Agate - A type of chalcedony quartz found in a variety of colors and patterns, frequently with varying color layers.

Alexandrite - A stone which changes color or appears to change color as the source of light changes.

Alloy - A mixture of two or more metals.

Amber - Fossilized resin of conifer trees. Colors range from honey through yellow to reddish brown.

Amethyst  - Transparent variety of crystallized quartz, typically purple or violet in color.

Antiqued - Process by which something takes on the look associated with age. Usually a darkened or tarnished appearance.

Applique - An ornamental piece which is created separately and then applied to a piece of jewelry.

Aquamarine - A blue semiprecious stone in the beryl family.

Aventurine - Translucent greenish quartz mineral, internally granular. Often mistaken for jade, another stone of a green color.

Baguette - Small stones which are rectangularly-shaped and faceted. Often used as an accent to another stone.

Bail - A metal finding that is folded closed, from which a pendant, watch, stone, etc., may be hung from a chain or cord.

Band - A ring which is the same in width all around.

Bangle - A stiff bracelet that slips over the hand or is hinged.

Basket - A fancy setting with numerous side piercing to provide a lacy or basket-looking appearance.

Bead - A stone cut in the shape of a small sphere.

Beryl - A lightly colored mineral which when transparent and dark green is called emerald. When blue in color, it's called aquamarine.

Bezel - A form of any shape which 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.

Bloodstone - A variety of chalcedony that is usually greenish in color with red spots resembling blood.

Bombe' - Convex surface.

Box Chain - A type of chain where links are wide and square so they form boxes.

Brilliant Cut - A round cut of 58 facets mathematically devised to produce the greatest brilliance.

Button Earrings - A flat, usually round earring which sits on the earlobe and has no dangling parts.

Cabochon - A domed gemstone. Highly polished curved surface without faceting.

Cameo - A carved gem or shell in which the outer layers are cut away so that the design stands out in relief against a background of a different color.

Carat - Unit of weight for gemstones with 100 points to a carat, where one carat equals to one-fifth of a gram.

Carnelian - Pale red quartz. Once believed to benefit the wearer's health and love life. Most carnelian comes from Brazil, India, Siberia, and Germany.

Chain - A series of connected loops, links, rings, or beads used to create bracelets or necklaces.

Chalcedony - Refers to various types of colored quartz, usually those with a milky appearance like carnelian, agate, cat's eye, and jasper.

Channel Setting - Grooved metal built into a jewelry setting for holding stones. Also a number of uniformly sized small stones set in a row.

Charm - A decorative pendant or trinket to be worn on a bracelet, earrings or necklace.

Charm Bracelet - A link bracelet which charms can be attached to.

Chevron Style - A motif consisting of short lines joining at angles to form an inverted "V."

Chrysoprase - A variety of chalcedony which is apple-green in color.

Citrine - A brownish-orange quartz variety.

Clasp - Any type of attachment that connects the two ends of a piece of jewelry.

Clip-back - For non-pierced ears. Works like a hinge to secure the earring to the earlobe.

Cluster - A setting in which stones are grouped together.

Cluster Ring - A ring with a setting in which stones are grouped together.

Clutch - An earring back which slides onto and secures post back earrings.

Cocktail Ring - A large, oversized ring set with precious or semiprecious stones.

Comfort back - A rubber or plastic pad that goes over the clip of a clip earring to cushion the earlobe.

Concave - Hollow and curved, like the inside of a hollow ball.

Convex - Curving outward, like the surface of a ball.

Coral - The skeletal remains of marine animals, and has a range in color from red, pink, and salmon.

Corundum - A gem mineral of crystallized aluminum and oxygen. Ruby and sapphire are the most valuable corundum.

Cultured Pearl - Created through a painstaking process of mimicking the natural pearl process in live mollusks. A pearl is formed as a result of implanting a piece of mantle from a mollusk into another host mollusk.

Curb Link - The links are oval and twisted so they lie flat.

Cushion cut - A square cut with rounded corners.

Deco Style - Derived from the style of Art Deco, which originated in France in the 1920's and 1930's, and is typified by abstract designs and linear, geometric patterns.

Diamond - A precious gemstone composed of pure carbon. Hardest of all known substances. Rated 10 on the Mohs scale.

Diamond-cut rope - A portion of the chain is cut away at an angle and then polished to a high shine. see also ROPE CHAIN.

Diopside - A mineral which ranges in color from white, deep green, to almost black.

Disc earrings - A flat, usually round earring which sits on the earlobe and has no dangling parts.

Door knocker earring - An earring with a hinged bottom that hangs below the earlobe.

Drop - A small ornament suspended from a piece of jewelry.

Drop earring - Any earring which hangs below the earlobe. Also called a dangle earring.

Earring back - A disk or bead that fits over an earring post and holds it securely in place.

Earring jackets - An earring accessory designed to be worn with a stud as a decorative backdrop.

Emerald - A green beryl and one of the most valuable of all gemstones.

Emerald Cut - A cut which is usually rectangular, but sometimes square, with rows of step cuts along the edges and at the corners.

Epidote: A mineral which occurs in colors of green and brownish-green.

Epoxy - A resin used in strong glues and enamels.

European wire - A curved wire which passes through the earlobe of a pierced ear and clasps shut.

Extender chain - A chain which may be attached to another in order to provide a longer length.

Facet - A polished surface; a small plane which is cut into a surface and enhances its reflection of light.

Fancy cut - Refers to gems which are cut other than in the round brilliant shape such as single cut marquise, emerald, pear, heart, oval, square, baguette, triangle, etc. Also called fancy shape.

Figaro chain - Similar in style to a curb chain, but instead of uniform links, the links alternate between long ones and round ones.

Figure eight safety catch - A type of safety catch in which a hinged wire in the shape of a figure eight snaps over the pin.

Filigree - Lace-like ornamental work made from intricately arranged, intertwined wire.

Finish - The way the surface of a piece is polished or textured.

Fire Opal - Variety of opal which is yellow, orange, or red in color.

Fish Hook - A fishhook-shaped finding used to make earrings with the hook end passing through the pierced ear.

Fleur-de-lis - The royal insignia of France. It's often used in ornamentation and has a design resembling a flower such as a lily or iris.

Fluted - A surface ornamented by channels or grooves.

Foldover clasp - A type of clasp in which a hinged part opens, fits through a ring and snaps closed to hold the ring in place.

French wire - A curved wire which passes through the pierced earlobe and has a catch closure. Used mostly in dangling earrings.

Freshwater Pearl - An irregularly shaped pearl formed naturally by a mussel living in a lake or river.

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. Often semi-opaque.

Gem - A stone which has been cut and polished for use in jewelry and fulfills the requirements of beauty, durability, and rarity. A fine stone of unusual quality. Precious or semi-precious stones.

Gold - A heavy, yellow, metallic element used for coins and jewelry since prehistoric times.

Gold tone - Jewelry done in a gold color.

Golden Finish - Jewelry done in a finish so that it has the look of gold.

Half-hoop design - Earring which appears to be hoop shaped but is not fully circular.

Hessonite - A variety of garnet which is yellow in color.

Hidden box clasp - Two short barrels which are screwed together to form a clasp.

High polish - A surface which is polished to a mirror-like finish.

Hoop earring - A circular-shaped earring made from metal wire or tubing. Variations include the traditional shape as well as hoops with charms and other ornaments to be hung from the hoop.

Inlay - A decorative element, such as a stone, which is imbedded into another surface so it is flush (or level) with it.

Iolite - A mineral used as a gemstone and appears as deep blue, light blue-gray, and yellow-white.

Iridescent - An interplay of various colors.

Jade - An ornamental gemstone, typically greenish in color.

Jadeite - A variety of jade which is rarer than the other varieties of nephrite. It is hard and translucent and comes in many colors such as orange, pink, yellow, brown, blue, violet, and black.

Jasper - A semi-opaque to opaque rose quartz. Usually yellowish, reddish, or brown. The U.S. and Brazil are the most common sources. Jasper was once believed to have curative powers.

Karat - A measure, from 1 to 24, used to indicate how much of a piece of jewelry is gold content and how much an alloy.

Lapis lazuli - A semi-precious stone azure blue in color.

Lever back - An earring with a unique back that delicately bends and connects behind the ear. This is an old-fashioned design that has come back in style.

Links - Series of loops which make up a chain.

Liquid silver - Produced by drawing small ribbons of sterling silver through a draw plate that forms a thin, silver tube. These tubes are carefully cut & hand strung together. Liquid silver is an example of the Native American jewelry making technique of Heishi.

Lobster claw clasp - A clasp used for necklaces and bracelets which features an elongated hook (like a lobster claw). It contains a spring mechanism and can be opened to catch the ring from the other end of the chain.