‘Faceted’ and ‘cabochon’ are words you may have heard to describe jewellery, but what do they mean and what is the difference?
When talking about jewellery, both of these words describe the cut of the gemstone, which is helpful both for us when identifying our jewellery and for you, when deciding which style you prefer. Each cut gives the jewellery quite a different look, no matter whether it is a ring, earrings or a pendant.
Faceted jewellery features gemstones that have been cut with multiple flat surfaces (facets) to enhance their brilliance and sparkle. This is particularly popular if you are sticking with traditional gemstones. For instance, we see faceted styles very commonly in classic gemstones such as Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Blue Topaz, Rainbow Moonstone and Clear Quartz.
The multiple facets on a gemstone reflect and refract light, creating a dazzling sparkle. This enhances the overall beauty and appeal of the jewellery, especially for those who are wanting a shimmering piece. Faceted gemstones are sometimes considered more valuable than their unfaceted counterparts. The precision and craftsmanship involved in faceting can significantly increase the stone's worth, due to factors such as ensuring the symmetry of the faceting. Most properly faceted gemstones are designed to maximise the amount of light that enters and exits the stone, making it appear brighter and more vibrant. Within the realm of ‘faceting’, there are different kinds of faceted shapes that a gemstone can be cut into. Our designer, Bunny Bedi, is known to get creative with his various faceting styles. One unique style he often goes for is the ‘laser cut’ facet, which creates the ultimate sparkle and is popular with gemstones such as Clear Quartz. Equally, the checkerboard faceted look allows the light to shine on the gemstone from multiple angles. The faceting process can also enhance the durability of certain gemstones by removing impurities and creating a more structurally sound stone.
Faceting can enhance the natural colour of a gemstone, making it more vivid and appealing. Hence, a stone such as Peridot can look much more vividly, apple green when cut into a faceted style, compared to when it is a cabochon piece, showing a more subtle green.
Naturally, the different angles created by faceting jewellery allows a range of shades to be seen, as witnessed in this tri-stone ring. The Amethyst has shades of pale and deeper purple, as well as some more translucent areas.
A cabochon piece on the other hand, allows for a softer appearance and can be preferable for those who do not want dazzle or flashiness. Cabochon jewellery features gemstones that are polished into a smooth, rounded shape with a flat bottom, rather than being faceted. This style highlights the stone's colour, pattern, and lustre without the use of intricate cuts.
This cut is ideal for stones with unique colours, inclusions, or patterns that might be lost with faceting. Cabochon stones often exhibit a soft glow or sheen, which can be especially attractive in opaque or translucent gems.
The rounded shape of cabochon stones is less prone to chipping and damage compared to faceted stones, since there are no sharp edges for the gemstone to catch on. Cabochon gemstones have a gentle look about them, perhaps more subtle and less intimidating to those who do not tend to wear a lot of jewellery. Cabochon styles can be a great way to introduce colour into your collection, without choosing to go too bright or bold.
Cabochon or faceted styles are certainly not a one or the other situation. Why not try mixing both, for a creative and alternative appearance?
