5 Jewelry Terms We All Get Wrong (Even the Experts!)
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Many jewelry terms get mixed up even by professionals.
Here are five commonly misunderstood ones explained :
1. Brilliance vs. Fire
Brilliance is the amount of white light reflected from a gemstone - its overall brightness.
Fire is the rainbow flashes you see when white light splits into colors inside the stone.
Most people use these terms interchangeably, but they describe different types of sparkle:
✨ Brilliance = white light
🌈 Fire = colorful light
2. Carat Weight vs. Size
Carat measures weight, not visual size.
(One carat = 0.2 grams.)
Size depends on cut, depth, and shape - which means two one-carat stones can look completely different in diameter.
Many shoppers still assume more carats = bigger stone, but that’s not always true.
3. Clarity vs. Inclusions
Clarity is a grade describing how free a gemstone is from imperfections.
Inclusions are the actual internal features (like crystals or clouds) that impact clarity.
Some believe inclusions only affect looks - but clarity influences value, durability, and even how well a stone handles light.
4. Plating vs. Vermeil
Gold Plating
• A very thin layer of gold
• Usually over brass or a base metal
• Tends to wear off quickly
Vermeil
• Gold over sterling silver
• Must be at least 2.5 microns thick
• Longer-lasting and higher-quality
Many people call anything gold-colored “vermeil,” but true vermeil is regulated and significantly better quality.
5. Sparkle vs. Scintillation
Scintillation (often called “sparkle”) refers specifically to the flashes of light seen when a gemstone moves.
It’s different from:
• Brilliance - steady white light
• Fire - colorful flashes
Yet people mix these three up constantly.
Why these distinctions matter
Each of these terms does more than describe beauty - they influence value, durability, and how we talk about gemstones.
And clearing up these misconceptions makes jewelry easier to appreciate, buy, and design.