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Glossary - P
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- Palladium
- A lightweight and hypoallergenic metal that is a member of the platinum family. It is used as an alloy in platinum jewelry as well as used to create palladium jewelry. It is a true white metal which means it maintains its white color forever. Palladium bands are stamped with "Pall 950."
- Patina
- A satin sheen that develops on the surface of platinum, produced by daily wear and tiny scratches. Many people prefer this unique look, and avoid polishing their platinum.
- Pavé Setting
- From the French word for pavement, these stones are set low and very close, so that the surface appears to be paved with gemstones. Pavé settings most commonly feature diamonds, but any gemstone may be used.
- Pavilion
- The bottom portion of a diamond, extending from the girdle to the culet.
- Pavilion Angle
- The average angle of the main facet plane relative to the diamond's table.
- Pear-Shaped Diamond
- This fancy-shaped brilliant-cut diamond has a rounded end and a single point. Many who like the look of the round diamond but want a fancy shape alternative choose the pear-shape diamond. And the length of the diamond creates a slimming effect on the fingers.
- Pearl
- Pearls are formed when an irritant occurs or is inserted into an oyster or other mollusk. The mollusk forms layers of nacre over the irritant, eventually forming what we know as a pearl. Pearls are the birthstone for the month of June.
- Pearl Shape
- The shape of a pearl is defined by degrees of roundness, symmetry, and irregularity. Shape is an important characteristic in determining the value of a pearl, and pearl shapes are generally categorized as Spherical, Symmetrical, or Baroque. Spherical, or round, pearls are usually the most valuable, especially if they are part of a well-matched piece.
- Pearl Size
- The diameter of a pearl measured in millimeters. Size is one of the most important characteristics in determining pearl price.
- Peg Setting
- A tiny hole is drilled halfway into the pearl and a metal bar is inserted and secured with adhesive.
- Peridot
- This gemstone is valued for its beautiful chartreuse color. It is also the birthstone of August. Peridot (pronounced pair-a-doe) has been mined for jewelry for more than 4,000 years. Store your peridot jewelry in a cool, protected place.
- Pinpoint
- Minute crystals inside the diamond that look like small specks under 10X magnification. A cluster of pinpoints form a cloud. The presence of a single pinpoint inclusion can make the difference between a Flawless and a VVS1 grade.
- Platinum
- The rarest of all precious metals, platinum is an extremely popular metal for jewelry. It's durable, resists tarnishing and is hypo-allergenic. True Platinum is 95% pure with 5% alloy and should be marked with 950 Plat or Plat. European jewelers also use 90% pure or 900 platinum in jewelry.
- Point
- A weight measure equal to 0.01 carat. For example, a 0.50-carat diamond is said to weigh 50 points.
- Polish
- Polish describes how smoothly the facets of a diamond have been polished, whether any marks are visible from the polishing wheel, and how defined the edges of each facet are. Polish marks are almost always invisible to the unaided eye, but they have a slight effect on the overall brilliance. For the highest grade of polish, look for an ideal (ID), excellent (EX), or very good (VG) AGSL graded diamond, and an excellent (EX) or very good (VG) GIA graded diamond. Avoid diamonds with polish grades of fair (F) or poor (P), as the quality of their polish may affect the brilliance of the diamond.
- Precious Metal
- Gold, platinum, and silver are generally used to create fine jewelry
- Princess Length
- A pearl necklace 18 inches long.
- Princess-Cut Diamond
- The princess-cut is considerably more popular than the other square diamond shapes. Diamonds that appear square to the unaided eye are graded by GIA as Square Modified Brilliant. Many princess-cut diamonds can appear rectangular in shape.
- Prong Setting
- When a gemstone is set with prongs, each prong is bent to securely hold the gemstone by the crown. Other settings include bezel, channel, and pavé.
- Proportion
- A term used to describe to what degree the parts of a gemstone are symmetrical compared to the whole.
- Proportion Factors
- A summary of the decisions made while crafting a diamond which determine the diamond's shape, including its girdle, culet size, spread, durability, and tilt. This is a component of the cut grade, as determined by the AGSL.
- Push Earring Back
- The push earring back slides over the post, and usually a small indentation in the post will help prevent the earring from slipping off.
