Jewelry Glossary 3

F

Facet
Facet is a flat edge of a cut stone.  Each different cut has a different number of facet, the accumulation of different angled facets allow light to bounce from one to the next creating a spectrum of colors and brilliance.  

Faceting
Faceting is the actual technique of cutting and polishing a stones surface to achieve maximum brilliance.

False Topaz
False Topaz is actually yellow quartz.

Fancy Diamonds
Fancy Diamonds are diamonds of bold colors particularly red, blue, or green.

Fancy Cut
Fancy Cut describes stones that are cut in unusual shapes, like the triangle or heart cut.

Fantasy Cut
Fantasy Cut is a style of cut where the facets are arbitrarily placed.

Faux
Faux means fake or imitation.

Feather
Feather is an inclusion or an internal flaw of a gemstone.  There are different grades of inclusion and most are invisible to the naked eye.  Feathers can decrease the value of a gemstone.

Fibula
Fibula is a brooch which looks like a safety pin.

Findings
Findings are all of the many parts a jeweler uses for jewelry.

Fineness
Fineness describes the proportion of gold to silver alloys.

Finger Ring Size
Finger Ring Size is a standard measurements for rings.

Finish
Finish is a substance placed on a materials surface to polish or texture it.

Fire
Fire is the color reflected back at the eye from a gemstone.

Fish Hook
Fish Hook is a fish-hook shaped device that is used to go through the piercing in an ear so the earring can be worn.

Fish Tail
Fish Tail is a piece of body jewelry that is in the shape of a fish tail.

Fissure
Fissure is a fracture of crack in a stone.

Flaw
Flaw is an imperfection on or in a gemstone.  A flaw can be invisible to the naked eye, but can decrease the value of a gemstone.

Floater Necklace
Floater Necklace is a style of necklace where the necklace is invisible and ornaments seem to be floating on the neck line.

Fob
Fob is the short chain and charm attached to a pocket watch.

Foil
Foil is a thin layer of metal that is placed under a stone to maximize brilliance.

Foil back
Foil back is a stone with a metal foil backing.

Fold-Over Clasp
Fold-Over Clasp is a style of clasp that has a hinge to fasten a piece of jewelry ends together and a latch that further protects it from opening.

Four C's
Four C's refers to the Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat of a gemstone, particularly a diamond.  All of these qualities can affect the value of a diamond.  To learn more about choosing the perfect affordable diamond, please visit our section on diamonds.

Fracture
Fracture is another term for a feather, which is an inclusion or an internal flaw of a gemstone.  There are different grades of inclusion and most are invisible to the naked eye.  Feathers can decrease the value of a gemstone.

Fracture Filling
Fracture Filling is a process applied to diamonds where fissures on the surface are filled with a blending agent to improve clarity.

Full Cut
Full Cut is a style of brilliant cut that has 58 facets.
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G

Garnet
Garnet is silicates that vary in color from red to green.  These precious gemstones were name after the seeds of a pomegranate.  Some variations of garnets include Allochroite, Almadine, Andradite, Demantoid, Essonite, Grossularite, Melanite, Ouvarovite, Pyrope, Rodalite, Spessartite, and Tsavorite.

Gem
Gem is a precious or semi-precious stone, and can be used to adorn jewelry.

Gemstones
Gemstones are a variety of minerals that are rare and considered beautiful.

Genuine
Genuine is a word used to describe the purity of a material.

Gilt
Gilt is another word to describe gold-plated.

Gipsy Setting
Gipsy Setting is a style of setting where the stone is placed into the metal.

Girdle
Girdle is the wide perimeter of a stone made up from the edges.

Glyptography
Glyptography is the technique of engraving gemstones.

Gold
Gold is a malleable yellow precious metal and is measured in karats.  Unlike other materials, gold is unusual for it does not tarnish or oxidize.

Gold Plated
Gold Plated refers to metal that has a thin layer of gold on its surface.

Gold Tone
Gold Tone refers to metal that has a gold colored finish but with no actual gold content.

Graduated
Graduated refers to a piece of jewelry where the beads start of small at the clasps and then progressively increase in size toward the middle.

Grain
Grain is used to measure diamonds and pearls.  Four grains are equivalent to one carat.

Gram Weight
Gram Weight is a measurement in grams, used in jewelry to weigh metal.

Gypsy Ring
Gypsy Ring is a ring whose stone is placed into the metal.

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H

Half Hoop 
Half Hoop is a design of earring that consists of a ring that does not reach an entire circle.

Hallmark
Hallmark is a mark engraved into metal and includes both a manufacturer's mark and the fineness of the metal.  It is a way to protect against fraud.  

Hammered Metal
Hammered Metal is metals that have been sculpted and designed with a hammer.

Hardness
Hardness refers to a materials resistance to scratching.  Diamonds are the hardness known gemstone, only another diamond can scratch a diamond.

Heart Cut
Heart Cut is a fancy cut stone that is heart shaped.

Heat Treatment
Heat Treatment is a process of applying heat to a gemstone in order to increase color and clarity.

Hessonite
Hessonite is also called Cinnamon Stone; it is a variety of garnet that is cinnamon-yellow in color.

High Polish
High Polish is a super shiny polish that is applied to a materials surface.

Hook and Eye Clasp
Hook and Eye Clasp is a type of clasp where a hook clasps onto a circular piece in order to close to ends of a piece of jewelry together.

Hoop Earring
Hoop Earring is a style of earring that resembles a ring.

Hugs and Kisses
Hugs and Kisses is a style of jewelry that consists of linked pieces of X's and O's symbolizing hugs and kisses.

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I

I.D. Bracelet
I.D. Bracelet is an identification bracelet, which has the name or initials of the wearer engraved into it. 

Inclusion
Inclusion is an internal flaw in a gemstone, and may have been caused by foreign matter.  Inclusions can decrease the value of a gemstone.

Indicolite
Indicolite is a variety of tourmaline that is green in color.

Inlay
Inlay is a technique where one material is set into another material for form a design.

Iridescent
Iridescent refers to the many colors that are reflected off a gemstone.

Iridium
Iridium is a metal that is similar to platinum and are commonly alloyed together in order to decrease the cost of a piece of jewelry. 

Ivory
Ivory is a smooth substance made of the tusks of elephants and walruses; it is yellowish-white in color.

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J

J Hoop
J Hoop is a style of hoop earring that has an oval shaped hoop like a J instead of circular hoop.

Jade
Jade is a mineral that is considered a semi-precious stone and is generally pale green or white in color.

Jewelry
Jewelry is a broad term used to describe a wide range of ornaments worn on the body as adornments.  Jewelry has been worn throughout history by every culture in the world.  The demand for beautiful and exotic gems and metals has been a strong force for encouraging trade amongst different cultures and exploration.

Jump Ring
Jump Ring is a small metal ring with an opening to allow charms or pendants to be linked onto a chain and then it is usually soldered shut.

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K

Karat
Karat is a measurement of the purity of gold.  24 Karat gold is pure, 12 karat gold is half gold.  Karat should not be confused with Carat, the measurement of gemstones.

King Cut
King Cut is a style of cut used for large diamonds; it has 86 facets, and is similar to the brilliant cut.

Knot
Knot is a bump on the surface of a gemstone.

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