A Jewelry A to Z

This A to Z will familiarize you with jewelry terminology.

• ALLOY: A mixture of two or more metals.
• APPRAISAL: An appraisal is an evaluation of the retail replacement value of a jewelry item. It is done by someone in the jewelry trade who has had enough experience to be able to arrive at a reasonable, fairly accurate approximate cost for replacement in case of loss. Appraisals are usually required by insurance companies before they will insure someone’s jewelry. Appraisals should be provided free of charge on newly purchased items. (Sometimes insurance companies will not except only a sales receipt, since many items are bought on sale and thus, their full replacement cost is not reflected in the amount of the sale.) The replacement cost of the piece, as determined by the jeweler/appraiser, will usually represent what he or she would sell the item for in their store at the time the appraisal is performed. An appraisal should include all pertinent details about the piece, any identifying marks such as engravings or manufacturer’s stamps, and a complete physical description of the piece. Important details include stone identifications; stone weight(s), colors and qualities; gold karat content, weight of the piece; and any other important characteristics. Any experienced jeweler can provide a consumer with an acceptable appraisal. An appraiser does not have to be licensed or “certified.”
• BAIL: A piece on charms, stones, pendants etc., so it may be worn on a chain.
• BASKET SETTING: A fancy setting with numerous side piercings that provides a lacy or basket-looking appearance.
• BEAD A stone cut in the shape of a small sphere.
• BEADED EDGE: A rounded raised edge on a ring or chram.
• BEZEL: A metal groove or flange that holds a gemstone in its setting. Also refers to the slanting face of a cut gem.
• BOX CHAIN: Links are wide and square so they form boxes.
• BUFFING: Polishing with either a cloth or on a high-speed wheel. Buffing usually refers to the polishing of metals, such as silver, gold, or platinum.
• CABOCHON: A domed gemstone. Also a highly polished curved surface without faceting.
• CAMEO: A carved gem or shell in which the outer layers are cut away so that the design stands out in relief against a background of a different color.
• CARAT: Unit of weight for gemstones with 100 points to a carat, with one carat equaling one-fifth of a gram.
• CHAIN: A series of connected loops, links, rings, or beads used for closures on bracelets or necklaces.
• CHANNEL SET: setting Grooved metal built into a jewelry setting for holding stones. Also refers to a number of uniformly sized small stones set in a row.
• CHEVRON STYLE: A motif consisting of short lines joining at angles to form an inverted “V.”
• CLASP: An attachment used to connect the two ends of a necklace, bracelet, or any similar piece of jewelry.
• CLUTCH: The small push-on or screw-on nut that goes on the post of a pierced earring and holds it on the ear.
• CROWN: The little know on a watch used to set the time; also the pronged setting part of a ring used to hold the gemstone or gemstones.
• CURB LINK: The links are oval and twisted so they lie flat.
• DIAMOND: A precious gemstone composed of pure carbon. Hardest of all known substances. Rated 10 on the Mohs scale.
• DIAMOND CUT: The technique of cutting polished facets into the links of gold chain so that the chain sparkles “like a diamond” when it moves.
• DROP: A small, pendant-like piece which is suspended from another part of a piece of jewelry.
• EMERALD CUT: A cut which is usually rectangular, but sometimes square, with rows of step cuts along the edges and at the corners.
• ENGRAVING: The cutting of letters, words, or dates into a ring or onto a piece of tableware such as pewter goblets or silver trays. Engraving can be done by machine or by hand.
• EXTENDER CHAIN: A chain which may be attached to another in order to provide a longer length.
• FACET: The polished surface of a gemstone; a small plane which is cut into a stone and enhances its reflection of light.
• FIGARO: A chain similar in style to a curb chain, but instead of uniform links, the links alternate between long ones and round ones.
• FILIGREE: lace-like ornamental work made from intricately arranged, intertwined wire.
• FINISH: The way the surface of a piece is polished or textured.
• FLUTED: A surface ornamented by channels or grooves.
• FRICTION BACK: A push-on earring clutch.
• FULL-DRILLED: A bead or pearl that is drilled all the way through for stringing on nylon cord. [See half-drilled.]
• GALLERY: A strip of metal used to make settings for jewelry.
• GEM: A stone which has been cut and polished for use in jewelry and fulfills the requirements of beauty, durability, and rarity. A fine stone of unusual quality. Thename for a precious or semi-precious stone.
• GOLD: A heavy, yellow, metallic element used for coins and jewelry since prehistoric times.
• GOLD FINISH: Jewelry done in a finish so that it has the look of gold.
• GOLD-FILLED: A thin layer of gold on top of a base metal.
• GOLD-PLATED: A thin plating of gold on top of a base metal.
• GRADING: The system of evaluating gemstones for color, quality, cut, and finish.
• HALF-DRILLED A bead or pearl that is drilled halfway through for setting on a post in a ring mounting. Half-drilled pearls or beads are usually cemented with epoxy onto the post. [See full-drilled.]
• IRIDESCENT: An interplay of various rainbow-like colors.
• JUMP RING: A link connecting the end of a chain to the clasp; also a link on a pendant or charm through which the chain is threaded so it can be worn around the neck.
• KARAT: A measure, from 1 to 24, used to indicate how much of a piece of jewelry is gold content and how much an alloy.
• LEVERIDGE GAUGE: A round millimeter gauge used for estimating the weight of mounted gemstones.
• LINKS: A series of loops which make up a chain.
• LOBSTER CLAW CLASP: A clasp used for necklaces and bracelets which features an elongated hook (like a lobster claw). It contains a spring mechanism and can be opened to catch the ring from the other end of the chain.
• LOUPE: A small magnifier used by jewelrs to look at gems, and items of jewelry. Available magnifications usually range from 1.5X to 10X.
• LUG: A spring bar that holds a watch strap or watch band to the case of the watch.
• MANDREL: A tapered steel rod used for measuring the finger sizes of rings.
• MANMADE: Synthetic; a gem manufactured in a laboratory and then mass-produced for use in jewelry.
• MARQUISE: An oval shape gemstone cut with pointed ends. It is named for the Marquise de Pompadour, Mistress of King Louis XV.
• MATTE: A frosted, non-shiny surface or finish.
• MOH’S SCALE OF HARDNESS: The standard scale of gemstone hardness used in the jewelry industry.
• MOUNTING: A rin, pendant, or earring setting.
• NICKEL: One of the metal elements added to pure yellow gold to transform it into white gold.
• PENDANT: An ornament suspended from a single chain.
• PIN: A brooch, also sometimes used to describe a watchband spring-bar.
  
• POINT: Unit of weight for gemstones equal to one one-hundreth of a carat.
• POLISH: Process used to make metal smooth and glossy. Increases shine and eliminates flaws.
• POST: The part of a pierced earring that goes through the ear.
• PRONG: One of several claw-like wires used to hold a gem or stone in place.
• RABBIT EARS: A split type of bail hook on the top of a pendant or charm that resembles two rabbit ears.
• RHODIUM: A white, metallic element used as a plating for platinum and white gold to give it a mirror-like finish.
• RIBBED: A textured effect consisting of ridges.
• ROPE CHAIN: Chain with a spiral appearance, giving the effect of two thick strands woven together.
• ROSE GOLD: An alloy of gold and copper.
• ROUGE: A red, white, yellow, or green polishing compound that is used on gold, silver, and platinum jewelry to remove scratches. The rouge is applied directly to a high-speed buffing wheel and the piece is then polished on the wheel. Different colors (and compositions) of rouge are used for different metals.
• SAFETY CATCH: A bracelet or chain clasp that has more than one closing and locking feature for safety.
• SAFETY CHAIN: A thin chain attached to the clasp of a bracelet or a watch that remains in place if the clasp accidentally opens and prevents the piece from falling off the wrist.
• SCALLOPED: An ornamental edge that consists of a series of curves.
• SEED PEARL: A very tiny cultured pearl, usually 2 millimeters or smaller in diameter.
• SETTING: An interchangeable word used to mean a complete ring mounting, as well as the small individual crowns stones are set into within a ring.
• SHANK: The bottom part of a ring; the part that goes around the finger.
• SIZING: Sizing usually refers to the adjusting of a ring size up or down to fit a person’s finger, although it is also used to describe the fitting of a watchband to a wrist. Sizing a ring is done by cutting the shank open with a jeweler’s saw and either removing a piece of gold to bring it down to the right size, or adding a piece of gold to increase the size. The piece is soldered into the shank, the seams are filed out, and then the ring is buffed, polished, and washed.
• SOLDER: To join or repair a piece of jewelry using gold or silver solder and the heat of a torch.
• SPRING RING CLASP: A rounded, hollow, circular wire which fits into a hollow, circular tube and is kept shut by a coiled spring on the inside.
• SQUARE CUT: A style in which the stone is square an bordered by four long narrow facets that are step cut. Similar to emerald cut.
• STAMPING: Marking a piece of jewlery with its karat designation; “14K”; “18K”; etc.
• STEAMING: A method of cleaning jewelry and gemstones using live steam.
• STEP CUT: A gem cut with a varying number of sloping parallel rows of four-sided facets which give the impression of steps.
• STERLING SILVER: Silver that is at least 92.5 percent pure with 7.5 parts of another metal, usually copper, to make the piece harder.
• STRAP: A leather watchband.
• STRINGING: Affixing pearls or gemstone beads to nylon or silk bead cord to make a necklace or bracelet. Stringing can be done with knots between each bead or unknotted.
• STUD: A single stone or metal ball on a straight post worn on pierced ears.
• SYNTHETIC: A manmade gemstone.
• TARNISH: The dark coating that occurs on silver and other metals due to oxidation.
• THE GIA The Gemological Institute of America.
• ULTRASONIC: A method of cleaning jewrelry and gemstones in jewelry cleaning solution in an ultrasonic cleaner.
• WHITE GOLD: An alloy of gold, nickel, copper, and zinc.
• WHITE METALS: Silver, white gold, and platinum.
• “Y” NECKLACE: This style gets its name from its shape which features its own delicate dangle forming a Y-shape around the neck. Usually 16 to 18 inches in length.
• YELLOW GOLD: The most popular gold alloy. An alloy of gold, silver, copper, and often zinc.