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JEWELRY TERMS
ALLOY: The mixing of more than one metal in order to produce one of greater hardness, malleability and/or durability.
AMERICAN BRILLIANT CUT: The American Brilliant Cut is a method of cutting diamonds to mathematical perfection to yield greatest brilliancy and fire. This is today the most popular cut for fine stones. It is employed in
ART DECO: A style of design between 1910-1935, most importantly influenced by cubist geometry.
ART NOUVEAU: A free-flowing curved revolutionary style of jewelry from the 1890’s until about 1910. Featuring delicate enamels and non-precious materials in the characteristic motifs of women with flowing long hair, bats, morning glories and dragonflies.
BAGUETTE: A step cut used for rectangular stones of a small size.
BEZEL: A metal rim which holds the stone in a ring, a cameo in its mounting or a crystal on a watch.
BRILLIANT CUT: The most beautiful form of cutting a diamond. It is also used for other clear stones. The standard brilliant has 58 facets, 33 in the crown and 25 in the base.
BROOCH: An ornamental piece of jewelry which has a pin back for affixing it to clothing or hats. Usually larger in scale than the ones referred to as “pins.”
CABOCHON: A stone cut in round oval shape in which the top is convex shaped (not faceted).
CALIBRE CUT: Small stones cut in shape of squares, rectangles or oblongs used to embellish jewelry.
CAMEO: A layered stone in which a design is engraved on the top layer and the remainder is carved away to reveal the next layer, leaving the design in relief. Also done in shell, coral and lava.
CARAT: A unit of weight, by which the size of both uncut and cut diamonds is stated. A carat is equal to .200 grams. The newcomer to diamond buying should be careful not to become overly influenced by carat size that he ignores, or fails to recognize the importance of such points as clarity, color and cut.