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Gemstone Cuts Infographic
A gemstone's cut refers to its ability to reflect light. Some types of gemstones cuts, like checkerboard-cut, reflect a lot of light, while others, like the cabochon, appear more opaque. The faceting pattern and shape of a gemstone all play a role in determining the cut. The cut can also be a reference to the technique used, such as Cameo or Intaglio.
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Gemstone Cuts
- Baguette: An elongated rectangle step-cut. Typically used for smaller diamonds, but can be found in other gemstone as well.
- Bead: A stone with a drilled hole through the center, sometimes smooth and sometimes faceted. Strung to decorate bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.
- Briolette: A three-dimensional teardrop gemstone bead with triangular facets all around.
- Cabochon: A style of cutting gemstones to achieve a smooth, domed surface with an absence of facets.
- Cameo: A low relief carving where the carving is above the background layer. Usually carved in shell or stone to portray the profile of a woman.
- Carved: When a gemstone is cut so that the outline or surface takes the form or likeness of a specific image or pattern.
- Checkerboard: A technique that creates a contrast of dark and light when light hits the pattern of square or diamond-shaped facets.
- Cushion-Cut: A gemstone that features a rounded square shape. The facet arrangement can be either a type of modified brilliant-cut or a checkerboard pattern.
- Emerald-Cut: A cut-cornered gemstone with a rectangular (or less frequently square) outline and step cut.
- Fancy-Cut: A unique and varying gemstone cut that does not fit into the usual categories assigned by gemologists.
- Intaglio: A carving that is engraved below the gemstone's surface to create a particular design.
- Rough-Cut: A gemstone that is either left in natural crystal form or has unpolished surfaces, giving it an irregular shape.
- Slice: A thin, usually flat piece cut from a gemstone. Often has a free-form shape and reveals the natural beauty of a gemstone's interior.
- Tapered Baguette: A modification to the baguette cut, where an elongated rectangle gemstone narrows on one side.
- Trillion-Cut: A variety of the modified brilliant-cut, sometimes called "trilliant" or "trillian." Features a faceted triangular shape, sometimes with curved edges.