To assist you in your jewelry purchase at ThePeruvianJewelry.com, we’ve compiled some terms to help you. Simply scroll through the list, or click the links for the first letter of a specific term you’d like to learn more about.
| 10 Karat (41.6% gold) |
| 10 Karat (10k) Gold is 10 parts gold to 14 parts other metals, such as copper, nickel, etc. The gold content of a piece of jewelry is measured in Karats, which can range from 1 to 24. The higher the Karat of a piece of jewelry, the greater its gold content. This term should not be confused with the term Carat (defined below), which is measure of the weight of diamonds and other gemstones. |
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| 14 Karat (58.3% gold) |
| 14 Karat (14k) Gold is 14 parts of gold to 10 parts other metals, such as copper, nickel, etc. The gold content of a piece of jewelry is measured in Karats, which can range from 1 to 24. The higher the Karat of a piece of jewelry, the greater its gold content. This term should not be confused with the term Carat (defined below), which is measure of the weight of diamonds and other gemstones. |
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| 18 Karat (75% gold) |
| 18 Karat (18k) Gold is 18 parts of gold to 6 parts other metals, such as copper, nickel, etc. The gold content of a piece of jewelry is measured in Karats, which can range from 1 to 24. The higher the Karat of a piece of jewelry, the greater its gold content. This term should not be confused with the term Carat (defined below), which is measure of the weight of diamonds and other gemstones. |
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| 22 Karat (92.5% gold) |
| 22 Karat (22k) Gold is 22 parts of gold to 2 parts of other metals, such as copper, nickel, etc. The gold content of a piece of jewelry is measured in Karats, which can range from 1 to 24. The higher the Karat of a piece of jewelry, the greater its gold content. This term should not be confused with the term Carat (defined below), which is measure of the weight of diamonds and other gemstones. |
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| 24 Karat (100% gold) |
| 24 Karat (24k) Gold is pure gold containing no other metals. The gold content of a piece of jewelry is measured in Karats, which can range from 1 to 24. The higher the Karat of a piece of jewelry, the greater its gold content. This term should not be confused with the term Carat (defined below) , which is measure of the weight of diamonds and other gemstones. |
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| PERCENTAGE OF PURE GOLD BY KARATAGE |
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| PERCENTAGE OF PURE SILVER |
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| A |
| Alloy |
| Metallurgical term that refers to a mixture of two or more metals. |
| Amethyst |
| Crystallized, transparent Quartz that is typically found in violet or purple. Amethyst is the birthstone for February. |
| Aquamarine |
| A blue, semiprecious stone in the beryl family. Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. |
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| B |
| Band |
| A ring that is the same width all the way around. |
| Bangle |
| A stiff bracelet that slips over the hand or is clasped on. |
| Beryl |
| A lightly colored mineral, which when transparent and dark green is called emerald, and when blue in color, aquamarine. |
| Bezel |
| Any part that incorporates a continuous groove to fit something, generally a stone. The metal at the top of the groove is then burnished over the edge of the mounted item to hold it, forming a setting. |
| Birthstones |
Each month has a particular gemstone associated with it. They are:
| January | Garnet |
| February | Amethyst |
| March | Aquamarine |
| April | Diamond |
| May | Emerald |
| June | Pearl, Alexandrite |
| July | Ruby |
| August | Peridot |
| September | Sapphire |
| October | Opal, Rose |
| November | Yellow Topaz, Citrine |
| December | Blue Topaz |
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| Brooch |
| An ornamental piece of jewelry with a pin and clasp to be attached to clothing, etc. |
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| C |
| Cabochon |
| A domed gemstone with a highly polished, curved surface and no faceting. |
| Carat |
| Unit of weight for gemstones. 100 points equal one Carat. One Carat equals one-fifth of a gram. |
| Chain |
| A series of connected loops, links, rings, or beads used to create bracelets or necklaces. |
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| D |
| Diamond |
| A precious gemstone composed of pure carbon. Hardest of all known substances. |
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| E |
| Embossed |
| A mechanical process done under considerable heat and pressure that permanently imprints a variety of unique grain effects into the leather surface. |
| Emerald |
| A green Beryl and one of the most valuable of all gemstones. This is also the birthstone for May. |
| Enamel Coloring |
| Opaque, glassy material fused onto metal, pottery or glass. |
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| F |
| Facet |
| A polished surface; a small plane that is cut into a surface and enhances its reflection of light. |
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| G |
| Gallery |
| A strip of metal used to make settings for jewelry. |
| Garnet |
| A family of crystals whose name is derived from their resemblance to red pomegranate seeds. A semi-precious stone, usually a reddish-brown color; can range from true red to violet or blackish red. Red garnets are also the birthstone for January. |
| Gem or Gemstone |
| A stone that has been cut and polished for use in jewelry and fulfills the requirements of beauty, durability, and rarity; A fine stone of unusual quality. |
| Gold |
Yellow precious metal that is stainless and very malleable. Used in alloys to make jewelry, bracelets and watches. The portion of Gold in the alloy is indicated in Karats (K). Pure gold is 24-Karat (24K), 18-Karat gold is 75% pure, etc. Also see Karat.
There are many other factors that determine the value of a gold jewelry piece:
- Weight - gold is sold by weight - grams(gr) or pennyweights(pwt), the heavier the piece, the higher the gold content, therefore it is more expensive.
- Design - designer jewelry is more expensive, especially if it is a one of a kind piece.
- Finish - special finishes to the metal such as matte, or sand-blasted finish add to the cost of the gold jewelry piece.
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| Gold-Plated |
| A thin coating of electroplated or mechanically plated Gold on top of a base metal. |
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| H |
| Hoop Earring |
| A circular earring made from metal wire or tubing. Variations include the traditional shape as well as hoops with charms and other ornaments hung from the hoop. |
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| I |
| Ingot |
| Metal that has been cast into a bar or other shape. |
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| J |
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| K |
| Karat or Karatage |
| Measurement of Gold purity (since gold is in fact a mixture of gold and other metals). Pure Gold is 24-Karat (24K), 18-Karat gold is 75% pure, etc. |
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| L |
| Links |
| Series of loops that make up a chain. |
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| M |
| Matte |
| A non-shiny, frosted surface. |
| Moonstone |
| A translucent stone that is often bluish in color, yet sometimes white. |
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| N |
| Nugget |
| A lump or irregularly shaped mass. |
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| O |
| Omega |
| Flat chain with a solid surface formed by the links and worn high on the neck. |
| Opal |
| Non-crystalline, iridescent silica. The birthstone for October. |
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| P |
| Pendant |
| An ornament suspended from a single chain. |
| Peridot |
| A transparent gem that is olive green in color. This is also the birthstone for August. |
| Point |
| Unit of weight for gemstone equal to one-hundredth of a Carat (100 points=1 Carat). |
| Polish |
| Process used to make metal smooth and glossy. Polishing increases shine and eliminates flaws. |
| Precious Stones |
| Rare and costly gems such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. |
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| Q |
| Quartz |
| A crystalline mineral used for gems, including amethyst and rock crystal. Available in a variety of colors. |
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| R |
| Ring |
| A piece of jewelry worn on the fingers that slides on and off. |
| Ruby |
| A highly valued and precious stone. Most commonly seen in red. The red color stone is the birthstone for July. |
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| S |
| Sapphire |
| A highly valued and precious stone and a member of the corundum group. Most commonly seen in blue. The blue color stone is the birthstone for September. |
| Silver |
The most reflective of all the metals (besides mercury), silver is a precious metal that can be polished to a higher sheen than platinum. In fact, the chemical symbol for silver, Ag, is derived from the Latin word argentum, meaning 'white and shining.' It is extremely malleable and resists oxidation from exposure to the atmosphere. Silver also has the highest thermal and electric conductivity of any substance. It is widely distributed in nature, but the total amount is quite small when compared with other metals. Unlike Gold, silver is present in many naturally occurring minerals. Silver can be polished, matte, brushed, satin, sandblasted, oxidized (blackened using chemicals) or antiqued.
The .950 silver is more pure than the .925 silver. In comparison, the .950 is 95% pure silver and 5% alloy metal while the silver .925 is only 92.5% pure. |
| Solitaire |
| A single stone mounted in a simple setting. |
| Stamping |
| Cutting or embossing a sheet of metal with a punch or a die. |
| Sterling Silver |
| Silver that is at least 92.5 percent pure with 7.5 parts of another metal, usually copper, to make the piece harder. |
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| T |
| Tassel |
| An ornamental bundle of threads bound at one end and loosely hung. |
| Topaz |
| A transparent gem. The most precious type is wine-yellow in color. It also may be found in other colors, such as white, blue, brown, orange and pink. Blue topaz is the birthstone for December. |
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| U |
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| V |
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| W |
| White gold |
| An alloy of Gold, nickel, copper and zinc. |
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| X |
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| Y |
| Yellow Gold |
| The most popular Gold alloy. An alloy of gold, silver, copper and often zinc. |
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| Z |
