Jewelry Terms Glossary A-Z

Abalone - A type of sea snail (mollusk) with a shell that has an iridescent interior. Mother of pearl is made from abalone and is commonly used in jewelry.

Alpaca - An alloy metal made from approximately 60% copper, along with nickel, zinc & tin. Serves as a silver substitute.

Alloy - A mixture of two metals.


Amber - Hard substance made from fossilzed tree resin which is typically 30 - 90 million years old. Not a mineral but commonly called a gemstone in reference to jewelry. Has a rich gold or brown color & often contains small insects.

Amethyst - A violet or pale red-violet gemstone. Registers a 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. Birthstone for February.

Anchor - In early Christianity the anchor was used as a disguised cross and a symbol of hope. Also a symbol associated with sea faring and Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of seamen. An anchor with a broken chain is a symbol for the end of life.

Aquamarine - A blue semi-precious stone in the beryl family.


Art Deco - Decorative style popular from mid 1910s until mid 1930s, originating in Paris France. Characterized by geometric shapes, straight lines & angles, very few curves.

Art Nouveau - Syle popular from 1895 until mid 1920s. Characterized by curves & designs from nature. Includes floral designs, flowing forms, & long haired sensual women.

Arts & Crafts - Aristic movement & style popular from around 1890 to 1930. Promoted fulfillment through the creative process of handicrafts. Jewelry designs include enamel and hammered finishes & lots of cabochons.

Baguette - Small rectangular shaped faceted stones.

Bail - The small round finding attached to a piece of jewelry that allows it to hang from a chain.

Band - Ring that is the same size on all sides.


Beryl - Type of mineral stone that includes emeralds (when green) and aquamarine (when blue).

Bezel Setting - Setting that uses a band of metal around the outside of the stone to hold it in place. Sometimes referred to as a gypsy setting.

Bloodstone - The Original birthstone for March. Chalcedony quartz - green jasper stone with inclusions of red iron oxide. Primarliy found in India, also in Brazil, China & Australia. Believed to create harmony & balance.

Blue Topaz - Gemstone is sky blue color available in light, medium or intese tint. Rated 8 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness.

Brass - An alloy of copper & zinc. Generally brass used in jewelry is 80/90% copper and 10/20% zinc.

Bronze - An alloy of copper & tin. Sometimes in jewelry zinc is used instead of copper.

Cabochon - A stone that is flat on one side & has a rounded dome on the other, with no carvings or facets.

Cameo - A carved gemstone or shell in which the design is raised relief above the background of a different color.

CCairngorm - A variety of quartz crystal found in the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland. Typically a smokey yellow brown color, sometimes grayish brown. Used in Scottish jewelry and on kilt pins.

CCarat - Measure of weight used for gemstones. Equivalent to 200 mg or 1/5 g. Diamonds are defined by carat points, other gemstones by carat weight and mm.

Chalcedony - A variety of quartz found in a number of different colors. Includes agate, carnelian, chrysoprase, onyx.

CCarm Bracelet - An item of jewelry worn around the wrist. It carries personal charms: decorative pendants or trinkets which are signifiers of important things in the wearer's life. (personal note: really so much more than that).

CChrysoprase - A bright green apple translucent chalcedony found mainly in Australia. Has a bright even color and texture that lends itself to cabochons & carvings. Chrysoprase is the most valued variety of chalcedony.

Clarity - Clearness & absence of impurities in a gemstone.


C ultured Pearl - Pearl that is created within a mollusk by manually inserting an irritant. That is then surrounded by a pearl sublstance called nacre. Most pearls used in jewelry are cultured.

Damascene - A process of inlay whereby a soft metal is placed with a harder metal.

Dead Stone - a foil backed rhinestone that has lost it's shininess, usually when water has damaged the backing.

Demi-Parure - Matching set of jewelry including a necklace, earrings, and a pin.

Denim Lapis - A low grade of Lapis Lazuli.


Dentelle - rhinestones cut with 32 or 64 facets.


Diamond - Popular stone measures by 4 Cs - Cut, Clarity, Color, Carat. Extremely hard with a measurement of 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness.

Diamante - Another word for rhinestone.


Druze - a layer of crystals that form within a mineral crust.


Duettes - Sets of jewelry, popularized by the Coro and Trifari companies, having clips which attach to a pin base; they can be worn as a single pin or as two clips.

Edwardian - The period during the reign of Edward VII of England (1901-1910). In jewelry the style refers to the years of Queen Victoria's reign, from the late 1900's until shortly before World War I when the more geometric style of Art Deco began to make headway.

Electroplate - A process whereby metal is plated with gold. Eventually gold plating wears away, however it depends on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.

Emerald - Precious green stone that is part of the beryl family. The presence of flaws in emeralds is common and does not lower the value of the stone as much as other gemstones. Bright green stones with a slight blue cast are considered to be the most valuable. Most emeralds are mined in Columbia.

Enamel - A decorative technique in which a colored powdered glass "paste" is applied to the surface of a metal. The result may be translucent with fancy engraving on the metal underneath, which produces guilloche (ghee-YOSH) enamel.

Engrave - To decorate metal by inscribing or embellishing with a design using tools, stamping, or a drill. Many times an engraving is a dedication or monogram to identify a piece.

Etching - A process which produces design using acids to eat away at exposed metal creating high and low relief areas.

Etruscan - Jewelry characterized by intricate and ornate designs often in layers of filigree, and many times including precious gemstones.

Faceted - Flat polished surfaces cut on a gemstone or occurring naturally on a crystal.

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

Fetish - An amulet, pendant or charm often representing an animal or person.

Figural - Three dimensional jewelry designed to look like real objects, for example animals, flowers, or shells.

Filigree - Fine intricate, delicate, or fanciful patterns in metal. Often used for metal beads, clasps, and bead caps.

Findings - Parts that jewelers use in making jewelry. For example, clasps, hooks, pin backs, jump rings, and earring backs are findings.

Florentine - Brushed or matte brushed finish - typically on metal.


Fob - A short chain with a decorative seal or other device attached to the end.


Foilback - A method of coating the back of a stone with silver, gold, or colored foil, designed to enhance the brilliancy of the stone, by reflecting back as much light as possible. Commonly used in rhinestones for costume jewelry.

Freshwater Pearl - A pearl produced by a mollusk that inhabits freshwater, usually shaped like an uneven grain of rice.

Garnet - A semi precious stone that is generally red in color. Includes Bohemian Garnets, which were used extensively in Victorian turn of the century jewelry.

Gemstones - Precious and semi-precious stones used in jewelry. Examples include diamonds, emerald, agate, ruby tourmaline, blood stone, cat's eye, and many others.

German Silver - A metal alloy that consists of copper, nickel, and zinc. Invented in Germany in the 1860s as a substitute for silver.

Gold - A soft, yellow, corrosion-resistant element, which is a soft metal used as an international monetary standard, and in jewelry for decoration. The symbol for this element is Au. Gold is typically combined with other metals to strengthen it enough to be made into jewelry. In the U.S. gold is measured in Karats, which refers to the number of parts of pure gold per 24 in an alloy. For example 14Karats means 14/24 parts pure gold, or about 58%. In European countries it's common to mark gold with the number of parts per thousand. A piece marked 585 means 585 per 1000 parts gold, equivalent to U.S. 14K.

Gold Filled - Abbreviated G.F. Jewelry made with a thin layer of gold on top of base metal. To qualify as gold-filled a piece must be at least 1/20 Gold Fill, or 12kt. This means it's at least 1/20th gold and is layered with 12kt gold.

Gold Plated - A very thin layer of gold applied to base metal by means of electroplating. Usually wears much faster than gold filled jewelry. Many times gold plated jewelry is marked G.E.P.

Goldstone - Glittery translucent quartz spangled with bits of mica or other minerals.


Guilloche - Pronounced "gee-oh-SHAY". An process by which an enamel finish is applied over a carved metal surface.

Hair Jewelry - Jewelry made from the hair of a loved one, popularized in the 19th century when a deceased person's hair was preserved under glass brooches and worn in mourning.

Hallmark - A mark made in metal that indicates the purity of the metal and / or the manufacturer. A hallmark may also include the date or place made.

Hammered Metal - Jewelry that has been formed, shaped, or decorated using a metalworker's hammer, making the surface uneven.

Hardness - a term indicating the item's resistance to scratching using the Moh's Scale ranging from 1 (very soft) to 10 (very hard).

Heat Treatment - process of heating gemstones to a high temperature in order to enhance the color or clarity. For example, blue-green aquamarine becomes blue with heat treatment.

Heliotrope - A green stone with red highlights that is a type of chalcedony. Commonly known as bloodstone.

I. G. I. - International Gemological Institute (IGI) - the largest independent gem grading and appraisal institute in the world.

Inclusion - A solid, liquid, or gaseous particle of foreign matter within a mineral. These can decrease the value of a stone, however sometimes, as in the case of a star sapphire, the inclusion is prized.

Ingot - Metal cast into a bar or other shape.


Inlay - A decorative technique whereby stone or glass is embedded into another material creating a level surface.

Intaglio - A method of decoration in which a design is cut or carved into a surface. Intaglio is commonly used in seals that are dipped in wax to seal a letter or document. Another example of intaglio is a signet ring.

Iolite - A transparent violet-blue, light blue, or yellow-gray mineral. A single stone shows varying colors. Iolite has a hardness of 7 on the Moh's scale and is commonly found in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, and Madagascar.

Iridescent - Displaying many lustrous changing colors which is caused by reflecting light from the jewel.

Irradiation - The act of exposing stones to radiation to enhance their color. It blasts the stone with high energy gamma rays, thereby moving the electrons and changing the appearance. One method of irradiation changes clear topaz to a brilliant, non-fading blue.

Ivory - Elephant tusks that are carved into beautiful jewelry, trinkets, and piano keys. African elephant white ivory is the finest and Asian elephant ivory is yellower. Using ivory is now banned since elephants are in danger of going extinct.

Jade - A form of Jadite that is usually green but appears in many other colors and is often carved into gemstone shapes or cabochon.

Japanning - A jewelry finish that is finished with a black color.

Jasper - An opaque variety of Chalcedony that is found in all colors including red, yellow, brown, or green.

Jet - Fossilized coal that is formed into a lustrous black stone. The stone is typically cut into cabochon style gemstones and was often used in mourning jewelry. Generally mined in Europe.

Jelly Belly - Jewelry with a glass or lucite stone in the center. Typically used in costume jewelry.

Jewelry - Articles of personal adornment such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, and pins.


Jump Ring - A metal ring used to connect charms and pendants to bracelets or necklaces.

Karat - A measure used to convey how much of a piece of metal jewelry is gold and how much is alloy.

King Cut - A type of diamond cut with 86 facets that is used for large diamonds.

Knife Wire - A thin wire that holds a gemstone making it appear to float.

Knot - A flaw or mineral inclusion in a gemstone that shows up at the surface of a gem after polishing, creating a small raised bump on the finished gem.

Kunzite - A type of gemstone used in jewelry that has a lilac-pink color.

Lab Created - Synthetic gemstones created in a laboratory rather than in nature.

Lapidary - A person that cuts and polishes gemstones.

Lapis Lazuli - A rich blue opaque gemstone that contains the minerals calcite, pyrite, and sodalite.

Lariat - A necklace that is worn looped around the neck and tied into a knot instead of fastened with a clasp.

Lavaliere - Another name for pendant, an ornament worn around the neck on a chain.


Linde Star Sapphire - Synthetic star sapphires introduced by the Linde Air Products company in 1947.

Lobster Claw - A type of jewelry clasp used on a bracelet or necklace. Resembling a lobster's claw the "pincer" has an internal spring that opens and closes using a spring on the side of the clasp.

Locket - A hollow jewelry pendant that closes securely and can hold a picture, a loved one's hair, or other small mementos.

Loop - A type of jewelry finding that is circular and connects two separate parts.


Loupe - A small hand magnifying glass used to look closely at jewelry. Typically a jeweler will hold a loupe up to his eye and look for a flaw in a gemstone.

Love Knot - A piece of jewelry consisting of three rings intertwined together.


Luster - A gemstone's sheen or glow.

Mabe - A dome shaped stone, often cabochon cut, popularized in the 40s or 50s with cocktail style jewelry. Sometimes called mobe.

Mabe Pearl - An assembled pearl created by filling a hollow blister and then applying a mother-of-pearl back to complete the pearl.

Marquise - An oval stone which is pointed at both ends, also called navette. Also, a stone cut in a boat shape, pointed at both ends, with rounded sides.

Matte - A frosted, non-shiny surface effect commonly used in precious metal jewelry.


Melee Diamond - A term used for small brilliant-cut diamonds as well as all small diamonds that are used in embellishing mountings for larger gems.

Milgrain - Decorative raised bumps made in precious metals within a jewelry piece's design. Milgrain is done with a special engraver's tool.

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

Minerals - Inorganic, naturally occurring materials with a constant chemical composition and regular internal atomic structure.

Mohs Scale - A commonly used scale that compares mineral hardness, which was developed by Frederick Mohs in the early 1800s.

Moissanite - A man-made gemstone that closely resembles a diamond. It is only slightly less hard and can mimic almost all of the diamond's other qualities.

Mourning Jewelry - Jewelry worn in memory of the deceased. These commemorative pieces often featured amethyst, pearl, or diamond accents and were usually made from an affordable material like jet or black glass. Sometimes they were in the form of a locket in which a lock of the deceased person's hair was kept.

Nacre - The usually whitish crystalline substance which the mollusk secretes around a foreign "intruder" and which forms what we know as the pearl. Layers build up over time.

Navette - An oval stone which is pointed at both ends.

Near-Colorless - Diamonds with little or no color visible to the naked eye. Near-colorless diamonds are classified as G, H, I or J on the color scale.

Necklace - A form of jewelry worn around the neck.


Négligée - A flexible chain of beads, pearls, links of a precious metal, or rope-like strands, about 50 to 75 cm long, that is hung or looped around a woman's neck, having no clasp and usually terminating with tassels on each end.

Nephrite - Nephrite is a semi-precious stone, a variety of jade (sometimes called greenstone).

Nickel Silver - Nickel silver (also called German silver) is a white metal alloy of 70% copper, 20% zinc and 10% nickel. It contains no silver. Many people are allergic to nickel and because of this, the use of nickel silver in jewelry has been outlawed in some countries.

Niello - Niello is a black alloy of silver, copper, lead and sulphur. It is used to fill engraving, imparting an inlaid effect after the metal is fired and polished.

Obsidian - Volcanic glass that is usually black. Obsidian is formed when cools rapidly. Most obsidian is 70 percent silica. Obsidian has a hardness of 5 on the Mohs scale.

Onyx - A variety of chalcedony quartz. Black onyx may be opaque or translucenet and although it does occur naturally in black, it is usually dyed to darken its color. It has a hardness of between 6.5- 7 on the Mohs scale.

Opal - Semi-precious stones that are luminous and iridescent, frequently with inclusions of many colors. Opal is a mineral form of silica, with some water of hydration, found in many varieties and colors, including a form that is milky white.

Opalescence - Milky blue form of iridescence.


Opera Length - This term refers to a long necklace that is usually 24 to 36 inches in length. The term was coined as women flocked to the opera in long strands of pearls. Today the term can be used with any type of necklace.

Oriental Pearl - A natural pearl.


Oerlay - A decorative technique which involves two separate pieces of metal. Each piece, which is usually hammered flat, receives different treatments to produce the look. The top piece is sculpted or cut into a specific design and the bottom piece is darkened.

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

PParure - 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.

Pearl is a smooth luminous deposit that was formed from a foreign matter, like a grain of sand, entering an oyster or mollusk who then secretes nacre to coat the foreign matter with multiple layers creating a pearl.

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.

Platinum - Platinum is a strong metal that is white in color. It is heavier than gold, and holds stones well. Platinum is one of three precious metals including silver and gold.

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


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.

Princess cut has high brilliance and will not dull quickly.


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.

Quartz - A common mineral found all over the world. Varieties are agate, amethyst, adventurine, citrine, onyx, tiger's eye, and rose quartz, among others. Quartz measures 7. 0 on the Moh's scale of hardness.

Radiant Cut - A rectangular gemstone cut that has the facets and sparkle of brilliant cut round stones.

Repousse - The method of hammering designs onto the back of metal used in jewelry, causing raised relief on the front of the piece.

Retro - Chunky geometric jewelry, typically created in the 1940's from silver and vermeil, as other metals were scarce do to WWII.

Rhinestone - Glass stones made to sparkle like diamonds by using special cuts and metallic powder.

Rhodium - A white precious metal used to plate precious and base metals to give a platinum appearance.

Ring - An item of jewelry worn around the finger.


Rose Gold - A metal alloy consisting of copper and gold that has a pink tint.


Ruby - A precious red gemstone that is a member of the corundum mineral family.

Safety Catch - A type of clasp used for a brooch with a locking mechanism that is more secure than a standard C clasp.

Sapphire - A member of the corundum family of stones, the Sapphire is any corundum stone that is not red. The birthstone for September.

Sardonyx - An onyx stone that has alternating layers of sard and white chalcedony.

Satin Finish - Tiny parallel lines scratched onto a surface with a tool to produce a sheen texture.

Sautoir - A long neck chain, which falls below the waistline and holds a tassel or pendant.


Scarab - An ancient Egyptian fertility symbol resembling a dung beetle found in Egypt.


Scatter Pin - A small pin that is intended to be worn in a group with other scatter pins.


Screw Back - A type of earring attachment for non-pierced ears where the earring is tightened against the earlobe by means of a screw with a flat padded end.

Seed Pearl - A very small round pearl used in intricately woven jewelry. Commonly used during the early to mid Victorian period.

Semiprecious - A gemstone that is not one of the four precious stones, which are emerald, diamond, ruby, or sapphire.

Serpentine Chain - A jewelry chain made with small S-shaped links set very closely together.

Setting - The part of of jewelry that holds the stones.


Signet - A carved design that is usually worn as a ring. The design is typically a family crest or initial.

Silver Tone - Silver plated or coated metal used in jewelry, not sterling silver.


Slide - A charm or small jewelry ornament which slides onto a chain or fabric ribbon.


Smoky Quartz - A type of quartz that is brown and has a smoky appearance.


Soldering - A method of joining metal pieces together by melting a metal alloy at the joining point.

Solitaire - A single diamond or stone set by itself in mounting.


Spinel - A hard mineral containing iron and chromium, among other elements that is found in a variety of colors.

Split Ring - Small jewelry finding that resembles a key-ring.


Spring Ring Clasp - A finding used to join two ends of a chain. The mechanism consists of a hollow tube with a wire inside that can be pulled by a knob and springs into place when released.

Star Sapphires - Natural sapphires that have a centered star effect. Most star sapphires today are Linde stars which is a synthetic stone created in the 1960s.

Sterling Silver - 925 parts silver which is the legal standard.


Stick Pin - A pin with an ornament on the top worn vertically on a scarf, tie, or lapel.

Tahitian Pearl - A dark colored pearl, often black grown in large black oysters found in Indonesia.

Tarnish - A dulled metal finish that is caused by a reaction of chemicals, usually sulfur.

Tassel - A bundle of threads bound at one end and loosely hung as an ornament.

Taxco - A town in Mexico which is the center of silversmithing in the country. Taxco silver made prior to 1970 is considered collectible. After 1979 silver made here is required to be stamped with a mark of two letters and several numbers

Tennis bracelet - Bracelet made up of individually set gemstones of uniform size and color linked together like a chain so it is flexible.

Tension setting - A gemstone that is held in place by the pressure of the band's metal, which is designed to "squeeze" the stone.

Thermoset Plastic - a hard substance that can't be melted by reheating. Bakelite is a form of thermoset.

Tiger's Eye - a yellow-brown gemstone that has bands of color. Usually set as a cabochon in jewelry to highlight the light reflected in the bands.

Tiffany Setting - A round and elevated jewelry setting with six long slender prongs that flare from the base. Typically used for large solitaire stones.

Toggle clasp - A type of chain closure that consists of a bar and a large round ring.


Topaz - A hard gemstone that ranges in color from brown to yellow, blue and pink. Imperial topaz is the most valuable and is a golden-orange yellow color.

Tortoise Shell - A mottled brown shell material with a spotted, striped, or sometimes even speckled pattern.

Tourmaliine - A gemstone that has the largest color range of any gemstone. Lighter colors are more valuable.

Tremblant - Jewelry set on stiff wires that move in a trembling motion.


Trifari- A jewelry manufacturing company that produces high quality designer pieces. Trifari is famous for its costume jewelry designed by Alfred Philippe in the mid 20th century.

Trillion shape - A triangular-shaped diamond with 50 facets. Trillions are commonly used as side-stones.

Troy Weight - A unit of measure to weigh silver and gold.


Tassel - A bundle of threads bound at one end and loosely hung as an ornament.


Turquoise - A semi-precious gemstone found in desert areas. Its color varies from sky blue to almost green.

Tutti Frutti - Jewelry set with multi colored gems carved in shapes of leaves, flowers and berries and often in a basket design. Most often used in costume jewelry.

Ultrasonic Cleaner - A machine used to clean jewelry using the energy released from millions of microscopic cavitation bubbles. The bubbles are formed when ultrasound passes through the cleaning liquid.

Urea Bakelite - A type of thermoset plastic.


Untreated - A gemstone that has received no unnatural chemical or physical changes

Vendome - A high end costume jewelry maker that was a subsidiary of the Coro company from 1944 to the 1960s.

Vermeil - Gold-plated silver metal jewelry, different from basic gold plated jewelry, which is base metal plated with gold.

Victorian Era - The period time when Queen Victoria was the ruler of Great Britain, from 1837 - 1901.

Vitreous - Any gem that has a glass-like luster.


V-Prong Setting - A jewelry setting that holds a gemstone in place with V-shaped prongs.

Vulcanite - Hard black plastic used to make Victorian memorial jewelry, combs, ornaments, and buttons.

Wax Pearls - Hollow glass beads filled with wax to resemble pearls.


Weiss - A company that manufactured high quality costume jewelry from the 1940's to the 1970's. Weiss jewelry is often studded with Austrian rhinestones and is collectible today.

White Gold - Gold that includes a mix of nickel, zinc, copper, tin, and manganese. The tone is whiter than sterling silver. Sometimes plated with rhodium, this gold was created in the 1940s to resemble platinum which was only used for military applications at the time.

Xyloid Jasper - Wood that has fossilized, making a stone-like replica of the original wood.

Y necklace - A style of necklace that gets its name from its shape which features a dangle forming a Y-shape around the neck. A Y necklace is usually 16"-18" long

YGF - An abbreviation for yellow gold filled.


Yellow gold - The most popular commercial jewelry gold made up of gold, silver, copper, and often zinc.

Zinc - A bluish-white metal that is used to from such such alloys as Brass, Bronze, and Nickel Silver.

Zircon - A very common mineral which occurs naturally in clear, yellow, brown, orange and reddish-brown colors. Zircon is frequently heated to enhance it's color for jewelry purposes.

Zoisite - A natural stone of deep green with black inclusions and an occasional natural ruby crystal.