68 terms
Numbers
- The 4CsDiamond quality & gradingThe 4Cs are cut, colour, clarity and carat weight: the four qualities a grading laboratory uses to describe a finished diamond.
- 10K goldMetals & purity10K gold is an alloy of 10 parts gold and 14 parts other metals, which makes it 41.7% gold.
- 14K goldMetals & purity14K gold is an alloy of 14 parts gold in 24, which is 58.3% gold by weight, with the rest made up of metals such as silver, copper or palladium.
- 18K goldMetals & purity18K gold is an alloy of 18 parts gold in 24, or 75% pure gold, with 25% other metals such as copper, silver or palladium.
Terms starting with A
Terms starting with B
- Bezel settingSettings & ring stylesA bezel setting holds a stone with a thin strip of metal that wraps around its edge, called the girdle.
- Bow-tie effectShapes & cutsThe bow-tie effect is a dark, bow-tie-shaped shadow across the middle of some elongated diamonds, most often ovals, pears and marquise cuts.
- Bridal setSettings & ring stylesA bridal set is an engagement ring and a wedding band designed to be worn together, usually chosen as a pair so the two share a metal, a style and a fit.
Terms starting with C
- CAD jewellery designMaking, sizing & careCAD jewellery design means building a piece as a three-dimensional computer model, measured in millimetres, before any metal is cast.
- Carat weightDiamond quality & gradingCarat weight is how much a gemstone weighs. One metric carat is exactly 200 milligrams (0.2 g), divided into 100 points of 2 mg each.
- Cathedral settingSettings & ring stylesA cathedral setting is a ring style in which arches of metal rise from the band, called the shank, and carry the centre setting.
- Channel settingSettings & ring stylesA channel setting holds a row of gemstones in a narrow groove so they sit edge to edge between two parallel walls of metal, with no metal between the stones.
- Comfort-fit bandMaking, sizing & careA comfort-fit band is a ring whose inside surface is gently curved outward (convex) instead of flat.
- Cuban link chainChains, bracelets & ringsA Cuban link chain is made of thick, oval links that interlock and lie flat against the skin, which gives it a dense, rope-like look.
- Cushion cutShapes & cutsA cushion cut is a diamond with a square or rectangular outline, curved sides and rounded corners, like a pillow.
Terms starting with D
- Diamond clarityDiamond quality & gradingDiamond clarity is a grade for how free a diamond is of inclusions, which are internal or surface-reaching marks, and blemishes, which are external.
- Diamond colourDiamond quality & gradingDiamond colour is a grade for how little tint a white diamond has.
- Diamond cut gradeDiamond quality & gradingA diamond cut grade is a laboratory's rating of how well a polished diamond's proportions and finish handle light.
- Diamond fluorescenceDiamond quality & gradingFluorescence is the glow some diamonds give off under ultraviolet (UV) light, most often blue, which stops once the UV source is removed.
- Diamond grading reportDiamond quality & gradingA diamond grading report is a laboratory's written record of a diamond's identity and quality: its shape and measurements, carat weight, colour, clarity, cut for round brilliants, polish, symmetry, fluorescence and, on the full report, a plotted diagram of its clarity features.
- Diamond inclusionsDiamond quality & gradingInclusions are natural features inside a diamond, or reaching the surface from within, such as mineral crystals, feathers (small breaks) and twinning wisps.
- Diamond proportionsDiamond quality & gradingDiamond proportions are the measurements that shape a stone's profile: the width of the table (the flat top facet), the total depth, the angles of the crown above the girdle and the pavilion below it, and the girdle and culet.
- Diamond treatmentsDiamond quality & gradingA diamond treatment is any process applied after mining or cutting to improve a diamond's appearance.
Terms starting with E
- Emerald cutShapes & cutsAn emerald cut is a rectangular diamond with cropped corners and rows of long, flat facets stepped down like a staircase.
- EngravingMaking, sizing & careEngraving is the cutting of letters or a design into metal.
- Eternity bandSettings & ring stylesAn eternity band is a ring with an unbroken row of gemstones, most often diamonds, set along the band.
Terms starting with F
- Fancy coloured diamondsDiamond quality & gradingA fancy coloured diamond has a body colour outside the normal range used for white diamonds (the D to Z colour scale): either more colour than the Z reference stone, or a colour other than yellow, brown or grey, such as blue, pink or green.
- Figaro chainChains, bracelets & ringsA Figaro chain repeats a short run of standard links, usually three, followed by one elongated link, all the way along its length.
- Franco chainChains, bracelets & ringsA Franco chain has a square cut and a V-shaped link pattern.
Terms starting with G
Terms starting with H
Terms starting with I
Terms starting with J
Terms starting with K
- KaratMetals & purityKarat (K) measures how much of a gold alloy is pure gold, counted in 24ths.
- Kimberley ProcessDiamond quality & gradingThe Kimberley Process is an international scheme, in force since 2003, that requires participating governments to certify shipments of rough diamonds, to keep out of legitimate trade the stones that finance rebel movements fighting legitimate governments.
Terms starting with L
- Lab-grown diamondDiamond quality & gradingA lab-grown diamond is a diamond grown in a laboratory instead of formed in the Earth.
- Laser inscriptionDiamond quality & gradingA laser inscription is a line of tiny characters etched by laser onto a diamond's girdle, the thin outer edge.
- Lost-wax castingMaking, sizing & careLost-wax casting is a way of making metal jewellery by forming a model in wax or burn-out resin, surrounding it with a heat-resistant mould called investment, melting the model away, and filling the empty space with molten metal.
Terms starting with M
- Marquise cutShapes & cutsA marquise cut is an elongated diamond with a pointed end at each side, often described as boat-shaped, and faceted in the brilliant style.
- MoissaniteDiamond quality & gradingMoissanite is silicon carbide (SiC), a very hard, strongly sparkling gemstone first found as tiny crystals in a meteorite and now grown in laboratories for jewellery.
Terms starting with N
Terms starting with O
Terms starting with P
- PalladiumMetals & purityPalladium is a silvery-white platinum-group metal that jewellers use at about 95% purity, stamped 950 or Pd, or marked “palladium” or “pall.” in Canada.
- Pavé settingSettings & ring stylesA pavé setting places small stones close together so they form a continuous surface of sparkle.
- Pear cutShapes & cutsA pear cut is a teardrop-shaped diamond with one rounded end and one point, faceted in the brilliant style.
- PlatinumMetals & purityPlatinum is a dense, naturally white metal from the platinum group.
- Polish and symmetryDiamond quality & gradingPolish and symmetry are the finish grades on a diamond report.
- Precious metal quality marksMetals & purityA precious metal quality mark is the stamp on jewellery that states its metal and purity, such as 10K, 14K, 925, sterling or Plat.
- Princess cutShapes & cutsA princess cut is a square diamond cut in a modified brilliant style, so it keeps a lively, sparkly face despite its sharp corners.
- Prong settingSettings & ring stylesA prong setting holds a stone with narrow metal supports, called prongs, that grip it at the edge and leave most of the stone exposed to light.
Terms starting with R
- Radiant cutShapes & cutsA radiant cut is a square or rectangular diamond with cut corners, so its outline has eight sides.
- Rhodium platingMetals & purityRhodium plating is a thin surface layer of rhodium, a bright white platinum-group metal, applied over another metal.
- Ring sizeMaking, sizing & careRing size is the inside diameter or circumference of a ring.
- Rope chainChains, bracelets & ringsA rope chain is made of many small links twisted together so they spiral like strands of rope.
- Rose goldMetals & purityRose gold is gold alloyed mainly with copper, which gives it a pink to reddish colour; some recipes add a little silver.
- Round brilliant cutShapes & cutsA round brilliant cut is a circular diamond with 57 or 58 facets, arranged to send as much light as possible back to your eye.
Terms starting with S
- Signet ringChains, bracelets & ringsA signet ring is a ring with a flat face made to carry an engraved design.
- Solitaire settingSettings & ring stylesA solitaire setting holds a single centre stone with little or no additional decoration, so the diamond's shape, size and quality are what you see.
- Sterling silverMetals & puritySterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, commonly copper, stamped 925 or “sterling”.
Terms starting with T
- Tennis braceletChains, bracelets & ringsA tennis bracelet is a flexible band of individually set diamonds or gemstones in one continuous line around the wrist.
- Tennis chainChains, bracelets & ringsA tennis chain is a necklace made of one unbroken row of small, matching diamonds or gemstones, each held in a setting and joined to the next so the line bends and drapes.
- Three-stone ringSettings & ring stylesA three-stone ring has a centre gemstone flanked by two smaller side stones.
- Toi et moi ringSettings & ring stylesA toi et moi ring, French for “you and me”, holds two gemstones side by side on one band, often in prongs or bezels.
- Total carat weight (TCW)Diamond quality & gradingTotal carat weight (TCW, also written ctw or cttw) is the combined weight of every diamond in a piece of jewellery, not the weight of its largest stone.
Terms starting with W
Terms starting with Y
More from the library
- 15 guidesGuidesLong, plain-spoken guides for choosing an engagement ring, a diamond, a wedding band or a chain: what matters, what does not, and where a cheaper choice is the better one.
- 8 articlesJournalShorter pieces on the questions that come up before a purchase: traditions behind engagement rings, how to wear and stack jewellery, birthstones and gifts.