Jewellery glossary: from alliance ring to vermeil

585 and 750: the numbers in your gold

Start with the smallest word on your jewellery: a number. 585 means 58.5% gold, or 14 karat. 750 is 75% gold, or 18 karat. See 375 or 333? Then it's 9 or 8 karat: real gold, but less of it. Every TOV piece carries 585 or 750.

A to C: from alliance ring to cubic zirconia

Alliance ring

A ring with a row of equal-sized stones set side by side along the top of the band. The name comes from the French alliance, which means wedding ring. Browse our alliance rings.

Bangle

A rigid, round bracelet that doesn't bend and sits loosely around your wrist.

Brilliant cut

The classic round cut for a diamond, with 57 or 58 facets that reflect as much light as possible. Most TOV diamonds are brilliant cut.

Carat (ct)

The weight of a diamond: 1 carat is 200 milligrams. It's about weight, not about gold content like karat. At TOV, the exact carat weight is on every product page.

Chain

Any necklace or bracelet made of separate links, from figaro to herringbone.

Charm

A tiny pendant you hang from a bracelet, a necklace or a hoop. It turns one piece into a new piece, again and again.

Conch

A piercing in the shell-shaped middle of your ear.

Cubic zirconia

A stone made in a lab, so no mining, and cut with precision. It looks like a diamond, but it isn't one.

D to H: from daith to huggie

Daith

A piercing in the firm fold just above your ear canal. You wear a small hoop in it that clicks shut.

Ear cuff

A small open ring that you clip around the edge of your ear, no piercing needed.

Eternity ring

A ring with a row of stones all the way around the band. On a half eternity, the stones sit only along the top.

Figaro

A chain that alternates a few short links with one long one. Sturdy, and lovely without a pendant too.

Flat back

A piercing with a flat disc at the back, so nothing pokes when you lie on your side. The top screws onto a 1 mm post.

Gold-plated

A wafer-thin layer of gold over another metal, such as brass or silver. The layer wears off with time. TOV is never gold-plated: real gold vs gold-plated explains the difference.

Hallmark

The tiny stamp in the gold that shows how much gold it holds, such as 585 or 750. At TOV you'll find it inside a ring, near the clasp or on a small tag, next to the TOV signature.

Helix

A piercing in the upper rim of your ear. Which spot in your ear has which name? See ear piercing types.

Herringbone

A chain of flat, V-shaped links that shines like liquid gold. Beautiful, but it can kink, so it's best worn without a pendant.

Hoop

A round earring that passes through your earlobe and closes again. At TOV, hoops are sold per pair.

Huggie

A small hoop that closes snugly around your earlobe, as if it's giving your ear a hug.

J to R: from jasseron to rhodium

Jasseron

A fine chain with round, flat links that lie flat on your skin. A classic Dutch name for a delicate gold chain.

Karat

How much gold an alloy contains, on a scale of 24. 14 karat is 58.5% gold, 18 karat 75%. Which suits you? Read 14k vs 18k gold.

Lab-grown diamond

A diamond grown in a lab, with the same composition as a natural diamond. TOV chooses natural diamonds only.

Lobster clasp

An elongated hook with a lever you press open with your nail. Sturdier than a spring ring. All our necklaces and bracelets now have one.

Paperclip

A chain with long, flat, rectangular links that look like paperclips. Light and modern, on its own or layered. Browse our paperclip jewellery.

Pavé

Lots of tiny stones set close together, so the surface looks paved. Pavé is French for paved, and that's how it sparkles: everywhere.

Pendant

The piece that hangs from your necklace, such as a heart, a letter or a stone. Browse our pendant necklaces.

Rhodium

A hard, white precious metal. White gold gets a fine rhodium layer for its bright white shine. With daily wear, it slowly softens towards a natural, slightly warmer white.

S to V: from SI and F-G to vermeil

SI and F-G

The quality of a diamond. F-G is the colour on the GIA scale from D (colourless) to Z (yellowish): near colourless, icy white. SI means small inclusions, usually invisible without a loupe. All TOV diamonds are F-G and SI.

Signet ring

A ring with a flat face on top: the signet. Traditionally worn on the little finger, now on the index finger too.

Solitaire

A ring with a single stone, the classic engagement ring. Four prongs show off lots of the stone, six hold it extra securely.

Spring ring

A round little clasp with a tiny slider on a spring. Classic on fine chains, but fiddly. That's why we switched to the lobster clasp.

Stacking ring

A slim ring you wear right next to your engagement ring or wedding ring, on the same finger. It protects your engagement ring and keeps it in place. How to choose and pair one: stacking rings with your engagement ring.

Tennis bracelet

A supple bracelet with a continuous row of stones. The name comes from a tennis player who lost hers during a match and had play stopped until it was found.

Tragus

A piercing in the small flap of cartilage in front of your ear canal.

Vermeil

Silver (925) with a thicker layer of gold. It wears more slowly than gold-plating, but it's still a layer.

Gold Jewellery Real 14 and 18 karat gold, never gold-plated. Shop Gold Jewellery