A Definitive Guide to Jewelry Terms

When shopping for gemstones, being familiar with jewelry terms is essential if you want to know exactly what you’re buying.

But with so many jewelry stone abbreviations and parts of a gem to understand, figuring out exactly what the descriptions mean isn’t always easy.

With that in mind, let’s look at some of the most important jewelry terminology dictionary terms. In addition, we’ll answer what is pink ice stone?

What are Jewelry Terms?

As you probably know, navigating the complex and sometimes confusing jewelry terminology isn’t an easy task.

But at the same time, it’s vital to understand that the terms serve an essential purpose and can help you find the exact diamonds and gemstones you’re looking for.

The terms can help you figure out the type of gemstone, its size, value, and brilliance as well as other important factors. This will be helpful when it comes time to make purchases.

That said, let’s look at some of the jewelry terms you must know.

List of Jewelry Terms

Abrasion: Damage to the facet junctions of the gemstone.

Accent Gemstones: Small gemstones that are used as elaborations to the central and largest rock in a piece of jewelry.

Alloy: A mixture of multiple metals used for creating jewelry. 

Anneal: A process in which the gemstone is enhanced in strength. 

Blemish: An imperfection in or on the diamond or gemstone.

Branded Cut: A specialized branded cut developed by a manufacturer to showcase a unique design.

Brilliance: Reflection of white light that comes off the diamond or gemstone.

Bruise: A small chip of the gemstone.

Carat: One of the most important jewelry terms, a carat determines the gemstone’s weight.

Clarity: Determines the types and amount of inclusions present in a gemstone or diamond.

Color: The color of a diamond or gemstone seems self-explanatory, but there are a few things that must be considered. Diamonds are graded from D to Z, with D being completely colorless and Z a pale yellow. 

Conflict Diamonds: Conflict diamonds are those used to finance illegal rebel activities against internationally-recognized governments.

Cut: Cut is an integral method for determining the overall beauty of a diamond. It can either refer to the shape or the way that the diamond is cut. The diamond can be cut in various styles, including oval, pear, radiant, cushion, and others.

Diamond Simulant: Today, diamond simulants are becoming more popular than ever. While they are not real diamonds, they have all of the essential qualities. Moissanite is an excellent example of a diamond simulant that is often difficult to distinguish at a glance.

Finish: The overall quality of the cut and finish on a diamond. 

Fire: The appearance of colored light that is reflected back from within the diamond. Some diamonds can reflect the entire spectrum of colors, especially if the cut is a higher grade.

Gemstone: The gemstone definition states that it’s a precious or semi-precious stone, which is usually also cut and polished. Gemstones are often used in jewelry. 

Girdle: The outermost edge of the diamond, separating the pavilion (bottom) from the crown (top). 

Inclusion: Anything that’s enclosed in a diamond or stretches within from the outside. There are a wide variety of inclusions, and they can also vary in severity, from barely visible to clearly apparent. 

Karat: A method used to measure the purity of gold. 

Pavilion: The lower section of the diamond, located below the girdle.

Common Jewelry Abbreviations

It is also important to understand jewelry stone abbreviations. These include:

10K/14K/18K: Common gold carat values.

CT: Carat

CZ: Cubic zirconia

DEW: Diamond equivalent weight

FL: Flawless

IF: Internally-flawless

VVS1; VVS2: Very, very slightly included

VS1; VS2: Very slightly included

SI1; SI2: Slightly included

I1; I2; I3: Included

TW: Total weight

What is Pink Ice Jewelry?

Now that we’ve covered the main jewelry terms and abbreviations, we can examine one of the lesser-known terms you will run into and figure out the pink ice gemstone meaning.

Pink ice is a common name used for cubic zirconia that has a pink color. It is a popular synthetic gemstone renowned for its qualities. As a result, it makes a great alternative to real diamonds.

Pink ice is much more affordable and is actually thought of as more beautiful by many people who want a brilliant and beautiful gemstone that costs much less than a diamond. 

While they are lab-made, that doesn’t mean that pink ice gemstones are inferior. Moreover, the fact they are artificial also means they do not cause or fund conflicts.

Gema & Co Can Help

Knowing the most important jewelry terms is essential if you want to make an informed decision when choosing the perfect piece of jewelry for your needs.

If you have any questions about our moissanite jewelry selection, please contact us today, and we’ll help you make the right choice.

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