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Ring Sizing

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Common Jewelry Definitions

Amethyst: A common form of quartz. Amethyst is usually purple, but can range in color from pale lavender to a very deep, reddish purple and may have milky white or green inclusions. Deeper-colored amethysts are more highly valued. The name comes from the Greek for "not drunken" as wearing amethyst was believed to be a proof against becoming intoxicated. The amethyst is said to bring good luck and to radiate love. Amethyst is the birthstone for February.

Artisan: A skilled manual worker, a craftsman. When is comes to our artisan textured collection Becaro is able to reconect with the ethic that values excellence over commercialism. Pride in one's work and the ability to apply years of hard-earned expertise to the creation of pieces that are truly special and unique. Artisan stands for quality, where how an object is made matters as much as the finished product.

Bangle: A non-flexible bracelet that may be hinged or continuous. Cuff bangle bracelets are open at the wrist underside or shaped like a long tapered sleeve cuff.

Blue Topaz: A topaz that is light brown or colorless when mined but turns a vivid blue when exposed to heat. Blue Topaz is an alternate birthstone for December.

Box Chain: A chain in which each link is wide and square so that it resembles a box.

Brilliant Cut: The most ideal cut for a gemstone - usually a diamond - that shows off its depth, beauty, and light reflection to maximum potential.

Carat: A carat is a measure of weight used for diamonds and gemstones. It's not the same as a karat.

Channel Set: A style of setting in which a number of uniformly sized small stones, usually of the round cut, princess cut or baguette shapes, are set side by side in a grooved channel. Unlike most setting methods the stones are not secured individually with prongs and there is no metal visible between the stones.

Citrine: Named after the French word for lemon, "citron". Citrine is often incorrectly called quartz topaz or citrine topaz. A variety of quartz, citrine is found in light yellow, amber-brown, and a brilliant orange that may be confused with fine imperial topaz. Most citrine comes from South America . In ancient times, citrine was revered as a gift of the sun and believed to be a powerful antidote to a viper's venom. Citrine is the birthstone for November.

Cluster: Several stones grouped together in a jewelry setting.

Clarity: A diamond (and sometimes gemstone) classification referring to a diamond's purity and rated by the GIA scale that begins at Internally Flawless (no visible imperfections under 10x magnification to Imperfect 3 (hazardous inclusions visible to the naked eye).

Cocktail Ring: A large oversized ring set with precious or semiprecious stones popular during the 1940s and 1950s.

Cubic Zirconia: (CZ) A clear, hard, mass-produced gemstone cut to resemble a diamond. The mineral baddeleyite has the same chemical composition, but to become a CZ the mineral must be heated to almost 5000 degrees Fahrenheit and have an oxide stabilizer such as yttrium or calcium added to keep it from reverting back to its original form when cooled. Almost all the rough CZ's in the market are composed of zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide, both of which are naturally white but combine to form a brilliant clear crystal. Like diamonds, the best cubic zirconia gems are colorless but colored forms are also manufactured. Cubic zirconia gemstones are cut in the same fashion as diamonds, and like diamonds the size of the gemstone is usually indicated by its weight in carats. The stone can also be measured in millimeter diameter size. Because the cubic zirconia stone is so dense and solid, it outweighs a diamond of the same millimeter size, weighing 1.7 times more than a diamond of the same millimeter diameter. It is also not as hard as a diamond rating only an 8 on the Mohs scale. Natural skin oils, soap, and dirt cause a film that dulls the beauty and luster of the cubic zirconia, just as it dulls real diamonds. The best cleaning agent for cubic zirconia is liquid dishwashing detergent, but other gem and jewelry cleaners can also be used.

Cuff Bracelet: A wide rigid bangle with a narrow opening on one side to allow the wrist to pass through.

Cultured Pearl : A means of duplicating the organic process of natural pearl creation invented by Kokichi Mikimoto circa 1893. A tiny irritant like a bead, grain of sand, or a piece of mother of pearl from another mollusk can be inserted into the opening of an oyster or mollusk. This irritant becomes the nucleus of a pearl once that mollusk secretes a lustrous substance (nacre) to cover the foreign body. An oyster or mollusk can take between five to seven years to secrete enough nacre to produce a jewelry quality pearl.

Diamond: A clear transparent precious gemstone composed of pure crystallized carbon which has been highly compressed over millions of years. Diamonds are the hardest substance known to mankind, rating a 10 on the Mohs scale. They are valued because it is difficult to produce a faceted diamond and when properly cut they have high refractivity and brilliance. The quality and value of a diamond is rated using the "4 C's" of color, cut, clarity and carat weight. (See individual listings). The diamond is the birthstone for April. Diamond Jewelers

Diamond accent: Jewelry that has one or more diamonds with a combined carat weight of less than one-fourth of a carat.

Diamond Cut: In the context of gemstones, it means the same as "Brilliant cut". In the context of diamond cut objects, (usually metal objects), it means that part of the object has been cut into a flat diamond shape.

Earring back: A disk or bead that fits over an earring post and holds the earring securely in place, like a catch.

Earring jacket: A small piece of jewelry with a hole pierced in the center designed to be held onto the ear with a stud earring.

Engagement Ring: A ring set with a gemstone, (usually a diamond), that is traditionally given to a woman by a man to signify their intention to be married.

Eternity Ring: A ladies' ring with diamonds or gemstones set all around the shank. Now usually referred to as an anniversary ring (also known as a guard ring when no stones are set).

Facet: Facets are the small flat surfaces of a polished diamond or gemstone. These polished, flat planes are a major determining factor in enhancing the diamond's ability to sparkle or reflect light.

Faceted: A gemstone carved with a regular pattern of many planes, or "facets".

Fancy Cut: A term used for gems that are cut in a shape other than the standard round-cut, such as single cut, marquise, emerald, pear, heart, oval, square, baguette, triangle, etc. Also called fancy shape.

Figure 8 safety catch: A type of safety catch in which a hinged wire in the shape of a figure eight snaps over a pin.

Filigree: A type of fine wire decoration with intricate patterns, usually twisted and fairly delicate unless made in platinum.

Garnet: A family of stones having many varieties differing in color and in their constituents, but all are silicates with the same isometric crystallization and conforming to the same general chemical formula. Garnet is a very commonly found in gneiss and mica slate. The name is derived from its resemblance in color and shape to the seeds of the pomegranate. The most common color of garnets range from light red to violet or plum-red, but can also be white, green, yellow, brown, and black varieties. It seems as though every shade and color of garnet is given its own name. Known varieties of garnet include Andradite, Tsavorite, Grossularite, Essonite, Pyrope, Almandine, Spessartite, Melanite, Allochroite, Ouvarovite, Demantoid, and Rhodalite. (See individual listings). Garnets have a hardness that varies between 6-8 on the Mohs scale. It was believed that the wearer of garnet jewelry was kept in good health and protected while traveling. Garnets are worn to signify truth and faith. Red garnet is the birthstone for January.

Gem: (Gemstone). A precious or semiprecious stone that may be used as a jewel when cut and polished. Includes diamond, beryl, emerald, chalcedony, agate, onyx, tourmaline, chrysolite, sapphire, ruby, spinel, topaz, turquoise, zircon, cubic zirconia, jacinth, hyacinth, carbuncle, amethyst, alexandrite, cat's eye, bloodstone, hematite, jasper, moonstone, sunstone, and many others. Several organic materials like coral and pearls are also considered gemstones.

Half-hoop design: An earring which resembles a ring but does not form a complete circle.

Hallmark: A form of consumer protection against fraud, hallmarks are simply marks stamped onto a precious metal by a legally appointed official after assaying to denote the amount of precious metal contained in a piece. European hallmarks are legally required and date back to the early middle ages. Marks are not always officially required but are carried by custom and practice. Marks may indicate the purity of the metal, the maker, and the country of manufacture.

Hammered: A texture applied to the surface of an object with a hammer to give it a dimpled or textured look and finish.

High polish: A piece of jewelry that has been polished to a mirror-like finish.

Hoop Earring: An earring made from metal wire or tubing that has been shaped like a hoop. Charms and other ornaments are sometimes hung from the hoop.

Lever back: A means of attaching an earring to a pierced ear with a hook that goes through the ear and is then secured by a hinged lever attached to the back of the piece.

Matte: With jewelry which has a matte finish the designer uses either a chemical process or an abrasive material to scratch the top layers of the piece creating a dull and non-reflective surface. Also referred to as having a "brushed finish”.

Omega back: These work a bit like lever back earrings, in that they have a hinged lever on the back of the earring near the bottom, but in this case the lever ends in an O shape that closes over a post in place of a clutch to secure the earring to a pierced ear.

Pave': A kind of setting in which small gemstones are set very close together resembling the paving done with bricks.

Pendant: An ornament or charm that hangs from a cord or chain worn around the neck.

Peridot: Another name for chrysolite and olivine. Peridot is the birthstone for August. A gem variety of olivine that is yellowish-green. Slightly soft, its facets often appear worn away in older jewellery. Pronounced 'pear-uh-doh.' Has been found in meteorites.

Pierced earrings: Earrings that are attached to an ear by means of a wire or post that is inserted through a hole pierced in the ear.

Post: The pin that sticks out the back of a stud earring. The post goes through the pierced ear and is secured in place with a catch that slides onto it behind the earlobe.

Princess Cut: A modern diamond cutting style resembling the facet arrangement of a brilliant cut but with square corners and shallower crown.

Quartz: One of the most diverse and plentiful gemstone species. Amethyst and citrine are the most common varieties. Quartz varieties are seen in all eras of collectible jewellery.

Sandblasting: A matte finish applied to gold and silver using a jet of sand compressed by steam.

Sapphire: One of the four precious gemstones. The other three are diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Sapphire is a member of the corundum family which come in a variety of colors from white to orange to green to pink. If a corundum gemstone is red, it is a ruby, but any other colors are properly referred to as sapphires. Sapphires have been synthesized since the 1920's. Blue sapphire is the birthstone for September.

Satin finish: A series of tiny parallel lines scratched onto a surface with a wire brush or polishing tool to produce texture finishes.

Screw back: A type of earring attachment for non-pierced ears where the earring is tightened against the earlobe by means of a screw with a flat padded end.

Semiprecious: Any gemstones valued for their beauty but which are not one of the four "precious stones", (emerald, diamond, ruby or sapphire). Some examples of semiprecious stones are amethyst, aventurine, carnelian, garnet, opal, peridot, rose quartz, etc.

Setting: The part of the jewelry into which stones are set. Also refers to the mechanism used to hold the stones in place, such as the bezel, pave', channel, and prong settings.

Shank: The part of a ring that encircles the finger but does not include the setting.

Smoky Quartz: A smoky-yellow, smoky-brown, or brownish-gray, often transparent variety of crystalline quartz containing inclusions of carbon dioxide; may be used as a semiprecious stone. Also known as cairngorm. It is formed by irradiation of rock crystal, and usually occurs at high altitudes. 

Solitaire: A single, (solitary), gemstone mounted in a simple setting, often found in a ring or pendant.

Spring Ring Clasp: A very common kind of clasp used for joining two ends of a necklace. The clasp itself consists of a hollow metal tube in a circle shape with a gap in the side. The hollow tube contains a small wire held in place by a spring inside the tube behind the wire. The wire can be pulled back by means of a small knob which slides along the outer edge of the circular tube. Releasing the knob allows the spring to push the wire forward closing the gap. The other end of the necklace terminates in a small ring. By using the knob on the spring ring to open the gap in the hollow circular tube, one can then place the small ring through the gap and close the wire through the ring securing it in place and closing the necklace.

Square cut: A style of gem cutting resembling the emerald cut.

Stud: A simple style of earring for pierced ears that have a single stone (such as a pearl) or metal ball on a straight post with no dangling parts. (See also Button earring).

Tennis bracelet: A bracelet made up of individually set gemstones of uniform size and color linked together like a chain so it is somewhat flexible.

Rhodium Plated – Rhodium is a precious metal, a member of the platinum family. Rhodium electroplating is used, especially on jewelry, to provide a surface that will resist scratches and tarnish, and give a white, reflective appearance. Rhodium plating is most often found on white gold. It is important to be aware that rhodium plating does not last forever. The plating on something that takes a lot of wear, like a wedding ring, can wear away in as little as two years, while a necklace or pin that is worn less frequently or comes in less contact with your skin or the elements can keep its plating for ten or more years. Most jewelry items can be easily replated, although replating a two-toned piece will be more expensive because the work needs to be done by hand.