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An extensive glossary of terms
relating to Jewelry and General Merchandise that will impress any
veteran in the trade. We have covered every Jewelry Trade term
including Precious Metals, Genuine Semi-precious Stones, Precious
Gems, Jewelry Making & Jeweler's References in the assembly of
all types of jewelry through out the history of human kind. We have
exposed Jewelry Fashion Industry words that cover close to the whole
gamut of the fashion accessory industry and some of the styles in
each period of history. |
"C" catch: The most common means of securing a brooch before
1900 or so when "safety catches" were invented. The pin
connected to one side of the brooch is threaded through a layer of the garment
and rests in a "C" shaped catch on the other side of the brooch. The
"C" had no mechanism to hold the pin in place and so the pins were
usually designed to be long enough to extend far enough beyond the end of the
brooch to weave back into the garment for security.
C-OX: A green cubic zirconia (CZ) stone.
Cable Chain: A chain made of round linked rings of uniform size. This
tends to be what most people think of when they think of the word
"chain". It is the same style of chain as the cable used to anchor
large ships to a dock.
Cabochon: From the French "caboche", meaning
"knob/small dome", a cabochon is a stone cut into the shape of a small
dome in a round, oval, rectangle, triangle, or teardrop shape without any
facets. This
style is commonly used with opaque to translucent stones
such as opal,
moonstone, jade
and turquoise.
Some transparent stones such as emeralds,
amethyst and garnet, are also sometimes fashioned as cabochons. An
almandine (garnet)
cabochon is called a "carbuncle".
Calcentine: See Ammolite.
Calcium: A silvery-white, moderately hard metallic
element which is
the fifth most abundant element comprising approximately 3% of the earth's
crust, and is a basic component of most animals and plants. It burns with a
brilliant light and occurs naturally in limestone, gypsum, and fluorite.
Calibré Cut: Small stones cut in an oblong shape and set close
together.
Cameo: A type of jewelry in which the stone around a design is cut away leaving the design in
relief, typically against a contrasting background. Cameos are often made of
shell and coral, although hard stone cameos such as
agate, onyx, and sardonyx
are more valuable. Cameos
have been carved from the Hellenistic period, and ancient motifs such as the goddess
Athena or a Baccante, (follower of Bacchus), were popular cameo subjects in
Victorian times through the 1930's. The opposite of a cameo is called
"Intaglio".
Cameo habille: A cameo in which a miniature diamond
pendant, or some other adornment, is attached to the carving.
Cannetille: A wirework decoration which uses coiled and
twisted gold wire to achieve a delicate
scrolling effect.
Cape Amethyst: A form of Amethyst layered or striped
with milky quartz.
Carat: One of the 4 C's of diamond grading. Abbreviated "ct." and
spelled with a "c" is a measure of weight used for gemstones, (as
opposed to karat with a "K", which is a measure of the purity of a gold
alloy). One
carat is equal to 1/5 of a gram (200 milligrams). Stones are measured to the
nearest hundredth of a carat. A hundredth of a carat is also called a point. Thus
a .10 carat stone can be called either 10 points, or 1/10 of a carat. Small
stones like .05, and .10ct are most often referred to by point designations.
A one carat round diamond of average proportions is approximately 6.5mm in
diameter. Note that this relationship of weight and size is different for each
family of stones. For example ruby and sapphire are both heavier than diamond
(technically, they have a higher specific gravity, so a 1 carat ruby or sapphire
is smaller in size than a one carat diamond.)
Carbon: A non-metallic element that occurs in all organic compounds
and many inorganic compounds. Carbon is combustible and has the interesting
ability to bond with itself, as well as with many other elements.
Carbon Spots: Diamonds are carbon that has been compressed over time.
Carbon spots are a kind of flaw, or "inclusion", found
in diamonds
showing as black spots inside the clear diamond.
Carbonate: A substance treated with carbon dioxide,
such as limestone.
Carbuncle: An almandine (garnet) cabochon.
Carnelian: A translucent red or orange variety of chalcedony,
sometimes banded red and orange like an agate. Once believed to
benefit the wearer's health and love life. Most carnelian comes from Brazil,
India, Siberia, and Germany.
Casting: A means of reproducing an object by making a mold of it and
pouring metal, plaster, or some other material that sets over time into the
mold. See Centrifugal casting, Electrotype, Lost wax process, and sand casting.
Catalin: See Bakelite.
Cat's eye: Any of a variety of gems, such as chrysoberyl and some
forms of chalcedony, that are chatoyant when cut in a rounded shape.
CE: Common Era, or in the Christian calendar, AD, anno
domini, meaning "in the year of our Lord".
Cell Enameling: See Cloisonné.
Celluloid: A plastic derived from cellulose, a natural plant fiber,
first synthesized around 1870 as a synthetic ivory. It can be cut, rolled, folded, perforated,
ironed, turned, or embossed when heated, but cannot be injected. Celluloid is
flammable and deteriorates easily if exposed to moisture. jewelry made of
celluloid was often set with rhinestones. Hair combs and other dresser
articles are still often made of celluloid today. Also called French ivory,
Ivoride, Ivorine,
Ivorite, and Pyralin
Celtic Revival: Jewelry made during the mid-nineteenth
century reflective of the styles of jewelry used in early Ireland based on
archaeological artifacts.
Center Stone: Usually a diamond, (or
other gemstone), that is the prominent
center piece in a ring setting.
Centrifugal Casting: A method of casting jewelry in which molds are
attached to the outside edge of hollow tube. Metal is poured into the tube and
as the tube is spun at high speed centrifugal force pulls the molten metal into
the molds.
Certification: A grading report given to a precious stone
by a reputable and recognized laboratory that defines the
physical characteristics and quality rating of a gem. See Assay and
IGI
Chain: A strand of linked loops, rings, or beads used
for bracelets or
necklaces. Popular types of chain include:
Book chain, Box,
Butterfly, Byzantine,
Cable, Cuban,
Curb, Figaro,
Figogucci, Foxtail,
Herringbone, Marina,
Mariner, Mesh,
Omega, Panther link,
Rolo, Rope,
San Marco, Serpentine,
Singapore, and Snake.
(See individual listings.)
Chalcedony: A family of colored quartz stones
including agate, onyx, carnelian,
cat's eye, and jasper that commonly have a milky
or waxlike luster. When chalcedony is variegated with with spots or figures, or
arranged in differently colored layers, it is called agate; and if by reason of
the thickness, color, and arrangement of the layers it is suitable for being
carved into cameos, it is called onyx.
Champlevé: A type of enameling in which powdered glass is placed in
areas of a piece of jewelry that have been carved away specifically for this
purpose before firing. The glass powder melts filling the carved areas with
solid glass.
Chandelier Earring: An earring with a drop suspended like
a chandelier. Also called a "Drop Earring" or "Dangle Earring".
Channel Inlay: A design similar to enameling in which stones, rather
than melted plastic or glass, are cut to shape and set into the recesses of a
piece of jewelry. Commonly seen with jewelry using
mother of pearl and
turquoise.
Channel Set: A style of setting in which a number of uniformly sized small stones, usually of the
round cut,
princess cut or baguette
shapes, are set side by side in a grooved channel. Unlike most
setting methods the stones are not secured individually with prongs and there is
no metal visible between the stones.
Chaplet: A garland, wreath, or
ornamented band worn around the head. Chaplets are made of metal with repoussé decoration or embellished with
gemstones and pearls.
Charm: A pendant or trinket worn on
a bracelet, earring
or necklace.
Charm Bracelet: A chain link bracelet with charms attached to it.
(It's not a charm bracelet until it has charms attached.)
Charm Ring: A ring with a charm attached to the ring band.
Chasing: A method of decorating the front, (or outside), of metal
objects by making indentations using shaped punches and a chasing hammer. The
opposite of chasing is repoussé.
Chatelaine: French for "Lady of the House", a chatelaine is
an ornamental chain or pin worn at a
woman's waist from which dangle keys, trinkets, scissors, needle cases, pencils,
purse, etc. Chatelaines may be utilitarian or beautifully
decorated and made from precious materials like silver.
Chaton: A cone shaped rhinestone or crystal.
Chaton setting: See Arcade setting.
Chatoyant: A stone having a changeable luster due to the way it
reflects light, such as the cat's-eye or tiger's eye
gemstones. From the French "chatoyer", meaning to shimmer like
cats' eyes, from the French "chat" meaning "cat".
Chevron setting: A chevron is a design found in heraldry resembling a
shallow inverted "V". In jewelry design, a "chevron setting"
is reflective of the heraldic chevron in that it is made up of lines in a
shallow inverted "V" pattern.
Chloride: Any compound containing a chlorine atom.
Chlorine: An abundant element which, when isolated, appears as a
poisonous, greenish-yellow gas with a disagreeable odor. It occurs naturally
only as a salt, as in sea-water. Chlorine is used widely to purify water, as a
disinfectant and bleaching agent, and in the manufacture of many important
compounds including chloroform and carbon tetrachloride.
Choker: A close fitting necklace worn tight around the neck like a
collar.
Chrome: A hard, brittle, grayish white metal, fusible with difficulty
and resistant to corrosion. Its chief commercial importance is for its
compounds, as potassium chromate, lead chromate, etc., which are brilliantly
colored and are used dyeing and calico printing. The common modern usage is for
very shiny metal objects like chrome bumpers, etc.
Chromium: A lustrous, hard brittle, steel-blue metallic element,
resistant to corrosion and tarnishing. It is used in the hardening of steel
alloys and the production of stainless steels, in corrosion-resistant decorative
platings, and as a pigment in glass.
Chrysoberyl: (also called "cat's eye") A rare, hard,
yellow-green mineral consisting of alumina
and glucina, (beryllium aluminate),
in crystal form. It is popular as a gemstone for
its chatoyant qualities.
Chrysolite: (Also called "olivine" and "peridot")
A mineral composed of silica, magnesia, and iron
sometimes used as a gem. Chrysolite ranges in color from a light pea
green to a deep olive green and an oily shine. It is common in certain volcanic
rocks and meteorites. Mystics have
claimed that this lustrous green stone drives away evil and has special
healing properties. The name chrysolite
has been used in the past for yellow varieties of tourmaline and topaz.
Chrysoprase: An apple-green colored variety of chalcedony.
Cigar band: A very wide band-style ring.
Cinnamon stone: A brown or yellowish-brown variety of garnet
more properly called "essonite".
Cire-perdue: see Lost wax.
Citrine: Named after the French word for lemon, "citron".
Citrine is often incorrectly called quartz topaz or
citrine topaz. A variety of
quartz, citrine is found in light yellow, amber-brown, and a brilliant
orange that may be confused with fine imperial topaz. Most citrine comes from South
America. In ancient times,
citrine was revered as a gift of the sun and believed to be a powerful antidote
to a viper's venom. Citrine is the birthstone for November.
Claddagh Ring: First crafted by Master Goldsmith Richard Joyce in
1689, it is named after Claddagh, the fishing village he lived in at the time,
which overlooks Galway Bay. The ring belongs to a class of rings
called "Fede"
or "Faith rings", which date from Roman times and were popular in the
Middle Ages throughout Europe. Whereas "Fede" rings have only two
clasped hands, symbolizing faith, trust, or "plighted troth", Claddagh
rings have two hands clasping a heart, symbolizing love, surmounted by a crown,
symbolizing loyalty. The ring worn on the right hand with the heart turned
outward indicates that your heart is yet unoccupied. Worn on the right hand with
the heart turned inward indicates that love is being considered. Worn on the
left hand the with the heart turned inward shows everyone that your heart is
truly spoken for.
Clarity: One of the 4 C's of diamond grading.
Gemstones with the highest
clarity contain few or no inclusions (imperfections) in the stone's crystalline
structure. Clarity is graded with a 10x magnifier. The clarity rating of a
diamond ranges from FL (flawless) to I (inclusions visible to the naked eye).
Clasp: A device used to connect two ends of a necklace,
bracelet or watch strap.
Popular types of clasps include: Barrel, box,
Lobster claw, and Spring ring clasps. (See individual listings).
Class Ring: A ring that commemorates graduating from high school. It
is usually engraved with the name of the school, the year of graduation, and a
gem featuring one of the school's colors.
Claw Setting: A way of securing a stone in its mount using small prongs
that surround it.
Cleaning Jewelry: The safest and easiest way to clean most
jewelry is with a detergent bath.
Swish together warm water and any mild liquid detergent. Clean the jewelry with
a soft brush while it's in the suds, then rinse it under warm running water. Pat
it dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Avoid using brushes, which can scratch gold. Never boil gold, and avoid using
ammonia, toothpaste, a powder cleanser or scouring pads. Keep gold away from
chlorine, lotions, cosmetics and perm solutions, since these products may
discolor or dissolve gold alloys.
gemstones rarely need cleaning unless they become dirty
from hand lotion, hairspray or other products. They can be cleaned using a soft
cloth with mild soap and water, but rinse well. If you are using a silver or
gold jewelry dip solution, most are safe
for gemstones, but read the label to
make sure. Do not boil gemstones.
Do not wear pearls while applying cosmetics, hair sprays or perfume. It's best
not to wear pearl strands while bathing, because water can weaken the string.
Wipe pearl strands with a damp cloth after each use. Do not clean
cultured pearls with chemicals, abrasives or jewelry cleaner.
Clear Quartz: (More commonly called "Rock Crystal"). A colorless transparent
mineral consisting of silicon
dioxide in crystal form. See Quartz.
Cleavage: Cleavage is the tendency which a stone has to fracture along its crystal structure.
Clip-on: A piece of jewelry designed to be attached by means of a
clip, such as a clip-back earring.
Clip-back Earring: A hinged ring with a pad, called a "comfort
back", at one end to secure the earring to the earlobe without requiring
that the ear be pierced.
Cloisonné: Occasionally called "cell enameling", it is a type of
enameling in which compartments made of thin
strips of metal soldered onto a metal plate are filled with powdered glass prior to
firing. The glass powder melts filling the compartments with solid glass.
Cloud: A form of inclusion, “clouds” are
white milky areas that can found in the diamond.
Cluster: Several stones grouped together in a jewelry setting.
Cluster Brooch: A brooch developed in the 14th century in which a
large central gemstone is surrounded by a cluster of smaller
gemstones and
pearls.
Cluster Earring: A decorative earring made up of a cluster of glass
and/or metal beads and stones
Cluster Ring: A ring featuring a central gemstone
surrounded by a number of smaller stones.
Clutch: A device that is slid along a post to secure a piece of jewelry, such as the earring back of
a stud for pierced ears.
Cocktail Ring: A
large oversized ring set with
precious or semiprecious stones popular during the 1940s and 1950s.
Coiffe: A net made of gold or silver threads, decorated with
gems or pearls worn on the head.
Coin Silver: A silver alloy that is 80% silver and 20%
copper. Many European silver pieces are coin silver and are marked
"800", indicating that 800 parts out of 1000 are silver.
Coin-style edge: see Milgrain edge.
Collar: A necklace worn close around the neck. See also
"choker".
Collet: The ring of metal that surrounds and secures the stone in a
bezel setting.
Color: One of the 4 C s of diamond grading, the term "color" actually refers to the absence of color in
a diamond. A diamond acts like a prism letting light pass through, refracting
back to the human eye, into a rainbow of color. The color scale breaks up the
subtlety and various grades of a diamond’s color from purest white to yellow
and brown. The letters D through Z are used
to designate a diamonds
color with D being colorless and Z-graded stones having
a lot of color.
Colored Diamond: Diamondss can be found in a full spectrum of colors.
Colored or “Fancy” diamonds are
simply referring to diamonds that are not
white.
Colored Gold: An alloy of gold and other
metals producing rose, yellow,
white, and green shades.
Comfort back: A rubber or plastic pad that goes over the clip end of a
clip-on earring to cushion the earlobe.
Comfort Fit: A ring that adds
to the comfort of the wearer by being curved on the inside of the shank.
Compass Ring: A rotating ring that can be used to determine compass direction by using the position of the sun and the time of day.
Commemorative Wares: Items used to commemorate an important or historical
event, such as a battle, coronation, or wedding.
Concave: Concave simply means "curving inward", like the
inside of an egg shell. The opposite of Convex.
Concha: One of the ovals of a segmented silver belt
or bridle. Also a reference to the belt itself. Now commonly called a "Concho
Belt." From the Spanish word "concha", meaning "shell".
Concho: See Concha.
Condition, Excellent: A piece of jewelry in Excellent Condition will show reasonable
evidence of wear, and have a fine patina.
Condition, Fine: A piece of jewelry in Fine Condition may show slight wear,
but not enough to have developed a patina.
Condition, Good: A piece of jewelry in Good Condition will show substantial evidence of
wear. It will have a noticeable patina which may include numerous very fine pits
or lines. It will not have cracks, chips, obviously discolored or poorly
replaced stones, evidence of glue or other repairs, or other evidence of hard
wear considered to be damage. Damage of any kind is
separately detailed in the item description, and generally items with damage
appear at very reduced prices in the Bargain section.
Condition, Mint: A piece of jewelry having no signs of wear whatsoever,
including no discolored stones. A piece that is in Mint Condition is in
virtually the same condition as it was when it left the manufacturer.
Considering that vintage jewelry is usually 50 or more years old, and that it
likely has been worn, it is obviously quite rare to find a piece that is truly
in Mint Condition.
Convex: Simply means "curving outward", like the surface of a ball. The opposite of
Concave.
Copper: A common reddish-brown metallic
element, copper is the only
metal which occurs abundantly in large masses as opposed to small veins or
nuggets that must be mined out of other rocks. It is also found in various
ores such as chalcopyrite, chalcocite, cuprite, and malachite.
When alloyed with tin
it forms bronze, and when alloyed with
zinc it forms brass. Copper is an
excellent conductor of heat and electricity and is widely used for electrical
wiring, as well as water piping and corrosion-resistant parts. When in moist
conditions, a greenish layer forms on the outside. It has been extracted and
used for thousands of years. The name is derived from the Greek "kupros"
(the island of Cyprus), called "Cyprian brass", and known by the
Romans as 'cuprum.'
Coral: Coral is a form of calcium carbonate, (like aragonite or
marble), secreted in long chains by
coral polyps, who live in colonies under the ocean. Coral can be found all over
the world, but the bulk of coral used in jewelry making has
always come from the waters off Sardinia and the coast of Sicily, in the
Mediterranean. Coral comes in
colors from vivid orange, red, and white, to salmon and pale pink (called
angelskin coral). In
jewelry making, coral is either carved into beads, cameos, and other forms, or is
left in its natural branch-like form and just polished. During the mid-Victorian
era large cameo brooches of coral finely carved in high-relief floral sprays or faces were
popular. It used to be thought
that coral protected the wearer, so it was a traditional gift to children. Since it is
composed of calcium carbonate, real coral will effervesce if touched with acid.
Imitation coral is made from glass, porcelain, or plastic and will not
effervesce when touched with acid.
Corallium rubrum: A valuable red coral introduced to the Indians
by the Spanish.
Cord belt: A thick belt worn on the waist, usually with a caftan.
Coronet: A small or inferior type of crown worn by a
person of high rank but lower than a sovereign.
Coronet setting: See Arcade Setting.
Corundum: The name of a family of stones composed of crystallized
aluminum and oxygen that
includes rubies and sapphires. The color of these stones depends on the
oxides present in their composition. Corundum is one of the
hardest minerals second only to diamonds rating a 9 on the Mohs scale. See
alumina.
Cowrie Shell: The highly polished and brightly marked shells of
tropical marine gastropods of the genus Cypraea, some of which are used as
currency in the South Pacific and Africa. Small cowrie shells are commonly used
as beads in jewelry.
Crimp Bead: Small soft metal beads that are squeezed shut to secure
clasps onto the ends of cords or chains.
Crown: The upper part of a cut diamond or stone above the
girdle.
Crown Height: A measurement of the distance from the girdle to the table on a diamond
or other cut stone.
Crystal: A fine, high-quality glass invented in 17th century England.
In order to be considered crystal rather than simple glass, the product must
contain at least 10% lead oxide. The lead oxide is attributed to providing the glass
with extraordinary qualities of brilliance, sound and a suitable texture for
cutting or engraving. Some of the finest crystal ever made is from Baccarat in
France (est. 1816) and Waterford in Ireland (est. 1729).
Crystalline: A substance composed of crystals or resembling crystal in transparency, structure
and outline.
Crystallize: To cause a material to form crystals or to assume both
the internal structure and external form of a crystal.
Cuban Link Chain: A standard cable
chain with oval shaped links that
are each decorated with a twisting pattern resembling rope.
Cubic Zirconia: (CZ) A clear, hard, mass-produced gemstone cut to
resemble a diamond.
The mineral baddeleyite has the
same chemical composition,
but to become a CZ the mineral must be heated to almost 5000 degrees Fahrenheit
and have an oxide stabilizer such as yttrium or calcium added to keep it from
reverting back to its original form when cooled. Almost all the rough CZ's in
the market are composed of zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide, both of which are
naturally white but combine to form a brilliant clear crystal. Like diamonds,
the best cubic zirconia gems are colorless but colored forms are also
manufactured. Vivid green CZ is
sometimes referred to as C-OX, and CZ in numerous colors is frequently sold
under various tradenames, such as the yellow CZ from Ceylon called
"jargon". Cubic zirconia
gemstones are cut in the same fashion as
diamonds, and like diamonds the size
of the gemstone is usually indicated by its
weight in carats. The stone can also be measured in millimeter diameter size.
Because the cubic zirconia stone is so dense and solid,
it outweighs a diamond
of the same millimeter size, weighing 1.7 times more than a diamond of the same
millimeter diameter. It is also not as hard as a diamond rating only an 8 on the
Mohs scale. Natural skin oils, soap, and dirt cause a film that dulls the beauty
and luster of the cubic zirconia, just as it dulls
real diamonds. The best
cleaning agent for cubic zirconia is liquid dishwashing detergent, but other
gem and jewelry cleaners can also be used.
Cuff Bracelet: A wide rigid bangle with a narrow opening on one side
to allow the the wrist to pass through.
Cuff link: A decorative fastener worn to close the cuff of a
shirt that provides holes on the cuff for the cufflink rather than closing with
buttons.
Culet: The tiny flat facet
on the tip of the pavilion of a cut gemstone.
Cultured Pearl: A means of duplicating the
organic process of natural pearl creation invented by Kokichi
Mikimoto circa 1893. A tiny irritant like a bead, grain of
sand, or a piece of mother of pearl from another mollusk can be inserted into the opening of an oyster or
mollusk. This irritant becomes the nucleus of a pearl once that mollusk secretes
a lustrous substance (nacre) to cover the foreign body. An oyster or mollusk can
take between five to seven years to secrete enough nacre to produce a jewelry
quality pearl.
Curb Link Chain: A chain composed of oval-shaped links that are twisted
and often diamond-cut so they
lie flat.
Cushion Cut:
A stone that is cut to look like a square or rectangle with rounded edges.
The cut is usually multi-faceted to give the highest possible light refraction.
Cut: One of the 4 C's of diamond grading, "cut" refers to the shape and style of a polished gem.
How a diamond is cut has a lot
to do with the stone's fire and brilliance. A diamond that is cut either too
shallow or too deep will not be as brilliant as a properly cut diamond.
Cut glass: Any glass whose surface has been cut into facets, grooves and
depressions by a large, rotating wheel. Wheel cutting glass was
developed in the 8th century BC, but the technique of faceting wasn't perfected
until the 18th century in England. Although cutting glass is a costly and
difficult process, the brilliant effects are extraordinary!
CZ: See cubic zirconia.
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