Engagement Ring Glossary

Your complete reference for engagement ring and diamond terminology. From A to Z, master the language of fine jewelry.

A

Accent Stones: Small diamonds or gemstones surrounding or complementing the center stone.

Alloy: Mixture of metals combined to create specific properties (e.g., 14k gold = 58.3% gold + 41.7% other metals).

Appraisal: Professional evaluation of a ring’s characteristics and estimated replacement value for insurance purposes.

Asscher Cut: Square step-cut diamond with cropped corners, similar to emerald cut but square shaped.

Asymmetrical: Ring design that intentionally lacks symmetry, often in bypass or modern styles.

B

Band: The circular metal part of the ring that goes around the finger.

Basket Setting: Prong setting with metal framework underneath the stone resembling a basket.

Bead Setting: Small metal beads hold stones in place, common in pavé.

Bezel Setting: Metal rim completely or partially encircles the stone’s girdle.

Birthstone: Gemstone associated with birth month, sometimes used instead of diamonds.

Brilliant Cut: Cutting style designed to maximize sparkle, most common for round diamonds (57-58 facets).

Briolette: Teardrop-shaped gemstone cut with triangular facets all around.

Burnish Setting: Stone set into a groove with metal pushed over the edges to secure it.

C

Cabochon: Gemstone cut with smooth, domed surface rather than facets (not used for diamonds).

Calibrated: Gemstones cut to exact standard sizes for uniform setting.

Carat (ct): Unit of weight for gemstones; 1 carat = 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams.

Cathedral Setting: Arched metal shoulders rising to meet the center stone, resembling cathedral architecture.

Certification: Grading report from independent laboratory (GIA, AGS) documenting diamond characteristics.

Channel Setting: Stones set in a groove between two metal walls, no prongs visible.

Clarity: Measure of internal inclusions and external blemishes in a diamond (FL to I3 scale).

Claw Prong: Pointed prong tips resembling claws, traditional style.

Cluster Setting: Multiple small stones grouped together to appear as one larger stone.

Color: Grading of diamond body color from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow/brown).

Crown: Upper portion of diamond above the girdle.

Culet: Small facet at bottom point of diamond (modern cuts often have no culet).

Cushion Cut: Square or rectangular diamond with rounded corners and larger facets, vintage appearance.

Cut: Proportions, symmetry, and polish of diamond affecting light performance (also refers to shape).

D

Depth Percentage: Ratio of diamond’s depth to its diameter, affects sparkle.

Diameter: Measurement across widest part of diamond.

Dispersion: Separation of white light into spectral colors, creating “fire” in diamonds.

Dome: Curved or convex surface on ring band or setting.

Doublet: Two materials fused together to imitate a gemstone (not desirable for engagement rings).

Durability: Stone’s ability to withstand wear, scratching, and damage.

E

Emerald Cut: Rectangular step-cut with truncated corners, creates hall-of-mirrors effect.

Engraving: Etched text or design on ring band, often personalized messages.

Enhanced: Diamond or gemstone treated to improve appearance (heat, clarity enhancement, etc.).

Eternity Band: Wedding band with diamonds or gemstones encircling entire band.

Euro Shank: Split or forked band that creates two paths approaching the center stone.

Eye-Clean: Diamond with no visible inclusions to naked eye, even if lower clarity grade.

F

Facet: Flat, polished surface on a cut gemstone that reflects light.

Fancy Color: Diamond with strong body color (yellow, pink, blue, etc.), graded differently than white diamonds.

Fancy Shape: Any diamond shape other than round (princess, oval, emerald, etc.).

Filigree: Delicate, lacy metalwork often in vintage-style rings.

Findings: Small metal components used in jewelry construction.

Finish: Overall quality of diamond’s polish and symmetry.

Fire: Rainbow-colored flashes of light from diamond’s dispersion.

Fluorescence: Visible light emission when diamond is exposed to UV light (none to very strong).

Four Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat weight—the standard diamond grading criteria.

French Pavé: Pavé setting with V-shaped cuts between stones, vintage appearance.

G

Gallery: Decorative metalwork under the center stone, visible from side view.

Gemstone: Precious or semi-precious mineral used in jewelry (ruby, sapphire, emerald, etc.).

GIA (Gemological Institute of America): Leading diamond grading laboratory.

Girdle: Widest perimeter of diamond where crown meets pavilion.

Gold: Precious metal available in yellow, white, and rose variations.

Grain: Vintage term for quarter-carat (4 grains = 1 carat).

Guard: Small diamonds on either side of center stone, also called “side stones.”

H

Halo: Circle of small diamonds surrounding center stone, makes it appear larger.

Hand-Forged: Metalwork shaped by hand hammering rather than casting.

Head: The setting that holds the center stone.

Heart and Arrows: Precision-cut round diamond showing hearts pattern from bottom, arrows from top.

Hearts and Arrows Cut: See Heart and Arrows.

Hidden Halo: Small diamonds set beneath center stone, visible only from side view.

Hypoallergenic: Metal that doesn’t cause allergic reactions (platinum, palladium).

I

Ideal Cut: Diamond cut with proportions that maximize brilliance and fire (specific grade from some labs).

Illusion Setting: Setting designed to make center stone appear larger.

Inclusion: Internal characteristic in diamond (crystal, feather, cloud, etc.).

Inscription: Text etched on diamond’s girdle, often certification number.

Invisible Setting: Stones set so closely that no metal shows between them, creates seamless appearance.

J

Jeweler’s Loupe: 10x magnification tool used to inspect diamonds and jewelry.

K

Karat (K or kt): Measure of gold purity (24k = pure gold, 14k = 58.3% gold, 10k = 41.7% gold).

Knife Edge: Band that tapers to thin edge, resembling knife blade in profile.

L

Lab-Created/Lab-Grown: Diamond created in laboratory with same chemical composition as natural diamond.

Laser Inscription: Microscopic text etched on diamond girdle with laser, often certification number.

Length-to-Width Ratio: Proportions of fancy-shaped diamonds, affects appearance.

Loupe Clean: Diamond with no inclusions visible under 10x magnification (FL or IF clarity).

M

Marquise: Elongated diamond shape with pointed ends, also called “navette.”

Melee: Small diamonds, typically under 0.20 carats, used as accent stones.

Micro-Pavé: Very small pavé diamonds, typically under 0.01 carats each.

Milgrain: Tiny beaded edging on metal, adds vintage detail.

Moissanite: Lab-created gemstone resembling diamond, lower cost alternative.

Mounting: The setting and metalwork, not including the center stone.

N

Natural: Diamond or gemstone formed in nature (vs. lab-created).

Nickel: Metal often alloyed with gold; can cause allergic reactions in some people.

None (Fluorescence): Diamond that shows no fluorescence under UV light.

O

Old European Cut: Antique diamond cutting style (1890s-1930s), precursor to modern round brilliant.

Old Mine Cut: Antique cushion-shaped diamond cut (1700s-1800s).

Oval Cut: Elliptical brilliant-cut diamond, elongated appearance.

P

Palladium: Platinum-group metal, naturally white, hypoallergenic, lighter than platinum.

Pavilion: Lower portion of diamond below the girdle, comes to point or culet.

Pavé: Small diamonds set closely together with tiny metal beads, “paved” appearance.

Pear Shape: Teardrop-shaped diamond, combines round and marquise characteristics.

Platinum: Dense, naturally white precious metal, 95% pure in jewelry (950 platinum).

Polish: Quality of diamond’s surface finish, graded Excellent to Poor.

Princess Cut: Square or rectangular brilliant-cut diamond with pointed corners.

Prong: Metal claw or projection holding gemstone in place.

Proportion: Relationship between diamond’s dimensions and angles, affects light performance.

Q

Quadrillion: Square or rectangular brilliant-cut diamond, similar to princess but with more facets.

R

Radiant Cut: Rectangular or square brilliant-cut with trimmed corners, combines emerald and round brilliant characteristics.

Recycled Gold: Reclaimed gold from old jewelry, refined and reused.

Repoussé: Decorative metalwork created by hammering from reverse side.

Rhodium Plating: Thin coating applied to white gold for bright white appearance.

Rose Cut: Antique diamond cut with flat bottom and domed, faceted top.

Rose Gold: Gold alloyed with copper for pink/red color.

Round Brilliant: Most popular diamond shape, 57-58 facets, maximum brilliance.

S

Scintillation: Flashes of light when diamond or viewer moves, part of sparkle.

Setting: How gemstone is secured in jewelry.

Shank: The band portion of ring that circles the finger.

Shoulder: Sides of ring band approaching the center setting.

Side Stones: Accent diamonds or gemstones flanking center stone.

Simulant: Material resembling diamond but different composition (cubic zirconia, moissanite).

Solitaire: Ring design featuring single center diamond with minimal metal.

Split Shank: Band that divides into two or more strands approaching center stone.

Step Cut: Cutting style with parallel, rectangular facets (emerald, Asscher).

Symmetry: How precisely facets align and match, graded Excellent to Poor.

T

Table: Large, flat top facet on diamond crown.

Table Percentage: Ratio of table diameter to overall diamond diameter.

Tension Setting: Diamond held by pressure/tension of metal band, appears to float.

Three-Stone: Ring with three prominent diamonds (center + two sides), symbolizing past, present, future.

Tiffany Setting: Classic six-prong solitaire setting, trademarked by Tiffany & Co.

Treated: Diamond enhanced through processes like fracture filling or color treatment.

Trillion/Trilliant: Triangular-shaped diamond.

Triple Excellent (3EX): Diamond graded Excellent for cut, polish, and symmetry.

Tungsten: Very hard, scratch-resistant metal, cannot be resized.

U

Undergallery: Metalwork beneath the center stone, part of setting structure.

Untreated: Natural diamond with no enhancement or treatment.

V

V-Prong: Prong shaped like “V” to protect pointed corners of princess, marquise, or pear diamonds.

Vintage: Generally jewelry 20-100 years old (antique is 100+ years).

W

Wax Model: Carved wax prototype of ring before metal casting, used in custom design.

Wedding Set: Engagement ring and matching wedding band sold together.

White Gold: Gold alloyed with white metals (palladium, nickel, or silver), usually rhodium-plated.

Wire: Thin metal strand, can be decorative or structural.

X

X-Prong: Four prongs forming X shape over diamond.

Y

Yellow Gold: Gold in its natural color, alloyed with copper and silver.

Yield: Percentage of rough diamond retained after cutting (affects cost).

Z

Z+: Diamonds with more color than Z grade, enters fancy color territory.

Zircon: Natural gemstone, NOT cubic zirconia (which is synthetic simulant).

Quick Reference: Common Abbreviations

ct = carat (weight)
ctw or tcw = total carat weight (all stones combined)
GIA = Gemological Institute of America
AGS = American Gem Society
EGL = European Gemological Laboratory
IGI = International Gemological Institute
SI = Slightly Included (clarity grade)
VS = Very Slightly Included (clarity grade)
VVS = Very Very Slightly Included (clarity grade)
IF = Internally Flawless (clarity grade)
FL = Flawless (clarity grade)
K or kt = karat (gold purity)
pt = platinum
pd = palladium

This glossary is your comprehensive reference for understanding engagement ring terminology. Bookmark this page and refer back whenever you encounter unfamiliar terms in your ring shopping journey!