Educate Yourself on Common Jewelry Terms

At Padis Jewelry customer satisfaction is important to us, and we want to make sure each piece of jewelry purchased from us not only fulfills your needs but is something you will love and cherish for years.  To help customers become more knowledgeable on what they are buying, our website offers a glossary of commonly used jewelry terms.   

If you are shopping for diamond or gemstone jewelry, you may want to start with terms used to describe the anatomy of the stones.  One word you are sure to hear is facet, which describes the flat surface on a diamond or color gemstone.  The arrangement of a gemstone's facets determines its cut and return of light.  The diamond’s table is the largest polished facet on the surface of the stone.  A diamond’s crown is the top part of the stone, beneath the table and above the girdle.  The girdle describes the middle section of the stone and is typically polished or faceted on a diamond and unpolished on a color gemstone. 

A diamond’s pavilion is the term used to describe the bottom part of the stone and extends from the girdle to the culet, which is the small or pointed facet at the very bottom of the diamond.  Not all diamonds have a culet.  The total height of a diamond is called the depth and is measured from the table to the culet.  

Fire is the term used to describe the flashes of color that are seen when the diamond or gemstone is moved or rotated.  Flawless is the highest grading on the diamond clarity scale and describes a stone without any visible inclusions or blemishes under 10 x magnifications. Symmetry is the precision of the alignment of the diamond’s facets, and the more symmetrical, the better the return of light.   

While Padis Jewelry wants customers to be informed, satisfied buyers, we also want to assure you that all of our non-commissioned jewelry consultants are here to help guide you through the process.  In addition, our staff includes GIA Graduate Gemologists, and any diamond over 0.40 carats comes with a grading report from the most trusted independent laboratories in the U.S. 

As a family-owned business, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry since 1974.  We have one of the area’s largest inventories as well as an impressive selection of top name luxury brands.  So if you are a lover of beautiful jewelry, we encourage you to schedule a visit to San Francisco and the Napa Valley’s best jewelry stores.