Antique jewelry glossary

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Girdle

The thin band that forms the widest circumference of a brilliant and that separates the crown above it from the pavilion below. The girdle is usually left in its bruted state and is matt; but to achieve more brilliance the girdle is sometimes ground. The edge of a gemstone to which the setting is attached. Sometimes called the 'setting edge'.

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson