We've created this guide to help give you a priceless jewelry shopping experience! To learn more, visit each of our links on the left.

Click here to see some of Kohl's gemstone jewelry

Ring Sizer

Just follow our easy instructions below to find out! Click here to download our printable ring sizer. Open ring sizer in Adobe Acrobat. (Click here if you do not have Adobe Acrobat.) Print the image. Follow the simple instructions (Included on the ring sizer printout).

Back to top

Cleaning: Use a soft brush and jewelry cleaning solution or warm, soapy water. An ultrasonic cleaner may also by used. Wipe dry with a lint-free soft cloth.

Maintenance: If worn on a regular basis, a diamond should be cleaned at home every 2-3 weeks. And cleaned professionally every 6-9 months. It's also a good idea to have prongs checked for wear or possible loose stones.

Tips: Although diamonds are the hardest known substance, a blow of sufficient force can crack, chip or even break a diamond. Avoid sharp blows and don't wear fine jewelry when doing housework, gardening, playing sports, etc.

Other Information: When storing diamond jewelry, it is a good idea to keep diamonds separated from other stones. This helps avoid scratches on your other jewelry.

Cleaning: Between professional cleanings, gold can be maintained by using a soft brush or cloth with a nonabrasive cleaner.

Maintenance: Examine jewelry regularly to make sure settings are snug and clasps and joinings are secure.

Tips: As with all metals, do not wear gold jewelry in swimming pools, because the chlorine may cause damage over a period of time.

Other Information: Gold is very soft in its pure form. For example, 24k (pure gold) is softer and less scratch-resistant than 14k and 10k gold.

Amethyst, Citrine, Garnet, Ruby, Sapphire: Clean with a soft brush and jewelry cleaner or warm, soapy water. Ultrasonic cleaners may also be used.

Aquamarine, Blue Topaz: It's best to use jewelry cleaner or warm, soapy water and a soft brush only. Do not use ultrasonic machines to clean these stones.

Other Information: Amethyst, Aquamarine and Citrine all fade or change color after prolonged exposure to the sun.

Cleaning: They may be cleaned gently with a soft brush and lukewarm water, but are best cleaned professionally by a jeweler. It is not recommended to immerse them in cleaning solutions (never wear your emeralds in the bath, shower or when doing dishes) and ultrasonic cleaners should never be used.

Tips: Since treatment is not permanent, it is recommended to have emeralds professionally re-oiled every 1 to 2 years.

Cleaning: You may clean them with a soft brush and warm, soapy water, but never use harsh chemical cleaners or immerse in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Tips: Apply a thin film of light oil with a swab or cloth to the surface of the stone (never soak it) at 6-month intervals to provide an extra measure of protection against dryness and cracking.

Cleaning: Wipe gently with a soft, lint-free cloth after each wearing. Although they are best maintained by professional cleaning, mild soap and water may be used. Dry on a soft, absorbent surface, and never hang to dry.

Tips: Store separately from other jewelry. Do not wear while applying makeup, hair spray and perfumes.

Cleaning: Use a soft brush with warm, soapy water to clean. Avoid the use of ultrasonic cleaners.

Tips: Should be handled with more care than some other gemstones. Avoid sudden changes in temperature or contact with caustic household substances.

* These guidelines are general jewelry care & maintenance suggestions only. They are not specific to any particular products sold on Kohls.com.

Back to top

Birthstones

A set of twelve gemstones that are associated with births during a specific zodiac sign or month of the year. Stones vary by culture.

Month	Birthstone	Picture	Symbol & Meaning
January	Garnet		Constancy Faith, eternity, truth, natural energy, self-confidence, creativity, friendship, constancy and good health.
February	Amethyst		Sincerity Tranquility, sincerity, courage, calmness, spirituality and health.
March	Aquamarine		Courage Happiness, youth, calmness, tranquility and courage.
April	Diamond		Innocence Love, innocence, clarity, strength and courage.
May	Emerald		Success Love, prosperity and eternity.
June	Pearl		Health Peace, love, innocence, wealth and purity.
July	Ruby		Contentment Love, freedom and peace.
August	Peridot		Happiness Protection and happiness.
September	Sapphire		Insight Truth, clarity, clear-thinking, sky and heaven.
October	Opal		Hope Hope, good fortune and purity.
November	Citrine		Protection Romance, enlightenment, increase self-esteem and success.
December	Blue Topaz		Strength Success, luck, forgiveness, strength and happiness.

Back to top

Glossary

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

Baguette - A gem with a narrow rectangle shape.
Birthstones - A set of twelve gemstones that are associated with births during a specific zodiac sign or month of the year. Stones vary by culture.
Bezel - The bezel is the part of a cut stone that protrudes above the edge of a setting. The bezel is also known as the crown.
Black Hills Gold - Only jewelry manufactured in the Black Hills of South Dakota can be sold under the name “Black Hills gold.” It is designated as the official jewelry of the state of South Dakota.
Body Color - The examination of a diamond, by an experienced eye, under consistent lighting, against a white background, and checked against "master" diamonds.
Brilliance - The total amount of light reflected from both the interior and exterior surfaces of a diamond.
Carat (ct.) - A unit of weight used to measure diamonds and gemstones. The weight is often stated in fractions of a carat. A carat is divided into 100 points, so that a diamond of 25 points equals 1/4 carat and of 50 points equals 1/2 carat.
Certification - When an independent company evaluates the quality of a diamond and the retail replacement value, and places this information in a certificate of authenticity.
Channel setting - the pattern in which jewels are set where the they are held in only by a slight rim of metal (gold, platinum, etc.) which runs along the edges of the channel. Channel set jewels are usually round or baguette shaped.
Clarity - A term used to describe the absence or presence of a gemstone's internal and external flaws called inclusions. The grade ranges from internally flawless (IF) to imperfect (I3).
Color - A term used to describe the natural body color of a diamond. The more colorless a diamond, the rarer and more expensive. With a range from D (least color) to Z (most color). Color ratings of G through L are the most common.
Created - A gemstone made in a laboratory with the same properties as a genuine gemstone. Also known as synthetic.
Crown - The faceted part (between the flat table and the girdle) of a gem or diamond.
Cubic Zirconia - A man-made gemstone that is a simulate of a diamond.
Cushion Cut - the design in which a stone is cut that is very similar to a princess cut but it has rounded edges (please see the illustration below).
Cutlet - The small facet on the pointed bottom of the pavillion on a diamond.
Cultured Pearls - Like natural pearls, cultured pearls grow inside a living organism. However, they do not begin as accidental intruders to the shell. Instead, humans insert mother-of-pearl beads or other shapes into a mollusk. Over time they become coated with nacre. The depth of the nacre coating depends on how long the beads are left in place before being harvested.
Cut - A gemstone's cut is what gives it sparkle. The stone admits light through the top, it bounces around inside and comes back out at the top. In this way the maximum amount of light is reflected.
Diamond - A transparent gem made essentially of carbon which has crystallized under immense heat and pressure in the earth's crust. It is the hardest of all known natural substances. Hardness enables the diamond to be cut with precise accuracy.
Facet - A flat polished surface or plane on a diamond or gemstone.
Fire - This is a diamond's ability to break up white light into the rainbow of colors of the spectrum, or its dispersion.
Fractures - Whitish interruptions on the surface of a gemstone where light does not pass through.
Fracture Filling - A treatment applied mostly to diamonds, where fractures on their surface are filled with a substance that blends with the gem to improve clarity.
	Frenchwire - Lightweight, clasped earring design.
Freshwater Cultured Pearl - A pearl from a freshwater mussel or clam, instead of an oyster.
Freshwater Pearl - A natural or cultured pearl that grew inside of a freshwater mollusk.
Genuine - A gemstone or diamond found in nature.
Girdle - The narrow rim around a stone where the crown and pavillion meet. The portion that is usually grasped by the setting or mounting.
Gold Filled - An item with a sheet of gold applied to its surface by soldering, welding, pressure or heat. Newer items contain markings that indicate how much and what type of gold was used in the layer. A marking of 1/20 12k G.F. means that the piece is at least 1/20th 12k gold by weight.
Gold Plating (Electroplating) - When a base metal is covered with a thin layer of gold using the process of electroplating. The thin layer normally wears away more quickly than gold in a gold-filled item. The layer of gold must be at least .00001 of an inch thick, and cannot be called karat gold.
Heat Treatment - Commonly used to change or intensify the color of a gemstone. The change alters a stone's structure and is usually permanent.
I.G.I. - International Gemological Institute. The world's largest independent appraiser of diamonds.
Inclusions - Internal flaws in a gemstone such as specks, carbon, tiny bubbles, hairlines and other imperfections of crystallization. Sometimes referred to as the "fingerprints" of a stone because each stone has a unique set of inclusions and rarely duplicated in another.
Karat (k) - The percentage of fine gold in an object. 24k gold is pure, but pure gold is too soft to be used for jewelry so other metals are added. All gold is measured in terms of 24 parts. For example, if an item is listed as 14k, it is comprised of 14 parts of gold and 10 parts of some other metal.
Laser Drilling - A process used to remove inclusions (flaws) from diamonds, improving their clarity.
	Leverback - A lightweight design of an earring with a secure, hinged closure.
	Lobster Claw Clasp - A secure type of closure for necklaces and bracelets.
Loupe - A special magnifying glass that enables you to take a closer look at a gemstone or other object. It makes internal flaws and surface blemishes more apparent for assessing color, cut and other aspects of the stone.
Mystic Fire Topaz - This a topaz stone that has been color enhanced by a coating it with a fine layer of metal atoms. The mystic fire topas stone has red, green, violet and blue color streaks in it.
Natural Gemstone - A gemstone formed in nature, with no assistance from humans.
Natural Pearl - A pearl that begins as a piece of grit or other foreign substance that makes its way into the shell of a marine or freshwater mollusk (oysters, clams). A defense mechanism kicks-in to coat the particle with layer after layer of a substance called nacre, eventually forming a pearl.
Oiling - A method used to seal a stone such as an opal from water loss. It is also used to fill fissures on the surface of emeralds, improving their clarity.
Organic Jewelry - Jewelry made from or produced by once living organisms.
Pavillion - The bottom portion of a cut stone, beginning at the girdle and going to the point at its end.
Scintillation - Winking or flashing of light from the facets of a diamond as it moves. Scintillation explains why diamonds are much more beautiful when they are in motion.
	Screwback Post - A secure type of earring backing.
	Secure Safety Clasp - A secure type of levered closure usually used for bracelets.
Types of Cuts - The design of a diamond or gemstone. Some popular styles are: Princess, Cushion, Emerald, Oval, Marquise, Pear, Radiant, Heart and Round.
Simulated - A gemstone that is usually man-made that looks like a genuine gemstone but does not have the same properties. For example, a cubic zirconia is a simulate of a diamond.
Solid Gold - 24-karat gold. Technically refers only to pure, or 24-karat gold. It can, however, also describe karat gold that does not have a hollow center and has at least 10-karat gold content.
Solitaire - A ring or other piece of jewelry containing a single diamond or gemstone.
	Spring Ring Clasp - A secure type of round, hinged closure used for necklaces and bracelets.
Synthetic - A gemstone created by humans in a lab. Synthetic stones mimic the structure of natural stones. It's often difficult for gemologists to tell a synthetic from a natural stone. (also see created)
Table - The flat top of a cut stone, sometimes called its face.
Total Weight - Total weight (T.W.) refers to the total weight of all the diamonds in a piece of jewelry. For example, a cluster ring with a number of small diamonds may have a total weight of 1/2 carat.
White Gold - Adding alloys (other metals) in varying mixtures can actually change the color of gold. Pure gold is mixed with the alloys nickel, zinc and copper in order to obtain the white color.
Yellow Gold - Yellow gold is pure gold mixed with alloys other than nickel, zinc and copper (which gives us Karat gold.)
Back to top
These descriptions are written by Kohl's Jewelry Department to help buyers understand more about selecting the perfect diamond. More indepth information is available by clicking on "Buy" next to any jewelry and diamond in this website.