Georgian Period (1760-1837)- The Georgian period placed a high emphasis on diamonds . All jewellery during this era was handmade, and the motifs derived from nature included leaves, plumage, wheat, flowers , insects, birds and feathers . The artisans of this era followed the architectural and interior designs of the French Rococo style . Engraved gemstones, intaglios, cameos, garnets, turquoise, amethyst, citrine and pearls were very popular.
Victorian Period (1835-1900)- The Victorian era is oftentimes split into three periods. The Romantic period, 1837-1860, is characterized by yellow gold , filigree work, and the specific symbolism of gems and flowers. During the Grand period, 1861-1879, jewelry styles were influenced by the heavy trading England did with other countries such as China and India. Cameos and mosaics surged in popularity. It was named the Grand period because of the grand designs, stones, and settings used. Great archaeological discoveries inspired a revival of Etruscan, Egyptian, Classical, Architectural and Renaissance styles. The late Victorians in the Aesthetic period particularly fancied miniature creatures like dragons, often wrapped sinuously around a pearl .
Arts and Crafts Period (1894-1923)-Arts and Crafts jewelers rebelled against the mass production brought on by the Industrial Revolution. They formed the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society in 1888. These jewelers were opposed to any specialization of their craft. They worked mainly in silver using uncut and cabochon stones. Color was very important and many pieces were brightly colored.
Art Nouveau Period (1890-1919)- Art Nouveau jewelers developed the themes of whimsical creatures of fancy and took them to new heights. Exotic flowers, dragonflies, natural sinuous forms, and the female form set amidst a garden were especially popular. The Art Nouveau trend was not limited to the jewellery industry, but was paralleled by literature, architecture, and crafts. A growing interest in mysticism among the public influenced jewelry manufacturer ' s use of gemstones such as opal and moonstone. The artisans experimented with new designs and new materials, like baroque pearls, ivory, copper, and tortoise shell. Enameling became a technique used to create unique pieces of wearable art; with specific enameling techniques such as cloisonne , guilloche and basse-taille.
Edwardian Period (1901-1919)- The Edwardian style, typically in white gold or platinum, placed emphasis on superior craftsmanship and metal working. Invisible platinum settings were very in vogue, as they tended to enhance the brilliance of the stones. One particular setting, called a m ilgrained or millegrained setting, employed thin bands of platinum , or white gold , to hold diamonds that were coated or textured with tiny beads. Platinum was extremely strong and versatile, so these open designs of tiny gems and metalwork created the illusion of handmade lace. Stone cutting in particular made great advancements, and subsequently , a multitude of smaller diamonds could be included in a single piece. The delicate, subdued style also leant itself to pendants: one style called the "Negligee" had two separate drops of differing lengths suspended from a single chain or gem.
Art Deco Period (1920-1935 )- The introduction of Cubism in the world of fine arts brought strong geometric forms, angular patterns, and strong colors into the jewelry designer's vocabulary. Platinum and diamonds, often pave set, employed with other gemstones (rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and onxy) were used in bold, contrasting combinations. Stones were cut into triangles, pentagons, trapezoids, oblongs and emerald-cuts. Carved jade and coral, as well as carved rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, indicate the Asian and Indian influence at this time. Decadence, liberation, and style w as reflected in the flapper attire of the Jazz Age .
Retro Period (1935-1955) - A recent designation for the period (primarily in the forties) when large scale, stylized geometric forms were the rage. Even before World War II, jewelry was changing. The most obvious change was in the color of gold. After nearly 50 years, tastes were moving from white gold back to yellow gold. Government restrictions on metals during the war only reinforced both the change and the introduction of rose gold in jewelry. Rose (pink) gold, set with colored stones, sometimes in floral forms was common. The Retro look was an infusion of old and new -- utilizing the curves of Art Nouveau with the clean simple look of Art Deco, but in a scale not seen before. Big is beautiful when it comes to describing jewelry of the Retro period. Gem material included large aquamarines, citrines and amethysts. Because of the war, synthetic rubies are often found in rose gold jewelry. Virtually identical to naturally grown rubies, synthetic rubies must be distinguished from natural by trained gemologists. Jewelry motifs during this period include bows, ribbons, flowers, birds, patriotic themes, clips, large floral sprays and suites of jewelry.
Modernist Period (1940-1960)- Mainly a post-World War II movement, the Modernist period was a revival of many aims of the Arts and Crafts movement. Emphasis was on hand-crafting and mass production was rejected. Silver was the metal mainly used, along with bronze and copper. Many of the studio jewelers began as sculptors or painters and drew their influence from the fine arts movements such as the German Bauhaus, Cubism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.
Articulated: Jewelry constructed with flexible parts that hinge and move.
Asscher Cut: A predecessor of the emerald cut, it is square and has larger steps than the emerald cut.
A TW: The approximate total weight, in carats, of a gemstone.
Aurora Borealis: In costume jewelry, a term for crystal stones with a highly iridescent surface. In 1955, Swarovski, in association with Dior , c reated a process for applying a thin deposit of metallic atoms on t o the surface of rhinestones to creates this effect.
Bakelite: Also called catalin. Invented by Leo Baekeland in 1909, bakelite is a synthetic resin made from carbolic acid and formaldehyde. It can be molded, extruded, carved, and inlaid. It was used extensively in the 1930s as an inexpensive jewelry alternative during the U.S. Great Depression. When rubbed, it can have a sharp formaldehyde odor.
Baguette : A narrow, rectangular-shaped stone , usually diamond.
Bangle : A rigid bracelet in the form of a circle or hinged oval.
Bar Brooch : A long, narrow brooch usually set with gemstones or pearls, and worn horizontally.
Bezel Setting : Method of holding a stone in a mounting by bending and burnishing a narrow rim of metal over the girdle of the stone, forming a setting.
Bloomed Gold : The textured, slightly matte appearance of antique gold jewelry originally produced by immersing the finished article in an acid bath. The piece appears to have a higher gold content by removing base metal with the acid.
Bombé : Dome-shaped setting often seen in rings and earrings from the 1940s and 1950s .
Birthstone : A gemstone designated by c ustom, religious tradition, and superstition as being related to the month of one's birth. Pagan legends, mingled with Christian and Jewish traditions, led to the association of certain stones with different months. In the 18th century the relationship of stones with months was popularized but it was based mainly on the colours of the stones. Owing to the fact that several stones have the same colours, confusion resulted, so that in 1937 the National Association of Goldsmiths of Great Britain established a uniform list (with some alternatives for the more costly stones) and this list has been recognized throughout the British Commonwealth and the United States as follows:
January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine (bloodstone)
April - Diamond (rock crystal)
May - Emerald (chrysoprase)
June - Pearl (moonstone)
July - Ruby (cornelian or onyx )
August - Peridot (sardonyx)
September - Sapphire (lapis lazuli)
October - Opal (tourmaline)
November -Topaz (citrine)
December - Turquoise
Brilliant Cut : A modern diamond cut with 56 facets, which returns the most amount of light to the viewer; often called a round cut.
Briolette : A style of cutting a gemstone that uses triangular facets to achieve a teardrop or elongated pendant shape.
Brooch: Another name for pin from the French word broche.
Cabochon : A method of cutting a gemstone without facets that produces a rounded, reflective surface .
Calibré Cut : Usually smaller stones cut in an oblong shape and set close together.
Cameo : A relief carving in which material is cut away to reveal a design, often against a contrasting background. Frequently made of shell or coral, but also hardstone cameos, such as agate or onyx, which are more costly. Most cameos are of female subjects, although many different styles can be found.
Cannetille : A type of wirework decoration popular during the early 19th century, which uses coiled and twisted gold wire to achieve a delicate and scrolling effect.
Carat : The basic unit of weight for a gemstone.
Celluloid: Generally thought to be the earliest thermoplastic, created circa 1870 from nitrocellulose, camphor, and dyes, it's thought to have been first used as an ivory replacement. It was easily molded and shaped, but highly flammable and fragile. It reached its peak of production around the turn of the century when items like knife handles, fountain pen bodies, collars and cuffs, toys, dresser sets and jewelry were turned out in celluloid. Also called French ivory, Ivoride, Ivorine, Ivorite, and Pyralin.
Celtic Revival : A term that describes jewelry made during the mid-nineteenth century that reflects the archeological styles of early Ireland.
Champleve: A k ind of enameling where the decoration is made of lines cut into a design, then filled with enamel and fired .
Chandelier E arrings: An earring with a drop suspended like a chandelier .
Chatelaine: An ornamental chain or pin usually worn at a woman's waist to which keys, trinkets, scissors and purse are attached.
Chaton: R hinestone with a reflective metallic foil backing.
Choker: A necklace worn closely around the neck , generally measures 14 to 16" long.
Chrome: A hard gray ish- white metal resistant to corrosion , commonly used as a mirror-like plating for objects .
Claw Setting : A style of setting a gem that uses small prongs to surround and secure a stone in its mount.
Cloisonné: Design is first outlined on metal plate with bent wires or strips, then filled with enamel and fired .
Cluster E arring: Decorative combination of glass and/or metal beads and stones .
Cluster Ring : A ring featuring a central gemstone surrounded by a number of smaller stones.
Cocktail R ing : A style of ring popular during the 1940s and 1950s characterized by its large and often stylized form.
Collet S etting : A style of setting that uses a thin band of metal to surround and then bend over the girdle of a gemstone to secure it.
Cuff B racelet: A rather w ide , rigid bangle with a small opening on one side to allow slipping over the wrist.
Culet : T he small facet at the base of the pavilion of a brilliant cut stone parallel to the table facet. Its main function is to prevent splintering but it is often omitted in modern cut stones.
Cushion Cut : A rectangular or square stone with rounded corners.
Damascening : The technique of decorating a hard metal (like steel) with a n inlaid pattern in a soft metal (like gold, silver or copper. ) The name comes from the city of Damascus, where this technique was first used. Today Toledo, Spain and Amita, Japan are damascene centers.
Demi Parure: Two or three matching pieces of jewelry, usually consisting of earring, pin, bracelet or necklace .
Depose: The French rights or patent granted for an exclusive design.
Diadem: A semi - circular jeweled hair ornament (tiara) .
Diamante: Rhinestone or strass .
Dog Collar: A wide necklace worn tightly around the neck , generally measures 12 to 13" long. Often consists of multi parallel strands of beads, pearls , diamonds and platinum . An accessory most associated with the late Victorian and Edwardian periods.
Dress Clip : A style of brooch popular during the 1930s and 1940s that uses a hinged clip or two-pronged pin to fasten the article to clothing. They were often made in pairs.
Dress Set : A suite of gentleman's jewelry worn with evening dress and composed of cufflinks, shirt studs, and sometimes vest buttons.
En Tremblant : A moveable, trembling effect often found in antique brooches or hair ornaments. It is generally achieved through the use of coiled springs of metal mounted to the brooch fitting.
Egyptian Revival : Jewelry made in the 19th century that evokes the feeling of ancient Egypt in its use of styles, symbols, and motifs .
Emerald Cut : A stone cut , often described as table-cut or step-cut, that produces a rectangular gemstone with chamfered corners and stepped facets, typically parallel to the girdle. This cut is also used for precious stones other than emeralds.
Enameling : A decorative technique in which a vitreous pigment of metallic oxide is mixed with finely powdered glass and then fixed to a base of gold, silver, or copper. The term may also refer to painted enamels.
Estate Jewelry : Jewelry from the twentieth century that has been previously owned. In current usage the term does not necessarily refer to jewelry that has come from an estate.
Eternity Ring : A band set with a continuous line of gemstones that encircle the entire finger.
Etruscan Revival : A commanding style of 19th century gold jewelry that drew its inspiration from the archeological discoveries at Herculaneum and Pompeii.
Facet: One of the small plane surfaces made on a stone by cutting .
Fantasy Cut: Stones cut in fancy shapes .
Filigree : A style of twisting and soldering fine gold or silver wire to achieve a highly decorative effect. Openwork filigree is challenging to make. Filigree is imitated by stamped metal.
Finding: A f unctional jewelry part such as a clasp .
Foil: A thin sheet of metal placed behind a crystal or glass stone to enhance, brighten or darken the color . This technique is associated with jewelry of previous centuries. Sometimes the stones were coated with gold, silver or mercury to the same affect. Moisture can damage the foil and make the stones appear "dead."
Gallery : A type of mounting with a pierced, openwork design.
Garland Style : An early 20th century jewelry style characterized by lightness and delicacy that employed motifs such as garlands, ribbon bows, swags, and tassels; made possible by the introduction of platinum.
Girandôle : A style of earring or brooch in which a large stone or decorative element suspends three smaller pear-shaped pendants of similar design.
Granulation : An ancient jewelry technique in which the minute granules or grains of metal are applied to the surface of a piece of jewelry to form a decorative pattern; often used in Etruscan Revival jewelry.
Guilloché : A style of enameling in which a continuous, engraved decoration is first created by an engine-turned lathe, and then covered with translucent enamel.
Gypsy Setting : A setting in which the top of the gemstone is virtually flush with the surface of the mount.
Half-hoop : A style of bangle or ring in which half of the circumference of the piece is set with stones.
Hallmark : The mark(s) stamped on a piece of jewelry that may indicate the purity of the metal, the maker, the country of manufacture, and/or the date that the piece was assayed or had its design registered.
Hardstone : A general term used to refer to any opaque stone used in making cameos, intaglios or mosaics, e.g. onyx, carnelian, agate, etc.
Intaglio : A design that is engraved or carved into a metal or stone so that it sits below the surface plane of the material; the opposite of a cameo.
Invisible setting : A method of gem setting in which stones are held in place by an imperceptible track so that no metal is visible from the top.
Jabot Pin : A type of brooch with a central pin that joins two jeweled terminals.
Knife Wire : A thin, almost invisible, wire holding a gemstone, making the stone appear to float.
Lariat: A necklace with an open end held together by a flexible jewelry drop or ring .
Lavalier : A type of necklace from which two pendants of unequal length are suspended; sometimes referred to as a negligee pendant.
Maltese Cross: A cross with 4 arms of equal length .
Matinee Length: Refers to a necklace length of 20 to 24".
Micromosaic: A term coined by A rthur Gilbert to refer to Roman mosaics with the smallest tesserae (minute slices of colored glass) up to an incredible 1500 per square inch, set into a mastic bed . W orkshops in Rome sold these as souvenir pieces mounted in jewelry or objects d'art. Older pieces are more intricate and generally of better workmanship.
Millegrain Setting : A type of setting developed in the 19th century and used widely in the early 20th century, in which the stone is secured by tiny beads of metal , or a band of metal that is decorated with tiny beads of metal.
Mourning Jewelry . Jewelry worn to commemorate the death of a loved one, usually in the form of a ring, brooch, or necklace; widely worn during the Victorian era when the death of Prince Albert plunged Queen Victoria into a 40 year period of mourning.
Muff Chain : A long chain with a clasp that opens to allow a lady's fur muff to be suspended from the chain when closed.
Neoclassical : A design style that employs motifs inspired by classical antiquity, e.g. urns, garlands, Greek key, palmette.
Niello: This is an ancient technique in which a powder alloy of silver, copper, lead and sulphur fills an engraved design, and is then fused by kiln firing. The result is then polished to an enamel-like finish. In modern pieces, the niello alloy is simply painted on metal, which is an easier process, but less durable.
Old European Cut : A round cut similar to the old mine cut, with 58 facets. First appearing around the 1880s, it is characterized by a deep pavilion, high crown, and an open culet.
Old Mine Cut : An earlier version of the brilliant or round cut, it has a cushion-shape with more than 58 facets and is distinguished by a large culet and small table.
Opera Length: A necklace that is a single strand from 30 to 35" long. Usually refers to a single strand of pearls that hang to the breastbone.
Paste : A type of glass used to imitate real gemstones found in the production of antique jewelry .
Parure: Matching set meant to be worn together made up of earrings, bracelet, necklace, brooch and ring. Such sets were most popular from the 16th through the 19th centuries.
Patent: The rights granted for an exclusive design.
Patina: A prized surface effect produced by age and oxidation.
Pavé S etting : A stone setting technique that uses many small gems set closely together, to pave the surface of a piece.
Period Jewelry : Jewelry that exhibits the prevailing design characteristics of a particular period, such as Edwardian or Art Deco.
Pietra Dura : From the Italian meaning “hard stone,” an inlaying technique using various cut-to-shape stones such as malachite, lapis lazuli, and jasper to create articles of jewelry and small decorative objects; usually associated with workshops in Florence.
Pinchbeck : Imitation gold. Pinchbeck was invented in the early 1800s by British watchmaker Christopher Pinchbeck (1672-1732). Pinchbeck consists of 83% copper and 17% zinc. There have also been many imitations of pinchbeck.
Piqué : Tortoiseshell inlaid with a pattern of gold and silver; popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Platinum : A precious metal used in the finest articles of jewelry, notable for its strength, malleability, and silver-white appearance.
Plique-à-jour : An enameling technique using transparent enamels that are held in place by border wires, producing a light, translucent effect; used to a great extent in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Pot Metal: is a heavy, thicker metal that looks somewhat like pewter. It is often referred to as "base metal" or "white metal' and was used in early 20th century jewelry .
Princess Necklace: Refers to a 17 to 19" necklace. This is a good length for pendants.
Prongs: Small fingers of metal that hold a stone in place.
Prystal: Glass substitute made of plastic invented in Fascist Italy .
Regard or Dearest Jewelry : Acrostic jewelry that uses the initials of the gemstones to form the word “regard” or “dearest.” For example: R (ruby), E (emerald), G (garnet), A (amethyst), R (ruby), and D (diamond).
Repoussé : A metalwork technique that produces a raised bas-relief surface by hammering the metal from the back. Reverse Carved Crystal Jewelry : A rock crystal that is cabochon cut and engraved with an intaglio on the flat surface of the stone. The intaglio is then painted and backed with a thin plate of mother-of-pearl to produce a three-dimensional effect . O ften referred to as Essex crystal , the technique was employed during the Victorian period and the early 20th century.
Rhodium: A shiny, hard white metal, close in appearance to platinum, often used to plate jewelry.
Rivière : A necklace consisting of a single row of gemstones that are either claw or collet set.
Rondella ( rhondelle, rondelle) : Small round metal disk used between beads. Can be stone studded .
Rope Necklace: Both the rope and lariat necklace measure over 45" long, but the ends of the lariat necklace are not connected.
Rose Cut : A style of diamond cutting begun in the 16th century that produces a flat-based stone with triangular facets that rise to form a dome.
Sautoir: A long necklace, popular in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, which terminates in tassels or a pendant.
Scatter Pin s : Small pins worn in groups, usually birds, insects, and flowers .
Stick Pin (stickpin) : Straight pin worn vertically through a scarf, hat etc ornamented on the top .
Spray Brooch : A type of jeweled brooch, often en tremblant , which used flowers and leaves gathered in a spray and worn at the shoulder.
Strass: Glass with high light refraction and exceptional iridescence in colorless and coloured stones .
Tiara : A lady's hair ornament , worn on formal occasions that curves with the natural line of the head.
