Home / Jewelry Making Tips and Techniques / Wrapping Cabochons

Wrapping Cabochons

by Dale Armstrong
Question:

I have several questions: Where can I find inexpensive cabochons? Whats the smallest cabochon for a necklace in mm since they all seem to be measured that way on the internet? What is the ideal size for a wire wrapped cabochon necklace?
Instructions
Answer:

The range of cabochons available today is truly amazing! A cabochon is a stone that has been cut and polished with a dome shaped top and a flat, often unfinished backside.

Traditionally cabochons were cut without facets but today's lapidary's are cutting cabs with faceted/designer tops too!
Pictured: Precious white, yellow and crystal opal cabochons from Ethiopia.
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A cabochon can be cut from almost any rough rock material, be it transparent like a topaz, translucent like carnelian, or opaque like jasper. The shapes cut can be either 'calibrated', which means a stone has been cut exactly to a standard size, like a 13mm x 18mm oval or a 10mm square; or 'freeform', when the lapidary cuts a stone to any shape or size they desire.
Pictured: Lustrous red octahedral cuprite crystals from the Propretary Mine in Broken Hill. The largest is 2.5mm on edge.
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Pictured: This stone might be a Andean Blue Opal from Peru, although it resembles dyed calcedony with inclusions. The stone is beautifully wire wrapped in a reversible pendant by D'Arcy Johnson.
Dale Armstrong's Wrapping Cabochons - , Wire Jewelry Design, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Weaving, Wire Weaving, Weaving Wire, Design, , Andean Blue Opal
The price of a cabochon generally depends on several factors related to the material or mineral it is made from, such as the quality, rarity, and popularity of the material, its origin, and its size or weight (measured in grams or carats). For example, semi-precious stones like amazonite, onyx, and aventurine are abundant and widely available in both freeform and calibrated sizes and shapes, and are typically sold by the piece.

In contrast, rare jaspers like Biggs Picture Jasper come from a specific location, and the process of finding and cutting a cabochon from a slab is time-consuming. Because of its desirability and popularity, it is usually sold by weight, measured in grams (with 28 grams in an ounce).

Royal Lapis is another special material that may be sold either by the gram or by the carat (with 5 carats in a gram).
Pictured: Poppy Jasper cut and wrapped in 21-gauge Argentium wire by Beverly Brown
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Then there are materials that are sold because of their acquired 'name'.

Using Lapis as an example, 'denim' lapis used to be considered a C grade material, (when I was a pebble pup, I was taught to 'leave it right there', as it wasn't good enough to carry home).

Someone coined the name 'denim', related the product to the fashion industry and voila! 'Denim Lapis' became desirable and an otherwise substandard material gained a market.
Pictured: Lapis Lazuli pendant wrapped by Janet Crane in a mix of sterling silver and gold-filled wire, with Swarovski crystal beads.
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Choice of cabochon size for use by the wire jewelry artist is totally the artist's choice.

Personally I find that 13 x 18mm oval and pear shaped cabs work up easily and sell well as pendants, but there are many other shapes and sizes that make beautiful pendants as well.
Pictured: Dog Teeth Amethyst 30×40 mm Rectangle Cabochon

Blue Goldstone 25mm Square Cabochon

Cat's Eye Zultanite gemstone. Photo credit International Colored Gemstone Association

Caramel-brown druzy pendant wrapped by Joan Madouse

Red Heart Fordite Pendant by Joan Madouse in sterling silver-filled wire

Carnelian 18x25mm Oval Cabochon
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Dale Armstrong's Wrapping Cabochons - , Wire Jewelry Design, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Weaving, Wire Weaving, Weaving Wire, Design, , Cat’s Eye Zultanite gemstone. Photo credit International Colored Gemstone Association.
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My last advice is to purchase your cabochons by their Size, not by their weight, as many materials are extremely heavy and you will be disappointed to find that the 8ct sapphire you ordered is about 1/3 of the size of an 8ct smoky quartz!
Pictured: A nice example of a freeform amazonite cabochon, wrapped in 14kt gold filled wire by Wire-Sculpture Faculty member Jill Gentry.

Amazonite pendant made with silver-plated wire by Wire-Sculpture Faculty member Albina Manning.

Bloodstone Pendant wrapped with 14kt gold filled wire by Judi Hogan
Wire-Sculpture carries a large variety of calibrated cabochons and also has a great selection of 'Designer' cabs too!
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Materials

Cabochons
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Druzy One of a Kind Cabochons
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Limited Edition-Highend Cabochons
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Wire
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Designer One-of-a-Kind Cabochons
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Tools

WireJewelry - Ultimate Wire-Pliers Jewelry Pliers with Case, Set of 5
G15-20
  • G15-20
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $170.72
  • Gold Club Price: $128.04
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DVDs
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  • Category: Design
  • Technique(s): Wrapping, Weaving, Design, General Education

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