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Daily Wire Tip Oct. 25: Wrapping Cabochons

By on October 25, 2009
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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip October 25, 2009

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 ?

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!

Crystal opal cabochons

Precious white, yellow and crystal opal cabochons from Ethiopia.

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.

Cuprite Crystals

Lustrous red octahedral cuprite crystals from the Propretary Mine in Broken Hill. The largest is 2.5mm on edge.

Andean Opal from Peru

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.

The price of a cabochon is generally based on several facts regarding the material or mineral it is made of, such as the quality and/or rarity and popularity of the material, where it came from and size and/or weight, (measured in grams or carats). For example semi-precious stones such amazonite, onyx and aventurine are abundant and can be found and purchased in both freeform and calibrated sizes and shapes and are sold mainly by the piece. Rare jasper like Biggs Picture Jasper comes from a special location and the amount of work to find and cut a cabochon from a slab is time consuming, but it is a desirable material, popular, and is usually sold by the gram, (there are 28 grams in an ounce). Royal Lapis is another special material that can be sold by either the gram or by the carat, (there are 5 carats in a gram).

Poppy Jasper Cabochon

Poppy Jasper cut and wrapped in 21-gauge Argentium wire by Beverly Brown

 

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.

Lapis lazuli wire wrapped cabochon

Lapis Lazuli pendant wrapped by Janet Crane in a mix of sterling silver and gold-filled wire, with Swarovski crystal beads.

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.

Dog Teeth Amethyst 30x40 mm

Dog Teeth Amethyst 30×40 mm Rectangle Cabochon

Blue Goldstone 25mm Square Cabochon

Blue Goldstone 25mm Square Cabochon

Cat's Eye Zutlanite

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

Carmel-brown druzy pendant wrapped by Joan Madouse

Caramel-brown druzy pendant wrapped by Joan Madouse

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

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

Gem Profile Contest

Carnelian 18x25mm Oval Cabochon

 

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!

Wire Wrapped Amazonite Cabochon

A nice example of a freeform amazonite cabochon, wrapped in 14kt gold filled wire by Wire-Sculpture Faculty member Jill Gentry.

Amazonite Pendant

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

Bloodstone Pendant

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!  CLICK HERE to see them all!

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

Have a question? Submit your question here!

13 Comments

  1. avatar

    mike bethel

    October 25, 2009 at 11:11 am

    After reading this question I understand what a CAB is. Now for my question if I had an electric tile cutter could I cut my own cabochons? Thanks Mike Bethel

    • avatar

      Linda Creager

      July 19, 2014 at 7:33 pm

      The answer to your question is no! ALL saws that are used to cut rock into slabs use either water or oil so that the blade & the rock do not become overheated. An overheated blade will warp & an overheated rock will break. To begin setting yourself up to do lapidary work, might I suggest that you first join a local lapidary club in your area or check to see what is offered by the Parks & Recreation. This is how I began & it is very helpful to learn from other cabbers.

  2. avatar

    Riki Metz

    October 26, 2009 at 4:40 am

    Dear Dale,
    I really enjoy your answers to ‘tips of the day. Could you please tell me which tools you use to make the projects in your book and DVDs.
    Thank you,
    Riki

  3. avatar

    Dale/Cougar

    November 4, 2009 at 10:56 pm

    Well, you could probably do some pre-forming with a tile cutter, but you would need a cab machine to shape and polish them.
    Dale/Cgr

  4. avatar

    Audra Stock

    August 6, 2014 at 9:46 am

    Hello,

    What gage wire would I use to wrap a 25x 18 can?

    Kind regards

    Audra Stock

  5. avatar

    Kayjay

    September 15, 2014 at 7:07 am

    I have been having trouble finding cab wrapping pendant patterns that are not too ornate but rather focus on the bezel aspect of the wrap, like several of the ones featured here which are beautiful. Can you tell me where I would find a resource for these pendants, particularly the amazonite, jasper and bloodstone pendants if they are available. Thank-you.

  6. avatar

    Joan Himelblau

    September 24, 2014 at 11:51 am

    Just a reminder, there are hundreds of tutorials about this on YouTube, just search ‘lapidary tutorial’, ‘cutting cabochons’ or wire-wrapped cabochons’

  7. avatar

    Marlene Ilecki

    June 2, 2015 at 11:01 am

    I’ve been wire wrapping for about 4 1/2 years and I find that 22g. Half hard square sterling silver wire for the main wire and 20g. half hard half round for the wire wrapping works best.

  8. avatar

    Laverne Snow

    June 6, 2015 at 8:47 am

    I enjoyed this tip thank you for including photos!

  9. avatar

    Contrast Bardot Lace Trim Skater Dress UK

    September 27, 2016 at 4:19 am

    Very nice tips in your blog…i like it…

  10. avatar

    donna bushnell

    October 11, 2016 at 5:19 am

    Does anyone have any suggestions for how to wrap opals successfully?

  11. avatar

    Roselyn Archambault

    January 3, 2017 at 10:55 am

    What’s the average size of stone for making rings?

  12. avatar

    Caro

    February 7, 2017 at 5:22 am

    Great information and photo examples. Thank you