diminishing
steps, with an oblong square or hexagonal or octagonal culet as
termination. Some trap-cut stones are brilliant cut below the girdle,
or vice versa.
The
table-cut needs little description : it has a very largely developed
table with bevelled edge, or a border of small facets. It is employed
for covering fine gold-work and miniatures ; in the sixteenth century
and later it was used in Europe for much diamond-work.
The
rose-cut (fig. 16) shares with the table-cut a much greater antiquity
than the brilliant-cut. It may be compared with the latter by supposing
the table to be replaced by six triangular or star facets, and the
crown to be represented by eighteen triangular cross and skill facets
which together constitute what the French call la dentelle. The base is either flat or a duplicate of the upper part.
The
other forms given to faceted stones are not of sufficient importance to
need description ; the star-cut and the pendeloque may just be named as
patterns sometimes followed in the cutting of diamonds.
Translucent and opaque stones are commonly cut en cabochon (fig.
17); the opal and the turquoise are characteristic - examples. The
moonstone, avanturine, cat's-eye, and star sapphire, too, would not
show their peculiar properties were the confusing reflected lights from
facets to be mingled with the white sheen, the brilliant spangles, the
silver thread, or the six-rayed star which these stones respectively
present when properly fashioned. The one transparent stone which is
frequently cabochon-cut is the garnet, which is then called a
carbuncle. A variety of cabochon used for this gem is
