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| Art Deco |
A design style which originated in the early 1920's until the mid 1930's. |
| Channel set | A method of setting stones where they are suspended in between two bars or channels of metal. |
| Chronograph | A watch that includes a stop watch. |
| Claw set |
A method of setting stones where they are held by "claws" or "prongs". |
| Cubic zirconia |
Also known as "CZ". A synthetic, man-made stone resembling a diamond. Its properties make it sparkle more than any other crystal or synthetic gemstone. It is produced in a variety of colours. |
| Diamond |
A naturally occuring gemstone. Very rare, it is the hardest natural material on earth and is extremely durable - which is why it is used in precious jewellery. Its properties make it sparkle unlike any other material. It is most commonly available in shades of white and yellow or brown, but can also be rarely found in a variety of other colours. Diamond quality is determined by the amount of natural imperfections. Diamonds are measured by weight in units called carats. |
| Edwardian |
Refers to the reign of King Edward VII,1901 - 1910. |
| Emerald | A natural gemstone found in varying shades of green. Most emeralds contain a number of natural flaws due to their formation process. Softer than sapphire and ruby, it is generally more valuable. |
| Enamel | Enamel is a process which fuses coloured powder and glass onto jewellery. |
| Era |
A period, eg Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco. |
| Estate |
Anything which is "second hand" or "previously owned". |
| Gold |
A yellow precious metal. Its purity in jewellery is measured in karats. Alloys include 9 karat gold which is 37.5% pure gold and 18 karat gold which is 75.0% pure gold. The balance of the alloy is made of other metals such as copper. |
| Marcasite | A bright metallic mineral, used in jewellery to create a "sparkle" effect. |
| Movement |
A watch movement refers to the internal working of a watch. A ‘quartz movement’ uses a battery, whereas an ‘automatic movement’ uses the movement of the wearer's wrist to create energy to power the watch. |
| Old European cut | An old round diamond cut from the 19th century - the most advanced for its time. |
| Pavé set |
A method of setting stones very closely together. |
| Pearl |
Most pearls are cultured in large water systems, either in mussles in rivers or lakes (fresh water pearls) or in oysters in the ocean (salt water or Akoya pearls). Natural pearls are not cultured or harvested in farms . They are therefore more expensive but generally of a better quality. |
| Platinum | A dense and heavy white metal, 90-95% pure when used in jewellery. Unlike white gold, platinum does not require rhodium plating. |
| Rhodium |
An extremely rare and expensive white metal. A small amount is used to plate certain silver and all white gold jewellery (rhodium plated). This enhances the white colour, prevents tarnishing and creates a brilliant shine. |
| Ruby | A natural gemstone - identical to a sapphire but red in colour. |
| Sapphire |
A natural gemstone, most commonly blue in colour. Sapphires are hard and durable, but not as hard as diamonds. |
| Shell based pearl |
Man-made pearls which use sand or shells to create the round shape. |
| Stainless steel | An alloy of steel which is more resistant to staining, corrosion or rusting. |
| Sterling silver | (Or 925 silver) is 92.5% pure silver, with the remainder made up of other metals, usually copper. |
| Tungsten |
A naturally occuring grey-colour metal. It is extremely hard and durable. |
| Victorian |
Refers to the reign of Queen Victoria, 1837 - 1901. |
| White gold |
The same as yellow gold except that the alloy is mixed with a white metal such as palladium or nickel, |
Glossary of Terms
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