Glossary
Abalone – A natural deposit made from within the shell of an abalone, a type of shell fish. Also known as Mother of Pearl.
Baguette setting – A stone cut into a rectangular shape with rows of facets that descend like steps. When the long sides taper towards the center, this is known as a tapered baguette. Baguette cut stones are often used to make the primary stone appear larger.
Bar setting – A circular band of gemstones (often diamonds) where each stone is held in place by long, thin bar that runs between two stones.
Bezel – In this cut, a rim completely surrounds the gem. They can be made into any shape, including straight or scalloped edges, in order to accommodate the stone in a particular piece of jewelry.
Blemishes - External marks on the face of a gem that diminish its value.
Brilliance – The sparkle that a stone gives off when struck by the light, both in terms of reflecting that light and how the light appears within the stone itself.
Brilliant cut – This cut is proven by mathematics to reflect the most amount of light possible from within a given stone. Brilliant cuts can be in the shapes of pear, heart, oval or marquise.
Cabochon – This cut has no facets and as a result produces a stone with a very smooth surface. Can be shaped as a dome or square with a rounded top.
Carat – A unit of measure that depicts the weight of gems, especially diamonds. A carat can be divided into 100 points and each carat is equal to 200 milligrams. This means that a 1/2 carat stone is the same as one described as .50 carat and 50 point carat.
Channel setting – This setting has two stones directly next to each other and is generally found in pieces designed for weddings or anniversaries.
Cushion cut – A cut that resembles a square pillow.
Cut – This is the description of the way the stone is crafted from rough form into polished form. The right cut determines the value of a natural stone, particularly for diamonds.
Dispersion – When light enters into a stone, depending upon the way that the facets are aligned, the light is reflected back out differently. This affects the way that the colors are witnessed. Dispersion is also called fire.
Facet – The flat, polished surface of a gemstone.
Hardness – This is the resistance that a stone offers against abrasions, determined by the Moh’s scale of hardness. Diamonds possess the highest rating.
Luster – The depth of reflection in opaque stones such as opals or pearls.
Marquise shape – This cut resembles a rectangle with points at each end. Generally, each of the long slides have a gentle curvature to them.
Mele – Tiny diamonds smaller than .10 carats.
Pave – Several diamonds clustered together, as in a paving of diamonds.
Polish – The amount of time and effort put into making a gem shine.
Princess cut – A square or rectangular cut given to a brilliant cut diamond.
Prong setting – Also known as claw setting, this uses a metal tip that actually touches the gem to secure it in place. Generally there are six claws which cradle the stone. Considered especially strong for large gems.
Scintillation – The light entering a stone that is reflected and thrown back out to create a sparkle is known as scintillation.
Solitaire – One stone, typically a diamond, set by itself.
Tension setting – A stone kept in place on a band due to the designer squeezing the stone in place to secure it.