A to Z Jewelry Terms

Collecting costume jewelry has quickly become one of the fastest-growing fashion statements to hit the planet.  Not only is it purchased to add to a collection it is purchased to wear. The shear beauty of vintage costume jewelry is unsurpassed by current market fashion jewelry.   We hope this new section will improve your knowledge on costume jewelry designers of the past and present. 

A

Abalone

Also called Mother Of Pearl. Made from the inside of the seashell

AB

Short for Aurora Borealis

Alexandrite

Discovered in 1830 in Russia Alexandrite is a form of the mineral chrysoberyl, discovered in 1830. In sunlight, alexandrite looks blue - green, but in indoor (tungsten) light it the same stone changes to reddish - purple.

Alpaca

Sometimes spelled Alpacca is an alloy metal consisting of approx 60% copper, 20% nickel, 20% zinc, and 5% tin

Amethyst

A type of quartz that ranges in color from various shades of purple from a deep intense purple with red flashes to a very light lavender.

Amulet

An amulet is a pendant or charm worn for its protective magic powers

Art Deco

Art Deco was popular from the mid - 1910's until the mid - 1920's. The art deco style was characterized by angular geometric shapes, zigzags, bold colors, molded or faceted Czech glass beads, plastics such as celluloid and bakelite. This era began to use colored stones more. Jade, onyx and sometimes coral was set in geometric shapes. The art deco period began with very light designs but as the period progressed designs become bolder and more blocky.

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau was popular from 1895 until World War I. Art Nouveau style was characterized by curves and naturalistic designs. It was especially focused on depicting long - haired, sensual women., flower styles, sensual curves, and naturalistic.

Arts and Crafts

The Arts and Crafts movement that began in the late 1800s as a rebellion against the mass - produced, machine made that were common in the late Victorian era. The designers felt that their work should look handmade, so jewelry of this era will often have tiny hammer marks on it. Gold was used but silver was more common because it was used to emphasize the craftsmanship of the piece rather than the value of the metal. Cabochon stones such as moonstone, mother or pearl, agate, amber were quite popular.

Aurora Borealis

Faceted glass beads that have an added iridescent coating are called aurora borealis. The coating is used on beads and rhinestones and produces a multi color light reflection. The Aurora borealis means northern lights. The iridescent surface occurs when a very thin layer of metallic atoms are deposited on the lower surface of the stone. The process was invented by the Swarovski Co & Christian Dior in 1955.

B

Bakelite

Bakelite was patented in 1909 and is also called catalin. It is a synthetic material which was extensively used in jewelry during the 1930s Depression.. It can be molded or carved and multi colors can be inlaid together. It has a distinct scent when rubbed to warm, somewhat like formaldehyde

Baguette

A gemstone cut in a narrow rectangular shape. Small diamonds are sometimes cut this way to use as accents

Baroque

An irregular, rounded stone, glass or bead. Imitation pearls with an uneven shape are also referred to as baroque.

Base metal, pot metal, white metal

Any combination of alloys of non - precious metals.

Bezel Setting

The way of setting a stone in which the stone is held in place by a narrow band of metal around the outer edge of the stone.

Birthstone

Birthstones have their roots in ancient astrology, and there have been many birthstone lists used over the years.This is one of the more common lists. January – Garnet; February – Amethyst; March – Aquamarine; April – Diamond; May – Emerald; June – Pearl or Moonstone; July – Ruby; August – Peridot; September – Sapphire; October – Opal; November – Citrine or Topaz; December – Turquoise or Zircon

Bookchain

A Victorian chain of which the links are rectangular folded pieces of metal, made in gold, gold fill, and sterling silver. Book chains often had large locket attached and they were usually elaborately engraved.

Brass

An alloy of copper and zinc which has a nice yellow color.

Britannia or pewter

A somewhat dull silver - colored alloy of tin, antimony, and copper.

C

Cabochon

A stone with a rounded surface, rather than with facets. Most often seen with opal, moonstone, jade, turquoise, and faux gems.

Carat

Abbreviated "ct." and spelled with a "c" is a measure of weight used for gemstones. A.15 carat stone can be called either 5 points, or 1/5 of a carat. The relationship of weight and size is different for each family of stones.

Cameo

A style of carving in which the design motif is left and the surrounding surface is cut away leaving the design in relief. Often made of shell, hard stone, glass, and more recently plastics

Cast

Made by a centrifugal method of casting metal which becomes thick and hard.

Celluloid

Celluloid is derived from cellulose which is a natural plant fiber. It was first synthesized around 1870. Celluloid items for were often set with pave rhinestones. Celluloid is flammable and it does deteriorate quickly if exposed to moisture.

CFW

Abbreviation for cultured freshwater pearls

Channel Set

A gem setting technique in which a number of square or rectangular stones are set side by side in a grooved channel. The stones are not secured individually, so there is no metal visible between the stones. Used mostly on round or baguette

Chatelaine

A chatelaine is a set of implements worn at the waist which then carries various items such as needle cases, pencil, scissors, dangling from chains attached to it.

Chaton Setting

It is a setting in which the stone is held in by many metal claws around a metal ring.

Citrine

Citrine colors range from light yellow to a brilliant orange.

Claw Setting

A claw setting is one in which a series of metal prongs called claws holds a stone securely in a setting . The claw settings used today date back to the 1800's

Cloisonne

Cloisonné is a method of applying enamel to metal in which the design is first outlined on the metal surface using a metal wire. The space between the wires is filled with enamel and then fired to a glassy sheen

Closed Setting

The back of the stone is not exposed, meaning the metal is not cut away behind the stone

Cluster Setting

Small stones set clustered around a larger center stone

Coin Silver

A silver colored metal that is a mixture of 80% silver and 20% copper. A lot of European silver pieces are coin silver and are marked 800.

Coral

Coral comes in colors ranging from vivid orange to palest pink. During the mid - Victorian large brooches of coral finely carved in high - relief florals or faces were very popular.< br>

Crimp Bead

Small, soft metal beads that are squeezed shut to secure loops of threading material fasteners onto clasps.

Crystal

A glass stone or bead, usually with high lead content.

CTW

Carat Total Weight

Cubic Zirconium

Also known as Cubic zirconia or CZ is a lab produced gemstone that resembles a diamond. Very inexpensive to buy.

D

Dead Stone

A foil - backed rhinestone that has lost its original shininess, usually after water has damaged the foil.

Demi Parure

A matching set of jewelry consisting of two pieces - a necklace and earrings, a pin and earrings.

Diamond

Diamonds are a form of crystalline carbon. Diamonds are valued based on the "4 C's" of color, cut, clarity and carat size

Diamante

A Faceted, glittery glass bead; rhinestone.

Dog Collar

A wide choker necklace worn tight around the neck above the collarbone just like a dog's collar. Very popular in Edwardian times

Doublet

A form of gemstone trickery that was devised to allow inexpensive materials to imitate the more valuable gemstones before modern synthetics were available.

Duette

A combination of two clips on a pin back. Duette was a registered design by Coro, but is now used generically for this design.

E

Edwardian

The period during the reign of Edward VII of England from 1901 – 1910. The style actually began during the final years of Victoria, and continued until shortly before World War. Jewelry was characterized by delicate filigree in white gold and platinum, with diamonds and pearls predominating, and colored stones used less frequently, producing a light, monochromatic look. Delicate bows, swags, and garland effects were used in necklaces and brooches

Electroplated

A process in which one metal is coated with another metal using electricity. In jewelry, inexpensive metals are frequently electroplated with more expensive metals, like gold [gold plating], copper [electrocoppering], rhodium [rhodanizing], chromium [chromium plating], or silver [silver plating]. The thickness of the metal coat varies. Electrogilded coating is the thinnest [less than 0.000007 inches thick]; gold - cased metals have a coating thicker that 0.000007 inches.

Emerald

A gemstone of the beryl family, fine emeralds are among the most valuable gemstones.

Engrave

Decorate metal using a graver's tools; embellishing metal or other material with patterns using a stamping tool or drill. This was a popular technique in mid - Victorian jewelry. The resulting depressions were often filled with colored enamel.

Enamel

Enamel is produced by fusing colored powdered glass to metal to produce a vitreous or glass - like, decorative surface. Translucent enamel with fancy engraving on the metal underneath was popular during the Victorian era.

European Cut

The style of diamond cutting popular from approximately 1890 to the 1930s. The European cut has a round girdle made possible by the introduction of the power bruiting machine.

Eyepin

A wire finding with a loop at one end. used for linking beads or beaded links together

Art Clay Silver & Gold Art Clay Silver & Gold

Illustrated Jewelry Catalog, 1892 Illustrated Jewelry Catalog, 1892

F

Faceted

Cut with many facets or planes.

Faux

Faux is a French word used to describe something made to resemble something else. The original French word means false, fake, imitation or artificial.

Filigree

A technique used to produce fine intricate patterns in metal. Often used for metal beads, clasps, and bead caps.

Findings

All types of fasteners, and construction components used in jewelry making.

Florentine Finish

Finish has a brushed or striated appearance.

Foilback

A method of coating the back of a stone with silver, gold, or colored foil. This enhances the brilliancy of the stone, by reflecting back as much light as possible. It is commonly seen in costume jewelry.

French Jet

French jet is black glass designed to imitate real jet. It was frequently carved.

Freshwater

A pearl produced by a mollusk that inhabits freshwater, usually these pearls are shaped like an uneven grain of rice and are less valuable than oyster pearls. Biwa pearls are very good quality freshwater pearls.

G

Garnet

A group stones that share a similar chemical structure, the garnet family includes pyrope, almandine, and demantoid, among others.

Gemstones

Include diamond, brilliant, beryl, emerald chalcedony, agate, heliotrope; onyx, plasma; tourmaline, chrysolite; sapphire, ruby, synthetic ruby; spinel, spinelle; oriental topaz; turquoise, zircon, cubic zirconia; jacinth, hyacinth, carbuncle, amethyst; alexandrite, cat's eye, bloodstone, hematite, jasper, moonstone, sunstone.

Genuine

It is common to see the following words when describing costume jewelry amethyst, diamond, garnet, emerald, ruby, sapphire. These words should not be interpreted to mean the precious stones with these names. The terms are used only to describe the color of the non - precious stones. If the genuine stone is meant, it is usually indicated with the word genuine in the description. This general rule also applies to words for metals, such as gold, silver, copper, and pewter. When used to describe costume jewelry, they mean gold - tone, pewter colored, etc.

German Silver

German silver is also know as nickel silver. It is an alloy consisting of approx 60% copper, 20% nickel, 20% zinc, and sometimes about 5 %. There is no silver at all in German silver. .

Gilt
Gold plating.

Gold

Since ancient times, gold has been prized for its beauty, and purity since it does not oxidize or tarnish like most other metals. The familiar Karat marking system used in the United States did not become popular until around 1890. The karat number refers to the parts of pure gold per 24 in the alloy. So a 14K alloy is 14/24 parts pure gold, or about 58% gold. Other countries used a marking system well before the United States. For example, has had a system of hallmarking in place for hundreds of years. It is also common in many European and other countries to mark gold with a three digit number indicating the parts per thousand of gold. Thus gold jewelry is often marked "750" for 750/1000 gold. Alloyed gold comes in many colors. From white to pink and even green gold, in addition to the familiar yellow gold.

Gold Filled

Abbreviated g.f. = lower in gold content than 10 KT, usually 1/20 or 1/12 KT.In this technique a sheet of gold is mechanically applied to the surface. Victorian pieces are likely to be unmarked, but later pieces are marked with the fineness of the gold layer, and the part by weight of the gold. An older unmarked gold piece may often be identified by wear through to base metal. Watch for a darker, brassy colored material on the wear spots..

Goldplate

A layer of gold applied to base metal, usually by electroplating. This is usually a very thin layer, only a few microns, which is likely to wear much more quickly than gold - filled.

Gold Tone

Gold colored or electro - plated, not gold as in measurable in karats.

Gold Washed

Gold washed" describes products that have an extremely thin electroplating of gold [ess than .175 microns thick]. This will wear away more quickly than gold plate, gold - filled, or gold electroplate

Gunmetal

A metal alloy that is composed of 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin

H

Hallmark

An official mark made in metal that indicates the fineness of the metal and the manufacturer's mark. For example, a hallmark of 925 indicates 925 parts of gold per 1000 weight. Other hallmarks indicate the maker of the piece and sometimes the year of manufacture.

Herkimer

Herkimer diamonds are clear, lustrous, doubly terminated crystals of quartz they are not true diamonds. These brilliant stones have a hardness of 7.

I

Inlay
piece of material often stone or glass that is partially embedded in another

A material usually metal such that the two materials make a level surface.

Intaglio

A design carved down into a gemstone. Some of the most commonly found Victorian intaglios are carved in Carnelian, an orange - brown variety of quartz. Intaglio is a method of decoration in which a design is cut into the surface. Signet rings are frequently decorated with intaglio, as are seals.

Iridescent

An iridescent object displays many lustrous, changing colors. Iridescence is caused by the reflection of light from the jewel.

Iridium

A metal and member of the platinum family, it is often alloyed with platinum to improve workability, thus you will find pieces marked something like "90% Plat. 10% Irrid" to indicate that the alloy is 90 % platinum and 10% iridium.

Irradiated Diamonds

Irradiated diamonds are diamonds that have been exposed to radiation. This permenantly changes the diamond's color. The irradiated stones take on a greenish or an aquamarine hue. Irradiations of diamonds was first done in 1904 by Sir William Crookes.

Irradiation

The act of being exposed to radiation. Many stones are irradiated in order to enhance their color. Being irradiated changes the crystal structure of the mineral by moving electrons. Irradiation techniques bombard the crystal with high - energy radiation producing a stone with very little radioactivity and a change of color.

J

Japanned

A Japanned finish in jewelry is when metal is finished with a lustrous, black lacquer.

Jet

Jet is also known as agate . It is a form of fossilized coal that became popular for mourning jewelry after Queen Victoria’s husband, Albert died in 1861. Produced mainly in Whitby England. It is hard, lightweight lustrous black and it is frequently cabochon cut.

Jump Ring

A small wire ring, not soldered shut, used to link elements of jewelry.

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Rubber Stamped Jewelry Rubber Stamped Jewelry

L

Lapidary

Cutting, shaping, polishing and creating jewelry from precious and semi - precious stones.

Lavalier

A pendant with a dangling stone that hangs from a necklace. Lavaliers were named for the infamous Duchess Louise de La Valliere a French woman who was a mistress of the French King Louis, dating 1644 – 1710

Living Jewelry

Jewelry materials derived from living organisms:   pearl, cultured pearl, fresh - water pearl; mother of pearl; coral.

Lucite

Lucite is a clear strong plastic that can be molded or carved. It became popular in the 1940s.

Luster

Stones sparkle or sheen. The way it relects light. The luster depends on the nature of the stone's surface reflectivity

M

Mabe or Mobe

A half sphere or domed stone, usually a fake pearl.

Marquise

An oval stone which is pointed at both ends,a stone cut in a boat shape, pointed at both ends, with rounded sides

Matinee Length

A single strand that is from 22 to 23 inches (56 to 58 cm) long.

Melee

A melee is a small diamond, under .20 carat.

Memory Wire

A tough, stiff wire that retains its

Mexican Diamond

A misleading term for rock crystal, and not a diamond at all.

Micromosai

Micromosaics are pictures or decorations that are made out of extremely small pieces of stone, glass or other materials

Millefiori

Means "thousand flowers" in Italian. A method of creating glass, or clay beads, with intricate patterns using canes.

Mine Cut

A style of diamond cutting popular before 1890 or so, it features a cushion shaped outline, rather than the round outline of the modern cut.

MM

Millimeters. A Metric measurement used for Pearls and; Gemstones

Molded Cameo

Cameos that are made by the molding process and not by carving the material, usually made from plastic, glass, or porcelain that is formed in a mold. Often, two colors of material are used, one for the relief pattern and another for the background

Montana Ruby

Is actually a pyrope garnet and not a ruby at all.

MOP

Mother of Pearl

Mourning Jewelry

A type of jewelry worn when one is mourning the loss of a loved one. It is often black, subdued jewelry often made of jet or black glass and metal with a Japanned finish or jewelry that commemorates the dead like hair jewelry or cameos.

Mystic Fire

Also called mystic topaz or rainbow topaz which is topaz that has been color enhanced by coating it with a fine layer of metal atoms. This stone has red, green, violet, and blue streaks

N

Navette

An oval stone which is pointed at both ends.

Nickel silver

A white metal mixture of copper, zinc, and nickel which contains no silver. Also known as German Silver. Consists of approx 60% copper , 20% nickel, 20% zinc, and 5%

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O

Oiling

A process of applying mineral oil to a stone in order to enhance it and mask inclusions, make them more transparent, and darken their color. Emeralds are frequently oiled to mask their many inclusions.

Opal Triplet

An opal triplet is a manufactured stone that is composed of three thin layers that are glued together. A thin layer of opal is sandwiched between a layer of clear quartz and a layer of either obsidian or ironstone.

Opaque

Blocking the passage of light.

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P

Parure

A jewelry set consisting of three or more matching pieces. Three of either earrings, bracelet, and necklace, or pin/brooch. In Victorian times, a complete parure consisted of two matching bracelets, necklace, earrings and a brooch.

Paste

A term for imitation gemstones. Fine jewelry was often imitated in finely made copies to protect the wearer from theft, and these were referred to as paste. Paste is glass that is cut and faceted to imitate gemstones.

Patina

Patina is the change to the jewelry surface resulting from natural aging.

Pave

Very tightly set stones, as in a pavement; a gem setting technique in which the stones are set low and very closely spaced, so that the surface appears to be paved with gemstones. In better pieces, claw settings are used; in less expensive pieces, the stones are simple glued in.

Pearl

A natural gemstone formed when a oyster is irritated by a substance that gets into its shell. If the irritation is a naturally occurring grain of sand, it is an Oriental pearl. If it is produced by purposefully inserting a mother - of - pearl bead, a cultured pearl is formed.

Pewter

Pewter items are described and marked as such if they contain at least 90% tin. Also, a somewhat dull silver - colored alloy of tin, antimony, and copper.

Plating

See Electroplating

Plique - a - jour

A form of cloisonné in which the enamel in the cells has no backing, producing a translucent effect.

Pot metal

Pot metal is a term used to cover many, many different mixtures which do contain precious metals

Princess Length

A princess length necklace is 18" long..

Pronged

Stones set with individual prongs holding them in place.

PT or Plat

Platinum is usually marked one of these ways in the United States

R

Reconstructed Stone

A stone that is made from pieces of smaller stones or crystals. Reconstructed stones often have telltale air bubbles.

Regard

The Victorians loved romantic symbols, and rings or brooches set with a Ruby, Emerald, Garnet, Amethyst, Ruby, and a Diamond so that the first letter of each gemstone spelled out

A glass stone, facetted to imitate a diamond. In German, it is called Strass, after the man who popularized it.

Rhodium

A metal that is part of the platinum family.

Rhodium Plating

A thin plating of rhodium applied over either sterling or other alloy to give a bright, shiny, long lasting silver - colored finish to a piece.

Retro

A recent designation for the period in the forties when large scale, stylized geometric forms were the rage. Pink gold, set with colored stones, sometimes in floral forms was common.

Rocaille

Jewelry whose design is based on sea life, sea shells, or rocks.

Rolled Gold

A very thin sheet of gold that is laminated to a lesser metal usually brass. The two layers of metal are heated under pressure to fuse them together. The sheet is them rolled into a very thin sheet and then used to make jewelry.

Rope

A rope is a string of pearls that is over 40 inches long.

Russian Gold Finish

A Russian gold finish is a matte, antique - look finish. Miriam Haskell jewelry often has a Russian gold plated finish

Ruby
A precious gemstone. Rubies are always, by definition, red, but be aware that many other red gemstones and imitations might be assumed to be a ruby. Fine rubies of good color can be more valuable than diamonds, but the first synthetic ruby was created in the 1890's and became quite popular in jewelry. Synthetic rubies must be distinguished from natural by sophisticated testing by trained gemologists

S

Safety Catch

Prior to 1900 or so, brooches had a simple "C" catch with no locking mechanism, and the pin often extended out beyond the "C" far enough to weave back into clothing for security. At the turn of the century several "safety catches" were invented and came into common used for better jewelry, so a piece that exhibits a safety catch was made in the twentieth century

Sapphire

A gemstone. Although blue is the color most commonly associated with sapphires, they come in a range of colors from white to orange to green to pink. In fact, if a corundum gemstone is red, it is referred to as a ruby, but any other color, including the light pinkish "rubies. Sapphires were first synthesized in the 1920's, so it takes an expert to determine if a sapphire is natural. Natural sapphires are sometimes found that exhibit a star effect which can be quite valuable, however in 1967 the synthetic Linde Star Sapphire hit the market, and many star sapphires found today are these synthetics.

Satin Finish

A finish between a matte finish and a brilliant one.

Sautoir

A long rope style necklace, often with a tassel or pendant at the end, these were popularized in the Edwardian era. It is also known as a rope, being much longer r than opera - length, often with a pendant at the end.

Scatter Pins

Small pins that are worn together in small groups.

Seed Pearl

Refers to a very small round pearl or a very small imitation pearl.

Shank

The part of a ring that encircles the finger.

Signed

When a Manufacturers or Designers name or identifying mark is etched, carved, or stamped into the Jewelry it is called signed

Signet Ring

Used as a means of identification for relatively important people as it was engraved with a symbol identifying a particular person.

Silver Tone

Silver plated or coated, not sterling silver.

Slide Bracelet

A type of modern - day charm bracelet made from stringing Victorian era watch fob charms together on a double chain where the charms can slide along the chains.

Snake Chain

Also called a Brazilian chain is a metal chain made up of a series of small, linked cups

Souvenir Jewelry

Made for tourists as a remembrance of their trip.

Split Ring

Small base metal finding resembling a key - ring.

Star Setting

A setting in which a gem is set within an engraved star; the gem is secured by a small grain of metal soldered to the base of each ray of the star. Popular in the 1890s.

Striations

Grooves, lines and scratches found naturally in some minerals.

Synthetic Stone

Made in laboratories; these stones generally lack imperfections. It is very difficult to distinguish a synthetic stone

Sterling Silver

925 parts silver, legal standard.

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T

Taxco

Taxco is a town in the State of Guerrero in Mexico, that is famous for its silver jewelry production. Early Taxco jewelry is highly collectable. Pieces dating 1979 or later are distinguished by a registration mark of two letters followed by a series of numbers

Tiffany Setting

The high pronged setting most common today for large stones such as a diamond solitaire, this setting was introduced by Tiffany & Co. in 1886.

Torsade

A necklace made of many strands that are twisted together

Tortoise Shell

A popular material for 19th century jewelry. Tortoise shell is banned and no longer used, however there are very close plastic imitations of tortoiseshell.

Translucent

Translucent materials allow light to pass through them, but the light is diffused (scattered). Some translucent stones include moonstones, opals, and carnelian. Lucite and other plastics can also be translucent

Transparent

Transparent materials allow light to pass through them without scattering the light. Some translucent stones include diamond, zircon, emerald, rock crystal, and ruby. Plastics like lucite can also be transparent. In the confetti lucite bangle above, the glitter within the lucite is visible.

Trembler

A piece of jewelry that has a part or parts set on a spring. The spring set parts move as the wearer of the jewelry moves.

Triplet

A manufactured stone that is made by sandwiching three thin layers of stones together. For example, an opal triplet had a top, protective layer of clear quartz, a thin middle layer of opal, and a base layer of dark, color - enhancing stone

Turquoise

A semi - precious gemstone. Brown or grey streaks in turquoise, it is caused by the mother stone adding beauty. Modern turquoise stones that appear very shiny and absolutely flawless are manufactured by taking pulverized turquoise and reconstructing it with a plastic binding. Untreated turquoise colors vary from sky blue to nearly green

T

Vermeil

Silver with gold plating.

Victorian

The designation given to the period from approximately 1837 when Victoria became Queen of England until 1901 when she died. This long period is divided into early (approx. 1840 - 1860), mid [approx. 1860 -1880] and late [approx. 1880 – 1900] since it covers a number of distinctive design trends