Descriptionary

belly ring any ring worn in the belly button.

beveled in a gem, cut off at the corners or sides at less than 90 degrees.

bezel setting a ring setting in which the stone is surrounded by a collar of gold or silver instead of prongs.

bib necklace any necklace with strands or compo­nents that hang down and cover the top of the chest, like a bib.

birthstone originating from astrology, a stone that represents the month in which one is born. The offi­cial Jewelers of America list is as follows:

January—garnet

February—amethyst

March—aquamarine

April—diamond

May—emerald

June—pearl or moonstone

July—ruby

August—peridot

September—sapphire

October—opal

November—citrine

December—turquoise or blue topaz

Biwa pearl a lustrous, irregularly shaped pearl from Lake Biwa in Japan.

black gold gold that has been electroplated with black rhodium or rutherium or which has been sub­jected to a lasering technique that turns the metal deep black.

blemish a chip, scratch, or any other imperfection in a stone.

bling modern slang for jewelry that tends to be oversized and often diamond-studded, for the pur­pose of showing off.

blister pearl see bouton pearl.

bloomed gold any gold jewelry that has been treated with acid in order to give it a textured appearance.

blue gold an alloy of gold and iron, which creates a bluish tinge.

bodkin a long, decorative, and sometimes bejew- eled hairpin.

body jewelry any jewelry, such as a ring or stud, attached to the belly button, nose, lip, eyebrow, toe, or nipple.

Bohemian diamond a fake diamond, actually rock crystal.

Bohemian ruby a fake ruby, actually pyrope garnet.

bolo a cord with an ornamental clasp worn like a necktie.

bombe a bulging setting.

bone any animal bone used to make jewelry.

book chain popular in Victorian times, a chain, usually gold or silver, with rectangular links resem­bling tiny books.

botanical gem any gem that originates with a plant, such as amber from tree resin or pearl opal from bamboo.

bouton pearl also known as a blister pearl, a natu­rally formed, hemispherical or half-pearl, most often used in earrings.

box chain a chain with square links.

box clasp on either end of a chain, a tiny, notched box and a knobbed spring, used to attach the ends together.

bracelet a loop of chain, beads, gems, or other dec­orative components worn around the wrist.

Brazilian chain a chain with cuplike links. Also known as a snake chain.

bridal set a matching engagement and wedding ring.

bridge piercing pierced studs, jewels or balls, worn on either side of the bridge of the nose.

brilliance another term for a stone's sparkle.

brilliant cut a round cut with 58 facets to produce the highest level of brilliance.

briolette a teardrop-shaped pendant cut with trian­gular facets.

brooch a decorative pin that attaches to clothing or may be used to clasp a garment together.

brushed finish tiny lines brushed or scratched onto a surface to add texture.

buttercup setting resembling a buttercup flower, a setting with six prongs.

button earring an earring that lies flush against the earlobe and does not dangle.

cable chain a chain with ringlike links.

cabochon a domed, nonfaceted gemstone, usually cut in an opal shape and having a flat bottom.

calibrated referring to a stone that has been cut to a standard size.

calibre cut oblong-shaped cuts made in small stones.

California ruby a fake ruby, actually pyrope garnet.

cameo originating in ancient Greece and popular again in the 18 th and 19 th centuries, an ornamental pin of a low-relief portrait of a woman, goddess, or a royal figure on a plain background and often carved from shell.

cameo habille a cameo in which a carved likeness of a woman or a goddess is herself wearing a tiny component of jewelry, such as a diamond necklace.

camphor glass a cloudy white glass from which jewelry was often made in the second half of the 19th century.

cannetille decorative scrolling made from gold

captive bead ring in body piercing, a ring with a tiny opening, into which a tiny bead or gem is inserted to secure attachment to a nostril, ear lobe, nipple, or other body part.

carat a measure of weight used for gemstones, with one carat equaling one-fifth of a gram, or 200 mil­ligrams.

carbon spot a flaw in a diamond.

carbuncle any deep red garnet cut into a cabochon.

celluloid an imitation ivory made of cellulose plastic.

Celtic jewelry originating in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany, various pieces of jewelry made from bronze, silver, gold, cairngorm, and amethyst.