Samson Jewellery
Glossary

Albert Chain worn by a man with evening wear, named after the Prince Albert.
Alloy A metal resulting from the melting of two or more motals together; the  carat golds and sterling silver are all alloys.
Alluvial A metal or gemstone displaced from its matrix and found in an alluvial deposit.
Amulet An ornament, normally a pendant, believed to be endowed with protective properties.
Asterism The star-like phenomenon seen in some gemstones when they are carbochon cut.  Star rubies and star sapphires exhibit asterism.
Baguette A gemstone cut to produce a rectangular shape.
Baroque pearl An irregular shaped pearl.
Beading A type of setting in which a series of beads is raised to hold the stone in place.  Also known as millegrain setting.
Bezel The narrow raised lip of a rub-over setting which secures a gemstone.
Biwa pearl Cultured pearl from Lake Biwa in Japan.   Also used to describe freshwater pearls from other sources.  These pearls are rarely spherical.
Blister pearl A half pearl which is attached to the shell of the oyster.  It is cut away and used for used for ear-rings, rings etc.
Bombarding The treatment of both diamonds and coloured stones in a cyclotron to change their colour, which may not be permanent.
Boule A candle-shaped mass of synthetic gem material produced in a Verneuil furnace
Box setting A closed setting; the edges of the 'box' are pressed over the girdle of the stone to secure it.
Brilliant cut The most common cut used for diamonds.   It has fifty-eight facets including the table and the culet, the latter often being omitted from modern brilliants.
Cabochon A stone polished to a dome shape.
Cameo A bass-relief carved from hardstone, usually agate, or from mollusc shells.
Carat quality The degree of purity of gold expressed as a proportion of 24:9 carat gold contains 9 parts in 24 of pure gold.
Carat weight The unit of weight used for gemstones.   A metric carat is equivalent to 0.2 gram.
Cat's eye Also known as chatoyancy, an optical effect seen in some cabochon - cut gemstores, like a ray of light crossing the stone.   Caused by microscopic tubular or rod-like inclusions.  This effect is seen in chrysoberyl cat's eyes and quartz cat's eyes.
Chalcedony A micro-crystalline quartz.  Agate is a chalcedony.
Clarity The term used to describe the degree of freedom from inclusions of a diamond.  One of the four Cs.
Chain Gold or silver or rolled gold wire formed into links or cups which are interlinked or woven with wires.  Common chains are curb - consisting of slightly twisted oval links; fetter - a series of long links; fetter and trace - long and short links interspaced; snake or Brazilian - a series of interpenetrated cups that have a supple feel; rope - interwoven wire.  There are also a number of fancy chains that are given different names by different manufacturers.
Champleve enamel Enamel decoration produced by placing enamel in recesses cut into the surface of the metal.
CIBJO International organization set up to regulate the jewellery trade and as a forum for discussions de Bijouteries, Joallerie, Offeverie.
Cleavage Crystals can usually be split along the grain in the same way as wood.  Large rough diamonds are often cleaved to produced the basic form of the cut stone.
Clip A jewel similare to a brooch but attached by a clip instead of a pin, popular in the 1930s and 1940s.
Cloisonne Strips of metal soldered on to a flat base to produce cloisons, or cells, to hold gemstones or enamels.
Collet A cage-like setting for gemstones usually used for engagement rings.
Costume jewellery Inexpensive pieces made with base metal and sometimes set with paste stones or plastic.
Crown The upper part of a cut gem, above the girdle.
CSO Central Selling Organization.  The body which distributes eighty per cent of rough diamonds and controls the diamond market.

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Samson Jewellery
Room 1013A-1015, Level 10, Landmark North, 39 Lung Sum Avenue, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong
Tel:  852-27284562 - Fax: 852-27250911