Glossary – C

Glossary – C

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z  

• Cable Chain

  Composed of individual round or oval links that interlock in a uniform pattern with each link attached at ninety degrees to the next.  Cable chain is the miniature version of the large chains used on ships.  Also known as Link Chain. 

• Cabochon

  A gem cut in sphere like form. A polished gemstone with a dome shaped top and flat bottom. Commonly used for opaque stones such as onyx or turquoise, or for phenomenal stones such as opal, star sapphire or tiger eye.

• Cameo

  A carving where the outer layers are cut away so the design stands out against a background of a different color.

• Cancer

  “The Crab”

  Astrological sign for June 22nd through July 22nd. 

  Astrological element: Water

• Capricorn

  “The Goat”

  Astrological sign for December 22nd through January 20th. 

  Astrological element: Earth

• Carat

  Unit of weight for gemstones with 100 points to a carat, one carat equaling 1/5 of a gram.

• Carnelian

  Brownish-red mineral which is commonly used as a semi-precious gemstone. The color can vary greatly, ranging from pale orange to an intense almost-black coloration.

• Casting

  The process of making jewelry pieces that involves the pouring of liquid metal alloy into a mold. It is usually referred to as lost-wax casting because the casting mold is created using a wax model that is melted away to leave a hollow chamber in the middle of the mold.

• Cat’s Eye

  Resembles the color of the neem fruit with silver streak which comes in chrysoberyl stone. It also comes in other colors like black, black & white, yellow, pale blue and light red.

• Catch

  Secondary closure for fine jewelry.

• Cathedral Setting

  A setting in which prongs, a bezel or a tension setting hold the gem in place usually featuring metal arches on either side.

• Celtic Knot

  Intertwined knots arranged in different patterns with each pattern representing different symbolic meanings.

• Century Font

  

• Ceramic

  This is not the same material as your “grandma’s” ceramic. This high-tech ceramic is an inorganic, non-metallic solid that is available in black, white and pink as well as other colors. Ceramic jewelry is valued for its scratch resistance, heat resistance, hypo-allergenic and fade resistant properties. Ceramic jewelry has the same basic hardness and durability as Tungsten and both have a greater hardness than Titanium.

• Channel

  A method whereby stones are suspended between two bars or strips of metal, called channels.

• Channel Setting

  Grooved metal (channel) built into a jewelry setting for holding stones. This term also describes a number of small stones the same size, set in a row.

• Charoite

  Rare silicate mineral, first described in 1978 and named for the Chara River. Charoite is translucent lavender to purple in color with a pearly luster.

• Checker Cut

  A checkerboard cut technique where the gem stone is cut into a multitude of square facets spaced regularly around the stones surface, giving a ‘Checkerboard’ effect of light and dark squares when moved in the light.

• Child-Proof Clasp

  

  This clasp is similar to a box catch but requires a pin or small pointed object to release it, making it very secure.

• Chrome Diopside

  Is colored by chromium and displays a rich forest green that has similarities to tsavorite garnet and chrome tourmaline.

• Chronograph Watch

  A type of watch that can be used as a stopwatch combined with a display watch.  A basic chronograph has an independent sweep second hand; it can be stopped, started and returned to zero by successive pressing of the stem.

• Chrysocolla

  A carbonate copper gemstone, featuring a vivid blue-green color and is often mistaken for turquoise.

• Citrine (November Birthstone)

  The birthstone for November. Named from the French word for lemon. Colors range from yellow to gold to orange to brown.

• Clarendon Font

  

• Clarity

  Refers to the effect inclusions (small foreign particles or structural inconsistencies) have on the appearance of a diamond.

• Clasp

  An attachment that connects the ends of a piece of jewelry.

• Clip Beads

  Hinged beads that open to clip anywhere on a chain to prevent beads from sliding.

• Clip-back Earrings

  For non-pierced ears. A hinged “clip” secures the earring to the earlobe.

• Closed Back Ring

  Appears to be the same as a solid back ring except the back is not completely filled in with gold, leaving a void behind the head of the ring.

• Cluster

  A setting in which stones are grouped together.

• Clutch

  An earring back, which slides onto and secures post-back earrings.

• Cobalt Chromium

  A newer material being used in the construction of alternative metal jewelry. It is light-weight and hypo-allergenic. Its platinum-look differentiates it from both tungsten and titanium. Cobalt is more scratch resistant than titanium, but not quite as hard as tungsten. Cobalt rings will not chip or crack and can be engraved with personalized sentiments.

• Cocktail Ring

  An elaborate multi-stone ring with an eye-catching, glamorous flair.

• Color

  A grading scale is used to describe the color of a diamond which ranges from totally colorless to yellow-brown.

• Comfort Fit

  A ring that is contoured or curved on the inside of the shank ensuring comfort to the wearer.

• Concave

  Curving or hollowed inward.

• Corundum

  A gem species second only to diamond in hardness that is found in many colors. Red corundum is called ruby (July’s birthstone) and all other varieties are called sapphire. Blue sapphire (September’s birthstone) is the most familiar; however pink sapphire and yellow sapphire are also relatively popular.

• Created Stones

  Created gemstones (such as pink or star sapphires) are laboratory manufactured gemstones that very closely mimic the composition and structure of their natural counterparts and share virtually all of their properties. They have excellent quality and are less costly than natural gemstones.

• Crimp End

  An end that is secured by sliding the material into a tube that is connected to a ring then crimping the tube.

• Crown

  The upper part of a gem, the portion of a diamond between its girdle and its table.

• CT

  Abbreviation for carat

• CT TW

  Abbreviation for carat total weight. The sum of weight for all the diamonds in a single piece of jewelry, or in a pair of earrings or a set of rings.

• Cuban Link

  A variation of the cable chain with oval shaped links that have a twist-like pattern cut into them, creating a channel for each link to fit together and lay flat in a straight line.

• Cubic Zirconia

  An inexpensive man-made material, created in 1977. It is similar in appearance to a diamond.

• Cuff Bracelet

  A cuff bracelet is a bracelet which does not close on the wrist, but simply rests on it with a gap or opening on the inside of the wrist.  A cuff bracelet normally only needs to be adjusted once and not bent each time.

• Cuff Links

  A decorative fastener used to close the cuffs (without buttons) of a shirt.

• Culet

  The base facet located at the bottom of a diamond.

• Cultured Pearl

  Any pearl (fresh or saltwater) grown by a mollusk containing a surgically implanted hard bead nucleus or soft tissue nucleus. In other words, these are not artificial or manmade – they are real pearls made with a little human intervention. The length of time a pearl is allowed to grow and/or the size of the nucleus will determine the size of the pearl that will be harvested. Cultured pearls are cultivated on farms in fresh water or saltwater.

• Curb Chain

  A variation of the Cable Chain with round or oval links that have been twisted and sometimes diamond cut so they lay flat.  Also known as a Gourmette Chain.

• Cursive Font

  

• Curt

  Describes the shape and proportions of a diamond.

• Cushion Cut

  A square-cut gemstone with step facets and rounded edges. Cushion-cut stones are found in many vintage-style pieces of jewelry.

• CZ

  CZ refers to Cubic Zirconia, the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide.  The synthesized material is hard and usually colorless, but may be made in variety of colors.  Because of its low cost, durability and close visual likeness to diamond, synthetic cubic zirconia has remained the most gemologically and economically important competitor for diamonds since production began in 1976.