Lapidary Services
Cabochon Cutting Service
A great cabochon is far more than a smooth, polished stone. Its proportions, symmetry, dome profile, girdle and final polish all decide how it catches the light, and how much of the gem's natural beauty shows. We cut cabochons for dealers, jewelers, manufacturers and collectors worldwide, to American & European standard.
Our standard
A true fine polish, not a waxy tumble
We cut and polish every cabochon to the standard our customers in North America and Europe expect: a genuine fine polish with crisp, sharp reflections and a clean, mirror-like surface, never the dull, waxy finish of low-cost, mass-produced stones.
Most cheap cabochons are finished by high-volume tumble polishing. Tumbling is fast and inexpensive, but it rounds edges, softens definition and leaves a finish that lacks brilliance. We hand-finish instead: each stone shaped, polished and inspected individually. It takes more time and experience, and the difference is visible the moment the stone catches the light.
The details that matter
What sets our cabochons apart
Every cabochon is crafted with the details experienced gem professionals notice immediately.
- Excellent symmetry and balanced proportions
- Smooth, evenly formed domes with no flat spots
- Clean, well-defined girdles that set securely
- A fine mirror polish with no grinding or polish marks
- Sharp reflections that lift the gem's luster
- Calibrated, consistent sizes for jewelry manufacturers
- Careful orientation for color, cat's-eye and star effects
- Maximum weight retained on every stone
Judgment, not guesswork
How we decide the cut
When your rough arrives, we study it before any grinding starts: color, banding, clarity, and whether there's a cat's-eye, star, or play-of-color effect hiding inside. If you've sent instructions, we follow them. If something won't work, or there's a better option, we write back before we start.
If you leave the decision to us, we choose the shape, dome height and orientation that show the stone at its best, whether that means color, pattern, or an optical effect, while keeping as much of the rough as we responsibly can. Tell us if weight or beauty matters more to you, and we'll cut to it.
What cutting can (and can't) do
A cabochon's magic often comes from something we can't add. An opal's play-of-color comes from microscopic silica spheres, stacked in an orderly pattern inside the rough as it formed, and a star or cat's-eye comes from fine natural "silk" inclusions aligned in just the right direction. Careful orientation and doming can center a star, protect an opal's color, or bring a hidden pattern to the surface, but no amount of skill can put play-of-color into a rough that doesn't have it, or create a star from silk that isn't there. We'll always tell you honestly what we see in your rough, and cut to show its best genuine potential.
Recent work
Cabochons we've cut for clients
A selection of finished cabochons, in a range of species, sizes and cuts.
The craft
How a good cabochon is cut
A cabochon is more than a smooth dome. Getting the most from a stone means reading it first, then cutting to reveal what makes it special.
Reading the rough
Before any grinding, we study the rough: color, banding, inclusions and any optical effect. That read decides how the stone gets oriented and shaped from the very first cut.
Dome, symmetry & polish
Every stone gets the right dome height for its type, an even girdle, a symmetrical outline and a flat, true base that sets securely, finished with a real mirror polish and no flat spots or polish lines.
Calibrated sizes & durable finishing
When you need calibrated sizes for manufacturing, we cut to spec. Softer or porous material is handled with extra care, and where appropriate backed or stabilized, so it stands up to setting and everyday wear.
Cutting for optical effects
When the rough has something special
Some stones carry an effect that only shows up if the cut is right. Here's how we approach three of the trickiest.
Cat's-eye & star stones
Chatoyant and star stones only work when cut on the right axis. We orient the silk so a cat's-eye sits as a single straight line, or a star centers on the dome with even legs, then set the dome height to sharpen the effect.
Opals
Opal is cut to protect and show its play-of-color. We orient the color face-up, keep the dome high enough to guard it, and shape the stone to hold brightness and pattern while wasting as little precious material as possible.
Patterned stones
With agate, jasper and other patterned material we cut for the picture in the stone, positioning the outline to frame the best banding, scene or focal point, so the finished cabochon has a deliberate composition, not a random slice.
Why clients choose us
Experienced hands you can trust with your rough
- 26+ years of professional lapidary experience
- A genuine fine polish, hand-finished, never a waxy tumble
- Careful orientation for cat's-eye, star and opal effects
- Calibrated, consistent sizes for jewelry manufacturers
- Large or small orders, cut to the same standard
- Competitive pricing, without compromising quality
- Secure international shipping, worldwide
- Trusted by clients across the US, EU and Australia
Good to know
Cabochon cutting questions
What types of gemstones can be cut as cabochons?
Can any rough gemstone be turned into a high-quality cabochon?
How do you decide the best shape, size and orientation?
Why does dome height matter?
Can you cut stones with special optical effects, cat's-eye, star stones and opals?
Do you cut custom cabochons to my requirements?
How precise does cabochon cutting need to be?
How do you maintain quality during cutting?
Do you offer cabochon cutting for jewelry manufacturers and gem dealers?
Reviews
What our customers are saying
I was incredibly impressed with your ability to cut these stones for optimum beauty, artistry and clarity — especially as these were previously rejected by another cutter as too fractured to cut. Now I have beautiful stones, and your prices were far less expensive. I've already recommended you to a friend.
Thank you for your diligent work, and for the speed in completing my order. Your personal contact — keeping me informed — speaks highly of your dedication and professionalism. Please use me as a referral to any future customers. A AAA+ company.
I'm extremely pleased with both the workmanship and the professional way this transaction was handled. You should be very proud of your company and your cutters — they certainly deserve my heartfelt thanks and gratitude.
I've looked carefully at the other stones and they're very impressive too, especially your artistic cuts. Thank you again for your work and your availability — I hope to work with you again.
From you to us and back
A simple, hassle-free process
You ship us your rough, we cut it to your specification, and we send your finished stones back, securely and on schedule.
Send an inquiry
Tell us about your stones and what you want. We reply with guidance and a quote.
Ship your rough
Send your parcel via EMS or FedEx. We confirm safe arrival on our end.
We shape & polish
Each stone is oriented, domed and given a true fine polish, by hand, individually.
We return them
Your finished cabochons are shipped back to you, tracked and insured.
Production & processing time
| Order size | Estimated time |
|---|---|
| Smallest (25g – 100g) | 1 – 2 days |
| Small (100g – 300g) | 2 – 3 days |
| Medium (300g – 500g) | 3 – 4 days |
| Large (500g – 750g) | 4 – 5 days |
| Larger (750g – 1000g) | 5 – 7 days |
| Huge (1000g+) | 7 – 30 days |
We process all orders in the order they're received.
Shipping your rough for cutting
Send your rough stones to Sri Lanka via Postal Express (EMS), Registered Air-Mail, or a courier such as FedEx, UPS or DHL.
We recommend EMS or FedEx, which are faster, safer and easy to track online.
Explore more
Other cutting styles
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View details →Diamond Cutting
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View details →Artistic & Custom Cuts
Designer and fantasy cuts with creative facet arrangements that push brilliance further.
View details →Ready when you are
Send us your rough for cabbing
Tell us what you'd like cut and we'll share our cabbing rates and any guidance you need, usually within one business day.