Loose Diamond Definitions: B

Baguette-A gem cut in the form of a narrow rectangle.

Baroque-Irregular in shape, such as baroque pearls, tumble-polished stones, or freeform shaped gem materials.

Bearding-Tiny, numerous, hairlike fractures extending into the stone.

Bezel- A facet on the Crown, or upper part of the Diamond above the Girdle

Bezel Facets-The eight large, four-sided facets on the crown of a round, brilliant-cut gem, the upper points of which join the table and the lower points, the girdle.

Black Diamond-When a diamond is dark gray, a very dark green or truly black, it is referred to in the trade as a "black diamond."

Blemish-An imperfection that mars or impairs; a flaw or defect.

Blue Diamond-A diamond with a distinctly blue body color, even thought very light in tone, is a fancy diamond.

Blue White-A term that has been used for many years to refer to a diamond without body color.

Bombarded Diamond-A diamond that has been subjected to bombardment by fast electrons, neutrons, deuterons, etc.

Bort-Industrial grade diamonds.

Bow-Tie Effect-An effect caused by a shadowy area visible in some fancy shapes, caused by light leaking out the bottom of the Diamond.

Break Facets-The 32 triangular facets that adjoin the girdle of a round brilliant-cut stone, 16 above and 16 below.

Brillancy-The brightness that seems to come from the very heart of a diamond. It is the effect that makes diamonds unique among all other gemstones. While other gemstones also display brilliance, none have the power to equal the extent of diamond's light-reflecting power.

Brilliant Cut-The most common style of cutting for both diamonds and colored stones. The standard round brilliant consists of a total of 58 facets: 1 table, 8 bezel facets, 8 star facets and 16 upper-girdle facets on the crown; and 8 pavilion facets, 16 lower-girdle facets, and usually a culet on the pavilion, or base.

Brillianteering-The placing and polishing of the 40 remaining facets on a brilliant-cut diamond after the main bezel and pavilion facets have been placed and polished.

Brown Diamond-Although not as frequently encountered as a yellow body color, brown tints in diamonds are next to yellow in occurrence.

Bruise-An inclusions consisting of surface crumbling, often accompanied by tiny, rootlike feathers.

Bubble-Any transparent inclusion in a diamond.

Burned Facet-This facet may appear whitish, or burnt, as a result of the cutter polishing the facet "against the grain".

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M
N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z