Jewellery Dictionary A–Z

A

Alloy: A mixture of two or more metals. 9 carat white gold is an alloy as it is mixed with other metals.
Assay: A scientific procedure to test purity. Assay Offices in Britain test silver, gold and platinum and would then allow the hallmark to be applied to confirm the purity.

B

Baguette: A baguette refers to a particular shape of cut diamond. It is rectangular with step-like facets.
Band: Simply another term for a wedding ring. When considering an engagement ring, keep in mind what type of wedding band you will want. Some wedding rings will not sit flush beside some types of rings. Court bands are generally more comfortable and look classy. Flat bands are more modern and may suit a particular style. Sharp corners may be rounded off for comfort (a slight court). Another band is a flat court ‘comfort fit’ where the band is slightly rounded on the inside. Band width, shape and weight is a personal thing and depends on hand size and personal taste.
Bevelled: An angled corner on an outer surface of a wedding ring, often 45 degrees.
Bezel setting: A band of metal surrounding the diamond and holding it in place. A popular and attractive modern setting for diamonds.
Blemish: A flaw (scratch or abrasion) on the surface of a diamond. These are generally not considered as crucial to the beauty of a stone if they do not interfere with the symmetry of the shape and do not interfere with the flow of light through the stone.
Brushed satin: Also known as a brushed finish. Like a satin finish, however using a more abrasive tool to produce a more distinctive brush stroke finish on the surface of the ring. Satin finish is more smooth and subtle, whereas brushed satin is more obviously brushed.

C

Carat (1)

The unit of weight used when measuring diamonds. One carat = 0.2 grams. One carat = 100 points. Five carats = 1 gram. An increase in carat weight will mean an increase in depth as well as diameter, so a one carat diamond (apx 6.5mm diameter) will not be twice as wide as a half (0.5) carat diamond (which is apx 5mm diameter). The larger a diamond is, the rarer it is. The price per carat increases exponentially — for example, a two carat diamond may cost four times as much as a one carat diamond.

Carat (2)

A measurement of purity of gold. It is usual for gold to be mixed with other metals to produce an alloy — a mixture of two or more metals. The traditional way to describe the proportion of gold in alloys is in ‘carats’. One carat is one part in 24; 18 carat is therefore 18/24, but in recent years it has become common to refer to alloys in parts per thousand — 18 carat gold is therefore 750 parts per thousand. Common UK grades of gold are 9, 14, 18 and 22 carat.

Certification

A gemological laboratory will certify a diamond's quality, such as clarity, colour, carat weight, cut and proportions. It will then issue a certificate. Certification can increase the value of a diamond and is also used for insurance purposes.

Channel setting

A type of setting with no metal between the diamonds. Two strips of precious metal hold the stones in place at the sides. It secures small diamonds very effectively, enabling stones to sit flush with the mounting. Commonly used in eternity rings.

Clarity

The amount of inclusions within a diamond and the blemishes on the surface. Clarity grades include:

FL: Flawless — no internal or external inclusions of any kind under 10x magnification to a trained eye. The most rare and expensive.
IF: Internally flawless — no internal inclusions under 10x magnification to a trained eye, but there may be some tiny external irregularities.
VVS1: Very very slightly included 1 — usually just one tiny inclusion visible to a trained eye under 10x magnification.
VVS2: Very very slightly included 2 — tiny inclusions visible only to a trained eye under 10x magnification.
VS1: Very slightly included 1 — very small inclusions visible with 10x magnification.
VS2: Very slightly included 2 — several very small inclusions visible with 10x magnification.
SI1: Slightly included 1 — small inclusions visible with 10x magnification.
SI2: Slightly included 2 — several small inclusions visible with 10x magnification.
SI3: Slightly included 3 — inclusions that may be visible to a trained observer.
I1: Included 1 — small flaws visible to the naked eye.
I2: Included 2 — many flaws clearly visible to the naked eye that also decrease the brilliance.
I3: Included 3 — many flaws clearly visible to the naked eye which decrease the brilliance and compromise the structure of the diamond, making it more easily cracked or chipped.

Claw

A common setting using prongs around the stone to fasten the diamond in place.

Colour

A grade given to a diamond to describe the subtle tones of colour in a stone. D is perfectly colourless and the most rare and expensive. From D to Z on the scale, there are increasing levels of yellow and/or brown tones. It takes a trained eye to distinguish between adjacent colour grades (such as E and F).

D, E, F — Colourless
G, H, I, J — Near colourless
K, L, M — Faint yellow
N, O, P, Q, R — Very light yellow
S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z — Light yellow

Comfort fit

A shape of a ring; generally it refers to a subtle curving inside the ring making it more comfortable to wear.

Court

A shape of band. Court is a traditional shape with a curved outer surface. Court may also refer to a curved surface inside the ring (comfort fit).

Crown

Upper portion of a cut diamond above the girdle with the upper facets. The crown has the large, flat area on the very top called the table.

Cut

Used to refer to both the shape of a stone (round, square, etc.) and the exact geometric proportions to which a diamond is cut. It determines how much sparkle comes from a diamond, regardless of the shape — for example, excellent cut.

D

Diamond: A very precious and valuable natural cubic mineral composed of carbon with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs Scale — the hardest substance known to man. They're virtually indestructible. Diamonds are valued based on the 4Cs: cut, clarity, colour and carat. They are the birthstone of April.

E

Emerald cut: A rectangular cut, but sometimes square, with rows of step-cuts along the edges and corners that appear bevelled. Emerald cut diamonds are not as valuable as round cut diamonds.
Engagement ring: Usually a diamond ring that is given to a woman when asking for her hand in marriage.
Engraving: Carving or lasering a personal message inside the ring.
Eternity ring: A ring set with multiple small diamonds. In Europe the full circle is the traditional symbol of eternal love, presented from husband to wife on a special occasion. Half eternity has a row of diamonds going half way round. You can also get part (or 1/3) eternity rings and eternity rings with many rows.

F

Facet: A small polished surface of a multi-faceted stone. For example, a brilliant round diamond has 58 facets.
Flush setting: A popular and modern style suitable for people who use their hands a lot, as it offers good protection for their stones. The diamond is fitted snugly into a tapered hole and surrounding metal is pressed around the rim to secure the stone. It is almost level with the surface, with only the top showing.
Four Cs: Cut, clarity, colour and carat. The combined methods used to determine the value of a diamond.

G

GIA: The Gemological Institute of America is the largest and most respected laboratory in the USA, and a good choice for diamond purchases. They are higher priced than UK certified diamonds because of their import into the UK.
Gold: For use in jewellery gold needs to be alloyed with other metals to provide the best combination of strength, appearance and resistance to tarnishing. The traditional way to describe the proportion of gold in alloys is in ‘carats’. One carat is one part in 24; 18 carat is therefore 18/24 pure, but in recent years it has become common to refer to alloys in parts per thousand — 18 carat gold is therefore 750 parts per thousand. Nine carat gold is more ‘other metals’ than gold; it therefore tarnishes and is cheap, but it can also be brittle and is not as durable as 18 carat. 14 carat is pretty similar to 9 carat gold. 22–24 carat gold is a good colour but is too soft and will not last. 18 carat gold is a good middle-ground, being much more durable and harder than pure, soft gold (24 carat, stamped 999). 18 carat gold is the perfect balance and is ideal as a lasting hard-wearing precious wedding ring. Yellow, white and rose golds are available.
Grade: The value of a diamond based on weight, proportion, finish, clarity, colour, presence of flaws, and soundness.
Grams: The unit of weight in which most precious metals are weighed.

H

Hallmark: A stamp or mark which is applied to items of jewellery by the Assay Offices of Britain (London, Birmingham, Sheffield or Edinburgh) as a guarantee of authenticity. Hallmarks consist of four components: the sponsor mark/manufacturer of the piece; the precious metal content of the item; the assay office; and the date letter showing the year.
Hammered: A finish applied to our wedding bands to give the appearance of a light hammering with quite defined pitting.
Heavy brush (brushed satin): Also known as a brushed finish. Like the fine brush satin finish, however using a more abrasive tool to produce a distinctive brush stroke finish on the surface of the ring. It is more obviously brushed.

I

Inclusion: An impurity within a diamond, such as a spot or irregularity. These can include a cloud, a fracture etc. Inclusions can be visible with the naked eye (usually SI3 clarity and below) or visible only under magnification. Fewer inclusions mean a finer clarity grade, increased rarity, and increased value.

K

Karat: (US spelling of carat, and abbreviated to ‘k’) — how gold is measured. Karat is used to describe the purity, e.g. 9k, 18k, or 24k.

M

Mounting: The metal that holds the diamond in place.

P

Palladium: A hard precious metal similar in colour to platinum and from the same family, but not quite as rare. It is becoming increasingly popular and fashionable in jewellery making as a cheaper alternative to platinum. Very durable and shiny.
Pave setting: A style of setting in which many tiny gemstones are set as close together as possible, so resembling glitter. Clusters of tiny diamonds create great sparkle at a very reasonable price.
Platinum: A heavy, soft greyish metallic element. More expensive than gold, platinum is a more exclusive and valuable choice for jewellery. Platinum takes an exceptional polish and is worth the investment, being very rare.
Point: A measure of diamond weight. Each carat is divided into 100 parts, called points. One point equals 0.01 of a carat. A diamond that weighs 0.50 carat is said to weigh 50 points.
Polished: The most common finish applied to a ring, highly reflective with no marks.
Princess Cut: Usually a square or rectangular cut for a diamond. It is considered the second most valuable cut, behind round cut. Princess cut stones can have between 57 and 70 facets in varying proportions.
Prong: One of the claw-like wires that is used to hold a stone in place. The most common number of prongs is four or six.

R

Ring sizes: A standardized measurement for ring size. The UK has an alphabetic system from A–Z. The European system is numeric from 38–70 (representing the interior circumference in millimetres). The US uses a numeric system from 1–13. If you are unsure of your ring size, please email us for a guide.
Round cut: The most common cut in the diamond industry, but the priciest. Partly because you lose a lot of rough diamond to make a round cut, and also because it has the best properties for reflecting light, creating a brilliant sparkle. It has 58 facets.

S

Sandblasted: A surface of a band which has been treated to look quite rough and pitted. A nice modern matt finish.
Satin finish: Between a matte and brilliant finish, a semi-glossy technique that has shallow tiny parallel lines on the surface of the metal, reducing its reflectivity. Satin finish is more smooth and subtle, whereas brushed satin is more obviously brushed.
Shank: The part of a ring that goes round the finger, not the setting.
Shape: Often gets mixed up with cut of the diamond. It is simply how the diamond looks, e.g. round, princess, square, etc.
Shoulder: The part of a ring between the shank and the centre of the setting. Many modern engagement rings have diamond shoulders.
Solitaire: An engagement ring mounted with a single diamond or stone.
Square cut: A diamond with four equal sides, sharp corners and a square table with narrow and long facets of step cutting. Emerald cut is an elongated form.

T

Titanium: A space-age metal, often with a silvery-grey appearance. It is 30% stronger and nearly 50% lighter than steel, and a cheap but strong alternative.

W

Wedding Rings: The complimentary precious metal band that accompanies the solitaire engagement ring. It can be plain and simple or decorated with diamonds. Usually placed on the second finger of the left hand. Modern brides and grooms both tend to wear a wedding ring as a symbol of commitment.
White gold: A gold mix resembling platinum. White gold will need re-plating and will tarnish.

Z

Zirconium: A very unusual modern metal, much like titanium except heavier. It is extremely strong and hypo-allergenic. It is a blackish colour and very reasonably priced.