Cut Classifications Of Colored Stone Jewelry

While some colored stones are cut as gems from their crystals, others are utilized in the forms they were originally unearthed. Nevertheless, most are cut and polished for use as gemstones and set as centerpieces in colored stone jewelry. Cabochons and facets are the two major classifications of a colored stone’s cut. Cabochons are stones cut as smooth and dome shaped while facets are cut with a faceting machine at regular intervals and exact angles. Stones which are opaque such as opal, turquoise, variscite are usually cut as cabochons. These gems are designed to show off the stone’s color or surface properties as in opal and star sapphires. Gems that are transparent are normally faceted. Faceting is a method that shows the optical properties of a stone’s interior by maximizing the reflected light that a viewer may perceive as a sparkle.