Home US English cabochon

Definition of cabochon in English:

cabochon

Pronunciation /ˈkabəˌSHän/ /ˈkæbəˌʃɑn/

noun

  • A gem polished but not faceted.

    as modifier ‘a necklace of cabochon rubies’
    • ‘In the middle of the knot glinted a black cabochon star sapphire and around the winding arms of the metal was a circle encrusted with hundreds of tiny diamonds that shimmered in the light.’
    • ‘Out came cut stones, cabochons, obscure gems, common amethyst, odd colors of garnet, sapphire, and jade.’
    • ‘The example in Plate VIII is activated by pressing the cabochon garnet surmounting the rock crystal dome, under which a nephrite frog climbs a silver-gilt ladder.’
    • ‘Combine heated copper, authentic turquoise cabochons and Southwest stencils for surprisingly easy keepsake treasure boxes.’
    • ‘Her hair was pulled back tightly into a crest raised high by several collars of polished bone set with smooth cabochons of amethyst the same shade as her hair.’
    • ‘Using the different shades of the turquoise cabochons as my color guide, the gauntlet was thrown.’
    • ‘It looked like an angel, except for one thing: where the eyes of angels are blank and colorless like ice, the eyes of demons burn red, like ruby cabochons.’
    • ‘The Russian imperial crown is set with a cabochon ruby.’
    • ‘However, amazonite also has frequently been polished as cabochons and other shapes, its color and slight schiller effect making it a fine gem material in its own right.’
    • ‘She flung out an arm and touched heavy gold-embroidered silk and the cold smoothness of sapphire cabochons.’
    • ‘Alex didn't bother to look up from the delicate task of removing burrs from the edge of the cup of fine silver that would, eventually, hold a cabochon cut tigers-eye stone.’
    • ‘The female Sphinx moved to extend a paw, which contained a small silver headband set with a single cabochon of amethyst, that pulsated in time with a heartbeat.’
    • ‘For the next several years, Lawrence continued to work in this style, adapting it to form an interlacing design on a ring set with a cabochon emerald.’
    • ‘A few specimens from the Red Dwarf deposit have recently been cut into cabochons, but none have yet been faceted.’
    • ‘For massive material such as turquoise or lapis lazuli, which is fashioned into cabochons and free-form shapes, the purity, durability, and color of the material contribute to its desirability.’
    • ‘She lifted a necklace out of the letter, with a mock-sapphire cabochon.’
    • ‘It joined him in the dust and drew a wavering rendition of a double-sided pendant, two cabochons back to back, set in an intricate web of silver links.’
    • ‘The stones may be faceted or cut in cabochon and set either in bezel mountings or with prongs.’
    • ‘The handle, over three feet long and wrapped with a glossy black hide was crossed with an elaborately sculpted black metal hilt and capped with a huge, round pommel inset with a deep blue cabochon gemstone.’
    • ‘Within lay a length of silver casing, round and narrow, and set at different points with cabochon stones of lapis and white crystal.’
    gem, gemstone, precious stone, semi-precious stone, stone, brilliant

Phrases

    en cabochon

    • (of a gem) polished but not faceted.

      ‘precious stones en cabochon’
      • ‘They are generally cut en cabochon, but is often cut into round pieces for necklaces and pendants.’
      • ‘If the gem is cut en cabochon so that the base is parallel to the fibers, when rotated in a single light source, the ‘eye’ slides over the surface of the gem.’
      • ‘Fine quality gems cut en cabochon were often used to reinterpret Mughal motifs from art of the Mughal Empire, which merged Hindu and Persian elements.’
      • ‘A superb blue topaz, reminiscent of clear tropical waters, was custom cut en cabochon especially for this stunning ring.’
      • ‘It is considered to be a sacred stone in India and by tradition, it is always cut en cabochon.’
      • ‘When a star sapphire is cut en cabochon, and viewed at just the right angle, reflected light causes a six-rayed star to project across the top of the stone.’
      • ‘The gems are usually cut en cabochon, meaning with a convex, rounded surface that is polished but unfaceted, in order to best display their chatoyancy.’
      • ‘Besides being faceted and cut en cabochon, rubies are sometimes engraved with inscriptions or figures, this being most frequently done in the East.’
      • ‘Matrix opal is only found at Andamooka and is generally cut and sold en cabochon.’
      • ‘From the Art Deco era, a unique pendant created from brass and set with a large oval piece of yellow glass cut en cabochon.’

Origin

Mid 16th century from French, diminutive of caboche ‘head’.