If you enjoy wearing jewellery, you definitely have a few favourites. You may also be aware that jewellery has many different forms, shapes, and often complex technological components. Gaining a better grasp of the terminology used in the jewellery business will help you properly appreciate and take care of existing jewellery as well as buy for new jewellery and have favourite items repaired. 12 terms for jewellery are listed below to help you learn more about jewellery:
Appraisal
An evaluation can be carried out by a jeweller or gemologist, who will ascertain specifics regarding the calibre, craftsmanship, materials, and values of a piece of jewellery based on accepted standards. An formal document detailing all of the piece’s qualities and establishing its total value should come from a professional evaluation. Keep this paperwork safe in case you decide to sell or insure your jewellery in the future.
Clasp
The little metal component known as a clasp joins the ends of a chain together, enabling you to put on and take off jewellery such as necklaces and bracelets. Permanent jewellery does away entirely with clasps, and some clasps become inventive with useful tools like magnets that require less dexterity. Some clasps, like lobster clasps, are tiny and difficult to operate, but there are alternative solutions that are more accessible.
Diamond Grade
Carat, clarity, colour, and cut are the four characteristics that define a diamond’s quality. What those measurements signify is as follows:
A diamond’s weight and size are expressed in carats. About 200 milligrammes equal one carat unit, and jewellers are quite exact when measuring carat weights. Generally speaking, the larger the carat, the more costly and higher quality the diamond is.
Clarity:
A diamond’s clarity is an assessment of its imperfections. A diamond with a high clarity rating is free of flaws, sometimes known as “blemishes” or “inclusions.” A diamond with fewer defects is of higher grade.
A diamond’s colour can range from being entirely clear to being quite dark yellow or brown. The diamond’s quality increases with transparency. A colourless diamond is graded a D or F on the lettered scale used to evaluate colour, whereas letters from G through Z denote more coloured stones.
Cut:
A diamond’s cut refers to how the stone is fashioned. As they develop, diamonds take on rough forms, and jewellers then cut them in particular ways to produce the wearable stones we know and love. The way a diamond is cut may have an impact on its quality; some angles enable greater light transmission, creating a brighter, sparklier piece of jewellery.
Jewellery Back
The component of an earring that secures it in place is called the back. An earring back can be made in a variety of forms and designs, including:
Leverback:
A leverback earring has a hinge that attaches via the piercing in the ear. This form of earring back is secure, but since the two parts must be precisely latched together, it might be more difficult to clasp than some other alternatives.
Omega:
These earrings commonly consist of a wire that passes through the ear piercing and a tiny, hinged element (formed like the Greek letter omega) that snaps over the wire to hold the earring firmly in place.
Stick post:
You may place a stick post directly into your ear piercing. It is a straight metal stick. To fasten the earring to your ear from behind, it slides into a different backing component, sometimes a butterfly backing.
Stick post earring with a screw back: Stick post earrings with a screw back have a similar form to a stick post earring. To retain the earring even more securely, the detachable backing will screw into the post.
Shepherd’s hook-shaped wire earring backs don’t always require an additional component to be attached to your ear. It will bend downward after gliding through the earlobe and can come with a rubber stopper to secure it in place.
Electroplating
In the electroplating process, a coating of metal, such as gold or rhodium, is applied to a piece of jewellery. If you own any jewellery that has been metal-plated, it was likely manufactured in the same way: a base metal is covered in a coating of gold, silver, rhodium, or another precious metal. The jeweller will use electricity to fuse the metal onto the piece after submerging the jewellery in a vat of liquid and metal ions during the electroplating procedure. Electroplating is a fantastic choice if you want to enhance the lustre (or shine) of a piece of jewellery and provide an additional layer of defence against normal wear and scratches.
Enamel
The process of fusing a fine coloured substance, such as glass powder, to a metal surface produces enamel. This produces a vibrant look and may give your jewellery striking and intriguing characteristics. You may want to think about obtaining enamel detailing on a piece of metal jewellery if you want a little splash of colour, like you may find on a Hidalgo ring.
Ring Jump
A jump ring is a tiny metal loop that joins many components of jewellery, such as chains and clasps, earrings that dangle and their backs, or pendants that hang from chains. Jump rings are typically relatively simple to repair and don’t even need to be soldered. To restructure the attachment point, a jeweller would often use pliers to squeeze the two ends of the metal loop together.
Karat
The amount of gold in a metal is expressed as a karat (not to be confused with a carat). The letter K is frequently used to denote it; 24K stands for 100% gold. Alloys, which are mixtures of several metals, are anything that isn’t 100 percent pure metal. Remember that a greater carat count is typically more expensive, but also significantly more precious and robust, while you’re searching for artificial jewellery.
Band Shank
The portion of a ring that wraps around the finger is known as the ring shank, sometimes known as the ring band. Although some ring shanks are made of other materials, such as acrylic, others are commonly constructed of metal.
Since the circumference or diameter of the ring’s shank is the portion that is measured to determine the final size, you are most likely to hear this word while determining your ring size.
Soldering
Fusing two metals together is known as soldering (pronounce it saw-der-ing with a silent “L”). Soldering irons are tools used by jewellers to make and repair chains, rings, and earring backs. A jeweller will use a soldering iron to repair your piece by melting the metal back together if your necklace chain breaks, your ring is the wrong size, or if the backing of your earrings ever comes off.
Setting
Any item of jewellery that has a gemstone attached to it has a setting. There are many different types of ring settings, including:
Bezel:
A bezel setting secures a gemstone in place by enclosing the stone’s circumference with a strong metal lining.
Channel:
In a channel setting, a row of stones is placed into the ring’s band between two metal walls, which, as you may have guessed, provide a channel in which the gems can rest safely.
Pavé:
A pave setting is made up of several little gemstones that are arranged tightly together, often around the ring’s band. The entire ring sparkles as a result of this effect.
Prong:
To firmly secure a gemstone in place, prongs are metal tabs that extend upward over the top of the gemstone. There are several distinct prong varieties, and each one produces a unique aesthetic impact.
Tarnish
When residue accumulates on metal jewellery sets or the jewellery is exposed to water, tarnish, which is the consequence of a metal going through a chemical reaction, can form. Tarnishing can be identified by both discoloration and dulling. Avoid getting your metal jewellery wet to prevent tarnish, and make sure to clean it off with a soft cloth after each wear to remove any lotions, perfumes, or germs.
With these new terminology for jewellery in your vocabulary, you may shop for the jewellery you like, take good care of the pieces you already possess, and create a stunning collection of jewellery that will last a lifetime.