Jewelry/Watch Glossary

A flush setting is a jewelry setting style in which a gemstone is recessed directly into the metal band so that its surface sits level with - or very slightly...

Platinum is a naturally white precious metal and one of the rarest materials used in fine jewelry. It is denser and heavier than gold, completely hypoallergenic, and does not require...

Filigree is an ornamental metalworking technique in which fine, twisted threads or beads of precious metal wire are bent, curled, and soldered together to create intricate, lace-like open patterns. Most...

A cathedral setting is a ring mounting style in which the metal of the shank arches upward on either side of the center stone before connecting to the head of...

A solitaire setting is the most classic and widely recognized ring style in fine jewelry: a single center stone mounted on a plain band, designed so the stone commands every...

An inclusion is an internal characteristic present within a gemstone, formed naturally during the crystal growth process deep within the earth. Inclusions take many forms: tiny mineral crystals trapped inside...

White gold is a gold alloy created by mixing pure gold with white-colored metals, most commonly nickel, palladium, or zinc. The alloying process gives the metal its characteristic silver-white tone,...

Annealing is a controlled heat treatment process used by jewelers to soften metal that has become brittle or stiff through work-hardening. When a jeweler bends, hammers, or repeatedly shapes a...

GIA certification refers to a grading report issued by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the world's most respected independent diamond and gemstone grading laboratory. A GIA report documents a...