Moissanite Briolette Cut: The Complete Guide to a Rare and Stunning Shape

The briolette is among the oldest and rarest gemstone cuts in fine jewelry. Dating to Indian gem-cutting traditions of the medieval period and popularized in European royal jewelry of the 16th through 19th centuries, the briolette is a fully faceted teardrop — a stone with no flat table, covered entirely in triangular or rhombus-shaped facets across its entire surface. It is drilled through at the top for pendant or earring suspension, worn hanging freely and catching light from every angle as it moves.

The Briolette's Anatomy

Unlike conventional faceted stones — which have a flat table, crown facets above the girdle, and pavilion facets below — the briolette has no table and no girdle. It is a continuous teardrop shape with facets covering the entire exterior. The facets may be triangular (classic briolette) or rhombus-shaped (modified briolette). The drilled hole at the top allows the stone to be suspended from a chain or wire, hanging freely and rotating with movement.

Light Performance of the Briolette

Because the briolette has no flat table and no conventional crown-and-pavilion structure, its light performance differs fundamentally from brilliant-cut stones. Light enters and exits through every exterior facet — there is no single primary viewing direction. As the stone rotates when worn as a pendant or drop earring, the light performance shifts continuously, producing a constantly changing pattern of brilliance and fire.

In moissanite specifically, this continuous rotation through light produces exceptional fire. Moissanite's dispersion of 0.104 — more than twice diamond's 0.044 — means every facet-to-facet light interaction separates white light into its rainbow components. A moissanite briolette in motion is one of the most optically dynamic objects in fine jewelry. Read more: Moissanite Dispersion Explained.

Best Jewelry Applications for the Briolette

Drop earrings: The most effective application. A matched pair suspended from gold ear wires moves with every head movement, producing continuous light play. The teardrop form elongates the visual line of the ear and neck. Recommended size: 0.5–1.5 carat DEW each in DEF colorless moissanite in yellow gold wire settings.

Pendant necklace: A single briolette suspended from a delicate chain sits at the collarbone and rotates with the wearer's movement. A round briolette of 1–2 carat DEW in a plain wire setting in 14K gold is one of the most elegant pendant configurations available in moissanite.

Cascading necklace: Multiple graduated briolettes suspended from a chain — a style popular in Victorian-inspired jewelry design. Each stone hangs independently, producing a waterfall of continuous light play. This application requires matched or intentionally graduated stones.

Briolette vs. Pear Cut

Both are teardrop-shaped but structurally different. The pear cut has a flat table, crown, girdle, and pavilion — set with the table facing up like any conventional stone. The briolette has no flat surface: it is a fully three-dimensional faceted object designed to be suspended and rotate freely. Read more: Moissanite Pear Cut Guide.

Stone Size Considerations

Briolette stones are described by dimensions (length x width in mm) rather than carat weight. For drop earrings: 8–12mm length (0.5–1.0 carat DEW each) is ideal. For pendants: 12–18mm length (1.0–2.5 carat DEW) creates strong visual presence. For cascading necklaces: a graduated range from 6mm to 16mm creates a natural visual flow.

Why Moissanite Is Ideal for Briolette Cutting

• Hardness (9.25 Mohs): The fully exposed exterior means every facet is vulnerable to surface contact. Moissanite's exceptional hardness ensures facets remain pristine through years of daily wear.
• High dispersion (0.104): Every facet interaction produces colored fire, and the constant rotation presents these fire flashes from every angle.
• Durability for drilling: Moissanite's hardness and toughness keeps the drilled suspension hole structurally secure under tensile stress of daily pendant or earring suspension.

Explore our moissanite collection or create a custom briolette piece at our custom design service. All stones GRA-certified DEF/VVS1, backed by our Lifetime Gemstone Warranty.

Related guides:
Moissanite Pear Cut Guide
Moissanite Shapes and Cuts Guide
Moissanite Dispersion Explained
Moissanite Refractive Index Explained
Moissanite Mohs Hardness