Gemstone Meanings

Gemstone Contours

As a general rule only translucent, semi-translucent or clear gemstones are cut with facets. There are several basic cuts:

	Cabochon Cut: Flat on the bottom and rounded on the top. The cabochon is the oldest and most common cut. Variants: Round, Oval, Square, Triangular, and Octagonal cuts.
	Round Brilliant Cut: The most popular faceted cut for most stones, refracting the most light. A full cut is around brilliant stone with 57 or 58 facets. A single cut is a round brilliant cut with 17 facets. A standard round brilliant cut usually has 24 facets on the pavilion, 32 facets on the crown, a table facet, and may or may not have a culet facet. In addition to the usual number of facets the girdle may be faceted.
	Oval Cut: A modification of the round brilliant cut.
	Emerald Cut: Less refractive but very popular for cutting emeralds. Variants: Square and Trillion. It is square or rectangular with parallel rows of elongated narrow step-up facets on the crown and pavilion. An emerald cut diamond has corner facets at each one of the four corners.
	Marquise Cut: Almost exclusively used with diamonds.
	Radiant Cut: Rectangular shape with cut corners and 70 facets. The crown section has a combination brilliant-step cut arrangement and the pavilion section has more of a brilliant styling with a slight step-styling in the upper sections just below the girdle.