Pandora's Guide to Stone Shapes, Cuts and Settings

The shape of a stone determines the look of a piece of jewellery, and it also determines the shape and size of its setting. Lapidary is the art of working with gemstone cuts and polishing and it is an ancient technique that can be traced back thousands of years where artisans crafted tools from rocks and ornaments from precious gems and stones. Gemstone cutting is the process of turning rough, unpolished stones into gemstones for use in jewellery, giving them a specific shape and enabling their brilliance and colour to emerge.