Milgrain
A row of tiny raised metal beads along an edge, used to soften and finish a border.
Milgrain is worked with a knurling wheel run along the metal, raising a line of minute beads.
It reads as antique, which is why it recurs in vintage-style and Edwardian-influenced designs.
It also hides small irregularities where a setting meets a band, which is part of why it became standard.
When you are buying
Milgrain wears down over decades of handling and can be re-cut by a good workshop. It is a finish rather than a permanent feature.
Granulation
Tiny metal spheres fused to a surface to build texture and pattern, with no visible solder.
Filigree
Lacework made from fine twisted wire, soldered into openwork patterns. Light for its size.
Bezel Setting
A metal rim wrapped around the edge of a stone or pearl to hold it. The most protective setting there is.
Shank
The band of a ring, everything except the setting and stones. Where resizing happens.