Step 1

Eyes are sized into Large and Small Sizes

Criteria:

• Large is 5+ mm diameter or greater
• Small is 5- mm diameter or smaller

Step 2

Each size is graded into Perfectos, Seconds and 4F grades. This is done in direct sunlight to better reveal any irregularities.

Perfecto criteria:

• Eyeball is round when viewed straight on
• No bubbles, streaks, "fizziness" or other inclusions
• Pupil is round
• Pupil edge is distinct
• Pupil has no transparency

Seconds criteria:

• Eyeball is mostly round when viewed straight on
• Small but barely noticeable bubbles, streaks, "fizziness" or inclusions acceptable if located toward outside of eyeball and can be easily covered up with clay
• Pupil edge distinct
• Pupil round to only slightly out of round, especially if small and able to be painted over
• No quality that makes somebody say "Man, you ought to have that thing looked at!"

4F (Fizzies, Finks and Foo-Foos)

• criteria: No cracks (wise or otherwise)

Step 3

Perfectos are matched for eyeball size and pupil size

Criteria:

• Eyeball size is determined when pupil is viewed straight on
• Eyeball size differences largely visually indistinguishable
• Pupil size differences largely visually indistinguishable
• Optical quality of color identical

Notes: A batch of 30 - 50 Perfectos seems to yield the best results for matching, as the statistical variations tend to average out. Typically a batch of 50 will yield roughly 20 matched pairs. See also Notes on Matching Eyeballs