Cabochon

A stone polished into a smooth dome without facets. The cut of choice for phenomena, since stars and cat's eyes appear only against a curved surface, and for material whose character reads better in a dome than in sparkle. For star stones, value follows the sharpness and centring of the star and the translucency of the body. Facet-grade rough is rarely cut this way, so a cabochon offered at a faceted price deserves a question.