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Faceted stone showing the various parts of a cut gem. Three views of a brilliant-cut diamond
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Faceted stone showing the various parts of a cut gem.
Faceted stone showing the various parts of a cut gem.

facet

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facet, flat, polished surface on a cut gemstone, usually with three or four sides. The widest part of a faceted stone is the girdle; the girdle lies on a plane that separates the crown, the stoneā€™s upper portion, from the pavilion, the stoneā€™s base. The large facet in the crown parallel to the girdle is the table; the very small one in the pavilion also parallel to the girdle is the culet. Certain stones, such as mogul cut diamonds (egg-shaped jewels faceted without regard for symmetry or brilliancy) or drop cut stones, have neither a girdle, a crown, nor a pavilion. In others, the crown and the pavilion are identicalā€”e.g., in baguette cut stones.