Here are some commonly used Jewellery terms and their meanings
ALLOY
An alloy is a combination of two or more metals. Common alloys used in jewellery are: gold (mixed with silver, copper, and/or other metals), sterling silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper), brass (roughly half copper, half zinc), bronze (at least 60% copper with tin and perhaps other metals), and pewter (tin, lead, antimony, and a bit of silver or copper).
ANODIZED
Anodized metal has been through an electrochemical process which changes the structure of the surface layer, giving it a thin, protective film. Aluminium is often anodized, as is magnesium, titanium, and tantalum. Anodized metal has a lustrous sheen; the anodizing process can produce colourful surfaces. The Michael Peckitt jewellery we sell is Anodized Aluminium.
ART DECO
Art Deco was a style popular from the mid 1920's until the 1930's. This style originated in Paris, France. Art Deco pieces are characterized by geometric lines and angles, with very few curves.
ART NOUVEAU
Art Nouveau was a style popular from roughly 1895 until World War I. Art Nouveau pieces are characterized by curves and naturalistic designs, especially depicting long-haired, sensual women. Louis Comfort Tiffany made distinctive Art Nouveau pieces.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
Arts and Crafts was an artistic movement that produced hand-crafted pieces toward the end of the 1800's. Pieces purposely look hand-made, incorporating hammer marks and simple cabochon settings. The Arts and Crafts movement also revived the art of enamel. Simpson.
ASSAY
An assay is a test of the purity of an alloy. A tiny piece of metal is scraped from the piece and the percentage of gold or silver is determined. Official assay offices determine whether a piece qualifies for an appropriate hallmark. In the UK this process is done independently so you can guarantee the quality of the metal is what the hallmark shows.
BANGLE
A bangle is a stiff bracelet. Some bangles have a hinge; others are solid and must be slipped over the hand.
BARREL CLASP
A barrel clasp is a jewellery fastener that resembles a barrel. The two pieces of this clasp screw together. It is used to attach two other rings or links of a necklace or bracelet.
BASE METAL
Base metal refers to non-precious metals. Base metals include copper, zinc, tin, and lead.
BEZEL SETTING
A bezel setting is a way of setting a stone in which the stone is held by a band of metal around the outside of the stone (also known as a rubbed over setting).
BOLT RING
A bolt ring is a hollow circular metal fastening ring with a spring opening. It is used to attach two other rings or links of a necklace or bracelet. Jewellery made before 1900 will not have this type of fastener.
BRACELET
A bracelet is an ornament worn wrapped around the wrist. Types of bracelets include solid and hinged bangles, expanding, cuff, beaded, charm, spiral and link bracelets.
CASTING
Casting is the process in which metal is shaped by melting it and pouring it into a mould. This process has been used for thousands of years. Moulds are made from many materials, including plaster compounds. Some different methods of casting include the lost wax process, centrifugal (or investment) casting, and sand casting.
CATHEDRAL SETTING
A cathedral ring setting is a simple band that arches when seen from the side (like the arches of a cathedral).
CHANNEL SET
Channel set jewels rest in a metal channel, held in only by a slight rim which runs along the edges of the channel. Channel set jewels are usually round or baguette shaped.
CHARM
Charms are tiny ornaments that are worn on bracelets and necklaces. This idea has now been updated with Links of London and Pandora Jewellery.
CLADDAGH RING
A claddagh ring is an Irish ring that depicts two hands clasped around a heart with a crown above. If the heart points towards another person it shows the wearer is looking for love and if it points towards the wearer it shows their heart is taken already.
CLASP
A clasp is a fastener that can open and close, attaching two things together (for example, the two ends of a necklace, or a pin to a garment). Commonly used clasps include bolt rings, lobster claw or carabinas , the box clasp, barrel clasps and fold over catches.
CLAW SETTING
A claw setting is one in which a series of metal prongs (called claws) holds a stone securely in a setting (the claws grips the stone just above the girdle of the stone), with no metal directly under the stone (it is an open setting). This setting lets light in under the stone, so this type of setting is usually used for transparent, faceted stones such as Diamond.
CLOSED SETTING
A closed setting is one in which the back of the stone is not exposed (the metal is not cut away behind the stone).
CLUSTER SETTING
A cluster setting is one in which small stones or pearls are set around a larger stone.
COLLET SETTING
A collet setting is a very early method of setting gemstones. A collet is a thin, round band of metal that goes all around the stone. One edge of the metal is crimped over the edges of the stone and the other edge is soldered to the metal of the jewellery, holding the stone in place.
COPPER
Copper is a soft metal often used in jewellery. It is used in making bronze, brass, and gold alloys.
CORONET SETTING
A coronet setting is one in which the stone is held in by many metal claws around a metal ring.
CUFFLINKS
Cufflinks are men's jewellery that close the buttonholes of the cuff of a long-sleeved shirt. Some cufflinks are basically two button-like objects connected by a chain Another type of cufflink has a decorative button attached to a stick whose end swivels out to form a T-shape that goes through the buttonhole. Cufflinks were first worn in the 1800's.
EDWARDIAN PERIOD
The Edwardian period was the time of the reign of Edward VII of England (1901-1910). Edwardian jewellery is delicate and elegant. Edwardian designs frequently use bows and filigrees. Pearls and diamonds were also frequently used.
ETERNITY RING
An eternity ring is a narrow ring with gemstones set all around it (called a Full Eternity Ring) or halfway round (Half Eternity).
FILIGREE
Filigree is gold or silver wire that have been twisted into patterns and soldered into place. Openwork filigree is not soldered onto a sheet of metal and is difficult to make. Imitation filigree is made of stamped metal.
FINDINGS
Findings are the parts that jewellers use in making jewellery. For example, clasps, hooks, pin backs, jump rings, and earring backs are findings.
FINENESS
Fineness is the proportion of silver or gold in a metal alloy. Fineness is usually expressed in parts per thousand. For example, the fineness of sterling silver is 925.
GALLERY
A gallery is a strip of metal that is perforated with a decorative pattern. Open galleries can be adapted by jewellers to use as a ready-made claw setting for gemstones.
GYPSY SETTING
The gypsy setting is a recessed setting in which the stone is sunk into the metal. There are often engraved designs around the stone (especially star patterns). This type of setting was developed in the late 1800's and was often used for rings. The gypsy setting is also known as the "star setting."
GOLD PLATED
Gold-plated metal has a very thin layer of gold on the surface, usually applied by the process of electroplating. This involves putting the item in a chemical bath into which gold is dissolved and using electricity and heat attaches itself to the item. Depending on the length of time the item is left in the solution, different thicknesses can be achieved. The thickness of the plating is measured in microns. One micron should give approximately one year of daily wear.
HALLMARK
A hallmark is an official mark (or a series of marks) made in metal that indicates the fineness of the metal and the manufacturer's mark. For example, a hallmark of 375 indicates 375 parts of gold per 1000 weight. Other hallmarks indicate the maker of the piece and sometimes the year of manufacture.
HAMMERED METAL
Hammered metals have been formed, shaped, or decorated by a metalworker's hammer. The surface of hammered metal is covered with crater-like depressions made by a hammer. Many hammered metals are used in jewellery including gold, silver, brass, aluminium, etc.
JUMP RING
A jump ring is a circular metal ring with an opening. It is used to attach two other rings or links, and is then soldered or pressed shut. It is used to attach two other rings or links of a necklace or bracelet.
LOBSTER CLAW CLASP
A lobster claw clasp is a jewellery fastener that resembles the claw of a lobster. A tiny spring keeps the arm of this clasp closed.
MILLEGRAIN
A millegrain (or millegrain setting) is a setting in which the stone is secured by tiny beads [grains] of metal or a band of metal that is decorated with tiny beads of metal.
NECKLACE
A necklace is a piece of jewellery worn around the neck. Necklaces of pearls of different lengths have different names: A choker is 14" to 16" long; a princess necklace is 18" long; a matinee necklace is 22" to 23" long; opera is 30" to 35" long; a rope is over 40 " long.
PALLADIUM
Palladium is a valuable, durable, and malleable light-gray metal used in some jewellery; it is related to platinum, but is less dense and has a lower melting point. Unlike platinum, palladium reacts when exposed to aqua regia, sulphuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids. It also develops a tarnish when it is heated. Palladium is not a shiny as platinum. Palladium was only isolated as an element in 1802 by William Hyde Wollaston and Smithson Tennant. It was first used in jewellery in 1939 (during World War 2, platinum was used for war purposes, and was not available for jewellery making - palladium was temporarily used as a substitute for platinum). White gold is sometimes alloyed with palladium (instead of nickel), resulting in a gray-white gold. After World War 2, palladium was rarely used in jewellery making because of some difficulties in working with it. Palladium was recently discovered to be useful in engine catalytic converters, and its price skyrocketed to over $700 per ounce (it had previously been much less expensive than platinum or gold).
PAVÉ
Pavé settings are stones set very close together. The stones hide the underlying surface. In better pieces, claw settings are used; in less expensive pieces, the stones are simple glued in.
PENDANT
A pendant is a hanging ornament. Necklaces, pins, and earrings often have a pendant.
PEWTER
Pewter is an metal alloy that is composed mostly of tin combined with antimony, bismuth, copper, and/or silver (the formulation varies quite a bit). When pewter is polished it has a silvery lustre. Most pewter is over 90 percent tin. Pewter is a soft alloy that is worked by casting, hammering, or turning.
PLATINUM
Platinum is a very strong, dense precious metal with a white colour. Platinum jewellery is usually 90%-95% pure, is very sturdy, and holds stones well; to strengthen the metal and increase the workability of the platinum, platinum is usually alloyed with 5 to 10 percent of another platinum group metal (like ruthenium, palladium, or iridium) and/or cobalt. Platinum is 60% heavier than gold. Platinum was only discovered in the 1700's in Russia. Platinum is abbreviated Pt. and Plat.
PLATINUM GROUP METALS
The Platinum Group Metals (abbreviated PGM) are the precious metals platinum, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, and osmium. They are all rare (platinum and palladium are the most common) and expensive; they are also often found together in nature.
RHODIUM
Rhodium is a white precious metal. Rhodium is extremely expensive and is often used to plate precious and base metals, giving jewellery a hard, platinum-like sheen.
RING
A ring is a piece of jewellery worn around the finger; rings have been worn on every finger, including the thumb. Rings have been worn through the ages, and often have significant meaning. Some rings include wedding and engagement rings (denoting commitment), signet rings (impressed with the owner's seal), bands (made from a ribbon of metal), rings denoting group membership (like Masonic rings or college rings), devotional rings (with religious meaning), and pugilist rings (pointed rings worn by boxers to harm their opponent).
ROLLED GOLD
Rolled gold is 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 jewellery or other objects. Jewellery made from rolled gold wears well over time. Rolled gold pieces are marked rolled gold, R.G.P and sometimes have a fraction stamped on showing the thickness of the gold layer.
SAFETY CATCH
A safety catch is a secondary closure (usually on a fine bracelet or necklace) that is used in case the primary clasp opens, preventing the loss of the jewellery. It is often a hinged, snapping loop that is permanently attached to one side of the clasp (often a box clasp), and, when the bracelet is closed, snaps onto the other side of the clasp.
SAFETY CHAIN
A safety chain is a secondary closure (usually on a fine bracelet or watch) that is used in case the primary clasp opens, preventing the loss of the bracelet. It is usually a chain that is permanently attached to one side of the bracelet, and attaches to the other side with a bolt ring clasp (or other type of clasp).
SAFETY CLASP
A safety clasp is a secure type of closure on a piece of jewellery. The term safety catch is used for a variety of these closures. On pins and brooches, a safety clasp often refers to a long pin on a hinge that can be held or released with a secure clasp (often a rotating circle within a circle).
SETTING
A setting is a method of securing a stone (or other ornament) in a piece of jewellery (or other object). There are many different types of settings, including the collet (a strip of metal surrounding the stone), the claw setting (in which prongs of metal hold the stone in place), Tiffany (a high six-pronged setting), the cut-down setting (metal is worked around the edge of the gem, reinforced with metal ridges), pavé-set stones (stones set close together, showing no metal between them), millegrain (the stone is secured by small beads [grains] of metal), gipsy setting (with a recessed stone), and many other types (including combinations of the above-mentioned methods). Some settings are closed (there is metal behind the stone), while others are open (there is no metal behind the stone), letting light shine through the stone.
SHANK
The shank is the part of a ring that encircles the finger.
SIGNET RING
A signet ring is a ring that was used as a means of identification for relatively important people. The signet ring was engraved with a symbol (a coat of arms or initials) identifying a particular person. Some signet rings also had intaglio-carved seals. The earliest-known signet rings date from ancient Egypt, thousands of years ago.
SLEEPER
A sleeper is a small hoop-earring made of gold that is used to keep the hole in a pierced ear open.
SPLIT RING
A tightly-coiled ring used as an jewellery finding; it can attach charms to a charm bracelet or a clasp to a necklace or bracelet (it is like a miniature version of a keychain).
TENNIS BRACELET
A tennis bracelet is a simple, flexible, in-line diamond bracelet. The name tennis bracelet was first used when the great tennis player Chris Evert dropped a diamond bracelet during a tennis match in the summer of 1987 (at the US Open Tennis Tournament). She had to stop the match until she found her bracelet. Since then, that style of bracelet has been called a tennis bracelet.
TIE BAR OR SLIDE
A tie bar is a piece of men's jewellery used to secure a necktie. A tie bar usually has a decorative, bar-shaped front, and a clip on the back that grasps the two parts of the tie.
TIFFANY SETTING
The Tiffany setting is a ring with a high, six-pronged solitaire diamond on a simple circular band. This design was introduced by Tiffany & Co. in 1886.
TORQUE
A torque (also spelled torc) is a necklace that consists of a narrow, twisted band made of metal. This type of ornament was worn by the ancient Celts, Britons, and Gauls.
VICTORIAN ERA
The Victorian era was the time when Queen Victoria ruled Great Britain (1837-1901). Many different styles of jewellery developed during this era.
