M

Mabe pearls - (pronounced mahbay) A dome shaped, assembled, pearl where plastic is placed in the host shell that nacre then grows over. These pearls are fairly inexpensive, but fragile.

Make - The term for proportions and finish of a cut gemstone. For pearls, the make relates to the match of pearls, quality of drilling and stringing of strands.

Mantle - Implanted along with a mother of pearl bead in the host oyster. Also called the nucleus, this mantle carries the cells of nacre that begin the pearl growth process.

Matinee - A strand of pearls 24 inches long.

Marquise - An oval shape gemstone with the ends cut to points.

Master stones - A set of diamonds by which jewelers can compare and grade the color of a particular stone from D to Z.

Mikimoto, Kokichi - The man who invented and, in 1916, patented, the process for culturing pearls.

Millimeter - The unit of measure used to determine the diameter and measurements of a pearl. The millimeter is also used to measure gemstones other than diamonds below ½ carat.

Mineral watch crystal - A watch glass made of mineral that is harder and more durable than glass or acrylic. Sapphire crystals are used in high-end watches.

Mixed cut - Used more for transparent colored stones than diamonds, the mixed cut simply means that the stone has both step and brilliant cut facets.

Mohs Scale - The scale that determines the relative hardness of minerals. Developed by Friedrich Mohs, the scale uses a scratch test and ranks minerals soft to hard from 1-10

Mollusk - The oyster, or other shellfish, used to produce pearls.

Mother of pearl - The lining of an oyster shell, mother of pearl is used as the nucleus bead implanted inside the mollusk along with the mantle to produce pearls.

Mounting - The method of holding gemstones in place in jewelry. Prongs, channels, etc. are mountings.

N

Nacre - The crystalline substance secreted by a mollusk that coats the irritant, eventually producing a pearl.

Natural - Any pearl that is not cultured. Any gemstone that has not been color or clarity enhanced.

Needles - Long, thin, inclusions in gemstones caused by gas within the crystal.

Nucleus - The irritant imbedded in a mollusk to force production of nacre.

O

Off-center culet - A major problem in gemstone cutting. An off-center culet seriously effects the symmetry of a stone.

Oiling - A common procedure for gemstone color enhancement. The treatment is not permanent and should be disclosed at point of purchase.

Opaque - A descriptive term for gemstones that are so clouded by flaws that they cannot be considered at all transparent.

Opera - A pearl strand 32 inches in length.

Orient - The iridescent play-of-color that gives pearls their deep inner glow.

Oval - A cut shape for gemstones.

Overtone - The hint of secondary color found in pearls. Typically pink, green, blue and silver.

P

Pave setting - Many small gemstones placed in tapered holes creating a "paved" appearance.

Pavilion - The bottom of a faceted gemstone, from the girdle to the culet.

Pavilion depth - Along with crown height, pavilion depth determines the overall proportion and symmetry of a gemstone cut.

Pear-shaped - A pearl that grows round on one end and tapers to a smaller top. Also a cut shape for gemstones.

Pearlessence - A substance of ground fish scales and lacquer used to make imitation pearls, or to coat low-quality pearls.

Pearl shape - The crucial valuing factor for pearls, judged for roundness and Symmetry.

Pearl size - The diameter of a pearl, measured in millimeters, largely determines the value of the pearl.

Per-carat cost - Total cost of a gemstone is equal to the carat weight x the per- carat cost.

Perpetual calendar - A watch calendar that automatically adjusts for 30 day months and leap-years.

Point - A unit of weight measurement for gemstones. 0.01 carats is 1 point. 1 carat is 100 points.

Platinum - A precious metal that is far harder than gold. It is tarnish resistant and hypo-allergenic.

Polish - From poor to excellent, the finish of a gemstone is graded as polish.

Princess - A pearl strand of 18 inches in length.

Princess cut - Square cut, brilliant style, gemstone.

Prong setting - A very popular ring setting style, common in engagement rings, where metal prongs are bent around the girdle of the gemstone to hold it securely in place, allowing maximum light to pass through.

Proportion - The term used in examining the overall symmetry of a gemstone.

Q

Quadrillion - A square cut diamond with 96 facets: 49 brilliant-style, 21 crown and 24 pavilion.

Quartz movement - A battery operated watch with plus or minus 30 second per Year accuracy.

Quench crackling - A treatment performed on synthetic gemstones where they are heated and then dunked in cold water to produce natural looking flaws.

R

Radiant - A 70-facet brilliant-cut square or rectangle diamond with emerald cut corners.

Ring setting - The term for any ring prior to gemstone mounting.

Ring size There are several different ways determine your ring size.

1. Any jeweler would be happy to give you an accurate measurement.
2. You can do it yourself by following these simple instructions.
3. Note that different countries have different ring sizes. All sizes listed here are standard American sizes.
   
   Measure the circumference:
   • Cut a strip of paper about 6" long, no wider than ¼".
   • Wrap the paper snugly around your finger and mark where it meets.
   • Lay the paper flat against a ruler to determine the circumference in inches and find the matching ring size on our handy chart:

   Ring Size		Paper Length in inches
   4		1 13/16
   5		1 15/16
   6		2 1/16
   7		2 2/16
   8		2 4/16
   9		2 5/16
   10		2 7/16
   11		2 9/16
   12		2 10/16
   13		2 12/16
   14		2 14/16

4. If the ring is to be a surprise, simply perform the same steps on a ring your intended recipient already owns. How you get it from them is up to you. We don't have a handy chart for that. Although, we can help you once you secure the ring with the following simple procedure.
   
   Measure the diameter: (either inches or millimeters)
   • Take any ring and lay it flat against the inch or millimeter face of a ruler (For a more accurate reading, we recommend measuring millimeters)
   • Starting at 0, measure the distance of across from the inside edges of the band.
   • Find the matching ring size for your mark on this chart.

   Ring Size		Diameter in inches		Diameter in mm.
   4		.585		14.86
   5		.618		15.70
   6		.650		16.51
   7		.683		17.35
   8		.716		18.19
   9		.748		18.89
   10		.781		19.84
   11		.814		20.68
   12		.846		21.49
   13		.879		22.33

   
   Notes:
   • For the record, the average woman's ring size is 6.
   • If your mark falls in between two ring sizes, choose the larger size.
   • If your knuckle is a lot larger than the base of your finger, using the circumference method, measure both the base and the knuckle with your paper and select a size in between the two.
   • When considering a wide band, move up a size from your measurement, for comfort's sake.
   • Remember to measure your finger in warm temperatures at the end of the day. This is when the most blood will be in your hands, and you will be guaranteed a ring fit that will be comfortable for a lifetime.

Rope - A pearl strand of 40 inches in length.

Round brilliant -The standard round cut gemstone.

Roundness - Pearls are graded by their roundness: round, mostly round, slightly off-round, and off-round.

Ruby color - Judged by three graded factors: hue, tone and purity.