Have you ever heard of a cabochon cut engagement ring? Odds are you haven’t, and yet there's a good chance you've already seen a cabochon engagement ring, cabochon earrings or a cabochon necklace before. So you might be wondering what a cabochon cut is. 

Take a look at your parents' jewellery, or certainly your grandparents' jewellery, and you will find they often feature a large, coloured and rounded gemstone. Cabochon is a fairly traditional cutting technique where the top of the gemstone is polished to a beautifully smooth and round surface. This technique gives jewellery with coloured stones a very particular and timeless look. BAUNAT will tell you more the meaning of cabochon in engagement rings. 

 

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What Characterises the Cabochon Cut?

A cabochon gemstone is a very original gemstone with a flat underside and a round dome at the top. Depending on the result you want, you can have the dome made higher, rounder or flatter.

Cabochons are often used for coloured gemstones because the technique strongly accentuates the colour. But the cabochon shape is also often used with more fragile gemstones because it is safer for the stone itself. In addition, this cut is also used with opaque stones.
Cabochon is a traditional technique for a timeless result
Cabochon diamonds are not cut. Instead, they are polished and bordered with small diamonds that make the colour purer. First, the natural stones are cut into a certain shape (e.g. heart shape, oval or square). Then, polish the top until the stone becomes spherical. An advantage of the cabochon cut is small scratches on the stone are hardly noticeable.

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What Should You Look Out For When Buying a Cabochon Engagement Ring?

If you’re looking for a classy vintage look the cabochon cut is perfect for your engagement ring. Although, to make the cabochon fully stand out and to guarantee the uniqueness of the ring, the finish of the stone is extremely important. The stone must be cut cleanly and in the right direction to create the unique light effects cabochon is famous for.

Cabochon is mainly used for coloured gemstones, so we strongly recommend you consider this cut when buying a sapphire or an emerald.

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The Original Appearance of the Cabochon Gemstone Cut

Gemstone with cabochon shape – BAUNAT
A cabochon engagement ring is very striking. The cabochon gemstone perfectly suits a design style and, even more so, a vintage style. This cut style is mainly used with coloured gemstones and will therefore add a colourful touch to your look.
The cabochon perfectly suits a vintage look
A special effect of the cabochon cut is asterism, a star-like light effect that can occur with certain minerals. The phenomenon is caused by small, needle-shaped inclusions arranged in a certain pattern. The star effect can be seen best when you illuminate the stone with a point source.

In addition to asterism, there are also other light effects that sometimes occur in the cabochon cut. Such as the chatoyance effect, where a cat's eye is created, and adularescence, in which a glow is created around the gemstone.

Is There Any Other Jewellery With the Cabochon Setting?

Cabochon can easily be used for various types of jewellery. Aside from the engagement ring, a cabochon cut is perfect, for the pendant of a necklace, for earrings or for bracelets.

The cabochon can be used as a solitaire stone, but also in combination with small side diamonds. Think of a halo ring, for example.

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What Other Types of Cuts Are There?

The cabochon cut is one of the oldest cuts, but is still used to harness the full potential of coloured gems. Would you prefer a diamond cut with facets? Then take a look at the other options below.

Frequently asked Questions

What is the radiant cut?

The radiant cut refers to the diamond’s cut. This shape is a variation of the square princess cut with flattened corners. The radiant cut is now becoming increasingly more popular when buying diamond jewellery. BAUNAT can offer this shape upon request.

Learn more about the radiant cut diamond or request the ideal shape from BAUNAT.

What is the emerald cut?

The emerald cut refers to the diamond’s cut. The emerald is a rectangular diamond with rectangular cut sides. It specifically emphasises the stone’s clarity and not the brilliance. The cut looks very much like the Asscher cut. It’s a rare and original shape when buying diamond jewellery. BAUNAT can offer this shape upon request.

Learn more about the emerald cut diamond or request the ideal shape from BAUNAT.

What is the baguette cut?

The baguette cut refers to the diamond’s cut. The baguette is a rectangular and sleek diamond with a large step at the top. It specifically emphasises the stone’s clarity and not the brilliance. It’s a rare and original shape when buying diamond jewellery. BAUNAT can offer this shape upon request.

Learn more about the baguette cut diamond or request the ideal shape from BAUNAT.

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