Diamond Anatomy
Table: The top and largest facet where the light is returned to the eye.
Crown: Angled top part of the diamond between the girdle and the table.
Girdle: A band at the diamond’s widest point, could be polished or faceted.
Pavilion: The bottom part of the diamond between the girdle and the culet.
Culet: The facet at the bottom tip. This should be closed and not open.
Glossary of Jewelry terms:
Styles of settings: theses various styles can vary in price.
Pavé means "pavement" in French. Several diamonds closely set together, resulting in a line - or pavement, usually 3 lines or more.
Bead same as Pave except usually in a single row.
Flush or gypsy; set into metal, so it is flush with the mounting.
Prong or claw, most popular style of setting stone set in a head or basket held in by prongs or claws.
Bezel or tube: A band of metal that surrounds the stone. Often seen in when setting Cabshone stones, i.e.: Jade
Channel: stones are set in on a vertical wall and set side by side with no metal separating them.
Metal Content and Alloys:
There are many different colors to gold, but these are the most popular. Gold in the purest form is yellow. Mixing other alloys will produce other colors. A stamp for metal content is inside of the shank.
Yellow gold, 18Kt or 750: 75% is pure gold, 9.5% is silver and 15.5% is copper
Yellow gold, 14Kt or 585: 58.5% is pure gold, 12.5% Silver, 29.0% copper
White gold, 18Kt or 750: 75% pure gold, 10% platinum, 10% Nickle, 5% Zinc. Can also be &4% pure gold and 25% platinum or Palladium.
White Gold 14Kt or 585: 53.3% pure gold 23.5% copper 5.97% Silver, 12.2% nickel.
Note: White gold is plated with a Rhodium finish to give the mounting a whiter looking bright finish. This often needs to be redone about every year or two depending on the wear.
24kt gold is 99.9% pure
12kt gold is 50% gold
10kt gold is 42.6%
Fluorescence:
Fluoresce in a diamond: Years ago, the term used was a blue -white diamond . It meant that the diamond was a white stone that has a blue fluoresce. That term is no longer used. Fluorescence refers to a diamond that emits a colored glow when subjected to ultraviolet light (black light). Roughly 30% of diamonds fluoresce to some degree. Fluorescence is an identifying characteristic. It can make a diamond appear whiter. Heavy fluorescence can make a diamond look cloudy which lowers its transparency. In my opinion, none to faint is better.
