Glossary

The jewelry rendering glossary

Every term a jeweler runs into when ordering product images, explained without the jargon. If a word on your quote or your CAD file does not make sense, it is in here.

59 terms

21 terms CAD & Rendering File formats, 3D terms, and the rendering words that appear on quotes and delivery notes. 6 terms Jewelry Making How a design becomes a physical piece, from master model to finished casting. 15 terms Gemstone & Diamond Grading, cuts, and stone types, the vocabulary a render has to get right. 13 terms Metal & Setting Golds, platings, and the settings that hold stones in place. 4 terms Ecommerce & Marketing The selling side: listings, catalogs, and the numbers buyers track.

#

3DM File The native file format for Rhino, a CAD software used often in jewelry design. Read the definition 4Cs of Diamonds The four grading factors for diamonds: carat, cut, color, and clarity. Read the definition

A

Alpha Channel An extra layer in an image file that stores transparency, used for cutout PNG images. Read the definition Anti-Aliasing A rendering setting that smooths out jagged edges in a 3D image. Read the definition Average Order Value (AOV) The average amount a customer spends per order in a store. Read the definition

B

Bezel Setting A metal rim that wraps fully around a gemstone to hold it in place. Read the definition Birthstone A gemstone linked to a person's birth month, used often in personalized jewelry. Read the definition Brilliance The white light a diamond reflects back to the eye. Read the definition

C

CAD (Computer-Aided Design) Software used to design jewelry on a computer before it is made or rendered. Read the definition Carat Weight A unit that measures how much a diamond or gemstone weighs, not its size. Read the definition Channel Setting Stones set in a row between two metal walls, with no metal showing between stones. Read the definition Clarity Grade A score showing how many small marks or inclusions are inside a diamond. Read the definition Color Grade A letter score from D to Z showing how colorless a diamond is. Read the definition Cubic Zirconia A man made, low cost stone often used as a diamond substitute. Read the definition Cushion Cut A square or rectangular cut with rounded corners, like a soft pillow shape. Read the definition Cut Grade A score showing how well a diamond is shaped to reflect light. Read the definition

E

Electroforming A process that builds up a thin metal shell over a shape using electric current. Read the definition Emerald Cut A rectangular cut with step like facets, known for a clear, glassy look. Read the definition Enamel (Jewelry) Colored glass powder fused onto metal with heat to add color and pattern. Read the definition Engraving Cutting text or a pattern into metal, often used for names, dates, or logos. Read the definition

F

Filigree Fine, twisted metal wire work shaped into lace like patterns. Read the definition Findings (Jewelry) Small functional parts like clasps, jump rings, and earring backs used to finish a piece. Read the definition Fire (Gemstone Term) The flashes of rainbow color a diamond shows when light passes through it. Read the definition

G

Global Illumination A lighting method in rendering that copies how light bounces off surfaces in real life. Read the definition

H

Hallmark A small stamp on jewelry that shows metal purity or the maker. Read the definition Halo Setting A ring of small stones circling a center stone to make it look bigger. Read the definition HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image) A wide range lighting image used to light a 3D scene so metal and stones reflect correctly. Read the definition

K

Karat (Gold Purity) A measure of how pure gold is, out of 24 parts. 24k is pure gold. Read the definition

L

Lab Grown Diamond A diamond made in a lab that has the same chemical makeup as a mined diamond. Read the definition Lost Wax Casting A method of making jewelry by pouring melted metal into a mold made from a wax model. Read the definition

M

Master Model The first finished sample of a design, used to make molds for casting more pieces. Read the definition Millegrain A row of tiny metal beads added along an edge for a vintage, textured look. Read the definition Moissanite A lab made gemstone that looks like a diamond but is a different mineral. Read the definition

N

Normal Map A texture that fakes small surface bumps and details without adding extra geometry. Read the definition NURBS A math based way to build smooth curved surfaces in CAD, common in ring and band design. Read the definition

O

OBJ File A 3D file format that stores shape, and sometimes color and texture, of a design. Read the definition

P

Pave Setting Many small stones set close together so the metal barely shows, like a paved road. Read the definition Photorealistic Rendering A 3D image made so real it looks like a photo, not a computer drawing. Read the definition Polygon Mesh A 3D shape made of many small flat faces, usually triangles or squares, joined together. Read the definition Pre-Order A sales method where customers buy a product before it is made or in stock. Read the definition Princess Cut A square shaped diamond cut with pointed corners and many facets. Read the definition Prong Setting Small metal claws that hold a gemstone in place while showing off most of the stone. Read the definition

R

Ray Tracing A rendering method that follows light rays to create realistic shadows and reflections. Read the definition Render Farm A group of computers working together to render 3D images faster. Read the definition Render Resolution (DPI vs PPI) DPI is print dots per inch, PPI is screen pixels per inch. Both describe image sharpness. Read the definition Rhodium Plating A thin metal coating added to white gold jewelry to make it shine and resist scratches. Read the definition Round Brilliant Cut The most common diamond cut, with 58 facets designed for maximum sparkle. Read the definition

S

SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) A unique code used to track one specific product variation in a store or catalog. Read the definition STEP File A 3D file format that keeps exact solid geometry, often used to move designs between CAD programs. Read the definition STL File A 3D file format that stores the shape of a jewelry design as a mesh of triangles. Read the definition Subsurface Scattering A rendering effect that shows how light passes through a material, used for gemstones. Read the definition

T

Tension Setting A setting where metal pressure alone holds the stone, with no visible prongs. Read the definition Texture Map An image file that adds surface detail like color, shine, or roughness to a 3D model. Read the definition Turntable Animation A video that rotates a 3D product a full 360 degrees so buyers can see every side. Read the definition

U

UV Mapping The process of wrapping a flat texture image onto a 3D shape correctly. Read the definition

V

Vermeil Sterling silver coated with a layer of real gold. Read the definition Virtual Try-On (AR) A tool that lets shoppers see how a jewelry piece looks on them using a phone camera. Read the definition

W

Wax Model A wax copy of a design used to create the mold before metal casting. Read the definition Wireframe Model A see through outline view of a 3D design, showing only its edges and structure. Read the definition

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