Definition:
Apple Juice
A translucent yellow golden plastic, or apple juice. i.e. The bangle reverse-carved
and painted in the areas that are carved.
Baguette
Rectangular or oblong length of cut for a diamond/stone or rhinestones.
Bail
A triangular piece that attaches a pendant to a necklace, to receive a chain.
Bangle Bracelet
A circular band decorative or plain, that slips over the hand.
Baroque
A term used in the jewelry trade to describe an irregular shaped stone.
Bar Booch/Pin
A long narrow slender shaped pin/brooch. Usually attached to clothing horizontally.
Barrel Clasp
A barrel shaped clasp made of two parts that screw together, usually used in necklaces.
Bib Necklace
A shorter necklace with multiple strands of ornaments hanging from the front.
Black Pearl
A variety of the Pearl, and is dark in color. Also known as black pearls are hemlite beads or glass rhinestone dark-gray in color.
Book chain
A type of chain linked by rectangular metal in the shape of books, flatter oblong or square links.
Bog Oak
Oak blackened wood, carved, and lighter in weight.
Briolette
A teardrop shaped bead, faceted on all sides. A type of pear-shaped cut.
C" catch
A simple "C-catch" with no locking mechanism, before the invention of safety catches. A device for securing a brooch/pin.
Cabochon
A stone that does not have facets.
Cartouche (Cartouch)
A figure often in the shape of an oval shield or oblong scroll, often to bear a design or inscription.
Center Stone
Usually the largest and most prominent stone in a cluster, or prominent eye catching section.
Chaton
A stone with a metal foil backing, which causes a reflection. The metal foil can be colored or the stone can be depending on the style of the jewelry and the stone.
Chip
An external blemish. Chips are usually caused by wear and age.
Choker
A shorter necklace that hugs the neck.
Clasp
The clasp is used to fasten the ends of a piece of jewelry together. The type of clasp can be used to help determine the age of a piece of antique jewelry or vintage
jewelry.
Claw Setting
A type of setting where multiple claws hold a stone into a setting. There usually is no metal underneath the stone.
Collet Setting
A very early method of setting gemstones or stones. A collet is a thin, round band of metal that goes all the way around the stone.
Curb Link
A type of chain where the links are oval, the links are twisted so the chain lies flat [still an open setting].
Cushion Cut
A square cut with rounded edges, like a cushion.
Damascening
An inlaying technique where a soft metal is inserted into a harder metal.
Demi-Parure
Two or more items of matching jewelry [not a complete Parure]. Matching not only in shape, design, and color, but matching in all or part of the stones. Example: the
bracelet may have small and large round stones, with marquis stones. The brooch may have small round stones with marquis stones.
Diamante
di·a·man·té [ dee ə maan tày ] covered with imitation diamonds: decorated with colorless imitation gems rhinestones that look like diamonds
Dog Collar
Multiple stranded pearl necklace fitting closely around the neck.
Emboss
Emboss is a technique of creating a raised design, in which a design is raised slightly above the surface. It is the opposite process of engraving which the design is
impressed instead of raised.
Enamel
Enamel coloring is opaque. A material that is heated and placed on various ornaments to create a glassy look.
Engrave
The design is impressed instead of raised. The opposite process of Emboss.
Etruscan
A 19th-century Antique Revival jewelry.
Facet
Flat edges ground onto stones or beads, to create a more reflective surface.
Faux
A faux gem or faux stone is imitation.
Fish Hook
A hook or fish-hook shaped device for securing jewelry.
Fold-Over Clasp
A type of clasp that has a hinge that folds over, to secure a piece of jewelry.
Foilback
A method of coating the back of a stone or rhinestone, with gold, silver, or a colored foil.
Frensh Jet
Frequently carved, black glass [ pyrolusite glass] imitating real jet.
Gilt
Another term to describe gold-plated.
Gold Plated
An application of a thin layer of gold on its surface.
Hook Clasp
A hook type of clasp, to secure the jewelry.
Jump Ring
Wire split circles, used as connectors.
Lariat
A type of necklace made of a cord/chain that has two ends dangling from it.
Machine Stamping
The same technique as die stamping, making an impression on metal by pressing/stamping metal in between two dies.
Nacre
A thin layer adhered to imitation pearls, giving it a look of a real pearl. A substance that is secreted from a mollusk in order to protect itself from an intruder, like a grain
of sand.
Opalescent
Having a play of lustrous rainbow colors.
Opalite
A man-made opalized glass resin, fused with metal to create an opalescent effect [Fake opals].
Ovate
Oval, egg-shaped, ellipsoid
Opaque
Opaque is the opposite of transparent. Light cannot pass through an opaque material.
Parure
Term for several pieces of matching jewelry. Matching, not only in shape, design, color, but matching in stones. Example: the bracelet may have small and large round
stones, with marquis stones. The brooch may have small round stones with marquis stones.
Pavé set
A time-consuming technique, in which the stones are set or paved closely together.
Patina
Patina is the word for the change that happens over time to metal as a result of age, wear, and oxidation. Synthetic patinas can be applied to substances to make a piece
of jewelry look antique or aged.
Pin
A pin is a brooch, or a piece of jewelry that attaches to clothing by piercing it with pointed metal rod.
Refraction
Moving the stone around, it emits refracted light off the facets. All materials refract light by altering its angles.
Repoussé
A decorative technique of producing relief raised decoration from a metal piece punching and/or hammering from the backside to produce a pattern or design on the
front side.
Rhinestone
A synthetic stone made of glass, a cheap version of a gemstone. To copy brilliance of precious gemstones, it is cut with facets.
Sautoir
A a long necklace with a pendant or a tassel dangling from it.
Safety Catch
Another latch to ensure that a piece of jewelry will not open and fall off. Added to a closure to prevent the opening of a clasp.
Safety Chain
A shortened chain sometimes placed on a piece of jewelry to ensure that it will not fall off.
Scatter Pin
A group of several small pins worn together, usually featuring flowers, birds and insects.
Serpentine chain
A series of small, flat s-shaped links, set very closely together and held in place by a second set of small, flat, s-shaped links.
Shank
Shank is the part of the ring that circles the finger, not including the setting.
Solitaire
A piece of jewelry that features a single stone. Popular as an engagement ring.
Table
The flat area on top of a cut gemstone.
Torsade
Multi stranded necklace that are twisted together.
Translucent
A material that transmits the passage of light and diffusion of light causing sufficient diffusion to prevent perception of distinct images. Allowing light to pass through,
but only diffusely, so that objects on the other side cannot be clearly distinguished. i.e. opals and moonstones, some plastics.
Transparent
Transparent refers to a material that admits the passage of light without diffusing it, clear with a hint of color. i.e. emeralds, rubies, etc.
Vintage Bead
A bead which is no longer manufactured, too old to be contemporary, not old enough to be antique.
Vermeil
Gold chemically bonded onto silver, copper, or bronze. Allowing you to have the look of gold, at a fraction of the price.
Apple Juice
A translucent yellow golden plastic, or apple juice. i.e. The bangle reverse-carved
and painted in the areas that are carved.
Baguette
Rectangular or oblong length of cut for a diamond/stone or rhinestones.
Bail
A triangular piece that attaches a pendant to a necklace, to receive a chain.
Bangle Bracelet
A circular band decorative or plain, that slips over the hand.
Baroque
A term used in the jewelry trade to describe an irregular shaped stone.
Bar Booch/Pin
A long narrow slender shaped pin/brooch. Usually attached to clothing horizontally.
Barrel Clasp
A barrel shaped clasp made of two parts that screw together, usually used in necklaces.
Bib Necklace
A shorter necklace with multiple strands of ornaments hanging from the front.
Black Pearl
A variety of the Pearl, and is dark in color. Also known as black pearls are hemlite beads or glass rhinestone dark-gray in color.
Book chain
A type of chain linked by rectangular metal in the shape of books, flatter oblong or square links.
Bog Oak
Oak blackened wood, carved, and lighter in weight.
Briolette
A teardrop shaped bead, faceted on all sides. A type of pear-shaped cut.
C" catch
A simple "C-catch" with no locking mechanism, before the invention of safety catches. A device for securing a brooch/pin.
Cabochon
A stone that does not have facets.
Cartouche (Cartouch)
A figure often in the shape of an oval shield or oblong scroll, often to bear a design or inscription.
Center Stone
Usually the largest and most prominent stone in a cluster, or prominent eye catching section.
Chaton
A stone with a metal foil backing, which causes a reflection. The metal foil can be colored or the stone can be depending on the style of the jewelry and the stone.
Chip
An external blemish. Chips are usually caused by wear and age.
Choker
A shorter necklace that hugs the neck.
Clasp
The clasp is used to fasten the ends of a piece of jewelry together. The type of clasp can be used to help determine the age of a piece of antique jewelry or vintage
jewelry.
Claw Setting
A type of setting where multiple claws hold a stone into a setting. There usually is no metal underneath the stone.
Collet Setting
A very early method of setting gemstones or stones. A collet is a thin, round band of metal that goes all the way around the stone.
Curb Link
A type of chain where the links are oval, the links are twisted so the chain lies flat [still an open setting].
Cushion Cut
A square cut with rounded edges, like a cushion.
Damascening
An inlaying technique where a soft metal is inserted into a harder metal.
Demi-Parure
Two or more items of matching jewelry [not a complete Parure]. Matching not only in shape, design, and color, but matching in all or part of the stones. Example: the
bracelet may have small and large round stones, with marquis stones. The brooch may have small round stones with marquis stones.
- WARNING: Many sellers are calling jewelry a Demi-Parure when they match in color only. This is not a true Demi-Parure/Parure.
Diamante
di·a·man·té [ dee ə maan tày ] covered with imitation diamonds: decorated with colorless imitation gems rhinestones that look like diamonds
Dog Collar
Multiple stranded pearl necklace fitting closely around the neck.
Emboss
Emboss is a technique of creating a raised design, in which a design is raised slightly above the surface. It is the opposite process of engraving which the design is
impressed instead of raised.
Enamel
Enamel coloring is opaque. A material that is heated and placed on various ornaments to create a glassy look.
Engrave
The design is impressed instead of raised. The opposite process of Emboss.
Etruscan
A 19th-century Antique Revival jewelry.
Facet
Flat edges ground onto stones or beads, to create a more reflective surface.
Faux
A faux gem or faux stone is imitation.
Fish Hook
A hook or fish-hook shaped device for securing jewelry.
Fold-Over Clasp
A type of clasp that has a hinge that folds over, to secure a piece of jewelry.
Foilback
A method of coating the back of a stone or rhinestone, with gold, silver, or a colored foil.
Frensh Jet
Frequently carved, black glass [ pyrolusite glass] imitating real jet.
Gilt
Another term to describe gold-plated.
Gold Plated
An application of a thin layer of gold on its surface.
Hook Clasp
A hook type of clasp, to secure the jewelry.
Jump Ring
Wire split circles, used as connectors.
Lariat
A type of necklace made of a cord/chain that has two ends dangling from it.
Machine Stamping
The same technique as die stamping, making an impression on metal by pressing/stamping metal in between two dies.
Nacre
A thin layer adhered to imitation pearls, giving it a look of a real pearl. A substance that is secreted from a mollusk in order to protect itself from an intruder, like a grain
of sand.
Opalescent
Having a play of lustrous rainbow colors.
Opalite
A man-made opalized glass resin, fused with metal to create an opalescent effect [Fake opals].
Ovate
Oval, egg-shaped, ellipsoid
Opaque
Opaque is the opposite of transparent. Light cannot pass through an opaque material.
Parure
Term for several pieces of matching jewelry. Matching, not only in shape, design, color, but matching in stones. Example: the bracelet may have small and large round
stones, with marquis stones. The brooch may have small round stones with marquis stones.
- WARNING: Many sellers are calling jewelry a Demi-Parure when they match in color only. This is not a true Demi-Parure/Parure.
Pavé set
A time-consuming technique, in which the stones are set or paved closely together.
Patina
Patina is the word for the change that happens over time to metal as a result of age, wear, and oxidation. Synthetic patinas can be applied to substances to make a piece
of jewelry look antique or aged.
Pin
A pin is a brooch, or a piece of jewelry that attaches to clothing by piercing it with pointed metal rod.
Refraction
Moving the stone around, it emits refracted light off the facets. All materials refract light by altering its angles.
Repoussé
A decorative technique of producing relief raised decoration from a metal piece punching and/or hammering from the backside to produce a pattern or design on the
front side.
Rhinestone
A synthetic stone made of glass, a cheap version of a gemstone. To copy brilliance of precious gemstones, it is cut with facets.
Sautoir
A a long necklace with a pendant or a tassel dangling from it.
Safety Catch
Another latch to ensure that a piece of jewelry will not open and fall off. Added to a closure to prevent the opening of a clasp.
Safety Chain
A shortened chain sometimes placed on a piece of jewelry to ensure that it will not fall off.
Scatter Pin
A group of several small pins worn together, usually featuring flowers, birds and insects.
Serpentine chain
A series of small, flat s-shaped links, set very closely together and held in place by a second set of small, flat, s-shaped links.
Shank
Shank is the part of the ring that circles the finger, not including the setting.
Solitaire
A piece of jewelry that features a single stone. Popular as an engagement ring.
Table
The flat area on top of a cut gemstone.
Torsade
Multi stranded necklace that are twisted together.
Translucent
A material that transmits the passage of light and diffusion of light causing sufficient diffusion to prevent perception of distinct images. Allowing light to pass through,
but only diffusely, so that objects on the other side cannot be clearly distinguished. i.e. opals and moonstones, some plastics.
Transparent
Transparent refers to a material that admits the passage of light without diffusing it, clear with a hint of color. i.e. emeralds, rubies, etc.
Vintage Bead
A bead which is no longer manufactured, too old to be contemporary, not old enough to be antique.
Vermeil
Gold chemically bonded onto silver, copper, or bronze. Allowing you to have the look of gold, at a fraction of the price.
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