A
Alloy - A compound that is comprised of two or more metals. In jewelry it is usually done to make the metal harder, more durable, or to alter its color.

Articulated - Jewelry fashioned with hinges to provide movement and flexibility.

Artisan - A highly-skilled craftsman who exhibits great manual dexterity.

Beveled - A surface that has been cut at an angle less than 90 degrees.

Bezel set - A setting where the gemstone has been set within a metal encasement surrounding the stone.

Burnish setting - When the gemstone is held in place without the use of prongs or beads and is set flush with the setting's surface.

C
Carat - A measure of weight used for gemstones. Not to be confused with "karat", which is a measure of gold alloy purity. Often abbreviated as "ct." one carat is equal to 200 milligrams (one fifth of a gram). Gemstones are measured to the nearest hundredth carat (known as a "point'). For example, a .25 carat stone would be said to have twenty five points. A carat is one of the 4 Cs of diamond grading. The others being Clarity, Cut, and Color.

Center stone - The prominent precious gemstone which is the centerpiece of a ring setting.

Chandelier Earring - An earring with a drop that dangles like a chandelier.

Clarity - One of the four Cs of diamond grading (the other three being Cut, Color, and Carat), clarity refers to the perfection of a gemstones crystalline structure. When grading diamonds, the rating scale ranges from I (where visible imperfections-or "inclusions"-can be seen by the naked eye) to FL (meaning "flawless").

Couture - Highly fashionable clothing and jewelry created by leading designers.

D
Diamond melee - Not to be confused with diamond chips, these small diamonds are full cuts, containing all 58 facets, and are frequently used in fine jewelry as accent diamonds. The word melee refers the diamond's weight, which is less than 1/5 of a carat.

Drop Earring - Sometimes referred to as a "dangle earring", this design includes any earring with hangs below the earlobe.

E
Estate Jewelry - By definition this term simply means "previously owned," although many people today have confused the term to be interchangeable with antique jewelry.

Eternity Band (Ring) - Traditionally, this term refers to a millenniums old ring design wherein the band has been set with a continuous row of gemstones. Today it is most frequently given to mark an anniversary or the birth of a child, though many have begun exchanging the rings as bridal bands.

F
Facet - The polished surface/plane on a diamond or gemstone.

Filigree - A delicate metal openwork wherein fine wire is bent into spiral, vine-like, shapes and soldered into the gallery of the piece.

Finish - The texture or polish on any piece of jewelry.

Freshwater Pearls - Grown in the United States and worldwide, freshwater pearls are born from several different mollusks and commonly have an uneven surface or irregular shape. They come in a variety of colors, including rose, lavender, and violet.

G
G (in color) - When grading diamonds "color" refers to the absence of color in a diamond. The rating scale begins at D (meaning colorless) and ends at Z (meaning having a lot of color). Though some color can be seen when a G diamond is graded, it appears colorless when mounted, thus it is commonly used in fine jewelry.

Gold - The most malleable, and most ductile of all metals, gold by itself is too soft to be used in it natural state to be used for jewelry making, and it is commonly alloyed with copper, nickel, or other metals. Unlike silver it does not oxidize or tarnish.

Gemstone - Any crystallized mineral structure (natural or synthetic) used in jewelry making. This includes all precious and semiprecious stones but excludes all types of plastics and glass.

H
Heirloom - A valued possession that is passed down among family members through generations.

H-I (in color) - When grading diamonds "color" refers to the absence of color in a diamond. The rating scale begins at D (meaning colorless) and ends at Z (meaning having a lot of color). Though some color can be seen when an H-I diamond is graded, it appears colorless when mounted, thus it is commonly used in fine jewelry.

I
Icon - An important and enduring symbol, often holding religious meaning.

Inclusion - An naturally occurring flaw within a diamond or gemstone.

Iridium - One of the platinum family of metals. It is often alloyed with platinum to increase workability.

K
Karat - Abbreviated with the letter "K", karat refers to the purity of gold, which is often alloyed with silver, nickel, copper or other metals to improve its workability and make the soft metal more durable. This is what the following marks mean:
24K = 100% pure gold
18K =18 parts gold and 6 parts alloyed metal(s) or 75% pure gold
14K = 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloyed metal(s) or 58.5% pure gold

L
Lever back - A classic design wherein the earring is attached to a pierced ear by means of a hinged lever that bends and latches behind the ear.

Luster - Refers to the brightness a piece of jewelry reflects.

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