Barrel-Cut

A barrel bows outward at the middle and draws back at both ends, like the cask it is named for. There is no corner and no point anywhere on it, which makes it one of the more forgiving outlines to wear and one of the easier ones to bezel.

It is a shape that comes from bead and carving work rather than from faceting tradition, so it turns up as a centerpiece in strung and wire-wrapped designs more often than in a prong head. Standard millimeter sizes, and rare enough that this page stays short.