Jewelry 101

Satin finishes are often used on engagement rings as they create a smoother luster which contrasts well with the metal.

Diamonds are known to sparkle in a dazzling way on the scintillating gemstone.

Screw back earrings are post earrings with a backing that must be screwed on to secure. Typically, these backs are found on expensive earrings.

A semi bezel setting is a popular choice that encircles half of the gemstone's circumference with metal and allows more light to enter the diamond's side. This means better sparkle.

Most gemstones except for diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires would be considered semi-precious.

The wedding band is the backbone of engagement jewelry and the diamond setting in it secures this centerpiece to it.

The shank is the part of a ring that wraps around your finger.

Diamonds or gemstones that accompany a ring’s centerpiece, but aren’t the jewel's focal point

A simulant is a stone or metal that looks like a more expensive gemstone. Take cubic zirconia for example. It looks like diamond, but it's actually an imitator - not real diamonds.

A solitaire engagement ring is the most traditional type of engagement ring. It is usually set with a single diamond on a simple, unembellished band.

"Split shanks" means that the band of your engagement ring splits at the center setting, creating a visible gap.

The focus of step cut diamonds is on their clarity rather than sparkle. They have larger facets than brilliant cut diamonds which are arranged to look like steps. Step cut diamonds also typically include asscher, emerald, and baguette cuts. 

Sterling silver is a silvery-white precious metal that has been used for jewellery due to its low cost as it is less expensive than platinum or white gold.

A surprise setting is a type of engagement ring setting that consists of small accents of diamonds to create sparkle and make the ring more beautiful.

Nowadays, more of the gemstones are artificially dyed to obtain their preferred color rather than being found naturally. In this case, swiss blue topaz is a bright blue gemstone that has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale.

The parts of a diamond that the facets are aligned with show how much polishing and shaping went into creating the diamond. A high cut grade will yield more brilliance on the face of the stone.