Glossary

This is a list of some of the terms and abbreviations used.

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Cable chain

The links are round and uniform in size.

Cabochon

A gemstone which has been shaped and polished as opposed to being faceted. Cabochons are typically oval shaped with a rounded dome top and flat bottom. Bezel settings are generally used to put cabochons in jewelry.

Caliber cut

Small stones that are faceted and cut into squares, rectangles or oblongs, and set close together; used to add details to jewelry designs.

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 200 milligrams.

Carbon spots

This term refers to included crystals that have a dark appearance, rather than a white or transparent tone. In most cases, these dark inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, and do not affect the brilliance of the diamond. Research has shown that carbon spots are actually not carbon, but are belived to be other mineral inclusions.

Casting

Method of shaping metal by melting and then pouring into hollow mold. The casted piece is slightly more porous, with a rough surface that requires additional polishing and finishing.

Chain

A series of connected loops, links, rings, or beads used to create bracelets or necklaces.

Charm

A decorative pendant or trinket to be worn on a bracelet, necklace or earring.

Charm bracelet

A link bracelet which charms attached to it.

Choker

A close fitting necklace worn tight around the neck like a collar.

Citrine

A form of quartz with color ranging from yellow to orange to brownish orange. Citrine assists in unwinding tension and increasing flexibility in the body. Citrine is the birthstone for the month of November and is also the 13th anniversary gemstone. It's name is taken from the Latin word meaning citron.

Clarity

Clarity is the measure of the absence of inclusions or other imperfections within a gemstone.

Clasp

A lock or closure used to fasten a necklace, bracelet, etc. that makes it easy to put on or take off a piece of jewelry and is designed to prevent loss.

Cleavage

The breakage of stones along planes of atomic weakness related to the internal arrangement of atoms.

Clip

Clouds

A cluster of very small inclusions inside a diamond that give a cloud effect. Tiny clouds will not interfere with the flow of light, but large or numerous clouds can affect brilliance.

Cluster

A setting in which stones are grouped together.

Cluster ring

A ring with a setting in which stones are grouped together.

Cocktail ring

The cocktail ring is meant to be a dramatic large ring, worn at cocktail parties. The cocktail ring was especially popular to wear during US prohibition at illegal cocktail parties. Such a ring flaunted not only the fact that one was drinking illegally, but also that one was doing it with style.

Color

Color as it relates to diamonds is actually the lack of any color at all; colorless. The reason why colorlessness is sought is so that white light as it enters a diamond breaks up into the spectral, or rainbow colors. This is known as fire. Most diamonds have some body color, usually yellow and this caused by the presence of nitrogen molecules mixed in with the carbon which is the diamond.

Color grading

A category used to describe the amount or absence of color, typically yellow, within a Diamond or other gemstone. The G.I.A. Diamond color grading scale consists of twenty three grades represented by the letters of the alphabet beginning with the letter D and subcategorized as follows: COLORLESS (D,E,F), NEAR COLORLESS (G,H,I,J), FAINT YELLOW (K,L,M), VERY LIGHT YELLOW (N,O,P,Q,R), LIGHT YELLOW (S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z).

Colored stones

All gemstones other than Diamonds, or colored Diamonds.

Corundum

A gem species that is found in many colors. Red Corundum is called Ruby and all other varieties are called Sapphire. Corundum ranks 9 on Moh's scale of hardness so it is a perfect stone for everyday wear and will stand the test of time.

Crown

Part of the gemstone above the girdle.

Crystal

A crystal is the form a mineral will grow into and can be indicative of the species of gemstone. Most crystals are the external reflections of the internal atomic structure of a mineral.

Ct.

Common abbreviation for Carat.

CTTW

Common abbreviation for total carat weight when more than one gemstone is present. Also may be CTW.

Cuff bracelet

A type of bangle bracelet that does not meet and is put on from the side of the wrist instead of being slipped over the hand.

Cuff link

A decorative fastener worn to close the French cuff (a cuff without buttons) of a shirt.

Culet

A tiny facet at the bottom of a gemstone (you might view it as the pointed underside of the gem). Not all gemstones have culets. A culet can help reduce the risks of damage to the stone.

Cultured pearl

Created through a painstaking process of mimicking the natural pearl process in live mollusks. A pearl is formed as a result of implanting a piece of mantle from a mollusk into another host mollusk.

Curb link chain

A type of chain where the links are oval and twisted so they lie flat.

Cushion cut

The cushion cut is an antique cut that most often resembles a cross between the Old Mine Cut (a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut. This shape is also sometimes referred to as the pillow-cut or the candlelight diamond (a reference to cuts designed prior to electric lights, when diamonds sparkled in the light provided by candles).

Cut

A term used to describe how a stone is faceted or shaped. The most popular shapes are Round brilliant, Marquise, Pear, Emerald, Princess and Oval.

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