A cabochon (; from Middle French caboche 'head') is a gemstone that has been shaped and polished, as opposed to faceted. The resulting form is usually a convex (rounded) obverse with a flat reverse. Cabochon was the default method of preparing gemstones before gemstone cutting developed. Application Cutting en cabochon (French: "in the manner of a cabochon") is usually applied to opaque gems, while faceting is usually used for transparent stones. Hardness is also taken into account as softer gemstones with a hardness lower than 7 on the Mohs hardness scale are easily scratched, mainly by silicon dioxide in dust and grit. This would quickly make translucent gems unattractive—instead they are polished as cabochons, making the scratches less evident. In asteriated stones such as star sapphires and chatoyant stones such as cat's eye chrysoberyl, a domed cabochon cut can show the star or eye, which would not be visible in a faceted cut. The usual shape for cutting cabochons is an ellipse, because the eye is less sensitive to small asymmetries in an ellipse, as opposed to in a uniformly round...

Refresher training is a form of updating military knowledge of the reservist troops. Troops who completed the conscription service can be called for refresher training for some number of days. Refresher training in the Finnish Defence Forces In the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF), Officers and NCOs can be ordered to refresher training for 100 days in addition to their original military service and the rank and file (privates and other lower ranks) for 75 or 40 days. The amount of refresher training that a reservist is called to depends on the importance of the reservists assignment, deployment, the amount of special training (i.e. training that requires constant upkeep of skills) and willingness. The aim is to train the most important wartime units at intervals of about 5 years. The average duration of the exercises is approximately 5 days and nights. Many never get called for refresher training, some get called frequently and some even apply for voluntary additional training. The obligation for refresher training ends at the age of 60 for Officers and NCOs and 50 for the lower ranks. ...