Pure Pearls Glossary
Know exactly what you are buying
12 terms on metals & stones, each linked to the pieces we actually have.
Decode a listing
Paste a description from anywhere. We will tell you what it actually says, what to be wary of, and what the same thing costs here.
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Freshwater, saltwater, South Sea, keshi, and how to tell a real pearl from a coated bead.
Round, baroque, drop, coin and the rest, and what each one is worth paying for.
What AAA actually means, plus lustre, nacre, orient and the claims to be sceptical of.
Millimetres, choker to rope, bangle sizing, and which length suits which neckline.
Jhumka, mangalsutra, kundan, polki, temple work and the rest of the Indian vocabulary.
925 silver, plating thickness, American diamond, coral, hallmarks and karat versus carat.
Clasps, knotting, drilling and settings — the parts that decide whether a piece survives.
Storing pearls, the tooth test, restringing, and the astrological terms buyers ask about.
Or by letter
Metals & Stones
Showing 1 to 12 of 12
925 Sterling Silver
An alloy of 92.5% silver with 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The international standard for silver jewellery.
33 in stock · from ₹1,800
Brass
A copper and zinc alloy with a warm gold tone. Strong and inexpensive, but it tarnishes and can react with skin.
14 in stock · from ₹3,000
Coral
A red to orange organic gem formed from marine coral skeleton. Paired with pearls in traditional Indian sets, and worn as moonga in astrology.
26 in stock · from ₹1,200
Cubic Zirconia
A hard, brilliant lab-made stone used as a diamond substitute. Called American diamond throughout the Indian trade.
35 in stock · from ₹1,200
Gemstone
Any mineral or organic material cut for jewellery. Traditionally split into precious (diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald) and semi-precious.
15 in stock · from ₹1,600
Gold Plating
A thin layer of gold deposited over a base metal. Gives the colour of gold at a fraction of the cost, and wears off over time.
Hallmark
An official stamp certifying precious metal purity. In India, BIS hallmarking is mandatory for gold jewellery.
Hypoallergenic
Metal unlikely to cause a skin reaction. In practice it means nickel-free, since nickel causes most jewellery allergies.
Karat vs Carat
Karat measures gold purity out of 24. Carat measures gemstone weight. They sound identical and mean entirely different things.
Korean Metal
A light, corrosion-resistant alloy widely used for fashion jewellery findings. Holds plating well and does not rust.
Micron Plating
The thickness of a plated layer, in thousandths of a millimetre. The single number that determines how long a finish lasts.
Rhodium Plating
A thin layer of rhodium over silver or white gold, giving a bright white finish that resists tarnish.
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