CABOCHONS
Gemstones are cut in 2 ways. Generaly softer and opaque material is cut into Cabochons. The name Cabochon is taken from the middle French Caboche (head). This is a gemstone which has been shaped and polished as opposed to faceted. The result is usually a flat bottom with a convex top.
FACETED
Facets are the flat faces on geometric shapes. The Round Brilliant being the most famous and used for diamonds and many coloured gemstones. The angle of each facet is critical in the final outcome of a gem. The general rule is that only translucent clean material is suitable for faceting although their are exceptions to the rule.
LIST OF THE MOST COMMON GEMSTONES FOR BOTH FACETED AND CABOCHON,S
Agate
Alexandrite
Amythest
Ametrine
Aventurine
Azurite
Beryl----The Beryl family of gemstones is made up of the following:
1. Emerald- Green
2.Aquamarine- Blue to blue green
3.Morganite- Pink
4.Heliodor- Yellow
5.Goshonite- Colourles
6.Bixbite- Red this paticular Beryl is very rare.
Blood Stone
Cats Eye
Cerrustite
Chalcedony
Charoite
Chrome- Diopside
Chrysocola
Citrine
Coral
Corderite
Crazy Laze Agate
Corrundum-- This is the scientific name for Ruby and and Sapphire
Diamond
Elbite
Emerald
Garnet-- The Garnet family consists of a number of varieties and colours not as many people think just the dirty red stones which are the most common colour:
1.Pyrope-- Also known as Rhodolite Pink in colour
2.Almandine-- Red Garnet
3.Spessartine-- Spessartite/ Malai Orange
4.Grossular -- Tsavorite Emerald Green / Massive Transvaal Jade
5. Andradite-- Demantoid, Topozolite and Melanite
6.Uvarovite-- The rarest of all Garnets
Hematite
Howlite
Hypersthene
Jade--- Jadeite
Nephrite
Jasper
Jet
Kornerupine
Kunzite
Kyanite
Labradorite
Lapis-Lazuli
Lace Agate
Larimar
Malachite
Marcasite
Meteorite
Moonstone
Moss Agate
Mother Of Pearl
Obsidian
Opal
Orbicular- Jasper ( Atlantis Stone )
Orbicular Agate
Orthoclase
Padparadschah ( Orange Sapphire )
Pearl
Peridot
Petalite
Petrified Wood
Prasiolite
Prenite
Pyrite
Quartz
Rhodocrosite
Rhodonite
Rose Quartz
Rutilated Quartz
Sard
Sardonyx
Smokey Quartz
Sodalite
Spinel-Another stone of many colours:
1. Ruby Spinel ---Red
2. Rubicelle-- Yellow to Orange
3. Balas-- Pink to pale Red
4. Alamandine-- Vilolet
5. Pleonast-- Black
6. Picotite-- Brown
7. Gahnite-- Greensish Bluish
8. Sapphire Spinel Blue
Sugilite
Sunstone
Taafeite
Tanzanite
Tigers eye
Titanitei
Topaz- Another stone that comes in a variety of colours. Its important to note that Blue Topaz has in all probability been Irradiated:
1. Imperial -- Orange Yellow
2. Pink-- Pink
3. Blue-- Usualy Irradiated
4. Silver-- Colourless
5. Brown
Tourmaline-- The biggest variety of coloursand it is claimed that their are over 46000 diffrent shades of colour:
1. Elbaite- Green
2. Rubelie-- Pink to Red
3. Indicolite-- Light to Dark Blue
4. Dravite-- Brown
5. Achoirite-- Colourless
6. Schorl-- Black
7. Water Melon--Red center surrounded by green
8. Bi-Colour-- Any combination of colours
9.Multi Colour-- Multiple colour combinations
10.Verdelie-- Green Tourmaline
11. Siberite-- Purple
12.Paraiba-- Neon Blue
Turquoise
Verdite
Zircon-- Another stone witha a variety of colours.
1. Hayacinth-- Yellow, Orange and Brown
2. Jaragon-- Colourless to pale grey
3. Starlite-- Blue Variety
4. Matarua-- Colourless used to resemble diamond
5. Red
