Description
The black obsidian cabochon pendant, the oldest cut in lapidary work, a domed shape, polished without a single facet, on a perfectly flat base. It’s the cut connoisseurs ask for by name, the one that favors continuity of surface over the play of angles. Handmade with natural stones, it’s the one you choose for the purity of a single curve.
A cabochon is defined by a simple rule: no facets. Where a faceted stone multiplies small planes to fragment light, the cabochon keeps a domed, continuous surface, polished in a single sweep from edge to peak. It’s the oldest cut in lapidary work, used long before facet-cutting could be done with precision.
This cut isn’t an arbitrary choice for obsidian: it’s traditionally the only cut used on effect varieties, like celestial eye or rainbow obsidian, their sheen needs a continuous surface to reveal itself, and a facet would break it outright. On this pendant, the same cut is applied to plain black obsidian, for its graphic simplicity rather than an optical effect.
Unlike my free-form stones drilled for a thread, the cabochon has a flat base suited to a completely different setting: it’s mounted in a metal frame, like a classic gemstone, rather than strung. The result is a pendant with a clean, almost geometric line, very different from my free-form pieces.
Black obsidian keeps all its traditional properties here: protection and grounding, associated with the root chakra. To learn everything about the stone, discover my complete guide to obsidian or how obsidian is formed.
- 100 % natural black obsidian, facet-free cabochon cut
- Handmade in my workshop, in France, one of a kind
- Set in a stainless steel mounting, chain included
- A clean, continuous line, with not a single angle
The jewel from every angle
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Specifications
- Stone type
- Black obsidian
- Color
- Deep black, polished finish
- Pendant
- Oval cabochon, 3/4 x 1 in (18 x 25 mm), facet-free
- Setting
- Stainless steel, closed bezel
- Chain
- Stainless steel, included
- Length
- 17 3/4 in (45 cm), with 2 in (5 cm) extension chain
- Gender
- Women and men
- Brand
- Bijoux Obsidienne
Handcrafted by Camille
Every pendant is assembled by hand in my workshop, in France. Cutting a cabochon demands a different discipline than faceted cutting: no angle to define, just a curve to make perfectly even across its entire surface, the slightest flat spot shows immediately under light, where a facet can get away with a minor irregularity.
It’s the cut I offer to those who already know lapidary work and ask for it by its exact name. Setting it in a mounting, rather than threading it, also changes the whole assembly process, I shape the metal around the stone, not the other way around. Discover the story of the workshop, or my whole collection of obsidian pendants.
“The cabochon doesn’t cheat. No facet to hide a flaw: the stone has to be perfect across its whole curve, or it shows.”, Camille
Care: a soft cloth is all it takes; avoid salt, knocks and prolonged water, and take it off before showering or working out. All my tips are in the cleaning guide.
