A single A4 sheet with every standard calibrated cabochon size — ovals, rounds, squares, pears, marquise, and rectangles — true to scale, ready to print and cut.
If your printer scales the page even slightly, the stencil will be useless for fitting cabochons to commercial bezels. Follow these steps carefully.
⚠️ The most important rule
Always set your printer to "Actual Size" or "100%" — never "Fit to Page" or "Shrink to Fit". Then verify the calibration bar at the top of the printed sheet measures exactly 100 mm with a real ruler before cutting anything out.
1
Download the PDF
PDF is the most reliable format for true-scale printing. Click the green PDF button above to save it to your computer.
2
Open in a PDF reader
Use Adobe Reader, your browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari), or any PDF app. Avoid sending it directly to your printer's "Photo" mode — always go through the PDF print dialog.
3
In the print dialog, set scaling to 100%
Look for an option called Actual Size, 100%, Custom Scale: 100%, or Page Scaling: None. Untick "Fit to Page", "Shrink Oversized Pages", or "Auto Rotate & Center".
4
Use A4 paper
The stencil is sized for A4 (210 × 297 mm). If you only have US Letter paper, see the FAQ below for adjustments.
5
Verify with a ruler
After printing, place a ruler along the calibration bar at the top of the page. It must measure exactly 100 mm from end to end. If it's off by even 1–2 mm, reprint with adjusted scale, or check that "Fit to Page" is genuinely off.
6
Cut out shapes (optional)
For a reusable stencil, print onto cardstock or transfer to a sheet of acetate / mylar / thin plastic and cut out the shapes with a craft knife. For one-off use, just trace through the paper onto your stone slab with a fine permanent marker.
Settings by printing platform
Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac)
Click More settings
Set Paper size to A4
Set Scale to Default or Custom: 100
Make sure Fit to printable area is not selected
Press Ctrl+P / Cmd+P
Set Paper Size to A4
Under Scale, choose Scale: 100% (not "Fit to page width")
Press Cmd+P
Set Paper Size to A4
Click Show Details if needed
Set Scale to 100% — do not check "Scale to fit"
Press Ctrl+P / Cmd+P
Under Page Sizing & Handling, select Actual size
Untick Choose paper source by PDF page size if your tray is A4
Untick Auto-Rotate and Center to be safe
Press Cmd+P
Set Paper Size to A4
Set Scale to 100%
Under Preview options, do not check "Auto rotate"
Open the PDF in your PDF reader app, not the gallery
Tap Share → Print or use AirPrint / Google Cloud Print
Look for Scale, Fit, or Size options
Choose None, 100%, or Actual Size — never "Fit to page"
Phones often default to "Fit": always double check
What's on the sheet
Every shape and size is drawn at true 1:1 scale and labelled with its dimensions in millimetres (width × height).
Ovals
21 sizes · 4×3 → 40×30 mm
The most common cabochon shape — full standard calibrated range from tiny accent stones up to large statement pieces.
Rounds
7 sizes · ø6 → ø18 mm
Standard round cabochon sizes for rings, pendants, and earrings.
Squares (cushion)
8 sizes · 6×6 → 20×20 mm
Square cabochons with subtly rounded "cushion" corners, matching standard square bezel cups.
Pears / Teardrops
12 sizes · 6×8 → 20×30 mm
Standard calibrated pear sizes used by bezel manufacturers — full belly with softly tapered tip.
Rectangular cabochons with rounded corners for emerald-cut style bezels.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my shapes come out the wrong size?
Almost always because the printer scaled the page. Check that "Fit to Page" or "Shrink Oversized Pages" is off, and that scale is set to 100% or "Actual Size". Then measure the calibration bar at the top — it must be exactly 100 mm. If it's still off, your printer's hardware may have a small calibration offset; some printers consistently print at 98–99% even when set to 100%.
Can I print on US Letter paper instead of A4?
Yes, but you need to be careful. US Letter (216 × 279 mm) is slightly wider but shorter than A4. If you print to Letter without scaling, the bottom 18 mm of the sheet will be cut off (just the footer text — no shapes lost). If you scale "Fit to Page" the shapes will be wrong size. Best option: set the paper size to A4 in the print dialog and use Letter paper anyway — the printer will print at A4 dimensions and just leave white space.
Will these match commercial bezel cups?
Yes. The sizes are the standard calibrated dimensions used by jewelry findings suppliers worldwide. Industry pear/teardrop sizes follow common length-to-width ratios (1.3–1.5), and ovals, rounds, squares, marquise, and rectangles all use the standard wholesale calibration. If you cut a stone to one of these templates and buy a calibrated bezel cup of the same size, it should fit. (Always allow for a tiny tolerance — most lapidaries cut stones a fraction undersized to ensure they drop in cleanly.)
Can I make a reusable plastic stencil?
Yes. Print the PDF onto cardstock, then trace the shapes onto a sheet of clear plastic (mylar / acetate / 0.5 mm polypropylene) and cut them out with a craft knife. Or take the SVG file to a laser-cutting service for a precision-cut acrylic or plastic stencil. The SVG is a true vector file so it can be cut exactly.
Can I edit or modify the stencil?
Yes. Download the SVG and open it in any vector editor (Inkscape is free, or Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer, or Figma). All shapes are individual paths so you can add, remove, or resize anything. The SVG uses millimetres as the native unit so dimensions stay accurate.
Is this really free? What's the catch?
No catch. Free to download, use, modify, share, and even print and sell as part of your lapidary work. No attribution required, no sign-up, no ads, no tracking. If you find it useful, sharing it with another lapidary or rockhound is the best thanks.
Can I request more shapes or sizes?
Possibly. Common additions might include freeform/baroque outlines, larger pear sizes, or hexagons. The current sheet is full at A4 — additional shapes would mean a second sheet. Get in touch if you have a specific use case.
Does it work for faceted stones too?
The outline shapes are the same — calibrated stone sizes are universal across cabochons and faceted stones. However faceted gemstones are usually purchased to fit a specific bezel, not cut by hand, so this stencil is most useful for cabochon work. For faceted-stone marking it can still be handy as a quick size reference.
Found this useful?
This stencil is free to download, use, and share — no strings attached. If it saves you time or money on your lapidary work, a small tip is hugely appreciated and helps keep tools like this free for everyone.
