The Jewelry Guide

THE JEWELRY GUIDE © 2009 Michael Sucar

This Guide will provide you with useful information and guidelines that will assist you in recognizing, choosing and buying jewelry all over the world. International Ring Sizing (UK, Europe, Japan, USA) Jewelry Measurements Precious Metals Common Jewelry Terms

International Ring Sizing (UK, Europe, Japan, USA) Diameter: internal diameter in millimeters Circumference: internal circumference in millimeters UK

Europe

Japan

USA 0

A 0 A1/2 B 1 B1/2 1+1/4 C C1/2

D D1/2

0.15 0.53 0.84 1.00 1.15 1.50 1.78 1.88

1+1/2 1

1+3/4

2 2

Diameter (mm) 11.54 11.90 12.00 12.10 12.30 12.37 12.50 12.58 12.70 12.78 12.90 13.00 13.05 13.10 13.21 13.30 13.33

Circumference (mm) 36.25 37.38 37.70 38.01 38.64 38.86 39.27 39.52 39.90 40.15 50.53 40.84 41.00 41.15 41.50 41.78 41.88

E

E1/2 F

F1/2 G

G1/2

H H1/2

I

I1/2

2.00 2.13 2.41 2.76 2.91 3.00 3.42 3.67 3.98 4.00 4.14 4.30 4.74 4.92 5.00 5.02 5.40 5.55 6.00 6.02 6.06 6.18 6.68 6.81 7.00 7.12 7.34 7.44 7.97 8.00 8.07

2+1/4 2+1/2 3 2+3/4 4 3 3+1/4

5 3+1/2

3+3/4 6 4

7 4+1/4 4+1/2

13.37 13.41 13.50 13.61 13.66 13.69 13.82 13.90 14.00 14.01 14.05 14.10 14.24 14.30 14.32 14.33 14.45 14.50 14.64 14.65 14.66 14.70 14.86 14.90 14.96 15.00 15.07 15.10 15.27 15.28 15.30

42.00 42.13 42.41 42.76 42.91 43.00 43.42 43.67 43.98 44.00 44.14 44.30 44.74 44.92 45.00 45.02 45.40 45.55 46.00 46.02 46.06 46.18 46.68 46.81 47.00 47.12 47.34 47.44 47.97 48.00 48.07

J

J1/2 K

K1/2 L L1/2

M

M1/2

N

N1/2

O

8.16 8.63 8.69 9.00 9.20 9.32 9.95 10.00 10.27 10.58 11.00 11.24 11.30 11.87 12.00 12.34 12.46 12.56 13.00 13.09 13.16 13.41 13.72 13.85 14.00 14.35 14.44 14.51 14.98 15.00 15.48

8 4+3/4

9 5 5+1/4 10 5+1/2 5+3/4 11 6 12 6+1/4

6+1/2 13 6+3/4

14 7 7+1/4 15

15.33 15.48 15.50 15.60 15.66 15.70 15.90 15.92 16.00 16.10 16.23 16.31 16.33 16.51 16.55 16.66 16.70 16.73 16.87 16.90 16.92 17.00 17.10 17.14 17.19 17.30 17.33 17.35 17.50 17.56 17.66

48.16 48.63 48.69 49.00 49.20 49.32 49.95 50.00 50.27 50.58 51.00 51.24 51.30 51.87 52.00 52.34 52.46 52.46 53.00 53.09 53.16 53.41 53.72 53.85 54.00 54.35 54.44 54.51 54.98 55.00 55.48

O1/2

P

P1/2

Q

Q1/2

R R1/2

S S1/2

T

T1/2

15.61 15.76 16.00 16.23 16.45 16.55 16.86 17.00 17.15 17.49 17.59 17.77 18.00 18.12 18.40 18.62 17.75 19.00 19.38 19.66 19.69 20.00 20.38 20.63 20.73 20.98 21.00 21.26 21.67 21.76 21.89

7+1/2

7+3/4 16

8 17 8+1/4

8+1/2 18 8+3/4 9 19 9+1/4 20 9+1/2

9+3/4 21

17.70 17.75 17.83 17.90 17.97 18.00 18.10 18.14 18.19 18.30 18.33 18.39 18.46 18.50 18.59 18.66 18.70 18.78 18.90 18.99 19.00 19.10 19.22 19.30 19.33 19.41 19.42 19.50 19.63 19.66 19.70

55.61 55.76 56.00 56.23 65.45 56.55 56.86 57.00 57.15 57.49 57.59 57.77 58.00 58.12 58.40 58.62 58.75 59.00 59.38 59.66 59.69 60.00 60.38 60.63 60.73 60.98 61.00 61.26 61.67 61.76 61.89

U

U1/2 V

V1/2

W W1/2

X X1/2 Y

Y1/2 Z

Z1/2

22.00 22.33 22.52 22.83 23.00 23.15 23.59 23.77 23.87 23.99 24.28 24.40 24.91 24.97 25.00 25.60 25.66 25.97 26.00 26.22 26.29 26.92 27.01 27.51 28.02 28.05 28.20 28.77 28.99 29.12 29.43

10 22 10+1/4 10+1/2 23 10+3/4 24 11 11+1/4 25 11+1/2 10+3/4 26 12 27 12+1/4 12+1/2 28

19.74 19.84 19.90 20.00 20.05 20.10 20.24 20.30 20.33 20.37 20.46 20.50 20.66 20.68 20.69 20.88 20.90 21.00 21.01 21.08 21.10 21.30 21.33 21.49 21.65 21.66 21.71 21.89 21.96 22.00 22.10

62.00 62.33 62.52 52.83 63.00 63.15 63.59 63.77 63.87 63.99 64.28 64.40 64.91 64.97 65.00 65.60 65.66 65.97 66.00 66.22 66.29 66.92 67.01 67.51 68.02 68.05 68.20 68.77 68.99 69.12 69.43

Z+1 Z+1+1/2

Z+2 Z+2+1/2 Z+3

Z+3+1/2

Z+4

Z+4+1/2

Z+5 Z+5+1/2 Z+6

29.49 29.99 30.15 30.69 30.81 31.00 31.19 31.31 31.47 32.01 32.26 32.57 32.76 33.01 33.20 33.32 33.29 33.42 33.83 33.98 34.33 34.46 34.71 34.99 35.08 35.40 35.71 36.00 36.34 36.43 36.69

12+3/4 29

13 13+1/4

30 13+1/2 13+3/4 31 14

32 14+1/4 14+1/2 33 14+3/4

34

15 15+1/4

35 15+1/2

22.12 22.28 22.33 22.50 22.54 22.60 22.66 22.70 22.75 22.92 23.00 23.10 23.16 23.24 23.30 23.34 23.33 23.37 23.50 23.55 23.66 23.70 23.78 23.87 23.90 24.00 24.10 24.19 24.30 24.33 24.41

69.49 69.99 70.15 70.69 70.81 71.00 71.19 71.31 71.47 72.01 72.26 72.57 72.76 73.01 73.20 73.32 73.29 73.42 73.83 73.98 74.33 74.46 74.71 74.99 75.08 75.40 75.71 76.00 76.34 76.43 76.69

Z+6+1/2

Z+7 Z+7+1/2

37.00 37.31 37.47 37.60 38.00 38.23 38.54

15+3/4 36 16 37

16+1/4

24.51 24.61 24.66 24.70 24.83 24.90 25.00

77.00 77.31 77.47 77.60 78.00 78.23 78.54

JEWELRY MEASUREMENTS All Jewelry Dimensions are in millimeters unless noted otherwise.

Rings

Bracelets

Pendants

Necklaces

Earrings

Brooches

PRECIOUS METALS PLATINUM The platinum group metals (PGM), comprise six closely related metals: Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Ruthenium, Iridium and Osmium. Platinum has a deep luster and a rich, white color. It is rarer, heavier and denser than all precious metals and considered to be more valuable than gold. Platinum is often used to set the most valuable gems to produce the finest jewelry because it holds gemstones most securely and it neutral color enhances the brilliance and depth of diamonds and precious stones. In the United States platinum is usually marked: PT or PLAT In Europe, it is marked: 950 or PT950

Platinum Group Metals (PGM): Palladium (Pd) It is a relatively rare and soft, silvery white metal. When used in jewelry, it is alloyed with gold to create white gold. It is also used to make setting. Rhodium (Rh)

It is a brilliant silvery white metal that is used as a plating agent on platinum and white gold to create a white very hard coating. Ruthenium (Ru)

It is a grayish-white metal that has a high resistance to wear and is used in the manufacture of jewelry, porcelain, etc. Iridium (Ir)

It is a white, brittle and extremely hard metal. The alloy, which contains about 10 percent iridium and 90% platinum, is much harder than pure platinum. Alloys containing larger percentages of iridium are used in making precision and standard instruments, surgical tools, pen points. Osmium (Os)

It is a bluish-white, brittle metal. Osmium and platinum alloy is used for standard weights and measures.

GOLD

Gold is a beautiful and imperishable metal. It was one of the first metals to be mined because it commonly occurs in its native form (100% Pure) Pure (100%) gold is too soft, and it is usually mixed with other metals (gold alloys) to make it stronger and more usable for jewelry. The metals that are mixed with pure gold for strength can also modify the color of gold resulting in different shades of yellow, white, and pink. KARATS – Indicates the pure amount of gold in the metal.

Abbreviation: kt

USA:

37.5%

41.7%

58.5%

75%

100%

World Wide

375

417

585

750

999

USA:

9kt

10kt

14kt

18kt

24kt

PRICE - The following are some of the factors that determine the value of a gold jewelry piece. · weight: gold is sold by weight - grams(gr) or pennyweights(dwt), the heavier the piece, the higher the gold content, therefore it is more expensive. ·design: designer jewelry is more expensive, especially if it is a one of a kind piece.

·finish: special finishes to the metal such as matte, or sand-blasted finish add to the cost of the gold jewelry piece.

SILVER

Silver is the most reflective and affordable of the precious metals.

Sterling silver is the standard of quality for articles containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Vermeil is a gold plated sterling silver. MARKS - percentage of pure silver · General -Sterling Silver ·American - 925

·European - 935

·French - 800

·Russian - 88 or 84

COMMON JEWELRY TERMS Blemish Imperfections found on the surface of a Diamond.

Brilliance describes how well a diamond reflects white light.

Carat is a unit of weight measurement used for weighing diamonds. One carat equals 0.2 grams or 200 milligrams. 142 carats equals one (1) avoirdupois ounce.

Clarity measures the degree of visibility of surface blemishes or internal inclusions of a diamond.

Cloud Minor inclusion appearing milky rather than dark or ash like, only minimally detracting from the stone's appearance.

Color measures the tint or internal color of a diamond, ranging from colorless to light brown or yellow.

Crown refers to the upper domed surface above the girdle of a cut diamond. The angle of the crown between the girdle and the table is considered acceptable at between 30.0-37.0 degrees. Crown height is considered acceptable when between 11.0-16.2% of the girdle's diameter.

CT or CTS Stands for total carat weight of singular stone.

CTW Indicates the total diamond carat weight of the jewelry item.

Culet is the end point of the pavilion, finer being considered better, however a sharp point is susceptible to chipping.

Cut refers the shape (round, square, emerald, pear, oval, marquis, etc.) and proportions of a cut diamond. Depth is the vertical height of the diamond from the table to the cutlet. Considered acceptable when between 57.0 to 65.0% of the girdle's diameter.

Eye Clean Diamond appears to be free of surface blemishes and inclusions to the naked eye. Diamonds graded SI-2 or better will appear to be eye clean.

Facets are the small polished plane surfaces of a cut gem stone. A brilliant (round), full-cut diamond has 56 facets, while stones under 3 points can have as few as 16 (single cut).

Finish Refers to the quality of the diamond's polish and symmetry.

Fire Describes the intensity and diversity of the light spectrum (rainbow colors) emanating from a diamond.

Fluorescence Refers to the emission of photoluminescence by a diamond detectable under a black light. Blue fluorescence can enhance a diamonds color, but other colors are considered less desirable.

Girdle refers to the edge where the crown and pavilion of a cut diamond meet, marking the maximum diameter or width of the diamond. A girdle width of between 2.0-4.0% of the girdle's diameter is considered acceptable. Too sharp or thin a girdle increases the likelihood of chipping.

Girdle Diameter is the diameter of the diamond at the point where the crown and pavilion meet. Other dimension characteristics of a cut diamond are expressed as a percentage (%) of the girdle diameter.

Included refers to the internal defects of a diamond, appearing as ash like flakes, cracks, clouds, or other imperfections.

Make Describes the diamond's cut and proportions.

Pavilion is the tapered under half or base of a cut diamond below the girdle. The angle of the pavilion from the girdle to the cutlet is considered acceptable when between 39.7-41.7 degrees. Pavilion depth is considered acceptable when between 41.5-45.5% of the girdle’s diameter.

Point is a unit of weight equal to 1/100 of a carat, 100 points equaling one carat, and written as 1.00 carat.

Polish Describes the luster of a diamond's exterior finish.

Symmetry Describes if the diamond is true to its desired shape and is in balanced proportions.

Table is the flat top surface of a cut diamond. Table diameter is considered acceptable when between 51.4-66.0% of the girdle's diameter.

© 2009 Michael Sucar