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Glossary - N
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- Nacre
- The crystalline substance secreted by an oyster to form a pearl. The microscopic crystals of nacre (pronounced nay-ker) refract light to produce a pearl's color and luster.
- Natural
- A tiny edge of the original rough diamond crystal that is left unpolished on the surface of the final, polished diamond. Usually, the cutter makes an effort to confine the indented natural to either the pavilion, or the girdle where it is undetectable to the naked eye in the face-up position.
- Natural Pearls
- pearl that forms naturally when a grain of sand or other small irritant enters the pearl. If the oyster is unable to eject the object, the oyster will coat the object with layers of nacre to form a pearl. Natural pearls are very rare. There is no way to determine if an oyster contains a pearl, so to create a dependable pearl supply, the culturing process was invented.
- Needle
- A very fine, light, elongated inclusion that is usually totally enclosed within the diamond. Needle inclusions are generally more subdued than feather inclusions.
- Nickel
- A common alloy in gold and silver. 18k yellow gold contains less nickel than 18k white gold. When buying a gift for someone who has a sensitivity to jewelry, consider giving platinum, a jewelry metal which contains no nickel and rarely causes skin reactions.
- Nucleus
- The object artificially inserted into an oyster that eventually becomes the center of a finished pearl.
