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SAFETY CATCH:
A secondary fastening used for securing jewelry that guarantees the safety
of the jewelry should the main fastening break. Usually seen as a hinged
loop that snap closes one side of a clasp to the other. Please refer to
the Jewelry Setting
Buyer's Guide for more information.
SANDSTONE:
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gem type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SAPPHIRE:
A gemstone of corundum found in a variety of colors. The red corundum
is called ruby.
BLUE SAPPHIRE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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COLOR CHANGE
SAPPHIRE: Click on the link and learn everything there is to know
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FANCY SAPPHIRE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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PADPARADSHA SAPPHIRE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SATIN FINISH: Also known as "Brushed"
or "Matte" finish, this is a precious metal texturing technique used on
jewelry where a series of very fine parallel lines are scratched on the
surface to create a "Matte" texture. Please refer to the
Precious Metals Buyer's
Guide for more information.
SATSUMA: A Japanese ceramic overlaid with a glaze that forms hairline
cracks. Over the glaze are figures, flowers, and decorations painted in
polychrome enamel.
SCARAB: A representation of the ancient Egyptian Scaraboeus beetle,
carved in either glazed pottery or in gemstones such as
amethyst,
carnelian, and
lapis lazuli. Scarabs were customarily in swiveled mountings so that
the intaglio carved on the reverse side could be viewed.
SCARF RING: An oval ring to hold a scarf at the neck. The most
common style available is one that opens on a hinge and has a pointed
spike in the inside center to hold the scarf. Hollow, oval and pressure-clip
scarf rings can also be found in today's market place.
SCHEELITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SCHILLER/SHEEN: Form of iridescence.
SCHIST: A form of metamorphic rock in which the crystals are in
parallel arrangement.
SCREW BACK: A highly secure earring fastening system whereby a
nut screws onto a threaded earring post.
SCROLLS: Also known as "Butterfly clasps", they are a component
used in earrings. They attach the earring to the ear by being slid down
the post that pierces the ear.
SEAL SET: A "Signet" ring, usually stamped, which is set with a semi-precious
stone e.g., Onyx. A seal set ring differs from a stone set ring in that
the stone protrudes out of the ring surface and is surrounded by an open
rim rather than solid metal.
SECONDARY DEPOSIT: Gemstones and/or minerals that have been separated
from their original host rock and deposited elsewhere.
SEDIMENTARY ROCK: These are rocks that are formed by the consolidation
and hardening of rock fragments, organic remains and other materials.
SERANDITE: Click on
the link and learn everything there is to know about this gem type from
Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
SETTING: This refers to the style in which a gemstone is held in
place in the jewelry. Commonly seen settings include; "Bezel", "Pave",
"Channel" and "Prong". Please refer to the
Jewelry Setting Buyer's
Guide for more information.
SHANK: The round encircling body of the ring.
SHOULDERS: The upper part of the ring. Positioned between the upper
shank and the setting.
SILLIMANITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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on-line catalogue of this gem type.
SINGLE CUT: Simple style of cut employed on small stones, usually
those intended to be used in mountings in conjuncture with a large central
stone. Single cuts are circular at the girdle.
SINHALITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
SILVER MARKS & STAMPS: Antique silver often possesses "hallmarks".
An elaborate system of purity and accountability stretching back into
history, these marks include combinations of town marks, standard marks,
date letters and the maker's marks! Fortunately, in modern jewelry this
system is replaced with a simple 925 (or similar) mark. Please refer to
the Precious Metals
Buyer's Guide for more information.
SILVER PURITY: Like gold, pure silver or fine silver is relatively
soft and malleable. As a result, painstakingly crafted jewelry and other
objects can be easily damaged if created from pure silver. As a consequence,
silver is commonly alloyed with (a) secondary metal(s), usually copper,
to create a more durable precious metal. Please refer to the
Precious Metals Buyer's
Guide for more information. Unlike gold, but like platinum, silver
purities are expressed as units of a 1,000 parts. The most regularly seen
silver purities are: 958 - 95.8 percent pure silver, known as Britannia
Silver. 925 - 92.5 percent pure silver (also expressed as 92.5 and .925),
known as sterling silver. *Some countries can use 850 or even the 800
purities.
SILVER PRICING: The small amount of copper added to sterling silver
has little effect on the value. Instead, the price of silver items is
affected by the labor and craftsmanship involved in crafting an item.
Please refer to the
Precious Metals Buyer's Guide for more information.
SMITHSONITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SNAP BAR CLOSURE: A hinged, straight bar that lifts up and down
to secure or release earrings.
SODALITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SOLITAIRE: A single gem or diamond featured in a simple setting
style. Please refer to the
Jewelry Setting Buyer's
Guide for more information.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: The specific gravity (SG) of a gem is an indication
of its Density. It is calculated by comparing the gemstone's weight with
the weight of an equal volume of water. The greater the specific gravity
of a gem, the heavier it will feel. For example, a small cube of pyrite,
with an SG of 5.2 will feel heavier than a larger piece of fluorite with
an SG of 3.18.
SPECTRASCOPE: An apparatus used to view the absorption spectra
of gemstones.
SPECTROLITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SPHENE: Click
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from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SPINEL: Click
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from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SPLIT SHOULDERS: A V-like split in the ring's shoulders
that join the setting.
SPRING RING CLASP: A rounded fastening consisting of a circular
wire inside a hollow, circular tube. Usually kept shut by a coiled spring.
Frequently used in necklaces.
STAMP: Precious metals should always carry a stamp of purity on
them. Gold carries a "Karat" mark upon it, but silver and platinum carry
percentages or other numerical marks. Such stamps should be augmented
by the manufacturer's mark as well. Please refer to the
Precious Metals Buyer's
Guide for more information.
STEP-CUT/TRAP-CUT: This is a cut characterized by a rectangular table
facet and girdle, with rectangular facets parallel to these.
STERLING SILVER: A high quality silver alloy with a minimum quality
of 92.5%. Please refer to the Precious Metals Buyer's Guide for more information.
Please refer to the
Precious Metals Buyer's Guide for more information.
STRIATION: A parallel scratch, groove or line.
SUGILITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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SYMMETRY, AXIS OF: The imaginary line through a crystal. If the
crystal were to be rotated about the axis it would present an identical
aspect two or more times during a rotation of 360 degrees.
SYNTHETIC: An imitation, commercially made gemstone, which may
be very like the natural in its properties and cutting potential. Synthetics
are produced in a number of grades and vary considerably in price. All
are detectable, using proper equipment.
TABLE: The uppermost plane surface of a cut gemstone.
Like the other plane surfaces, the table is also a facet.
TABLE FACET: The central facet on a gemstones crown.
TANZANITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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on-line catalogue of this gem type.
TAPERED BAGUETTE: Baguette-shaped cut with one end smaller than
the other.
TENNIS BRACELET: A flexible, chain-like bracelet made up of evenly
matched gems or diamonds. There are many variations of this popular
bracelet style.
TIFFANY SETTING: A round six-pronged setting. The "Tiffany" setting
has long, slender prongs flaring out from the base. Popularized by Tiffany
& Co., New York. Please refer to the
Jewelry Setting Buyer's
Guide for more information.
TOGGLE CLASP: A fastening consisting of a ring at one end of a
bracelet or necklace and a short bar on the other. The bar passes through
the ring to sit across it, securely fastening the two ends together.
TOPAZ: Click
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from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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catalogue of this gem type.
TORTOISE SHELL: Jewelry carved, molded, inlaid, polished, welded,
and cut from the hard protective outer covering of the Hawksbill turtle
and the Loggerhead turtle in a blond, translucent amber or dark, opaque
reddish amber color.
TOURMALINE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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on-line catalogue of this gem type.
TREATMENT:
Most commonly used to improve the color or appearance of the finished
gemstones. There are various methods of
treatment: heating,
bleaching, dying, diffusing and irradiating to name but a few, click here
to see our gem treatment
pages for more details. Some gemstones simply would not exist in saleable
quantities without treatment. For example, heating greenish brown zoisite
to 600 degrees Celsius produces the currently popular vibrant violet-blue
Tanzanite. No heating, no Tanzanite! Please note that the term "natural
gemstones" refers to those formed in the earth, whether or not they have
been treated after mining - this is in distinct contrast to "lab", "man
made" or "synthetic" gems.
TREMOLITE:
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gem type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
TRICHORIC: This refers to a gemstone that appears three different
colors or shades when viewed from different directions.
TSAVORITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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on-line catalogue of this gem type.
TUGTUPITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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here
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TURQUOISE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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on-line catalogue of this gem type.
VERMEIL: Gold plated silver. Deriving from the
French word for "veneer", it is also referred to as onlay or double.Please
refer to the Precious
Metals Buyer's Guide for more information.
VICTORIAN: Referring to the period encompassing the reign of England's
Queen Victoria, 1837-1901. The Victorian era is generally broken down
into three phases: early Victorian, mid-Victorian, and late Victorian.
VILLIAUMITE:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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VINIAGRETTE: A small box with a removable pierced grill under the
lid in which a sponge or cotton saturated with spirits of ammonia or aromatic
vinegar was kept. Popular from the late 18th century to the 19th century.
VITREOUS: Refers to a gems glass-like luster.
WATCHCOCK: The escapement covers in watches made in
the late 18th century were highly engraved and cutout in animal, flower,
and circular swirl motifs. During the 1870s these watches were junked,
and jewelry was made from watch cocks.
WHITE GOLD: Harder than yellow gold with a bright lustrous white
color, white gold is most commonly alloyed with palladium. Palladium,
a rare and expensive precious metal, increases the value of white gold
to above that of yellow gold. Please refer to the
Precious Metals Buyer's
Guide for more information.
YELLOW GOLD: The most frequently seen gold type
that displays a timeless color. Please refer to the
Precious Metals Buyer's
Guide for more information.
ZIRCON:
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type from Thaigem.com's extensive resources of information.
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catalogue of this gem type.
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