Making cabochons is a lot of fun and is the first (and easiest) way to learn how to shape gemstones. There's plenty of material you can purchase from the Club at dirt cheap prices and there's no fee to learn cabochon making (it's part of your membership).

Starting with a “slab of rough” (unworked rock), mark in the shape to cut and, using a large diamond saw, cut out an approximation of the shape required.

Len is about to cut up a slab of rough.

Daryl cuts a shape with a diamond saw.

Next, the rock is pressed against diamond grinders of varying roughness, which shape and polish the rock. When the final shape is complete, the cabochon is “dopped” (waxed onto a stick) and then is pressed into a polishing wheel for a buffed shine.

Marcia Rolfs on the grinder - shaping her cabochon.

This is standard procedure and our teachers Daryl, Len and Leo, teach newbies how to do it well – along with some handy tips and tricks resulting in fine cabochons worthy of any showcase.

Suzanne completes a shiny polish on the buffer wheel.

It takes hours or more to create a cabochon, but the results will last for hundreds of years. Like riding a bicycle, once you learn, you never forget!

The final result - a cabochon to be proud of!

Suggestions for cabochon use:

Wire wrap cabochons for hard-wearing, long lasting jewellery
Bead around cabochons for colourful jewellery
Silver smith with cabochons for long lasting and valuable jewellery
Glue cabochons to items for decoration
Enter cabochons in lapidary competitions
Sell cabochons to other lapidarians