I.D. bracelet: I.D. is short for "Identification", so an I.D.
bracelet is simply a curved plate engraved with the name or initials of the
person wearing it.
IGI: Stands for the "International Gemological
Institute". It is the largest independent
gem certification and appraisal
service in the United States.
Igneous: A substance produced under conditions
involving intense heat, such as that which is found in volcanoes. Igneous rock
is rock formed by solidification from molten magma.
Import: The act of bringing or carrying in
goods from an outside source for trade or sale, especially in regards to goods
from a foreign country.
Inclusion: A naturally occurring flaw, (feather,
fracture,
fissure,
carbon spot, or cloud), within a
diamond or other stone. The test for
clarity looks for these flaws.
Indicolite: Blue
Tourmaline.
Ingot: Metal
cast into a bar or other shape.
Inlaid: Past tense of inlay.
Inlay: A decorative technique in which part of
the surface of a piece of jewelry,
furniture, or ceramic is cut away and stone,
mother of pearl, or some other substance is imbedded into the hollowed-out
area so that it is level with the surface of the piece. See also
channel inlay.
Intaglio: Italian for "carving", an Intaglio
is a carved gem wherein the design is
engraved or carved into the object so that it sits below the surface plane of
the material, as opposed to a cameo in
which the design is raised from it's background, in relief. This technique was
often used for seals, which made a raised impression in wax used to seal a
letter or authenticate a document. It was commonly attached to watch
fobs, since the watch
fob is a good manner of carrying a seal. Once
seals fell out of common use, the intaglio tended to face out to the viewer
rather than down as on a seal. Some of the most commonly found
Victorian intaglios were carved in
carnelian, an orange-brown variety of
chalcedony.
Invisible Set: A method of setting square
gemstones side by side in two or more
rows within a metal border or frame so that
they are flush against one another with no
metal separating them.
Iolite: (also called dichroite or water
sapphire). A silicate of
alumina, iron, and
magnesia which is usually violet-blue,
but can be deep blue, light blue-gray, and yellow-white. Makes a beautiful
transparent
gemstone which is remarkable for its
dichroism.
Iridescent: A display of lustrous
rainbow-like colors. The colors seen in an oil slick or
mother of pearl are good examples of
iridescence. Synonymous with "Pearlescent".
Iridium: A
metal of the platinum family often
alloyed with
platinum to improve workability. Pieces
marked "80% Plat. 20% Irid" would indicate that the
alloy is 80 %
platinum and 20% iridium.
Iron: The most common
metallic
element which usually appears dark brown,
from oxidation or impurity, but when
pure is silvery-white. Iron is found abundantly in nature, usually in combined
forms such as hematite, limonite,
magnetite, and taconite. It is frequently
alloyed in a wide range of important structural materials like cast iron,
steel, and wrought iron. It is easily oxidized (rusted) by moisture, and is
attacked by many corrosive agents.
Iron Pyrite: See Pyrite.
Irradiation: The process of bombarding a
gemstone with X-rays, gamma rays or
streams of subatomic particles in order to change the stone's color.
Ivoride: See
French Ivory.
Ivorine: See
French Ivory.
Ivorite: See
French Ivory.
Ivory: A hard, smooth yellowish-white substance
made from the tusks of elephants and walruses.
Ivory, French: See French Ivory.
Copyright 2007
