cabochon
Noun: A cabochon is a gemstone that has been shaped and polished into a smooth, convex dome with a flat or slightly domed base. This style of cutting produces a highly polished, rounded surface without any facets (the flat, geometric faces found on many other cut gems). The cabochon cut is often used for opaque or translucent stones, or for gems that display optical effects like asterism (a star-shaped pattern) or chatoyancy (a cat's-eye effect).
- Noun:
- The antique ring featured a large, deep blue sapphire cut as a cabochon.
- Turquoise and opal are frequently set as cabochons to showcase their unique color and patterns.
- The jeweler recommended a cabochon cut for the moonstone to enhance its milky sheen.
- "En cabochon": A French-derived term used in jewelry descriptions to specify the cabochon cutting style.
- The pendant was set with a pearl and a ruby en cabochon.
- Cabbed (adj., informal): A shortened, informal term used among jewelers and gem enthusiasts to describe a stone cut as a cabochon.
- That star ruby is beautifully cabbed.
- Dome-cut gem: A descriptive synonym emphasizing the shape.
- Polished convex gem: A technical description of the form.
The word cabochon is highly specific to gemology and jewelry. It does not have other common meanings in general English. Its usage is strictly to describe this particular style of gem cutting and the gems cut in this manner.
There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs using the word cabochon. Its use is confined to technical and descriptive contexts within the fields of jewelry, gemology, and decorative arts.
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a highly polished gem that is cut convexly but without facets
