78 GENERAL CHARACTERS OF PRECIOUS STONES 



are in multiples of six, and are arranged in two groups: the upper group, of which 

 the facets are lettered a, constitute the crown or star, while the series lettered h and c 

 are known as the teeth {dentelle). The star facets, a, and the cross facets, b and c, are 

 both, as a rule, triangular in shape, as in Fig. 30, but in special cases the cross facets may 

 be four-sided (Plate IV., Fig. 5 a). 



The appearance due to this arrangement of facets has been compared to that of 

 an opening rose-bud, hence the name applied to this form of cutting. It has been 

 in vogue since about the year 1520, principally for diamonds of small thickness, from 

 which comparatively small brilliants only could be obtained, and these with considerable 

 loss of material. This form of cutting for the diamond is second in importance only to 

 the brilliant, and a diamond cut in this manner is frequently referred to as a rose or 

 rosette. The rose-cut well displays the brilliancy of the stone, but is inferior to the 

 brilliant form in bringing out the play of prismatic colours. It is also applied to coloured 

 stones, for example pyrope or Bohemian garnet, but less frequently than to diamonds. 



The number and arrangement of the facets of rosettes may be considerably varied. 

 Some of the modifications which result are distinguished by special names, and are 

 represented in Plate IV., Figs. 1 to 7. The description of Fig. 30 applies to the 

 typical Dutch rose, or crowned rose (Plate IV., Figs. 1 6, 3 a), with six star facets and 

 eighteen cross facets. The character which distinguishes this from other rose-cuts is 

 the height of the pyramid above the base. This height is, as a rule, half the diameter 

 of the whole stone. Further, the distance from the base to the crown should be 

 three-fifths of the total height, while the diameter of the base of the crown should be 

 three-quarters of that of the whole stone. This is the form of rose-cut ordinarily 

 employed ; its base is usually round, but it is occasionally oval or pear-shaped (Fig. 2 h). 



An)ong the other forms of roses which are much less used is the Brabant or 

 Antwerp rose. This differs from the Dutch rose in that the star facets form a much 

 lower pyramid, while the cross facets are somewhat more steeply inclined to the base 

 (Fig. 4«); the number and arrangement of the facets is otherwise the same as in the 

 Dutch variety. Two modifications of the Brabant rose with its low crown are shown 

 in Figs. 5 a and 6 a. Of these the former has six triangular star facets and six four-sided 

 cross facets, while the latter has twelve cross facets in addition to the six star facets. 

 A form with a larger number of facets, the rose recoupde, is shown in Fio-. T a, b ; it has 

 twelve star facets and twenty-four triangular cross facets, the apices of the latter beino- 

 directed alternately upwards and downwai'ds. 



Closely related to the typical roses are a few forms, illustrated in Plate IV., Fio-s. 8 

 to 10. Fig. 8 a, b, shows the very rare form known as the cross-rosette, in which the facets are 

 arranged in multiples of eight. A cinnamon-stone, cut in this form more than a hundred 

 years ago, has been recently brought to light, and described by Professor Schrauf. Fig 9 a 

 shows a form which may be regarded as two roses joined base to base. This is the double 

 rosette ; also sometimes known as the briolette or the pendeloque ; the latter names are 

 however, more frequently applied to stones with a pear-shaped outline, to be mentioned 

 presently. This form, which was formerly much used for ear-rings and watch-chain 

 pendants, was given by L. van Berquen, the originator of the modern process of diamond 

 cutting, to the first diamonds cut by him. These included, among others, the " Florentine " 

 and " Sancy " diamonds, both of which are figured in Plate XI. (Fics. 10 and 11). 



Next to be mentioned are the briolettes, brillolettes, or pendeloques (Fig. 10), which are 

 bounded by small facets on all sides, and are somewhat elongated in one direction so that 

 they have a pear-shaped outline. They are often pierced in the direction of their o-reatest 



