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Jewelry Glossary

Jewelry Terms from A to Z. This is a comprehensive list of all terms pertaining to vintage costume jewelry. Some of the words have links to other website pages where you can find more information on the term.

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

A.

Abalone - the inside lining of a mollusk which can be scraped off and used as inlay in jewelry

Acrostic Jewelry - popular in the Victorian times. This is jewelry in which the stone placement holds a special message for the recipient. Regard rings and Dearest rings are examples of Acrostic jewelry.

Agate - a variety of chalcedony which is found in all colors. It was used extensively in the manufacture of Scottish Jewelry.

Aigrette - an ornament worn in the hair, often decorated with feathers or glitter. Very popular in the early 20th century.

Ajoure - Similar to filigree, except that the design has holes that have been punched, cut or drilled into a piece of metal, instead of wires which have been bent or formed into the design.

Alloy - A mixture of two or more metals.

Amber - The fossilized resin of prehistoric pine trees. It has a wide range of colors from golden yellow to orange red.

Annealing - this is a process of heating and pounding glass, metal or pottery to harden it.

Alpaca - this is an alloy that is made of approximately 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc, with 5 % tin. It is often used as a substitute for silver and is found in many Mexican designs. Also known as German Silver.

Amethyst - a member of the quartz family with colorful hues of purple which can graduate from light to fairly dark. It is the birthstone for the month of February.

Antique - Jewelry that is 100 or more years old.

Arabesque - is a design with flowing scrollwork, often having low relief curlicues.

Art Deco - This is a style that was popular in the early 20th century from 1910s-20s. It originated in France and is characterized by geometric designs and angles. Styles from this period have very few curves. The style became bolder and eventually evolved into Art Moderne.

Art Glass - These are beads which have a fancy shape or finish to them. They come in a wide variety of names and styles, such as Millefiore glass, lamp worked glass, hand-blown glass, etc.

Articulated - jewelry that is made with hinged parts, so that it is moveable.

Art Modern - the period of time between 1935 and 1945. This jewelry started out with relatively delicate designs and progressed to much more bold and blocky styles.

Art Nouveau - Designs from the late 19th and early 20th century, to about WWII time, which made its way into jewelry making. Often characterized by curved, flowing, asymmetrical lines. Many designs feature leaves, flowers, insects, sensual women, etc. As compared to Art Deco, this style has lots of curves. Tiffany many many Art Nouveau designs.

Arts and Crafts - a period which started in the late 19th century. During this time, artisans wanted their work to look handmade.
Aurora Borealis - is a name for a particular type of rhinestone which has an iridescent finish which sparkles with a great variety of color. This iridescence is the result of a deposit of a very thin layer of metallic atoms on the lower surface of the rhinestone. It is very susceptible to scratching, so must be stored carefully. The process was created in 1955 by Swarovski in collaboration with Christian Dior.

Avolto - a jewelry style which uses wire to form a necklace into a particular shape.

B.

Bakelite - a thermoset plastic made from phenol formaldehyde. Characterized by it's hardness and unusual finish, it is a highly collectible area of vintage jewelry collecting today.

Baguette - a narrow, rectangular stone.

Bail - a connecting piece at the top of a pendant or brooch so that it can be hung from a chain. Also referred to as bale.

Bar Brooch or pin - a long, narrow brooch or pin which is often set with gemstones.

Baroque Pearls or Stones - Pearls or stones which have an irregular finish. There are slight indentations over the surface of the stone. Popular with Miriam Haskell.

Base Metal - a collective term used to refer to all nonprecious metals.

Basse-taille - This is a French word that means "shallow cut." It refers to an enameling technique which has chased relief metal which is overlaid with a translucent enamel finish. Very popular with mid 20th century Scandinavian silversmiths. Also known as translucent enameling.

Belcher Cut - A claw style of ring setting that is common in men's rings. The mounting is one piece with the prongs part of the shank.

Beveled cut - a shape of stone where the surface has been cut at an angle less than 90 degrees. Often seen in rhinestones and other gemstones.

Bezel - this is a setting used in jewelry, in which a stone is held in place by a band (either plain or with a fancy edging, around the outside of a stone. See also Prong settings.

Biwa Pearls - Pearls that come from a specific region found in Lake Biwa, in Japan.

Black Pearls - These are pearls which have a color which ranges from gray to black with green, blue or rose overtones.

Black Hills Gold - this is a type of jewelry made in the Black Hills area of South Dakota in the USA. The jewelry features 10k to 12K tri color gold (yellow, green and pink). Normally it is 10K yellow gold with 12K accents of the other colors. Characteristics of black gold Jewelry are normally the grape leaf theme.

Blister Pearl - this is an irregularly shaped pearl which is hollow. It is cut from the shell of an oyster.

Boho - Short for Bohemian. This is an ethnic look that combines clothing and accessories similar to those worn by native people from around the world. Think back to the late 1960's to early 1970's era of flower children or "hippies." Boho jewelry is a lot like that style, with layered clothing and accessories made from natural materials and big, bold chunky styles.

Box setting - this type of setting holds a stone in place in a box shape with metal edges which are pressed down to hold the stone in place.

Brilliant Cut Stones - this type of stone has twice as many facets so as to maximize the sparkle and brilliance of the stone.

Briolette - this stone is pear shaped and faceted. Many early vintage rhinestone pieces feature briolette rhinestones.

Brooch - A jewelry piece to pin on to a sweater or at a shirt's neckline. It is like a pin, only larger.

Bronze - this is a very heavy metal composed of 60% copper and 40% tin. It is dull brown color and not particularly popular in jewelry because of the weight.

Brushed Finish - also called a satin finish. It is produced by engraving or scratching a series of tiny parallel lines into metal to give it a textured finish.

Burnished Setting - a setting where the gemstone is held in place without the use of prongs or beads. It is set flush with the settings surface.

Butterfly Wing Jewelry - This is jewelry which has been made from real butterfly wings. Often a picture is depicted by reverse painting and then the whole thing is encased in plastic or glass.

C.

C Clasp - very popular on jewelry up until about 1900 when the safety catch was invented, this clasp consists of a piece of formed metal in the shape of a c, under which the pin part of the clasp sits.

Cabochon - derived from the French word "caboche" which means knob or small dome. It refers to a domed stone with a flat back which can come in many shapes such as round, oval, tear shape, etc.

Cameo - a shell or other stone which has been carved into various shapes, particularly female heads. As carving progresses, the different layers are shown which gives wonderful detail to the finished piece.

Cannetille - this refers to a type of wire filigree which uses wires to design florets, rosettes and spiral designs

Carat - a unit of weight used for describing diamonds and other precious gems. The metric carat of 200 milligrams was adopted by the USA in the early 1900s and is now universally used. Also known as karat.

Cartouche - a decoration often found on Victorian jewelry which is characterized by swirls and scrollwork in a symmetrical design.

Catalin - an early form of phenol plastic material. Sometimes referred to as bakelite but the composition is a little different.

Celluloid - a highly flammable early vintage plastic which contains camphor. It is very lightweight and was later discontinued in favor of heavier more durable forms of plastic.

Channel setting - this setting is often used to set baguette and round stones. In this settings, the jewels are place in a metal channel, which has a slight rim which runs along the "channel" - thus the name.

Champleve -This is a special type of enameling technique where enamel fills recesses and depressions which have been stamped or engraved into the ground plate.

Chasing - a design technique similar to repousse, except that the metal is worked from the front using a hammer or punches.

Chaton - a faceted stone that is round in shape. Popular in rhinestone jewelry.

Chatelaine pin - two pins or brooches worn joined together with a chain joining them.

Chaton setting - this setting holds a stone in place by a series of metal claws around a metal ring. It is also referred to as a coronet or arcade setting.

Choker - a very short necklace, which sits right at the throat, generally less than 14" long.

Claw setting - In this setting, the stone is held securely in place by a series of metal prongs, called claws. There is no metal directly under the stone, since the setting is open. The claws grip the stone above the girdle. It is often used for transparent stones, since it lets light in under the stone.

Cloisonne - a design in which enamel is applied to metal, by first outlining the metal surface with gold or silver wire into a design. The space between the wires is then filled with enamel and fired to a highly polished, glassy sheen. Many cloisonne designs feature flowers and butterflies.

Cluster brooch - a brooch, developed in the 14th century, in which a single large stone or gemstone is surrounded by a cluster of gemstones or pearls.

Confetti Lucite - A form of plastic lucite which is transparent with chips or glitter encased inside. The background will often be a solid color with a big contrast with the color of the imbedded pieces.

Costume Jewelry - Jewelry made from non fine or non precious materials.

Couture - very highly fashionable jewelry and clothing that has been created by leading fashion and jewelry designers. Also referred to as Haute Couture.  

Cultured pearl - a pearl which is made by "seeding" a mollusk or oyster with a grain of sand. The mollusk secretes layers of coating over time to protect itself from the irritation. Eventually, a real pearl is formed.

Cut Beads - These are glass beads which have facets so as to enhance the reflective quality of the beads. They have a very glittery and dazzling finish to them.

D.

Damascene - the process of applying gold or silver on iron or steel to produce decorative patterns. Much Damascene jewelry comes from Spain or Japan. Reed and Barton also uses copper in their Damascene jewelry.

Dead stone - this is a term often used for foil backed rhinestones which have lost their original shiny finish. This usually happens when moisture comes in contact with the foil backing and damaging it. Dead stones can appear dull, gray, or yellowish.

Dearest Ring - This is a sentimental ring with stones set out in the following sequence - Diamond, Emerald, Amethyst, Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Topaz. Very popular in the second half of the 19th century. See also Regard Ring.

Demi-parure - refers to a matching set of jewelry - often a necklace, earrings and a pin, all of the same design and made to be worn together. See also Parure.

Depose - the patent or rights to exclusive jewelry made in France.

Dichroic Glass - this is a type of glass which contains multiple micro-layers of metal oxides. This gives the glass reflective optical properties. Dichroic glass was originally developed by NASA for use in satellite optics and spacesuit visors, but is now used in the manufacture of jewelry - particularly pendants.

Door knocker earrings - an earring with a hinged bottom portion which hangs below the earlobe, in the shaped of an actual door knocker, hence the name.

Doublet - A gemstone that is made from two layers to make the finished product more affordable. The lower part of the stone is glass or a non precious stone, and the top layer is the more expensive stone. Common with opals but can be found in other gemstones as well.

Dress Clip - a clip which uses one wide clip to attach to articles of clothing. See also Fur clip.

Duette - a combination pin on one pin back, made famous by Coro, and registered by them, but now commonly used by others.

E.

Edwardian Period- this period is named for the time of the reign of Edward VII of England (1901-1910). It is also known as the "Belle Epoque." Edwardian jewelry is characterized by delicate and elegant designs, often with bows and filigree settings. It is also known for use of pearls and diamonds in the designs.

Electroplating - a method of finishing of a metal in which an electric current puts a layer of metal on another alloy. (example HGE for hard gold electroplate)

Emerald Cut - This is stone which has been Square or rectangle cut and which has square chamfered corners and step cut sides

Enamel - a paste or powder of various colors is applied to metal and then fired in an annealing oven so that the glass is baked on to the metal. Often used in vintage brooches.

En bosse ronde - the process of applying enamel to a metal surface.

Engraving - the process of making a design in a hard surface, often metal, by cutting grooves into it.

Estate jewelry - a term that refers to jewelry which has been previously owned, not necessarily from an estate.

Etching -A process which creates a design on metal or glass by using an acid. .

Eye of the Tiger Aigrette - a 61.50 carat (12.3 g) whiskey-colored diamond, "The Eye of the Tiger", was mounted by Cartier in a breathtaking turban aigrette for the Maharajah of Nawanagar in 1934.

F.

Fob - a Decorative ornament worn on a chain, and usually worn with a watch.

Facet - an angled, cut surface of a gemstone, rhinestone or diamond.

Fakelite - Faux bakelite which is a modern, mass produced product, neither true bakelite or vintage. See also French Bakelite.

Fancy Cut - These are stones which have been cut into unusual shapes, such as half moons, hearts, triangles, etc.

Faux - a French word which means false, used to pertain to fake materials made to look like genuine stones. Often used with the words Pearl or turquoise.

Festoon - a design motif, often used with necklaces, which consists of a garland or string of flowers, ribbons or leaves.

Figurals - thematic jewelry made into the shape of small figures - normally animals, but many other shapes are possible, such as pieces of fruit, musical instruments, ballerinas, etc.

Filigree - ornate, delicate settings which are produced by using thin strands of wire, which are intricately intertwined or bent into rosettes, swirls etc.

Findings - jewelry components, such as hooks, bails, clasps, etc.

Fissure - An elongated fracture or crack in the surface of a gemstone. Can also be found in cameos.

Florentine Finish - a crosshatched pattern which is tooled into the surface of a metal.

Fob - a Decorative ornament worn on a chain, and usually worn with a watch.

Foiled Stone - a rhinestone or glass cabochon which has a silver or gold colored metallic foil backing. This enhances the sparkle of the stone. Moisture can damage this resulting in a dead stone.

French Bakelite - modern mass produce jewelry, which has the look of bakelite, but it neither genuine bakelite or vintage. See also Fakelite

French Backs - An earring back for non pierced ears where the earring is tightened against the earlobes by means of a screw. Also referred to as a screw back earring.

French Ivory - a plastic made to simulate ivory. First produced around the middle of the 19th century.

French Jet - black jewelry designed to imitate fossilized coal. Victorian women wore it as mourning Jewelry and it was made very popular by Queen Victoria.

Freshwater pearl - this pearl is harvested from a freshwater mollusk - a mussel. The shape of freshwater pearls is similar to a grain of crisped rice cereal, rather than round, and they are less valuable than oyster pearls.

Fruit Salad Jewelry - jewelry which has been made with glass or plastic stones in the shape of fruits or leaves. Often translucent. Also referred to as Tutti Frutti.

Fur clip - a clip with two thin prongs which attaches to a fur stole. See also dress clip.

G.

German Silver - this is an alloy that is made of approximately 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc, with 5 % tin. Also known as Alpaca. It was invented in the mid 1800s in Germany as a substitute for silver.

Gilt - a term which refers to gold plated.

Givre - beads which have a clear or light layer of glass over an inner colored core.

Gold Filled - this is a term for a thin outer layer of gold over a base metal. It is abbreviated GF. As an example 1/20 GF 12K must be al last 1/20th gold and it is layered with 12karat gold. To be classified as gold filled, a jewelry item must be at least 1/20th gold by weight.

Gold Plated - In this type of finish, a very thin layer of gold is applied on the surface, usually by electroplating. Jewelry pieces with this finish are often marked G.E.P, gold plated or gold electroplate.

Gold toned - jewelry which is finished to look like gold, but has no actual gold content.

Gold Washed - Jewelry which has a very thin layer of gold - less than 175 microns thick - which is applied by dipping or burnishing but not plating the metal. This type of coating wears off more readily than gold plated or gold filled jewelry

Graduated Necklace - a necklace which as been strung with large pearls or beads at the front which taper to smaller beads as the necklace progresses towards the back area with the clasp. Not always symmetrical.

Granite Lucite - A beautiful variation of lucite which is normally opaque, but with 'chunks' or small pieces of lucite in varying colors that emulate the look of granite. It comes in a wide variety of colors.

Gunmetal - an alloy popular in the 1890s which is a mix of 90% copper and 10% tin.

Guilloche - this is a process of enameling, where translucent enamel (fused glass) is applied over a metal surface that has been engraved in some way - often with a spirograph design.

H.

Habille - This is the term for a cameo which wears real jewelry such instead of incorporating it into the carved jewelry. "Habille" comes from the French word "habiller", meaning "to dress". Thus, an habille cameo would mean a "dressed" cameo.

Hair Jewelry - Various styles of brooches, pendants, earrings and other styles of jewelry which used human hair as part of the design. These pieces were often used as a form of mourning jewelry.

Hallmark - this is the term used for an official mark made on metal. It is used to indicate the metal content. Sometimes, the year of manufacture will be noted. Examples are 925 which indicates silver content, or 18K for gold content. See also Maker's Mark.

Hammered Finish - the process whereby a small hammer is used to make a series of indentations in a piece of metal. Often used with sterling silver jewelry. Hand Finishing - manufacture of jewelry in which the finish is completed by hand to allow the designer to control the finish on each individual piece.

Heirloom - a highly valued possession that is passed down among family members from one generation to the next.

Hematite - an opaque gem which is dark gray to almost place in color. Non magnetic. (see lodestone) v

I.

Inclusion - this is a small particle of foreign matter which is contained in a mineral. Many inclusions devalue a stone, but some are prized and make it more valuable - i.e. Star Sapphire.

Inlay - this is a term for a process in which a piece of material such as glass or stone is partially embedded into another material. The finished result is that the two materials make a level surface. Mother of pearl is often seen as an inlay in jewelry items.

Intaglio - A design made by cutting deeply on the obverse or back side of a stone or gemstone.

Ivory - a smooth grained material made from the tusks of elephants and walruses. Creamy white in color, usually with a cross hatching type of grain.

J.

Jabot Pin - a tie pin accented with jewels which was popular in the early part of the 20th century.

Jade - the term jade can either refer to nephrite or jadeite, which is more expensive. Thought of as a green gemstone, but actually comes in many colors.

Jappaned - a finish for jewelry made when the metal is coated in a shiny black coating, normally this is finished with a lustrous, black lacquer.

Jelly Belly Pin - a style of figural brooch made famous by Trifari and Coro with a clear lucite cabochon which forms the belly of the piece.

Jet - This is fossilized coal which is also known as gagate. It is hard and light weight and is a lustrous black color. It was used in mourning jewelry during the Victorian period. Black glass and plastics are often made to look like jet. True jet is warm to the touch.

Juliana Jewelry - This is a style of jewelry, not a maker. Julian pieces were designed by the DeLizza and Elster factory (D & E) and are highly collectible and sought after. Never marked on the piece, only with paper hang tags. Specific design characteristics will help to identify the piece.

Jump Ring - a round or oval ring of metal wire which is used with charms to attach them to a chain, in the form of a pendant, or to a bracelet to make a charm bracelet.

K.

Karat - usually abbreviated as the letter "K", karat refers to the purity of gold. 24K is 100% pure gold. 18K is 18 parts gold with 6 parts other alloyed metals - 75% pure gold. 14K is 14parts gold and 10 parts other alloyed metals or 58.5% pure gold. Also spelled carat.

L.

Lariat necklace - a necklace with open, decorated ends that are looped or knotted instead of clasped. It often has a central decorative finding through which the ends are threaded.

Lapis Lazuli - a dark blue rock which is composed of several minerals. It contains a large percentage of sodalite. The white color comes from calcite and the sparkling gold flecks come from the pyrite content. It is one of the most popular stones in men's jewelry.

Lavaliere - this is a term for a pendant which has a dangling stone below it. The term was named for the Duchess Louise de La Valliere - a mistress of the French King Louis XIV.

Lever Back Earring - a pierced earring style with a loop which goes through the ear lobe and is contained at the back with a lever mechanism to hold it in place.

Locket - a hinged, closed case, often with decorative design which opens to hold the picture of a loved one.

Lobster claw clasp - a clasp for a necklace or bracelet which has an elongated hook which resembles the shape of a lobster claw. A spring mechanism holds it in place. The lobster claw was used on jewelry after about 1990 so can be used to date jewelry.

Lodestone - a heavy, opaque naturally magnetic rock, usually black in color. Also known as Magnetite. (see also Hematite)

Loupe - a small magnifying lens used to examine jewelry. Normally has at least a 10x magnification.

Lucite - a type of transparent acrylic thermoplastic which was patented in 1941 by the DuPont company.

 

M.

Mabe Pearl - a blister pearl which is cultured, not natural.

Maker's Mark - design marks on a part of the actual piece of jewelry to indicate who the original designer was. Can be found in very obscure places. See also Hallmark.

Maltese Cross -A cross which has four arms which are of equal length, but the width of each arm widens the further it gets from the center.

Marcasite - often used in sterling silver, and sometimes faceted - this mineral has the same composition as pyrite (fool's Gold) but has a different chemical structure.

Marquise cut - an elongated, faceted oval cut, which tapers to a point. Similar to a navette cut, but slightly more rounded - named for the Marquis de Pompadour.

Matinee Length - a single strand necklace which is between 22-23 inches long.

Matte - a term which refers to jewelry which has a dull or flat finish rather than the normal shiny one.

Memento Mori - a jewel that is intended to be a reminder of death.

Memorial jewel - a jewel made in the memory of a loved one. It often contains hair from that person.

Memory Wire - A tough and stiff but flexible wire which holds it's shape. It is often used in a series of round rows which have beads strung on them to form a wide multi row bracelet or choker necklace.

Micro Mosaic Jewelry - this is jewelry which is made by combining small glass tiles, called tesserae, into intricate designs. Very popular with Italian artisans in the Mid 19th and early 20th century.

Milanese Chain - this chain consists of interwoven rows of small links which form a mesh design.

Milk Glass - a fairly new name for opaque, milky white glass. This glass is blown or pressed into a wide variety of shapes.

Millefiori - a type of glass ornamentation which is made from canes of layered colored glass which are sliced to form patterns. The patterns can be flowers or have mosaic effects.

Mizpah Ring - a wide gold ring which has been engraved with the word Mizpah which means "I will watch over thee." It was popular during the Victorian period.

Mohs Scale - a comparison chart developed in the early part of the 1800s. It tells us how hard minerals are in comparison with others. It is useful to know this when buying or storing gemstones.

Molded Cameo - this is a cameo which is made by a molding process, rather than hand carving from shell. Molded cameos are often made from porcelain, glass or plastic. Two colors are often used - one for the design and another for the background.

Mother of pearl - the inside linings of mollusks, abalone and other shells which is pearlized in finish. It is stripped or scraped from the shell and used as inlay in jewelry.

Mourning Jewelry - is worn when one is mourning the loss of a loved one. It is often black. Queen Victoria went into a very long period of mourning when her husband Albert died and wore much black clothing and mourning jewelry - much of it made from jet.

N.

Nacre - this is a crystalline layer which is secreted by oysters, mussels and other mollusks around a foreign object. Layers of nacre which form over a period of time create a pearl.

Navette cut - oblong, tapered slender cut similar to a Marquis, although more slender.

Negligee - this is a long necklace which normally ends with irregular lengths of tassels or drops

Nickel Silver - Also referred to as German Silver. It is an alloy containing mainly copper with approximately 20% nickel and 20% zinc. If it also has tin, it is referred to as Alpaca. It contains no actual silver.

Niello - a method of decorating metal objects, using engraving techniques. Silver, copper, sulphur or lead are rubbed into an indented pattern and then fired. When the object is polished, darkened areas remain for a decorative effect. Often used in Siam Sterling Jewelry.

O.

Omega Backs - Earrings with a clip back style in the form of the Latin letter omega.

Onyx - A semi precious form of chalcedony quartz which can be found naturally in shades of white or gray. In jewelry it is often dyed black.

Opal - A gemstone with silica deposits and water content which has a spectral display of flashing colors that move and shift as the jewelry piece is moved. Much opal mining occurs in Australia.

Open back setting - a setting in which the back of the stone can be seen. Often used In D & E or Juliana Jewelry.

Opera Length - a single strand necklace which is 30-35" in length. It hangs to the breastbone.

Oriental pearl - a pearl which forms normally without human intervention or creation.

Ormolu - This is a term which refers to gilded bronze or brass mounts. It comes from the French word meaning "ground gold"

Oxidation - the process where a metal (often silver) blackens or tarnishes as a reaction to oxygen and sulphur. Also sometimes called a patina.

P.

Pampilles - jewelry with a cascade of pendant stones. Very popular in Georgian jewelry. It was meant to look like rain drops.

Parure - This is a matching set of jewelry, usually a brooch, necklace, earrings and a bracelet, but can be even larger. Part of a parure is called a demi or semi parure.

Paste - A brilliant cut glass stone which has been made to resemble a genuine gemstone.

Patina - this term refers to the change in the surface layer of jewelry as a result of the aging process. Sterling silver is particularly susceptible to developing a patina over time.

Pave - the process of setting stones (notably rhinestones), where a number of small stones are set as closely together as possible. Better pieces use a claw setting. Less expensive pieces often have the stones simply glued in.

Pendant - a decorative, usually large sized, charm which hangs from a chain necklace.

Peridot - A green gemstone which contains both iron and magnesium. The main source of the gemstone is Arizona. It is the birthstone for August.

Pietra Dura - Similar to Micromosaics, except that the piece is made of larger pieces of hard stone such as chalcedony, jasper, etc, in a background of black marble.

Pinchbeck - a substitute for gold invented by Christopher Pinchbeck in the 18th century, made from an alloy of copper and zinc.

Planishing - a hammering process which is done so that the piece of metal has a smoother finish.

Plique a jour - The process of applying enamel where a metal backing is lacking.

Poison ring - a ring made with a small hinged box in the setting which opens to a small chamber which could hold a poison pill.

Poison Pendant - similar to above but worn on a chain.

Posy Ring - a ring which has been engraved with a verse.

Pot Metal - a metal which does not have any gold, silver or platinum as a component. Sometimes referred to as white metal because of the finish.

Poured Glass - This refers to a technique in which glass is heated and then poured into moulds to shape it. The resultant glass is translucent and often contains small bubbles. Miriam Haskell was fond of using poured glass in her pieces.

Precious Metal - any metal alloy which contains gold, silver or platinum that has a minimum amount of fineness which meets the standards detailed in the Precious Metals Marking Standards Act.

Precious Stone - Four gemstones are considered precious stones - Diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire. They are especially prized for their beauty and rarity.

Princess length - a single strand necklace which is 18" long.

Prong - this setting has a series of metal prongs which grip around the side of stones. Better rhinestone jewelry is prong set, rather than glued.

Q.

R.

REGARD a ring which has been set with precious stones, the first letters of which spell the word "regard." The stones are Ruby, Emerald, Garnet, Amethyst, Ruby and Diamond. Very popular in the second half of the 19th century and meant to signify friendship. See also Dearest Ring.

Repousse - in this process, sheet metal has designs hammered into the back of it with special punches which form raised designs.

Retro - this is a term for chunky jewelry from the 1940s which was often geometric in design. The term is also used for modern jewelry of this style.

Reverse Carved Jewerly - a glass or lucite cabochon which has been caved on the reverse side. Very popular in the 1950s. Motifs include cameo figures, butterfly and flowers..

Rhinestones - this is a type of highly reflective glass which is made to imitate gemstones. Original rhinestones were quartz stones or rock crystal found on the floor of the Rhine river. Swarovski is renowned for their high quality rhinestones.

Rhodium - often used for plating over other metals, particularly sterling, to give a tarnish free finish. Rivire necklace - a choker type with a continuous line of gemstones either of equal or graduated sizes of stones.

Rivoli Rhinestone - This is a type of rhinestone with a pointed end on both sides which makes it look somewhat saucer shaped.

Rolled Gold - gold plating which was popular in the early 19th century.

Rondelle - a piece of metal or gemstone which is pierced and then strung on beads in a necklace. Also spelled Rondel.

Rope Length Necklace - a single strand beaded necklace with is over 40" long.

Ruby - A gemstone from the corundum family. It is a clear, red stone. The ruby is known as the king of gemstones and second only in value to the diamond. It is the gemstone for the month of July.

S.

Sapphire - A gemstone from the corundum family. Mainly known for their deep blue color, but also found in many other colors. The sapphire is the birthstone for the month of September.

Satin Finish - a series of tiny parallel lines scratched into the surface of a metal to produce texture to the finish.

Sautoir - this is a term for a long necklace of beads, pearls or chains, often ending in tassels. It was very popular in the 1920s.

Scarab - made to represent an Egyptian beetle, semi precious stones are carved with a distinctive pattern. Sometimes in swiveled mountings so the intaglio on the reverse side can be seen.

Scatter Pins - this is a term for a series of small pins which are worn together in groups.

Screw back - the backing to an earring which is held tightly against the ear lobe by means of a screw with a flat rounded end. This type of earring back was introduced in 1894.

Seed Pearl -A very small pearl or imitation pearl popular during the Victorian period. They were used accents set into gold jewelry or woven into long fringed necklaces called sautoirs.

Semi Precious Stones - Gemstones prized for their beauty which are not one of the four stones considered precious - Diamond, Emerald, Ruby or Sapphire.

Svign - a set worn on the ornaments. It has gemstones and is in the shape of a bowknot.

Silvertone - jewelry which is finished to look like silver but has no actual silver content.

Signed Jewelry - jewelry which has been marked on the back, or clasp area with the initials, name, logo or trademark of a particular designer or manufacturer of the piece.

Slide - a moveable decorative element which is attached to a long chain and moves so that you can adjust the opening of the chain.

Solje Jewelry - Filigree silver jewelry from Norway, normally with dangles. It is considered the National jewelry of Norway and is very collectible. It used to be worn on traditional Norwegian costumes.

Spray Brooch - a pin, usually worn at the shoulder, which is styled with a spray of flowers on stems.

Sterling Silver - an alloy that is 925 parts pure silver and 75 parts copper. Often marked 925 on the jewelry piece.

Stick Pin - a pin with an ornamental top which is worn vertically on a scarf, tie or jacket lapel.

Strap Necklace - a necklace worn during the Victorian period. It consists of a mesh chain which has pendants that suspend from short, fine chains, which resemble a fringe.

Sugar Beads - Beads which have been coated with small grains of plastic or glass. The end result looks like granulated sugar. They originated in Japan in the early 1900s.

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Tarnish - the darkening of a metal which causes a dull luster. Can usually be easily removed.

Taxco - This is a town in Mexico famous for its sterling silver jewelry. Taxco sterling jewelry is highly collectible.

Tesserae - Tiny glass tiles which are combined to make intricate designs in Micro Mosaic Jewelry. Popular with Italian artisans.

Thermoset - a form of molded lucite popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a heavier form of lucite and could be molded into creative shapes and designs. Popular with most of the major designers of the time, particularly Coro, Trifari and Lisner.

Tiara - a head ornament, often highly jeweled, which is worn in the crown position.

Tiffany setting - normally a rounded 6 pronged setting with thin prongs which flare out from the base. Introduced by Tiffany and Co. in 1886. Often used for large diamond solitaires today.

Torsade - this term refers to a necklace which is made of many strands which are twisted together, instead of hanging loosely.

Trade mark - this is an assurance of quality, It is a permanent record of the signature of the manufacturer and the origin. See also hallmarks.

Trembler - this is a piece of jewelry which has a part which is set on a spring, resulting in this part moving as the wearer of the jewelry moves. Coro is famous for its trembler jewelry.

Triplet - This is a process whereby a stone is made by sandwiching three thin layers of stones together. The term is often used for opals which has only a middle layer of opal surrounded by other materials on the top and bottom of it to generate a particular color.

Translucent Enameling - Another term for Basse-taille enameling.

Trombone Clasp - this refers to a two part tubular closure used on brooches and pins. One part pushes over the other for a secure closing.

Tube Clasp - This is an older vintage jewelry clasp, which was patented in 1850, and used for jewelry only until after the end of World War II. The presence of a tube clasp indicates that the jewelry is an older piece.

Tutti Frutti - vintage jewelry which is set with multi colored gemstones in the shape of flowers, berries and leaves. Can be in a basket design.

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V.

Vauxhall Glass - a type of glass named for a mirror glass made in Britain in the early 1700's, in Vauxhall, London. Commonly made in deep burgundy color, but there are other colors as well. It is quite hard to find because it became damaged from wearing.

Verdigris - over time, costume or fine jewelry can develop a green gunk disease known as verdigris. The presence of this green gunk means that there is metal damage underneath. See this page for tips on cleaning verdigris from vintage jewelry.

Vermeil - pronounced "vairmay", this term refers to silver, bronze or copper with a thin layer of gold plating over the top. Commonly used with sterling silver jewelry to help with the problem of tarnishing.

Victorian - the period of time between when Queen Victoria first ruled in 1837 until 1901, when she died. The Victorian period was a long stretch of time and is divided into several smaller time spans and several design types.

Vintage - a piece of jewelry that is considered a classic, characterized by excellence, maturity, and enduring appeal.

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Wedding Cake Beads - These are ornate and colorful lamp worked glass beads which have been decorated with swirls and dots. They originated in Murano, Italy.

White Metal- a metal which has no gold, silver or platinum in it, and has a white finish. Often called Pot metal.

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Y.

Yellow gold - this comes in several different shades of yellow in its natural state. It is fairly pure when it is first mined. It is usually allowed with zinc, copper or silver when it is used in making jewelry.

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