Rhinestone Facets and what it means.

In the context of rhinestone cuts, "facets" refer to the flat, polished surfaces that are cut into the stone to enhance its brilliance and sparkle. The number and arrangement of these facets are designed to reflect and refract light in various ways. The more facets a rhinestone has, generally the more it will shimmer and shine, mimicking the appearance of a high-quality diamond. Faceting is a key aspect of gem cutting and contributes significantly to the overall visual appeal of the rhinestone.

Rhinestones can have up to 16 facets in the larger stones such as SS16, SS20 and SS30.

For illustration purposes, I will compare 8 facet and 12 facet cut Rhinestones:

An 8-facet cut rhinestone has fewer flat surfaces compared to a 12-facet cut rhinestone. Here's a comparison between the two:

 

8-Facet Cut Rhinestone:

• Number of Facets: 8
• Appearance: The stone will have fewer angles for light to reflect off of, resulting in a simpler, more subdued sparkle.
• Sparkle: Less intricate and generally not as brilliant as stones with more facets. The light reflection is more straightforward, creating larger flashes of light but fewer overall reflections.

12-Facet Cut Rhinestone:

• Number of Facets: 12
• Appearance: This stone has more angles for light to reflect off of, creating a more complex and refined appearance.
• Sparkle: Brighter and more intricate compared to the 8-facet cut. The additional facets break up the light into smaller, more numerous reflections, enhancing the stone's brilliance.

In summary, a 12-facet cut rhinestone will typically appear more sparkly and intricate compared to an 8-facet cut rhinestone due to the increased number of surfaces reflecting light. As the facets increase so does the appearance change in brilliance and sparkle due to the light reflection on the amount of facets.