ALLOY
Alloy is a metallurgical term that refers to a mixture of two or more metals. Most metals used in jewelry are alloyed together, either to alter the metal’s color, or to give it greater strength.
ANNIVERSARY RING
Also known as an Eternity Ring, most usually worn on the third finger of the left hand, with the diamond engagement ring and most often bought to celebrate a wedding anniversary. This ring can also be worn on the third finger of the right hand as well. Traditionally a full or half band of diamonds but current fashion includes other gems and styling stacked on either the right or left hand.
ARGYLE DIAMOND
Diamond sourced from the Argyle Mine in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, one of the world’s most productive mines. Various colors found include many shades of brown, pink and white.
BAGUETTE
This refers to a rectangular-shaped small diamond that is step cut.
BASKET
A setting that has a support gallery from which the prongs or bezel extends to hold a gem or gems.
BEZEL FACET
On a round brilliant diamond, these are eight large kite-shaped facets on the crown. Also called top main facet.
BRILLIANCE
Brilliance describes the reflections of white light coming from the diamond.
BRILLIANT CUT DIAMOND
Round diamond with 57 facets (58 if there is a culet). Due to the symmetry, a round brilliant cut diamond, cut well, offers the optimum balance of brilliance, scintillation, and fire (spectral colors).
CARAT WEIGHT
The metric carat, which equals 0.200 gram, is the standard unit of weight for diamonds and most other gems.
CAVITY
An opening on the surface of the diamond
CHIP
An area on the surface that has been impacted and caused damage to the surface of a gem.
CHANNEL SETTING
A Setting that has a row of stones set between two strips of metal to hold the stones at the sides. Used for round, baguette and square-cut stones, the channel setting resembles a railway track with the diamonds in the centre.
CLARITY
Refers to a diamond’s relative position on the flawless to imperfect scale. Clarity characteristics are classified as inclusions (internal) or blemishes (external). The size, number, position, nature, and color determine the clarity grade.Top of Form
COLOR
In a white diamond, the optimum is the total absence of color. Most white diamonds have a faint tint of yellow, brown or gray. A color grade is given by how saturated the tint is in the diamond. The whiter diamonds are rarer and more valuable.
CROWN
The part of the diamond that is above the girdle. It consists of the table and the crown facets below it.
CROWN ANGLE
The angle measured between the girdle plane and the bezel facets. Along with the table size, the crown angle helps determine the amount of dispersion displayed by the diamond.
CUT
The proportions relative to the shape, along with the finish of a polished diamond (also called make). Cut affects both the weight yield from rough and the optical efficiency (beauty), of the polished diamond. The more successful the cutter is in balancing these considerations, the more valuable.
CULET
The smallest (58th) facet found at the bottom of a full-cut diamond. Some diamonds do not have a culet (none or pointed is how the culet of that diamond will be described).
DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY
The 60th anniversary, or in more modern practice the 10th year wedding anniversary, where diamond jewelry is given.
DIAMOND MONTH
April is Diamond Month on the Birthstone Calendar.
DIAMOND TENNIS BRACELET
A bracelet featuring diamonds set in a line, which is considered suitable for casual or formal wear.
EMERALD CUT
A rectangular or square, step cut diamond.
FACET
The flat planer, polished surface of a diamond.
FANCY COLORED DIAMOND
A diamond with a significantly saturated body color. Colors may be natural or enhanced and may be yellow, brown, blue, green, pink, or black. Less common colors are red and purple.
FANCY CUT
A diamond cut in any shape other than round. Fancy cuts include such shapes as baguette, emerald, pear, princess, oval, marquise, heart, teardrop and triangle.
FEATHER
An inclusion in a diamond that looks like a white feather.
FLAW
An imperfection, inclusion (birthmark) left in or on the diamond as it was being formed into a crystal inside the earth.
FLUORESCENCE
The property in many diamonds that makes them fluoresce in an environment rich in ultraviolet light. Faint to medium fluorescence is rarely detected under ordinary lighting conditions. Strong or very strong fluorescence may make a diamond appear “milky” or “oily”, especially in sunlight.
FRACTURE FILLING
A diamond enhancement process whereby a cavity in a diamond is filled with an artificial substance. This enhancement is usually not permanent.
GIA
Gemological Institute of America Gem Trade Lab. A well-respected independent laboratory which grades diamonds according to color, clarity , overall cut, polish and symmetry.
GIRDLE
The outer edge or the widest part of a diamond separating the top (crown) from the pavilion (bottom), forming a band around the stone. It may be rough, polished or faceted.
INCLUSION
An Imperfection internal to the diamond. Some examples are: feathers, crystals, needles, clouds and pinpoints.
KARAT
14 Karat is gold that consists of 14 parts of gold to 10 parts other metals, such as copper, nickel, etc. The gold content of a piece of jewelry is measured in Karats, which can range from 1 to 24. This level of purity in Gold is quite common in the US, a lot of the jewelry produced there is of this karatage.
18 Karat (18k) gold is 18 parts of gold to 6 parts other metals, such as copper, nickel, etc. The gold content of a piece of jewelry is measured in Karats, which can range from 1 to 24. 18 Karat gold is the most widely used gold and is found in high end designer and manufactured jewelry.
22 Karat (22k) gold is 22 parts of gold to 2 parts of other metals, such as copper, nickel, etc. The gold content of a piece of jewelry is measured in Karats, which can range from 1 to 24. 22 karat is most widely used in India and Asia to make gold jewelry. Some gold coins are minted in 22k.
24 Karat (24k) gold is pure gold containing no other metals. 24 karat is the purest karatage of Gold. Coins and other Bullion is usually of this karatage. Some jewelry is made in 24k which can be soft and pliable.
LASER DRILLING
A diamond enhancement technique whereby a laser is used to drill to an inclusion which is then bleached to enhance the diamond’s appearance.
LOUPE
Magnifying glass used in the trade to examine diamonds.
LOWER-GIRDLE FACET
The facets on the pavilion of a round brilliant just below the girdle.
MELEE
Small diamonds under 0.20 carat.
MOHS SCALE
The 10-point scale of mineral hardness. Diamond scores 10 on Mohs Scale. The diamond is the hardest of all known natural substances. A sapphire and ruby are rated as a 9 on the hardness scale, but are 200 x less hard then diamond.
NICK
A small chip on the surface
OLD EUROPEAN CUT DIAMOND
It is an early form of brilliant cut diamond with a very small table, heavy crown and large depth.
PAVE SETTING
In pavé setting, gemstones are fit into small holes and set almost level with the surface of the ring. They are set with raised beads of metal between them, giving the appearance of the gemstones having been paved (Pavé is French for paved), like a cobblestone road. A grain setting is a single row of pavé..
PAVILION
The bottom part of the diamond below the girdle.
PAVILION MAIN FACET
The eight facets found on the pavilion of a round brilliant diamond. Their points touch the girdle.
PRINCESS CUT DIAMOND
A diamond that is square in shape, with a shallow crown and deep pavilion faceted with chevron shaped facets.
POINT
100th of a carat.
PRONG
A tab or small rod used to hold a gem in place
RHODIUM PLATING
Rhodium is a white, metallic element. A Rhodium finish is usually applied to white gold jewelry to give it a whiter, high polished finish.
ROUGH DIAMOND
Diamond as it is first found in the ground, before it has been cut and polished.
SCINTILLATION
Disco ball type Sparkle. The play of light noticeable in a diamond when the observer moves his/her head.
STAR FACET
One of the eight triangular facets found on the upper crown section (next to the table) of a brilliant-cut diamond.
SOLITAIRE
The mounting of a single gemstone.
SYMMETRY
Labs grade symmetry from poor to excellent, based on the diamond’s proportions and the relation of one facet to another (meet-point faceting) and how well formed and matched each facet is.
TABLE
The largest facet which sits on top of a diamond. This is where most of the light enters and exits a diamond.
TABLE PERCENTAGE
The width of the table divided by the average diameter.
UPPER-GIRDLE FACET
One of the 15 facets found on the lower crown portion of the diamond (abutting the girdle).