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Glossary by Letter:
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
(also known as Buffalo Stone,
ammolite, or korite) is the
fossilized shell of the ammonite,
an ancient cephalopod. It
can be used as a gemstone
and is a gray, iridescent
stone with flashes of blue,
green, purple, red, or yellow.
(Blues and purples are rare.)
The color changes as the stone
is viewed from different angles.
It is only found in southern
Alberta, Canada.
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
(also called bakelite) A moldable
plastic invented by Leo Bakeland
in 1909, it was used in jewelry
extensively during the U.S.
Great Depression of the 1930's.
Bakelite can be molded, lathe-carved,
and one color can be inlaid
into another, as in polka
dots. The inlaid and carved
pieces are especially popular
with collectors today. It
has a distinct scent when
rubbed similar to formaldehyde.
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
Occasionally called "Cloisonné",
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.
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 STORE
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.
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 repouss? 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 repouss?.
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
Refers to when a gemstone
is set in a metal ring and
secured by many metal claws.
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.
CHROMEIUM
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
An object is made of
wax and coated in clay. When
the clay is fired, the wax
melts and is drained away
or evaporates leaving an exact
impression of the object in
the hardened clay, which is
then filled with molten metal.
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
A milgrain design engraved
into the edge of the metal
securing a stone in place.
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
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".
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
(Also called arcade or
châton setting). Refers
to when a gemstone is set
in a metal ring and secured
by many metal claws.
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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