September 02, 2021
What is a rose cut gemstone and what is a cabochon gemstone? You may have heard both of these terms used in jewelry. These refer to the cutting style of a polished gem. One of the 4 "C"s of diamond value: cut refers to not only the cutting style, but the cut quality as well, and just like in diamonds, colored stones are cut in many different ways.
Gem materials have been cut and polished for centuries. This is done to bring out the beauty of these minerals that are products of the earth, and allows them to be set into jewelry. The round brilliant cut is a classic choice for diamond solitaires, bridal jewelry and accent stones, and was developed in the early 1900's and later refined in 1919 by engineer Marcel Tolkowsky. This cutting style has been used for colored gemstones and diamonds for many years. Gemstone cutting and lapidary work is a true science, as it requires analyzing rough gem materials and deciding how to get both the best weight retention and beauty out of each one.
Anatomy of a diamond or faceted stone, 5 main parts: table, crown, pavilion, girdle and culet.
In modern jewelry these days, it is very common to see cabochon cut gemstones and rose cut gems in addition to “traditional” faceted ones. Here’s a quick crash course in the difference in these three types of gemstone cuts - all of which you will find throughout the FantaSea Jewelry collections.
Some gemstone material is cut into cabochons or rose cuts because it is not “facet quality”, which means that it doesn’t have the transparency to make a high quality faceted stone. This does not however mean that all gemstone cabochons are of poor quality, nor that lower quality gem material is never cut into faceted stones. Cabochons with high quality gem material are common and they offer a different look to that of a faceted stone. Cabochons tend to show off color and patterns well, and in some material, a transparent glow or luster.
I often talk about how much I love using gemstones that have more of an organic feel and look a bit more natural. Many rose cut colored gemstones and gemstone cabochons do exactly this, they express the natural beauty of the stone, rather than a “perfect” display symmetry and clarity. Of course, I have never met a gemstone that I didn’t like, so I have appreciation for all varieties and styles of colored gemstones and diamonds. Sometimes I use more “traditional” stones, like round brilliant cuts but there is something about the unique beauty of gemstone cabochons that has always drawn me in.
Do you have a preference? Do you prefer the more traditional look of a faceted gem? The smooth, classic look of a cabochon, or the more organic look of a rose cut?
Check out the latest rings with rose cut gems!
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