Faceted moonstone vs. cabochon

[cookies]

I know moonstone is usually cut in cabochon, which is suitable for pendant and earrings. What if it is faceted? Will it be too soft to be in pendant or earrings? Are the faceted ones supposed to sit in collector's box?

Also, does a faceted stone always have a pavilion? Could it have a faceted top with a flat bottom? Which one do you think is more attractive, cabochon or faceted? I have seen neither in real life.

I wanted to get a high-quality custom-cut cabochon, and set it in a framed bezel pendant. The cutter says the rough he has is of such fine quality that he really feels it would be better suited for a facet piece rather than a cabochon, but he could hunt down some (less fine?) material that would be better suited for a cab.

I need to decide by tomorrow, but I don't know if I should go with the fine quality but faceted moonstone, or go with the less fine and cabochon cut moonstone. I think I want a top quality stone that can be set and worn often (not on a daily basis though).

Your input will be really appreciated. Thank you!

 

[VapidLapid]

Cabochon v. facet, same hardness same uses. Yes a faceted stone can be without pavilion, like a rose cut diamond.

 

[Fly Girl]

Here is my faceted moonstone set in a double bezel pendant with my ringed Sea of Cortez pearl. So far, so good. I had no intention of leaving it sit in a gem box forever. It should be fine as a pendant or earrings.

 

[Fly Girl]

Here is the faceted moonstone before setting. Definitely a different look to the moonstone than a cabochon would be. If you want a nice moonstone cab and are willing to pay for it, I'm not sure why you would have to settle for a lesser quality stone.

 

[cookies]

Here is the faceted moonstone before setting. Definitely a different look to the moonstone than a cabochon would be. If you want a nice moonstone cab and are willing to pay for it, I'm not sure why you would have to settle for a lesser quality stone.

Thank you for sowing me your moonstone before and after setting. It indeed looks very different from cabs!

I am not sure if I will offend the cutter by asking him to cut his high quality rough into a cab. Maybe I could try offering him a price as if it were cut into a faceted stone..

 

[jstarfireb]

I like faceted moonstones and have a ring/earrings set with them. I wear them pretty frequently.

 

[Pandora II]

I like and have both.

The faceted moonstones are more unusual. I'd probably go for a cab in a ring and faceted for earrings or a pendant.

 

[cookies]

I like and have both.

The faceted moonstones are more unusual. I'd probably go for a cab in a ring and faceted for earrings or a pendant.

May I ask what kind of cut/faceting would you go for, something like a diamond cut, rose cut, or some fancy cut?

 

[Pandora II]

I'm not a precision cut fan (in the sense of whacky designs, concave cutting, nanometre perfect angles etc) - I like good traditional cuts but otherwise I'm all about colour. My faceted moonstones are rb's - rose cuts would be very pretty... then you could have the top faceted and the bottom like a cab.

 

[SB621]

I had a tiny faceted moonstone that was set into a silver stacker ring made my JKT. I loved it! Personally i like faceted and cabochon moonstone. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I think moonstone (and opal) look, in general, a lot better as cabs. I am trying to find a nice rational, logical reason but it all comes down to preference, I guess.