Introductory Cabochon Cutting Course

As you begin cabbing, there’s a specific process you’ll follow to cut and prepare stones with accuracy to ensure a beautiful piece.

The club has all manner of cutting wheels, grinders and polishers required for every facet of cabbing. You will be given expert instruction in using the machinery and gaining competency in this skill.

Cabochon cutting at Gold Coast Lapidary Club starts with the diamond sintered wheels, which are designed for the cutting & shaping of the cabochon.

Workshop Schedule

Once the Cabochon has been shaped it is time to move onto the diamond soft wheels, these wheels remove and refine the scratches while giving a pre-polish to the cabochon. The final stage of cutting a cabochon is to obtain a high polish on leather or suede with tin oxide or cerium oxide with water.

The most common cabochons are oval shaped though more experienced cutters will cut any shape that suits the stone limited only by their imagination and skill. Any stone can be cut in this manner, but most stones are predominantly opaque or translucent, such as turquoise, agate, jasper, lapis lazuli and carnelian.

Cabbing is a fundamental skill and will be one of the first activities that new and prospective members will be introduced to at the club. Our very competent instructors are on hand to take you through the initial learning phase and are always available for ongoing advice. 

Cabbing is the process of making cabochons, or “cabs” for short. Cabochon cutting or cabbing also happens to be the most popular form of gem cutting. You’ll find that cabbing is very self-rewarding.

A Cabochon is a polished rock that has a flat back and domed top surface.  A freeform is any polished rock that is not faceted and does not comply with the rules of a Cabochon.

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