Diamond and Ring Glossary

A

Accent stones
Small diamonds set around the center stone, on the band, in a halo or on the sides. At Next Diamonds, accent stone replacement is covered for 3 years.
Asscher cut
A square step cut with cut corners. Its facets form rings of squares that look like a hall of mirrors.

B

Basket
The small metal frame under the center stone that holds the prongs together.
Bezel setting
A thin rim of metal that wraps around the diamond. It protects the edge of the stone and does not snag. See bezel rings
Bow tie
A darker band across the middle of oval, pear and marquise diamonds, shaped like a bow tie. Every elongated diamond shows some. We hand pick ours for a faint one. Read the guide
Bridal set
An engagement ring and a wedding band made to be worn together.
Brilliance
The white light a diamond reflects back to your eye.

C

Carat
The weight of a diamond. One carat is 0.2 grams. It measures weight, not size, but heavier diamonds are usually bigger.
Cathedral setting
Metal arches go from the band up to the center stone, like the arches of a cathedral. It holds the diamond higher.
Certificate
Also called a grading report. A document from a lab such as IGI or GIA that lists the carat, color, clarity, cut and measurements of a diamond. Every Next Diamonds center stone comes with one.
Clarity
How free a diamond is from inclusions and surface marks. Grades run from Flawless (FL) to Included (I).
Claw prongs
Prongs with a pointed tip, shaped like small claws. They cover less of the diamond than round prongs.
Color
How colorless a white diamond is. Grades run from D, completely colorless, to Z, a light yellow or brown tint.
Crown
The top part of a diamond, above the girdle.
Crushed ice
A cutting style with many tiny, pinpoint sparkles, like crushed ice in a glass. Most of our elongated cushions are crushed ice. Read the guide
Cubic zirconia
A lab made stone of zirconium dioxide, also called CZ. It looks like diamond but is softer and wears faster. It is not a diamond. Compare the stones
Culet
The point, or very small facet, at the bottom of a diamond.
Curved band
A wedding band with a dip in the middle that wraps around the diamond of the engagement ring, so both rings touch. Read the guide
Cushion cut
A square or rectangular diamond with rounded corners and soft sides, like a pillow.
Cut grade
How well the proportions of a diamond send light back to your eye. Only round diamonds get an official cut grade on IGI and GIA reports, with Ideal or Excellent at the top. Fancy shapes are graded on polish and symmetry instead. Read the guide
CVD
Chemical vapor deposition. One of the two ways to grow a diamond: it grows layer by layer from carbon gas. Most of our center stones are CVD. What is a lab grown diamond

D

Depth
The height of a diamond from the table to the culet, often shown as a % of its width.
Diamond simulant
A stone made to look like a diamond that is not a diamond, such as moissanite or cubic zirconia. Compare the stones

E

Elongated cushion
A cushion cut that is longer than it is wide. It looks slimmer on the finger than a square cushion. Most of ours are about 1.40 to 1.45 times longer than they are wide, and 1.50 at most. See elongated cushion rings
Emerald cut
A rectangular step cut with cut corners and long, flat facets. It shows clarity more than other shapes. Most of ours are about 1.38 to 1.45 times longer than they are wide, and 1.50 at most. See emerald cut rings
Engraving
Words or a date engraved inside the band. We engrave up to 30 characters.
Eternity band
A band with diamonds all the way around. It usually cannot be resized.
Eye clean
A diamond with no inclusions you can see without magnification.

F

Facet
A flat, polished surface on a diamond. A round brilliant has 57 or 58.
Fancy shape
Any diamond shape other than round, such as oval, pear, emerald, cushion or radiant. Fancy shapes have no official cut grade. The report grades their polish and symmetry instead. Read the guide
Fire
The flashes of rainbow color a diamond shows when it splits light.
Fluorescence
A faint glow some diamonds show under ultraviolet light. In most diamonds you cannot see any effect in normal light.

G

GIA
The Gemological Institute of America, a nonprofit lab that grades diamonds. Since October 2025, GIA describes lab grown diamonds as Premium or Standard.
Girdle
The thin outer edge of a diamond, where the crown meets the pavilion.
Gold karat
Karat, written K, tells how much pure gold is in the metal. 14K gold is 58.3% gold. 18K gold is 75% gold.

H

Half bezel
A bezel that wraps only the sides of the diamond and leaves the ends open.
Halo
A ring of small diamonds around the center stone that makes it look bigger.
Hidden halo
A row of small diamonds under the center stone. You see it from the side, not from the top. See hidden halo rings
HPHT
High pressure, high temperature. One of the two ways to grow a diamond: it copies the heat and pressure deep in the earth. Some HPHT diamonds contain a trace of boron, which can give a faint blue tint. What is a lab grown diamond

I

IGI
The International Gemological Institute, a lab that grades most of the lab grown diamonds sold today.
Inclusion
A tiny natural feature inside a diamond, like a crystal or a feather. Most are too small to see without magnification.

L

Lab grown diamond
A diamond grown in a lab instead of mined. Same carbon, same hardness, same sparkle as a mined diamond. What is a lab grown diamond
Laser inscription
A tiny number written with a laser on the girdle that matches the grading report. You need a loupe to see it.
Length to width ratio
How much longer a diamond is than it is wide: the length divided by the width. A stone 7 mm long and 5 mm wide has a ratio of 1.40. Each shape in this glossary shows the ratios we usually choose.
Loupe
A small magnifying glass jewelers use, usually 10 times magnification.
Low set
A setting that keeps the diamond close to the finger. It is the most comfortable and snags the least. Read the guide

M

Made to order
Every ring is hand crafted for you after you order. Most of our pieces take up to 10 business days.
Marquise cut
A long diamond shape with two pointed ends, like a small boat. Most of ours are about 1.90 to 2.10 times longer than they are wide.
Mined diamond
A diamond formed deep in the earth and mined. It is chemically the same as a lab grown diamond.
Mohs scale
A scale of scratch resistance from 1 to 10. Diamond is 10, the hardest.
Moissanite
A lab made stone of silicon carbide. It is hard and bright, with strong rainbow flashes, but it is not a diamond. Compare the stones
Moval cut
A long oval with slightly tapered ends, a mix of an oval and a marquise. It is longer and slimmer than a regular oval. We have movals, for example in our Katelyn and Elisa rings. See the Katelyn ring

O

Old mine cut
An antique cushion shaped cut with large facets, a high crown and a small table.
Open band
A wedding band with an opening at the top. The diamond of the engagement ring sits in the opening, so both rings sit flush. Read the guide
Oval cut
An elongated brilliant shape. It looks bigger than a round diamond of the same weight and makes the finger look longer and slimmer. Most of our ovals are about 1.38 to 1.45 times longer than they are wide, and 1.50 at most. A moval is longer. See oval rings

P

Pavilion
The lower part of a diamond, below the girdle.
Pavé
Small diamonds set close together along the band and held by tiny beads of metal, so the band looks paved with diamonds.
Pear cut
A teardrop shape, round at one end and pointed at the other. Most of ours are about 1.55 to 1.65 times longer than they are wide.
Platinum
A precious metal that is white on its own. It is heavy and strong, and it does not need plating to stay white.
Polish
How smooth the facets of a diamond are. It is graded on the report.
Princess cut
A square brilliant cut with sharp corners.
Prongs
Small metal claws that hold the diamond in place. Most rings use 4 or 6.

R

Radiant cut
A rectangular or square shape with cut corners and brilliant facets for strong sparkle. Most of our radiants are about 1.40 to 1.45 times longer than they are wide, and 1.50 at most.
Resizing
Making a ring bigger or smaller. At Next Diamonds, your first resize is free within 90 days of delivery. Ring size guide
Ring sizer
A tool to measure ring size at home. We send a free, reusable ring sizer by mail. Request a ring sizer
Rose gold
Gold mixed with copper for a warm pink color.
Round brilliant
The standard round diamond, with 57 or 58 facets, cut to give the most sparkle.

S

Scintillation
The sparkle you see when the diamond, the light or you move.
Setting height
How far the diamond sits above the finger: low, medium or high set. It changes comfort and how a wedding band fits. Read the guide
Shank
The band of the ring, the part that goes around the finger.
Side stones
Diamonds set on each side of the center stone.
Solitaire
A ring with one center diamond on a plain or simple band. See solitaire rings
Split shank
A band that splits in two as it reaches the center stone.
Step cut
A cut with long, flat facets that run in parallel like steps, such as the emerald and Asscher cuts.
Symmetry
How exactly the facets of a diamond line up and match. It is graded on the report.

T

Table
The large flat facet on top of a diamond.
Three stone
A ring with a center diamond and one smaller diamond on each side. See three stone rings
Toi et moi
French for "you and me". A ring with two center stones side by side.

W

Wedding band
The band given at the wedding, usually worn next to the engagement ring.
White gold
Gold mixed with white metals and usually plated with rhodium for a bright white finish.

Y

Yellow gold
Gold mixed with small amounts of silver and copper. It keeps its warm yellow color.