spodumene - Barion cut designsspodumene - Barion cut designs

Barion Cut Designs for Colored Gemstones


Barion cut designs aren't just for diamonds. Jeff Graham offers some advice for faceting this style as well as choosing the right gemstones for this cut.

1 Minute Read

Noted South African author and diamond cutter Basil Watermeyer invented the Barion cut in 1971. The name "Barion" combined his first name with his wife's, Marion, as a tribute to her. Barion cut designs were first used for diamonds. However, gem cutters soon realized the advantages of these cuts for colored gemstones.
faceted spodumene - Barion cut designs
Faceted spodumene, octagonal Barion-style cut, approximately 13 carats. Photo by ProteusX. Licensed under CC By-SA 3.0.

Characteristics of Barion Cut Designs

half moon facets - Barion cut designsBarion designs have moon-shaped facets at the girdle. The central part of the design is a brilliant, with all the mains meeting at the same point and the break facets meeting at a different point. A set of fan facets usually connects with the half-moon facets.

If you see a gem with moon-shaped facets around the girdle, you're likely looking at a Barion design.

Barion Oval

The Advantages of Barion Cuts

Barion cuts allow designers to work with longer length to widths and/or deeper designs, while keeping brilliant designs. The moon facets act as buffers, absorbing the different facet sizes.

If designed correctly, Barion cuts are generally brighter than traditional designs as the L/W ratio increases.

Barions will usually have higher yields than traditional brilliant cuts. They may also require deeper custom settings.

What Types of Gems Look Best With Barion Cut Designs?

Barion cuts work best for lighter colored, larger sized gem rough. Due to their depth, Barions tend to darken the finished stone's color. They also usually have more facets than a regular design of the same shape. Thus, Barions typically require more work to cut as well as larger rough.

    All slide show photos © Dan Stair Custom Gemstones. Used with permission.

    Barion Cutting Advice for Novice Gem Cutters

    When choosing a Barion cut, be wary of designs that require a very high angle for the moon facets. As a general rule, anything over 68° will make the finished stone very difficult to set.

    Be sure and cut your stone to the proper L/W. (A pre-form is almost always a good idea).

    A common problem when cutting Barions is that the moon facets don't line up. They end up looking like the Rocky Mountains. Usually, the L/W being off one way or another causes this.

    Suggestions for Barion Cut Designs

    Rainbow cut - Malaya Garnet
    Rainbow-cut rose Malaya garnet, 13.1 x 17.8 x 10.5 mm deep, approximately 18.53 carats, by Jeff Graham.

    Jeff R. Graham

    The late Jeff Graham was a prolific faceter, creator of many original faceting designs, and the author of several highly-regarded instructional faceting books such as Gram Faceting Designs.

    Latest Articles

    More Articles
    Classic Engagement Ring StonesPastel purple sapphire</a>, 1.08 cts, 5.8 mm, round cut, Sri Lanka. © <a href=https://www.gemsociety.org/article/barion-concept-cut-design/"https://www.thegemtrader.com/">The Gem Trader</a>. Used with permission." src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="responsive" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%"/>

    Classic Engagement Ring Stones

    Emerald, ruby, sapphire, and diamond are the most popular choices for classic engagement ring stones. Learn more about these traditional...
    Read More
    Broken Bangle — The Blunder-Besmirched History of Jade Nomenclature: Book Review

    Broken Bangle — The Blunder-Besmirched History of Jade Nomenclature: Book Review

    Is fei cui a better term for "pyroxene jade" than jadeite? Jeffery Bergman reviews Broken Bangle, a new book on...
    Read More
    Cuprite Value, Price, and Jewelry InformationJoel E. Arem</a>, PhD, FGA. Used with permission." src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="responsive" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%"/>

    Cuprite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

    One of the rarest of all facetable gems, cut cuprites can show magnificent deep red color. However, these beautiful stones...
    Read More
    Gemstone Radiation TreatmentPhoto courtesy of <a href=https://www.gemsociety.org/article/barion-concept-cut-design/"https://www.liveauctioneers.com/">liveauctioneers.com and <a href=https://www.gemsociety.org/article/barion-concept-cut-design/"https://www.liveauctioneers.com/auctioneer/1081/eros-auctions-inc/">Eros Auctions, Inc</a>." src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="responsive" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%"/>

    Gemstone Radiation Treatment

    Gemstone radiation is a common but little understood technique for altering colors. Learn how it works and what gems usually...
    Read More

    Never Stop Learning

    When you join the IGS community, you get trusted diamond & gemstone information when you need it.

    Become a Member

    Get Gemology Insights

    Get started with the International Gem Society’s free guide to gemstone identification. Join our weekly newsletter & get a free copy of the Gem ID Checklist!