Gemstones Cutting & Shapes
Gemstones Cutting & Shapes:
Colored Stone Cut refers to the shape and arrangement of the gem’s facets. All faceted gems are a variation
on one of the three main cut styles: Brilliant Cut, Step Cut, and Mixed Cut.
- Brilliant Cut: Triangular or kite-shaped facets that radiate from the center toward the girdle.
- Step Cut: Mainly square and rectangular facets arranged in concentric rows.
- Mixed Cut: Combines brilliant-cut and step-cut facets in the same stone.
Square Shape may be fashioned into a Princess cut, Radiant cut, Asscher cut, and Cushion cut.
- Princess-Cut: A square or rectangular modified brilliant-cut with four sharp corners. Origins in the early “French cut”.
- Radiant Cut: A square and rectangular-shaped gemstone with a brilliant-cut facet pattern on the crown and pavilion
with beveled corners. Created by Henry Grossbard in 1976.
- Asscher Cut: 58 to 74 step-cut facets, a small table, high crown, steep pavilion, and a distinct X in the gemstone’s
table with a wider cropped corner. Developed by the Asscher brothers in 1902 in Holland.
- Cushion-Cut: Combines a square and rectangular-shaped gemstone with a softer, more rounded corner.
Diamond-Cut: Symmetry and polish are two important aspects of this cut. This cut doesn’t refer to shape.
Rose-Cut: The rose cut has a round cabbed flat base and a faceted top. However, this isn’t a standard cutting method.
Flat Cut: There is a two-dimensional flat plane shape.
Buff Top: the top is domed on a cabochon cut while the bottom contains facets on its pavilion below the girdle.
Cabochon: A smooth round polished gem with a dome top and a flat or curved base. Opaque or translucent
rough is often cut into cabochon.
Carving: Decorating with designs or figures cut on the surface. Single cut: The cut with table, eight crown
facets, eight pavilion facets, and a culet.
Smooth Cut: A flat, regular surface makes the same level. Concave cut: Having an outline that curves inward
like the interior of a circle.
Honeycomb Cut: A structure of hexagonal cells of wax, made by bees.
Briolette Cut: Briolette is an elongated faceted teardrop shape. It also resembles a full round pear shape or a double rose cut.
Teardrop Shape: Same as briolette shape but doesn’t have to be faceted.
Checkerboard Top: Cutting style with triangular facets so its crown on the table resembles a checkerboard. Often
used on transparent and translucent stones.
on one of the three main cut styles: Brilliant Cut, Step Cut, and Mixed Cut.
- Brilliant Cut: Triangular or kite-shaped facets that radiate from the center toward the girdle.
- Step Cut: Mainly square and rectangular facets arranged in concentric rows.
- Mixed Cut: Combines brilliant-cut and step-cut facets in the same stone.
Square Shape may be fashioned into a Princess cut, Radiant cut, Asscher cut, and Cushion cut.
- Princess-Cut: A square or rectangular modified brilliant-cut with four sharp corners. Origins in the early “French cut”.
- Radiant Cut: A square and rectangular-shaped gemstone with a brilliant-cut facet pattern on the crown and pavilion
with beveled corners. Created by Henry Grossbard in 1976.
- Asscher Cut: 58 to 74 step-cut facets, a small table, high crown, steep pavilion, and a distinct X in the gemstone’s
table with a wider cropped corner. Developed by the Asscher brothers in 1902 in Holland.
- Cushion-Cut: Combines a square and rectangular-shaped gemstone with a softer, more rounded corner.
Diamond-Cut: Symmetry and polish are two important aspects of this cut. This cut doesn’t refer to shape.
Rose-Cut: The rose cut has a round cabbed flat base and a faceted top. However, this isn’t a standard cutting method.
Flat Cut: There is a two-dimensional flat plane shape.
Buff Top: the top is domed on a cabochon cut while the bottom contains facets on its pavilion below the girdle.
Cabochon: A smooth round polished gem with a dome top and a flat or curved base. Opaque or translucent
rough is often cut into cabochon.
Carving: Decorating with designs or figures cut on the surface. Single cut: The cut with table, eight crown
facets, eight pavilion facets, and a culet.
Smooth Cut: A flat, regular surface makes the same level. Concave cut: Having an outline that curves inward
like the interior of a circle.
Honeycomb Cut: A structure of hexagonal cells of wax, made by bees.
Briolette Cut: Briolette is an elongated faceted teardrop shape. It also resembles a full round pear shape or a double rose cut.
Teardrop Shape: Same as briolette shape but doesn’t have to be faceted.
Checkerboard Top: Cutting style with triangular facets so its crown on the table resembles a checkerboard. Often
used on transparent and translucent stones.