Jewelry Glossary 1

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Abalone
Abalone is a univalve mollusk whose ear-shaped shell is lined with mother-of-pearl.

Acroite
Acroite is a type of tourmaline, usually black in color but when various colors are transparent they are valuable gemstones.  Acroite is a variation that is colorless and extremely rare.

Adamantine
Adamantine means inflexible, compared to the hardness or luster of a diamond.

Adularia
Adularia is a whitish-blue moonstone, popular for Art Nouveau jewelry.

Agate
Agate is stone commonly used to adorn jewelry, because of its wide variety of colors, and its ability to be dyed to enhance its natural color.  Onyx is a type of agate.

Alabaster
Alabaster is a form of mineral gypsum that can be used for beads.

Alexandrite
Alexandrite, named after the Russian Czar Alexander II, is a greenish chrysobery that appears red in artificial light.  It is typically used as a gemstone in jewelry.  The "Alexandrite Effect" refers to its ability to change color under different light.

Alloy
Alloy is a mixture of two or more metals, and can decrease the value or purity.  Examples of alloy combinations in jewelry include gold mixed with silver, or sterling silver mixed with copper, mixtures allow jewelry to become inexpensive.

Almandine
Almandine is the most common type of garnet, and ranges in color from a deep red to violet.  It is used as a gemstone to adorn jewelry, and was named after Alabanda, a town in Caria.

Alpaca
Alpaca is an alloy that is used as a substitute to silver.

Aluminum
Aluminum is a lightweight metal that is used today in alloys or for inexpensive jewelry.  However, when it was discovered in the 18th Century it was more valuable than gold.

Amber
Amber is a hard translucent brownish yellow fossil resin, from conifers, used for jewelry and other ornamental objects.  Amber is flammable and produces static electricity.

American Ruby
American Ruby is actually a pyrope garnet, which makes it less expensive than a ruby.

Amethyst
Amethyst is a quartz that varies from transparent deep purple to violet, the deeper the color the higher the value of the gemstone. 

Ametrine
Ametrine is a combination of amethyst and citrine causing the quartz to appear purple and orange.

Amorphous
Amorphous refers to a stones lack of a consistent internal structure.  Most gems have a crystal structure but others like amber for example do not.

Amulet
Amulet is a charm worn to bring good luck or to ward off evil.

Angelskin Coral
Angelskin Coral is a pale pink coral popular for jewelry, it is one of the most expensive. 

Anklets
Anklet is a piece of jewelry that is worn around in ankle, like a bracelet.

Anniversaries
Anniversaries are gemstones that are commonly given as gifts to commemorate wedding anniversaries and commitments.

Antiqued
Antiqued is the technique of changing a piece to make it appear aged, which is commonly achieved by either darkening or tarnishing.

Appliqué
Appliqué is the process in which an ornamental piece is made separately and then attached to the jewelry.

Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a highly prized transparent sea green gemstone.  It is a variety of beryl stones, an emerald, also highly valuable is another variety.  The best aquamarine gemstones are known to come from Brazil. 

Aqua Regia
Aqua Regia is a substance consisting of a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid.  It is used to test the quality of gold and platinum, and can dissolve both.

Arcade Setting
Arcade Setting is a style of setting that holds a stone into a metal ring with multiple metal claws.

Art Deco
Art Deco is a design style that was popular in Paris, France and spread throughout the world during the mid-1910's.  Its popularity declined during the mid-1920's.  Art Deco jewelry is styled with geometric shapes and angles. 

Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is a design style that was popular during the early 1900's, it enveloped all aspects of design from architecture, advertisements to jewelry.  Art Nouveau jewelry is styled with rounded forms and forms from nature, including plants and typically insects.

Assay
Assay is a test performed to diagnose the purity of an alloy.

Asscher Cut
Asscher Cut refers to a particular cut of a diamond.  It was invented by Joseph Asscher, a diamond cutter, who opened his own company in 1902.  It was a popular cut during for Art Deco jewelry. 

Asterism
Asterism is the name for the star shape light that reflects from certain gemstones.

Axis of Symmetry
Axis of Symmetry refers to two planes intersecting through an object, and when rotated the separate pieces are exactly the same.  It is important to have an axis of symmetry for many gemstones and diamonds because you can determine correct proportions of a stone, and ultimately determine its brilliance.

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Baffa Diamond
Baffa Diamond is a rock crystal and is used instead of an actual diamond.

Baguette
Baguette is a style of cut for a diamond or stone.  Its shape is long and rectangular.

Bail
Bail is a triangular piece that attaches a pendant to a necklace.  They are usually made of the same material of the necklace but it depends upon the style of the set.

Balls
Balls are similar to beads but with one hole that does not fully pierce it and can be screwed onto a post. Balls are generally associated with body jewelry.

Band
Band is a type of ring that is like a strip of ribbon, it can vary in width and design depending on the style.  They are most commonly used for wedding rings.

Bangle
Bangle is a style of bracelet that is stiff, similar to what is called a cuff. 

Bar and Ring Clasp
Bar and Ring Clasp is a type of jewelry clasp that fastens the ends of either a necklace or bracelet together by inserting a bar into a ring.

Barbell
Barbell is a piece of body jewelry that resembles a barbell, it has two ornamental balls on the end with a pipe that is thread through a piercing.

Baroque
Baroque is a term used in the jewelry trade to describe a stone with an irregular shape.

Baroque Pearl
Baroque Pearl is a type of pearl that is not rounded and left irregular in shape.

Bar Pin
Bar Pin is a pin that is long and usually slender, and is attached to clothing horizontally.

Barrel Clasp
Barrel Clasp is a type of jewelry clasp that fastens the ends of either a necklace or bracelet together by screwing two pieces together that form a shape of a barrel.

Base Metals
Base Metals are non-precious metals.

Basket Setting
Basket Setting is a type of setting that has holes in the sides similar to a basket weave.

Baton
Baton is a style of cut for a diamond or stone.  Its shape is long and rectangular even more so than the baguette.

Bayadre
Bayadre is a multi strand pearl necklace.

Beads
Beads are objects that have a hole through them to allow a string to pass through it. They are made of various materials and have many different shapes and sizes. They are ornamental pieces to adorn jewelry.

Belly Chain
Belly Chain is a piece of body jewelry that is worn around the waist.

Belly Ring
Belly Ring is a type of body jewelry that is worn through a piercing in the belly button or clipped on the belly button.

Beryl
Beryl is an extremely hard mineral that comes in a variety of colors.  When beryl is transparent it is considered to have great beauty and is extremely valuable.  Examples of gemstones in the beryl family are aquamarine and emerald.

Bezel
Bezel or crown is the section of a cut diamond or stone that sits above the edge of the setting.

Bezel Setting
Bezel Setting is a type of setting that holds the stone by a band of metal around the outside.

Bib Necklace
Bib Necklace is a short necklace with multiple strands of ornaments hanging from the front.

Birthstone
Birthstone is a particular gemstone that represents each month.  January is Garnet, February is Amethyst, March is Aquamarine, April is diamond, May is emerald, June is Pearl or Moonstone, July is Ruby, August is Peridot, September is Sapphire, October is Opal, November is Topaz or Citrine, December is Turquoise or Zircon.

Black Opal
Black Opal is a variety of the Opal, an iridescent mineral composed of silica and water.  It has a darker background but still contains the fire, reflections of several colors, that characterizes opals.

Black Pearl
Black Pearl is a variety of the Pearl, and is dark in color.  Another name is Tahitian Pearl, because they are produced by the Tahitian black pearl oyster, from the Indo-Pacific Ocean.  Although this pearl is called the Black Pearl, they are found in a range of colors from gray to peacock green (the most rare and valuable).  The color depends on the diet of plankton and its environment.

Bleaching
Bleaching is a technique used to 'bleach' the color out of precious gemstones.

Blemish
Blemish is an imperfection or flaw on the surface of a gemstone.

Blister Pearl
Blister Pearl is a variety of pearl that is generally used for earrings because of its unusual shape.  The pearl forms on the oysters shell and must be cut off to be removed, and has one flat side.

Blue Diamond
Blue Diamond is extremely rare, and formed when other materials crystallized with the carbon due to its exposure to extreme heat thousands of years ago.  Because of the rarity, these fancy diamonds are expensive.

Blue Topaz
Blue Topaz is colorless or slightly brown and turns blue when heated.

Body Jewelry
Body Jewelry is ornamental jewelry that is worn on various parts of the body, like toes, belly buttons, nose, etc.

Bohemian Diamond
Bohemian Diamond is rock crystal, and is inexpensive compared to actual diamonds.

Bohemian Ruby
Bohemian Ruby is a pyrope garnet, and is inexpensive compared to actual rubies.

Bonding
Bonding is a technique designed to enhance the appearance of a stone and/or to make it more durable.  The process includes placing a colorless bonding agent, for example plastic, onto the stone.

Book chain
Book chain is a type of chain linked by rectangular metal in the shape of books.

Bouton Pearl
Bouton Pearl is another name for a blister pearl, which is formed on the shell of an oyster and has an unusual shape.

Bracelet
Bracelet is piece of jewelry worn on the wrist.  There are many different styles, and variations to the bracelet.

Brass
Brass is an alloy comprised of copper and zinc.

Brazilian Chain
Brazilian Chain is a variety of chains characterized by small cups linked together.

Bridal Set
Bridal Set is an engagement ring and a wedding ring that is made to fit together both physically and stylistically. 

Brilliance
Brilliance refers to the sparkle caused by light reflecting off the facets of a gemstone.

Brilliant Cut
Brilliant Cut is a style of cut that has 56 facets to maximize brilliance (the luminous reflection of a stone, particularly the diamond).  It dates back to the 1600's.

Briolette
Briolette is a style of cut that is pear-shaped and most commonly used for pendants.

Broach
Broach is a pin, a piece of jewelry that is attached to clothing.

Bronze
Bronze is an alloy comprised of copper, tin, and other metals.

Brushed Finish
Brushed Finish is a process designed to reduce a surfaces reflection, and is achieved by brushing a metal brush over the surface of the metal. 

Bruting
Bruting is the first process of cutting a diamond by shaping its girdle.

Bubbles
Bubbles can be found in glass, resins, and rarely in minerals.  Bubbles are a good indication that a stone is glass, or an imitation gemstone.

Bugle Bead
Bugle Bead is a style of bead that is thin and long, usually made of multicolored glass.

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