Jewelry Glossary 4

L

Labret
Labret is a piece of studded body jewelry that is made of under the area under the lip and right above the chin.

Lapidary
Lapidary is a technician who cuts, shapes, and polishes gemstones for jewelry.

Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli is a semi-precious stone that is blue in color.  It was highly valued during ancient Egyptian times, and was used to adorn jewelry.

Lariat
Lariat is a necklace made of a cord that has two ends dangling from it.

Lavalier
Lavalier is a necklace that has two pendants hanging from it at different lengths.

Length
Length is the linear measurement of a bracelet or necklace, different lengths have been named differently.  For example the Opera Length is generally 48 to 90 inches long.

Lobster Claw Clasp
Lobster Claw Clasp is a type of clasp in the shape of a lobster claw and is used to fasten to ends of a piece of jewelry together.

Locket
Locket is a pendant that opens with a hinge that is usually oval in shape, and holds memorabilia such as photos or other small objects.

Luster
Luster refers to the sparkle of a stone due to light reflecting off the gemstone.
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M

Machine Stamping
Machine Stamping is the same as die stamping which is the technique of making an impression on metal by pressing or stamping metal in between two dies.

Marquise Cut
Marquise Cut is a style of cut that is oval with pointed ends.  The marquise cut was named after the Marquise de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV.

 Matinee-Length
Matinee Length is another name like Opera-Length for a necklace that is 30 to 35 inches long.

Matte Finish
Matte Finish is applied to metal to reduce its reflectivity or sheen achieved by using a chemical process.

Medical Bracelet
Medical Bracelet is jewelry design to identify a medical problem in case of an emergency.  

Melee
Melee is a diamond that is less than .20 carats.

Memory Wire
Memory Wire is used for necklaces and bracelets because it is a strong wire that keeps its shape.

Milk and Honey Effect
Milk and Honey Effect refers to stones whose color shifts from milky to honey in light.

Mineral
Mineral is an inorganic substance.

Moissanite
Moissanite is a very hard mineral that was discovered by Dr. Ferdinand Henri Moissan (1852-1907), a French chemist and Nobel Prize winner (Moissan did work on synthesizing diamonds and discovered carborundum in 1891). He found tiny amounts of Moissanite in the iron meteorite that was found at Diablo Canyon (also called Meteor Crater) in Arizona, USA. Moissanite ranges in color from colorless to blue to green to yellow. Its chemical makeup is Silicon Carbide (SiC); it is also called Carborundum. Moisannite crystals are transparent to translucent. Moissanite has a hardness of 9.25 (this is almost as hard as diamond) and a specific gravity of 3.1 - 3.2. Laboratory-grown Moissanite is sold as a gemstone.

Mollusk
Mollusk is a marine invertebrate that has a soft un-segmented body and is enclosed in a shell, such as a clam, mussel, oyster, or snail, .In regards to jewelry mollusk secret nacre which produce pearls which are semi-precious stones used as ornamentation for jewelry.

Money Clip
Money Clip is a piece of jewelry used to clip money together.

Moonstone
Moonstone is a variety of feldspar, a transparent milky white or light blue stone.  It is used for a good luck charm.

Mosaic
Mosaic is a compilation of materials, such as glass, ceramics, or stones set together to form a design.

Mother-of-Pearl
Mother-of-Pearl is the inside lining of mollusks like abalone, oysters, and mussels.  It is iridescent which makes it beautiful for pieces of jewelry.

Mother's Ring
Mother's Ring is a ring worn by a mother that has the birthstones of her children set into the ring.

Mounting
Mounting refers to a piece of metal designed to hold a stone in place.

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N

Nacre
Nacre is a substance that is secreted from a mollusk in order to protect itself from an intruder, like a grain of sand.  Layers of nacre will cover the irritant eventually forming a pearl.

Natural Pearl
Natural Pearl is a pearl that was produced without any human catalysts.

Nautical
Nautical is jewelry designed with themes dedicated to the sea.

Naval Stud
Naval Stud is a piece of body jewelry that is worn through a piercing in that naval.

Navette
Navette is a marquise cut gemstone.

Necklace
Necklace is a type of jewelry worn around the neck.

Noble Metals
Noble Metals are gold, platinum, and silver.

Nose Ring
Nose Ring is a piece of metal in the shape of a ring that is worn through a piercing in the nostril.

Nose Stud
Nose Stud is a ornament, like a gemstone, pearl, or metal bead on a straight post, that is worn through a piercing in the nostril.

Novelty 
Novelty items describe charms that are common icons, like dice, cards, bugs, snowmen, etc.

Nugget
Nugget is a word used to describe a piece of irregularly shaped metal.

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O

Oiling
Oiling is a technique that is applied to gemstones in order to hide inclusions.

Onyx
Onyx is a chalcedony that consists of parallel bands of white and black.  It is a semi-precious gemstone and is commonly used in cameos and intaglios.

Opal
Opal is an iridescent semi-precious stone.  Opals are made of silica and water, if not cared for properly they could dry out and splinter.

Opal Doublet
Opal Doublet is two layers of imitation stone that are glued together.

Opal Triplet
Opal Triplet is an opal doublet with an adhered layer of quartz on top.

Opaque
Opaque is the opposite of transparent.  Light cannot pass through an opaque material.

Open ended Necklace
Open ended Necklace has no clasps; it either sits on the neck like a cuff or has ties.

Opera Length
Opera Length is a long necklace that reaches the breastbone; it is usually 48 to 90 inches long.

Oval Cut
Oval Cut is a type of fancy cut diamond that is oval shaped.

Oxidation
Oxidation is a chemical reaction that occurs when metals come into contact with oxygen, it causes the metal to blacken.

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P

Patina
Patina is the word for the change that happens over time to metal as a result of age, wear, and oxidation.  Synthetic patinas can be applied to substances to make a piece of jewelry look antique or aged.

Pavilion
Pavilion is the bottom part of a cut stone just below the girdle.

Pear Cut
Pear Cut is a style of cut that is shaped like a pear or a tear.

Pearl
Pearl is a smooth luminous deposit that was formed from a foreign matter, like a grain of sand, entering an oyster or mollusk who then secretes nacre to coat the foreign matter with multiple layers creating a pearl.

Pendant
Pendant is a piece of hanging jewelry.

Peridot
Peridot is a yellowish-green variety of an oviline.  It is used as a gemstone and is the birthstone for August.
Pierced Earrings
Pierced Earrings are earrings that have a section that is meant to be inserted into a hole that was pierced into the ear.  

Pin
Pin is a broach, or a piece of jewelry that attaches to clothing by piercing it with pointed metal rod.

Pink Topaz
Pink Topaz is a gemstone that is pink in color.

Platinum
Platinum is a strong metal that is white in color.  It is heavier than gold, and holds stones well.  Platinum is one of three precious metals including silver and gold.

Poison Ring
Poison Ring is a ring that has a small box whose top opens with a hinge to hold small objects or in ancient day, a small amount of poison.

Porous
Porous describes materials with holes.  Many stones are porous, including turquoise.

Post
Post is the section of the earring that is inserted into the ear piercing and holds the catch at the back of the earlobe to secure the earring into place.

Precious Gemstones
Precious Gemstones include Diamonds, Emeralds, Sapphires, and Rubies.

Precious Stone
Precious Stone is a stone that is rare and expensive.

Precious Metals
Precious Metals are gold, silver, and platinum.

Princess Cut
Princess Cut is a style of cut that is square in shape.  Unlike the emerald cut, the Princess cut has high brilliance and will not dull quickly. 

Princess Length
Princess Length refers to the length of a necklace that is 18" long.

Promise Ring
Promise Ring is a ring that is given before an engagement ring, promising that the proposal is coming soon.

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Q

Quartz
Quartz is a family of silica crystals, some common varieties include amethyst, citrine, and onyx.

R

Radiant Cut
Radiant Cut is a style of cut that is square in shape with the rounded edges like the emerald cut, to maximize brilliance and fire.

Rainbow Opal
Rainbow Opal is a type of opal with curved bands of color, like a rainbow.

Reconstructed Stone
Reconstructed Stone is a stone that has been pieced together with small stones.

Refraction
Refraction is an effect that when light enters a stone it hits and changes angles and is reflected back.

Rhinestone
Rhinestone is a synthetic stone made of glass that is made as a cheap version of a gemstone, cut with facets to copy the brilliance of precious gemstones.

Rhodolite
Rhodolite is a variety of garnet that is a purple-red or pinkish-red in color.

Ring
Ring is an ornament to be worn on the finger.  Rings have been worn throughout history and have been worn on all fingers and come in hundreds of variations in color, material, design, and size.  Rings have symbolized love, friendship and commitment.

Ring Guard
Ring Guard is a ring that is worn to keep another ring from falling off the finger.

Ring Size
Ring Size is the measurement of a ring in order to fit someone's finger.

Rocaille
Rocaille is jewelry designed to emulate sea life.

Rope
Rope is a string of pearls that is over 40" long, it is also a style of jewelry that looks like rope or twisted/weaved material.

Rosary
Rosary is a necklace that has a cross dangling from it, it has religious connotations and can be used along with praying.

Rose Cut
Rose Cut or Rosette Cut is a style of cut that usually has 24 triangular facets and a flat base.

Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz is a quartz that is pinkish-red in color.

Rough
Rough describes a stone that has not been cut or finished but is in its original form.

Round Cut
Round Cut is a fancy cut diamond that is round in shape.

Rubellite
Rubellite is a variety of tourmaline that is red in color.

Ruby
Ruby is a corundum that vary in color from red to purple to pink to brown.  Diamonds are the only precious stones that are harder than rubies.  Rubies are extremely valuable.

Rutilated Quartz
Rutilated Quartz also known as Venus' Hair Stone, this stone is a rock crystal and is cut like a cabochon.

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