Cabochons and Faceted Stones

Good Morning,

Today's blog is very brief, as I am in the middle of a project that must be done.

Jewelry making consists of many steps, parts, pieces, and time.  One of the most important parts or pieces of jewelry-making are the gemstones.  There are two basic kinds of cuts for these stones,  cabochon or a faceted gemstone.

Cabochons are usually cut from opaque stones like Onyx, Agate, and Malachite.  Cabochons have a flat back and a curved (convex) or domed top, there are names for the different surfaces of the stone as well.

Cabochon ~  Mossy Agate, cut, shaped and polished by Rasmussen Gems and Jewellery, LLC.  This stone was cut especially for me for the project I am working on. 

Mossy Agate Cabochon

Faceted stones are usually crafted from crystalline stones, such as Ruby, Emerald, and Diamonds.  The different surfaces of the stone allow light to pass through the different angles of the surface showing off the beauty of the stone.

Surfaces of the stone are taken into account from the table to the culet (top to bottom).

Faceted Pink Zircon set in 10K White Gold

Table - Top
Girdle - Middle
Culet - Bottom point

The girdle of the stone is usually placed in the setting for a nice balanced look.

What is Mohs Scale?

Mohs Scale refers to the hardness of the stone. Numbered 1 though 10 stones are assigned a number based on how hard the surface of the stone is, Talc being the softest at 1 and of course Diamond being the hardest of the stones at 10.  Most stones used for jewelery fall somewhere between 3 and 7 on the scale. 

Malachite 3.5 - 4
Jade 5.5 - 6
Amethyst 7
Ruby 9  

Thank you for stopping in and having a look.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant day.