
05 Feb La Jolla Fine Jewelry Glossary & Shopping Tips
If you are new to buying fine jewelry, all the terminology might be a little confusing. So, C. Blackburn Jewelers has put together a quick glossary of the most important fine jewelry terms. If you scroll to the end of the glossary, we’ve also added a list of buyer’s tips and facts to keep in mind when shopping for jewelry in La Jolla, San Diego.
Jewelry Glossary
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.
Art Deco: This jewelry movement, considered a protest against the excesses of Art Nouveau, was launched at the 1925 L’ Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes’ in Paris. The style features geometric and abstract designs and regained popularity in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Learn more at: Art Deco Jewelry Designers.
Art Nouveau: This period started in the 1890s and ended with the onset of World War I. It featured various free-flowing natural motifs, including dragonflies, butterflies, and curvaceousfloral designs, along with female faces.
Articulated: Jewelry fashioned with hinges to provide movement and flexibility.
Artisan: A highly-skilled craftsman who exhibits great manual dexterity.

B
Base metal: A collective term used to describe any non-precious metal.
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 Earrings: 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”).
Color: In diamonds, color refers to the presence of tint, usually yellow or brown, with the most valuable being colorless, while in gemstones, color refers to the hue, tone, and saturation that determine their beauty and value.
Couture: Highly fashionable clothing and jewelry created by leading designers.
Cut: In diamonds, cut refers to how well the stone’s facets are shaped and arranged to maximize brilliance and sparkle, while in gemstones, cut refers to the style and proportions used to enhance color, clarity, and overall appearance.
Cushion Cut: A special kind of diamond cut that resembles a cushion or pillow, and evolved from the “old mine cut”. Learn more at: Cushion Cut Diamond Ring Guide.

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.
Dispersion: The ability of a gemstone, especially diamonds, to break light into spectral colors, creating fire.
Drop Earring: Sometimes referred to as a “dangle earring”, this design includes any earring with hangs below the earlobe.
E
Edwardian: This style of jewelry began during the waning days of Queen Victoria’s reign and flourished until the onset of World War I when geometric Art Deco designs took center stage. During this period heavy use was made of garlands and bows, with diamonds and pearls set in platinum to reflect a monochromatic appearance. Delicate filigree can be found in many ring designs from this period as well as graceful, floral motifs and fringed necklaces. Learn more at: Antique Edwardian Jewelry.
Emerald: A precious green gemstone, a variety of beryl, prized for its rich color and rarity.
Enamel: A decorative jewelry technique where colored, powdered glass is fused onto metal for a smooth, glossy finish.
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. Learn more at: Custom Eternity Rings.
Eye-Clean: A term used to describe diamonds and gemstones that appear free of inclusions when viewed with the naked eye.

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. Learn more at: Hand Filigree Rings.
Finish: The texture or polish on any piece of jewelry.
Fire – The dispersion of light into spectral colors in a gemstone, most notably in diamonds.
Fluorescence – A diamond’s reaction to ultraviolet (UV) light, which can cause it to glow, often blue, and impact its appearance.
Freshwater Pearls: Grown in the United States and world-wide, 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. Learn more at: Colored Gold Jewelry.
Gemstone: Any crystallized mineral structure (natural or synthetic) used in jewelry making. This includes all precious and semi-precious stones but excludes all types of plastics and glass.
Garland Style: Popular during the Edwardian era, this style (which includes bows, swags, and tassels) was made famous by the house of Cartier who set the delicate design in platinum.
H
Halo Setting: A ring design where smaller diamonds or gemstones surround a center stone, enhancing its size and sparkle. Learn more at: Halo Ring Designs.
Hardness: A gemstone’s resistance to scratching, measured on the Mohs scale, with diamonds ranking the highest at 10.
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.
Hallmark: A stamped mark on precious metal jewelry indicating its metal content, purity, and sometimes its origin.

I
Inclusion: A naturally occurring flaw within a diamond or gemstone.
Invisible Setting: A technique where gemstones are set closely together without visible metal prongs or bezels, creating a seamless look.
Iridescence: A gemstone’s ability to display shifting colors when viewed from different angles, seen in opals and pearls.
Iridium: One of the platinum family of metals. It is often alloyed with platinum to increase workability.
J
Jubilee Cut: A rare diamond cut with extra facets, designed for exceptional brilliance, originally created for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Learn more at: Antique Diamond Cuts.
Jeweler’s Loupe: A small magnifying tool used by jewelers to inspect gemstones and craftsmanship in fine jewelry.
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
Kimberley Process: An international certification system designed to prevent the trade of conflict diamonds (blood diamonds).

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.
Lab-Grown Diamond: A diamond created in a controlled laboratory setting, chemically and physically identical to a natural diamond. Learn more at: San Diego Lab Grown Diamonds.
Lost-Wax Casting: A traditional jewelry-making technique where a wax model is used to create a metal casting.
Luster: Refers to the brightness a piece of jewelry reflects.
M
Matte Finish: A textured finish produced by brushing the metal surface to produce tiny parallel lines. Today it is popularly used in platinum jewelry, and sometimes referred to as satin finish.
Micro-set: A setting that involves even smaller gemstones and techniques than pavé set.
Milgrain (also spelled millgrain): The raised beaded edge of piece of jewelry created with a knurling tool. The effect resembles antique embroidery. Learn more at: Milgrained Jewelry.
Mounting: The metal frame or housing in which gemstones are set.

N
Nacre: The iridescent substance produced by mollusks that forms pearls and coats the inner shell.
Navette Cut: Also known as the marquise cut, an elongated oval diamond and gemstone shape with pointed ends. Learn more at: Marquis Diamond Engagement Rings.
Nickel: Hard, malleable, and resistant to corrosion, this white metal is malleable and often mixed with precious metals such as gold and silver.
O
Old European Cut: A historic diamond cut with a round shape, deep proportions, and large facets, popular in antique jewelry.
Opal: A unique gemstone known for its play-of-color, where shifting rainbow hues appear within the stone. Learn more at: Antique Opal Jewelry.
Opaque: A term describing gemstones that do not allow light to pass through, such as turquoise or onyx.
Oxidize: The process wherein a metal mixes with oxygen and becomes rusted. Platinum and gold do not oxidize. Impurities in any alloys containing gold or platinum may oxidize but the actual metals do not.

P
Pavé: From the French, literally meaning “paved,” occurs when gemstones are set very close together to resemble a paved cobblestone road.
Pavé Set: A time-consuming style of setting produced by drilling tapered holes in a metal base to seat the gemstones, then securing them with tiny beads formed from the surrounding metal. In current usage it has often come to mean any type of bead setting.
Pendant: Any article or ornament suspended from a chain or necklace worn around the neck.
Platinumsmith: A metalworker who works in platinum when it is hot and malleable.
Precious Metal: This metal group is generally defined as referring to platinum, gold, and silver, which are valued for their rarity, color, and malleability.
Q
Quartz: A common and versatile mineral used in fine jewelry, with varieties like amethyst, citrine, and rose quartz.
Quatrefoil: A decorative design featuring four overlapping circles or lobes, often seen in luxury jewelry patterns.

R
Radiant Cut: A diamond cut that combines the brilliance of a round cut with the elegance of an emerald shape, featuring trimmed corners. Learn more at: Radiant Cut Diamond Rings.
Rhodium Plating: A thin layer of rhodium applied to white gold or silver jewelry to enhance shine and prevent tarnish.
Rose Cut: A vintage diamond cut with a domed top and triangular facets, popular in antique jewelry.
Ruby: A precious red gemstone, part of the corundum family, valued for its rich color and rarity.
S
Sapphire: This extremely hard gemstone is from the Corundum class of minerals. It is one of the four precious gemstones, the other three being diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Available in a multitude of eye-catching colors, sapphires of blue and pink hues are the most popular kind used today.
Satin Finish: A textured finish produced by brushing the metal surface to produce tiny parallel lines. Today it is popularly used in platinum jewelry, and is sometimes referred to as matte finish.
SI (clarity): SI grade diamonds are frequently found in jewelry, especially in multi-stone diamond earring, rings, pendants, and bracelets. The grade signifies that inclusions cannot be seen by the naked eye but can be seen under 10x magnification.
Solitaire: A classic jewelry design featuring a single gemstone, most often used for engagement rings.

T
Table (Diamond Table): The flat top surface of a faceted gemstone, crucial for light reflection and brilliance.
Tennis Bracelet: A flexible bracelet set with a continuous row of diamonds or gemstones, known for its elegant and timeless style.
Tension Setting: A modern setting where the gemstone is held in place by the pressure of the metal band, creating a floating effect.
U
Ultrasonic Cleaner: A machine that cleans jewelry by vibrating a solution at an ultra-high frequency. Capable of cleaning tiny cavaties of a jewelry piece without scratching the surface but can damage soft or brittle gems. Never to be used on pearl jewelry.
Unheated Gemstone: A natural gemstone that has not undergone heat treatment, often more valuable due to its pure, untreated state.
V
Vintage: A classic, characterized by excellence, maturity, and enduring appeal.
VS (clarity): VS clarity diamonds are of superior quality and frequently used in fine jewelry. The grade signifies that minor inclusions are difficult to see, even under 10x magnification.

W
White Gold: Created by alloying yellow gold with palladium, nickel, zinc, and/or silver, white gold is often selected as a less expensive alternative to platinum. It is often plated with rhodium (a member of the platinum family of metals) to give a platinum like sheen. Learn more at: White Gold vs. Platinum Engagement Rings.
X
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF): A non-destructive testing method used to determine the metal composition of fine jewelry.
Y
Yellow Diamond: A fancy color diamond with a natural yellow hue, graded from light to intense, prized for its rarity and brilliance. Learn more at: Yellow Diamond Rings.
Yellow Gold: In its natural state gold come in varying shades of yellow. Relatively pure when initially mined, gold is usually alloyed with copper, zince, and/or silver when used in jewelry making.
Z
Zinc: Brittle at room temperature but malleable when heated, this bluish-white metal is used to form such alloys as Brass, Bronze, and Nickel Silver.
Zircon: A natural gemstone known for its brilliance and fire, often mistaken for diamond but distinct from cubic zirconia.

La Jolla Jewelry Shopping Tips & Facts
- When buying bridal rings it’s customary to first buy the diamond engagement ring, then purchase the wedding bands with your fiancé.
- On average, wedding bands are bought three months before the wedding day and are fashioned both from the same metal.
- An engagement ring can be bought and fitted to your fiancé’s finger after purchase.
- Avoid buying rings when tiny holes can be seen on the surface of the metal.
- Round diamonds are the most popular shape worn by brides-to-be.
- The precious gemstones in engagement rings usually account for 75-90% of the overall cost of the jewelry.
- The five most common settings for precious gems are: prong, bezel, channel, pavé, and invisible.
- Diamonds are graded by four characteristics: Carat, Cut, Clarity, and Color.
- Like diamonds, other gemstones are also evaluated by color, clarity, cut, and carat weight.
- Gemstones are priced and sold by weight, calculated in carats, which are 1/5 of a gram.
- When buying a diamond be sure the color and clarity are of the same quality.
- Round brilliant diamonds usually contain 58 facets.
- Look for gemstones that have no dark areas but an even brilliance throughout.

- If a gemstone has been treated to enhance color or cover flaws, it should cost less than a “natural” stone.
- The Moh’s Scale is used to measure a gemstone’s hardness. A diamond is 10. Sapphires and rubies are 9. Topaz is 8.
- Choose diamonds in the SI range rather than flawless to save money. The SI flaws (inclusions) are not visible to the naked eye.
- Choose a bezel setting for your diamond to make it appear larger.
- Consider the size and shape of a lady’s hand when buying her a ring.
- All rings should be stamped with a Hallmark (PT, 18K, etc.) indicating the purity of the metal used.
- Examine where the ring has been soldered/welded. Make sure the seams are smooth.
- Platinum, Gold, and Silver are the three precious metals, platinum being the most expensive, the most rare, and the most enduring.
- Check that the polishing or texture finish is consistent and has been carefully applied everywhere on your ring.
- Fine finishing and polishing should be seen throughout the entire piece of jewelry.
- 24 karat gold is pure gold and usually too soft for jewelry making.
- 18 karat means 18 parts pure gold and six parts alloy metals.

- Though beautiful when set in 18K yellow or white gold, diamonds are best complimented and protected by platinum, the world’s most enduring precious metal.
- Harder than yellow gold, white gold is commonly alloyed with the precious metal palladium, which increases its value.
- White gold is often rhodium plated to increase its white luster.
- A cost cutting alternative to platinum is 18k white gold.
- Pink gold is alloyed with copper and has a fancy rose to reddish hue.
- Vintage designs are often chosen for their enduring style and sophistication.
- Consider how and when the jewelry will be worn when selecting the piece.
- Natural pearls are exceedingly rare, irregular in shape, and the most expensive kind of pearl you can buy.
- Virtually all “real” pearls found in jewelry stores are cultured pearls.
- A cultured pearl will feel rough when rubbed against the teeth, an imitation pearl smooth.
- Basically, the most expensive cultured pearls are South Sea, followed by Tahitian, Akoya, and freshwater.
- Purchase jewelry from only a professionally accredited jeweler.
- If purchasing your jewelry online be sure that the company uses an insured carrier.
- Insure diamond jewelry against theft, loss, and damage.

Contact Our La Jolla Jewelry Store
Contact C. Blackburn Jewelers for all of your custom jewelry design needs, including one-of-a-kind engagement rings, wedding bands, anniversary rings, retirement jewelry, and more. We also buy diamond estate jewelry, antique jewelry, and vintage timepieces made by Rolex Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and other luxury watchmakers.
Leave us a voicemail at 858-251-3006 or send a text message to 619-723-8589.