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Terms for subject Jewelry (593 entries)

nacre	The usually whitish crystalline substance which the mollusc secretes around a foreign "intruder" and which forms what we know as the pearl. Layers build up over time.
Nassak diamond	43.38 carats, was originally over 90 carats and in a Temple of Shiva near Nassak, in India. It was looted in 1818 by the English, then re-cut in New York in 1927. Today it is held in a private collection somewhere in the United States.
neckline	The location on or below the neck on the decollete where a necklace or pendant can be seen.
needle point cut	A gemstone cut wherein the stone is shaped like a needle at both ends.
nest	A term that refers to the way a necklace hangs on the neck.
nickel	A hard, silver-white metal in the iron group that is malleable, ductile and resistant to corrosion.
noble metal	A noble metal is a metal that will endure as they are resistant to corrosion or oxidation. Gold, platinum, rhodium, palladium, iridium, osmium, and ruthenium metals are generally categorized as noble metals.
octagon bangle	A bangle that has eight solid sides, no hinges, and usually no closure.
oiling	The reprehensible practice of oiling in which a jeweler or seller applies oil to a gemstone to mask inclusions and enhance color.
opal	A mineral, an amorphous form of silica, SiO2 with some water of hydration, found in many varieties and colors, including a form that is milky white.
opalescence	Milky blue form of iridescence.
opaque	Not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.
open back	A style of ring that does not connect in the back. The rings are often used for pinky and toe rings because they are very easy to adjust.
open shank	When the shanks, or sides, of the ring split along the side and are open to the back.
opera length	This term refers to a long necklace that is usually 24 to 36 inches in length. The term was coined as women flocked to the opera in long strands of pearls. Today the term can be used with any type of necklace.
organic	Living matter or that which was once living.
organic gem	Gem made or derived from living organisms, like amber.
orient	The shimmering, iridescent play-of-colour seen on or just below the surface of the pearl.
oriental pearl	A natural pearl.
overlap ring	A ring wherein the gemstones are placed so that they overlap one another.