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diminishing steps, with an oblong square or hexagonal or octagonal culet as termination. Some trap-cut stones are brilliant cut below the girdle, or vice versâ.

The table-cut needs little description: it has a very largely developed table with bevelled edge, or a border of small facets. It is employed for covering fine gold-work and miniatures; in the sixteenth century and later it was used in Europe for much diamond-work.

Fig. 16.

The rose-cut (fig. 16) shares with the table-cut a much greater antiquity than the brilliant-cut. It may be compared with the latter by supposing the table to be replaced by six triangular or star facets, and the crown to be represented by eighteen triangular cross and skill facets which together constitute what the French call la dentelle. The base is either flat or a duplicate of the upper part.

The other forms given to faceted stones are not of sufficient importance to need description; the star-cut and the pendeloque may just be named as patterns sometimes followed in the cutting of diamonds.

Fig. 17.

Fig. 18.

Translucent and opaque stones are commonly cut en cabochon (fig. 17); the opal and the turquoise are characteristic examples. The moonstone, avanturine, cat's-eye, and star sapphire, too, would not show their peculiar properties were the confusing reflected lights from facets to be mingled with the white sheen, the brilliant spangles, the silver thread, or the six-rayed star which these stones respectively present when properly fashioned. The one transparent stone which is frequently cabochon-cut is the garnet, which is then called a carbuncle. A variety of cabochon used for this gem is