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In addition to unfaceted stones being cabochon cut, some are engraved. High-speed, diamond-tipped cutting tools are used. The stone is hand-held against the tool, with the shape, symmetry, size, and depth of cut being determined by eye. Gemstones can also be made by cementing several smaller stones together to create one large jewel. See assembled gem.
in jewelry: Gem engraving, setting, and cutting )The most ancient technique of stone engraving, intaglio-incised carving, was probably first used to produce seals. The art is believed to have originated in southern Mesopotamia and was highly developed by the 4th millennium bc. During the Hellenistic Age (c. 323–30 bc) intaglio surface engraving gave rise to the idea of carving stones in relief, exploiting the different...
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