Welcome to Creations

JEWELRY TERMINOLOGY :

Cabochon/Cabouchon : a domed smooth polished stone with a flat bottom.
T.W. ("Total Weight") : The total carat weight of a group of stones.
Color/Colored Stone Jewelry : Jewelry containing precious or semi-precious colored gemstones
Bridal Jewelry : Any jewelry relating to the state of marriage ,i.e. Engagement rings, wedding bands, wraps, anniversary bands, jackets.

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Bridal Terms :

Anniversary : usually an all-around pattern in a band like silhouette, often containing multiple diamonds and/or colored stones
Wedding/Engagement : solitaire engagement ring, engagement 'sets', wedding band
Solitaire Engagement Ring : featuring single large center stone, usually a diamond
Bridal set : Set of rings including mounted solitaire engagement ring and matching wedding band
Jacket : A decorative ring which enhances a solitaire when it is inserted into the jacket from the top
Wraps : a decorative ring which enhances a solitaire, when it worn next to orintertwined with the wrap
Eternity Bands/ET Bands/ET Rings : See Anniversary ring.
Model : a prototype, usually wax or metal, from which molds and mass-produced copies of a piece are made .
Prototype : The first working sample or model of a piece of jewelry
Master-model : a model from which other models are made, so that multiple variations of a piece can be produced more easily.
Hand Fabricated : Made by hand. Usually built directly in metal.
Sample : A finished version of a piece of jewelry
Line : A group of pieces sold by a company
Collection : A line of jewelry, usually with a cohesive theme
Mokume Gane : A woodgrain effect obtained by the laminating of many thin layers of metals of different colors. The resulting sheet is then deformed by various methods such as punching from the back and then filed smooth which reveals a play of colors and patterns from the different metal colors being thus exposed.
Buff Top Stone : Stone that is smooth and bright on top.
Azure : Detailed wire work/gallery underneath an expensive piece.
Wax-Set/Cast In Place/Cast In Situ/CSS/CIS : Stones that are placed into their settings when the piece is still in wax. They are then invested and cast along with the wax. This avoids setting costs and labor and is now extensively used in mass production.
Granulation : Ancient technique of delicately adhering beads of metal to a metal surface without using solder

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COMMERCIAL JEWELRY TERMS :

Marketing : How product is sold to the retail jeweler and subsequently to the end user.
Merchandising : Development of product from concept to initial sample.
Promotional Jewelry : product usually retailed at $99.00 and under, utilizing promotional quality stones and light gold weight.
Guild Store : Retail store catering to a customer focused on quality.
Buying Office : Purchasing office for a retail chain.
Point of Purchase : Signage and product which is highlighted in or on a retail showcase.
In Stock Close-outs : Refers to items in the inventory of a company that said company no longer wants to offer in its line. These items are sold, often in bulk, to retailers or wholesalers at a reduced price that will recoup the cost of materials and labor for the selling company but usually without the profit margin.
Fine jewelry : Usually refers to jewelry made from precious metals and materials. Often bought for its intrinsic value and often more traditionally styled than costume jewelry.
Bridge jewelry : A marketing/merchandising term that refers to jewelry that is between costume and fine jewelry in price and perceived quality. Sterling silver jewelry, with or without stones, often falls into this category because it is not precious enough to be considered fine jewelry but is made of a more valuable material that costume jewelry which is often referred to as jewelry made of "base metal".
Costume jewelry : Jewelry made from non-precious materials that is usually more up-to-date fashionable than fine jewelry and thus often more ephemeral. Often with a famous fashion designer names involved, style and price vary tremendously in this field and branding is very important as well.
Minimalism : A style of fashion and jewelry important in the 1990's that incorporated extremely simple and spare designs with a philosophy that purported to turn away from the excesses of the 1980's. Fashion models in magazines and on the runways often wore no jewelry at all and as a result, the field of jewelry suffered a downturn during this period. Particularly hard hit during this time was the field of costume jewelry because of it's close alliance with clothing fashion..