WikiJewelry and Gemstone Wiki - Concise dictionary definitions of terms relating to jewelry (jewellery) & gemstones. If you would like to know "what is turquoise?" or "what are minerals?", then Mochishop's wiki can help.
cats eye, cat's eye 1. (n) an optical effect produced by light running perpendicular to the fibres in a gemstone. The effect is also known as chatoyancy; 2. (n) any gemstone which produces this effect e.g., quartz, moonstone, tigers eye. [buy cats eye jewellery from Mochishop]
chalcedony (n) a family of cryptocrystalline quartzes including, for example, agate, jasper and onyx.
chatoyancy (n) see cats eye.
choker (n) a close-fitting necklace worn around the neck. Cf. Necklace.
citrine (n) the yellow variety of quartz.
coral (n) 1. a type of marine organism or 2. the skeleton of a marine organism used as a gemstone. It is usually red, pink or black in colour. [buy coral jewellery from Mochishop]
corundum (n) corundum is a mineral which, when transparent, forms the gemstones ruby and sapphire. Red (or pink) variants are ruby, all other colours are sapphire. Corundum has a Mohs hardness of 9.
cryptocrystalline (n) tiny crystals which are not discernable through optical microscopes. Cf Microcrystalline.
crystal (n) a substance with a regular atomic structure. Cf mineral
crystalline (adj) of or like crystal, formed by crystallization.
crystallization (v) the process of forming a crystal structure.
cardinal [gemstones] (n) an historical/obsolete classification of five gemstones (diamond, emerald, ruby, sapphire and amethyst) considered to be of highest importance or value. Cf precious.
cultured pearl (n) cultured pearls are pearls which have been farmed, usually commercially, by humans. Pearls are created this way by injecting an irritant into the nacre of oysters or molluscs, thus mimicking the process of nature.
