This is a question that comes up from time to time when I’m jewelry shopping with clients. For many, “cabochon” is a jewelry vocabulary word which may not be part of your daily vernacular. Pronounced “kab-uh-shawn,” it refers to a rounded, highly polished cut of stone with no faceting. Typically, this cut is an oval shape (though you’ll find it in other shapes as well) with a flat bottom. Alexis Kletjian recently posted this stunning photo of a group of phrenite cabochons. Beautiful, right?
The word cabochon comes from the French word “caboche” which translates to “small dome.” Opaque gems such as turquoise, opal, moonstone, and onyx are most commonly found in this cut, as opposed to transparent gems, which are typically faceted. Personally, I adore cabochon gems — they elicit a very mystical vision in my mind.
So that you can get a clear handle on what cabochon jewelry looks like, I thought I’d share a few lovely examples.
Do you have any jewelry with cabochon gems in your jewelry box? Does this cut appeal to your sense of personal style? Please let me know in the comment section below — I’d love to hear from you.
You June babies are lucky ducks, as you have three birthstones. One is Alexandrite. While it truly is a gorgeous stone, it’s extremely rare, so it’d be tough to find many options for you to buy. Then there’s the pearl, which many associate as the “main” birthstone for the month. Personally, I’m partial to the third option, moonstone. You may remember back in January I wrote an article about how my body physically craves certain gems, and moonstone is most definitely one of them. In fact, here’s my Steven Battelle rainbow moonstone ring I wrote about; I could not leave the store without buying it — it was truly a visceral reaction when I spotted it in the case. Has this ever happened to you?
Moonstones have been used in jewlery for over 2000 years. They are considered a sacred stone in India, and the most prized specimens come from Sri Lanka. The glow that emanates from within is reminiscent of the moon’s glow, hence the name. It comes in a variety of colors, from blue to peach to grey and more. Moonstone is the stone of emotional balance and is associated with goddess energy. It is a stone of protection (especially to travelers), love, passion, and it promotes psychic abilities and intuition. I think it’s a downright breathtaking gem.
I may have gone a little overboard with my virtual shopping spree today, but I just couldn’t help myself. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order…
So now do you see how I’m so completely drawn to this iridescent stone? Oy…where is my bottomless wallet when I need it?! And if you are celebrating a birthday this month, wishing you all the best! (And be sure go to buy yourself a sparkly treat.)
I’ve been inundated with the color orange as of late, between Halloween, the San Francisco Giant’s being in the World Series, the leaves changing outside my window…pretty much everywhere except in my jewelry box. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I rarely see jewelry with orange stones. Why is that? Is it a color many don’t prefer? Perhaps it’s because there aren’t as many varieties of stones with an orange hue? (In fact, how many can you name?) I’m really not quite sure.
At any rate, I took myself on another of my infamous virtual shopping sprees with no budget (like the one I took with green stones this past March). Before I knew it, hours (yes, hours!) had slipped by, but I had found some stunning pieces in so many different shades of orange. Here are my fave finds, in no particular order. Enjoy!
Earrings
Orange coral was one of the first things that jumped into my mind when I thought about orange jewelry, and this pair of earrings by Annette Ferdinandsen are just beautiful.
Ray Griffiths designed these with a lovely orange harmony in carnelian and amber.
Sethi Couture also has a lovely ombre effect in these diamond linear drop earrings.
Geodes are always a favorite of mine, and Kimberly McDonald used a stunning pair in these earrings.
Mary Esses designed a party for your ears in gold, diamonds, and carnelian.
For a style with more angular lines, then these by Kothari are pretty amazing. It reminds me of photos I’ve seen of the sun’s surface!
Necklaces
The traditional cameo was another image that popped into my head as I thought about jewelry with an orange hue. Amedeo takes the cameo to a whole new, modern level, as shown in this “see no evil” pendant.
Jes MaHarry created an uber-cool necklace, with a wheel of coral, gold, diamonds, and a silver chain. its’ a very chic bohemian look, which I would layer with other necklaces in a heartbeat.
This orange crystal and diamond necklace by Jacquie Aiche would be another great layering piece.
For more of an orange punch, then I’d go for this druzy agate pendant by Peppina.
Bracelets
Vaubel is a master with color in his designs, as demonstrated in this chunky bracelet.
Nak Armstrong is another designer with impeccable use of color, this time with mandarin garnets.
For a skinny layering piece, this orange garnet bead bracelet by Joseph Brooks makes me smile.
And let’s not forget adding the color orange in the form of a watch. I’d never say no to one by Hermes!
Rings
Jane Bohan designed a substantial ring with citrine and diamonds.
