Glossary - C
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- Cable Chain
- A chain style featuring uniform, round links.
- Cabochon
- A gemstone with a rounded convex surface, rather than facets. A popular style for onyx, star sapphire and other opaque gemstones.
- Carat Weight
- Diamond weight is measured in units called carats. A carat is divided into 100 parts. Each part is called a point. A diamond that weighs one (1.00) carat also weighs 100 points. The table below illustrates the different ways diamond weight may be measured.
- Cavity
- A tiny opening in the stone where a piece of diamond is missing. Of course, if your diamond is in the higher clarity grades, the cavity may be impossible to see with the naked eye, and may even be hard to find under a 10X magnification jeweler's loupe.
- Center Stone
- The central, dominant stone in a piece of jewelry set with multiple stones. In a ring set with one stone, the center stone is also called the solitaire.
- Certification
- A diamond certificate is a report created by a gemologist or gemological lab. The diamond is scrutinized under a microscope and other optic-enhancing equipment to analyze its dimensions, clarity, cut, color, finish, symmetry and other characteristics.
- Chain
- A general term used to describe any series of connected metal links or loops. Typically used for bracelets, necklaces, and watch bands.
- Channel Setting
- A setting style where ridges in the metal create a channel that holds gemstones securely in place.
- Charm
- An ornamental piece of jewelry, often engraveable, which is attached to a bracelet, necklace, or earring.
- Chip
- A tiny chip in the diamond caused in cutting or from a sharp blow. Larger, more serious chips can result in considerable weight loss. Of course, if your diamond has a higher clarity grade, the chip may be impossible to see with the naked eye, and may be hard to find under a 10X magnification jeweler's loupe.
- Citrine
- A golden yellow-orange variety of quartz. These sunny gemstones get their name from the French word for lemon. Citrine is the November birthstone.
- Clarity
- The GIA Clarity Scale includes eleven clarity grades ranging from Flawless to I3. Because diamonds form under tremendous heat and pressure, it is extremely rare to find a diamond that lacks any internal and external characteristics. These characteristics are a byproduct of its formation and help emologists separate natural diamonds from synthetics and simulants, and identify individual stones.
- Claw Setting
- A setting in which metal prongs, or claws, hold the gemstone in a setting. Also called prong setting. Other setting styles include bezel, channel, bar channel, and more.
- Cloud
- A group of tiny pinpoints found inside a diamond. Most clouds are made up of crystals too tiny to see individually under the 10X magnification of a jeweler's loupe. Clouds may be impossible to see with the naked-eye in diamonds of very high clarity. This is rarely a serious inclusion.
- Color
- The color scale is used to describe the color present within a diamond or gemstone. These colors have been established by expert gemological laboratories, and are carefully scrutinized against a master set of diamonds.
- Comfort fit
- A special metal band design that features a rounded inside edge for more comfortable constant wear.
- Contrast
- The light and dark patterns you see when you look at a diamond. Contrast can have a positive or negative effect on a diamond's brilliance.
- Corundum
- A mineral that forms rubies and sapphires.
- Crystal
- A tiny bit of mineral, diamond, or other matter, that is found inside a diamond. It can vary in size, shape, and color. The presence of a single crystal can make the difference between an IF and a VS1 grade.
- Culet
- The facet or point at the bottom of the pavilion of a gemstone. It is sometimes listed as a facet and would, for example, increase the number of facets listed for a round brilliant diamond from 57 to 58. Because medium to large culets may have an impact on a diamond's light performance, the preferred culet grades for a round diamond range from none to small. Culets in the preferred grades are generally undetectable to the unaided eye.
- Cultured Pearl
- A pearl cultivated when a small irritant is inserted into an oyster or other mollusk. The irritant is often a bead made of mother-of-pearl or mantle tissue. The general method of culturing pearls was created in 1916.
- Cushion-Cut Diamond
- Rounded corners and large facets define this traditional diamond shape. Also referred to as a pillow diamond by some jewelers and retailers.
- Cut
- Refers to the geometric proportions of a gemstone. The cut of a gemstone is one of the most important factors in determining how much brilliance a gemstone produces.
