There is a whole plethora of gemology and antique jewelry terminology out there that it’s almost like another language! As we were creating our first listings we realized that not everyone is familiar with these terms so we wanted to take a little time to explain some of the common language that you may see appear on our site and social media posts. Though this is certainly not an exhaustive list, it should provide a good starting point and you can expect us to regularly feature explanations and insights as we continue along. Our goal is to be as informative as possible and help our readers feel less intimidated by the world of antique and vintage jewelry. So without further ado, let's learn some lingo!
Acrostic
Speaking of another language, acrostic jewelry is almost like a secret language with a hidden word spelled out using the first letter of each gemstone set into the piece. For example, a word commonly seen is “adore,” so a ring may be set with amethyst, diamond, opal, ruby, and emerald. Other common words seen are “dearest” and “regard.” Acrostic jewelry originated during the Georgian period but reached the height of its popularity during the Victorian era.
Assay
Assaying is an analysis conducted to determine the metal fineness of a piece of jewelry. There are assay offices around the world that test metal and once they do so will stamp the jewelry with a distinctive mark to show that the metal has been tested and where. These marks help protect buyers and jewelers alike.
Cameo
Cameos are relief carvings made into materials such as shell, coral, onyx, or agate. The design projects out of the background and can be either high or low relief. They typically portray a person or scene and were popular during the Victorian eras, especially in brooches.
Cluster
This is a style of ring that features a grouping of gemstones. The precursor to the modern halo ring, the purpose is to give off the appearance of a larger center stone and enhance finger coverage. The difference between the cluster and halo is that halo rings typically feature a much larger center stone surrounded by pave or melee stones set closely together whereas the stones in a cluster ring can be more similar in size and the surrounding stones may not necessarily be neatly set side by side. Antique cluster rings typically resemble flowers.
Enamel
A decorative technique seen in antique jewelry, enameling is the process of firing a powdered glass onto metal. This creates a smooth and glossy finish that can be created in many different colors. The enamel can be used to create different patterns such as guilloché. Enameling is a bit of a lost art today and it is very difficult to find artisans who have the skillset to be able to repair enamel.
Festoon
A festoon necklace is one that features multiple hanging loops or swags made of beads, chains, or metal pieces. They often include design elements such as flowers, leaves, or ribbons as the name was originally used to describe a decorative garland that was hung in a curve.
Filigree
Filigree is a design element commonly seen in Victorian, Edwardian, and especially Art Deco pieces. When done by hand as it was during these eras, the process involves stretching metal into thin strips and then softening it to allow the artisan to bend and twist the metal to create the desired design. This is done over and over again until all of the elements are complete and then they are all soldered together. The art of delicate, handcrafted filigree is another jewelry art lost to time as the mid-20th century saw the development of laser cutting technology that allows for quick and precise fabrication.
Gypsy Ring
The stone(s) in this style of ring are set down into the metal without any prongs. Popularized during the Victorian period, jewelry lore holds that this setting was designed to thwart thieves targeting travelers' gems. Today this style may also be called a “rubover setting,” as the stones and the metal are essentially flush and feel smooth to the touch.
Intaglio
The opposite of cameos, intaglios are designs that are cut into the surface of a stone to create a recessed image. They were initially used for wax seals and are often featured in signet rings.
Maker’s Mark
These are stamps made on a finished piece of jewelry that help authenticate it as being crafted by a specific designer. These stamps are typically the full name of the design house, initials, or other unique symbol. Italian jewelry, for example, will feature a star followed by a series of numbers which identify the maker.
Milgrain
Used heavily during the Edwardian and Art Deco eras, milgrain is a decorative border of small raised metal dots that add dimension and texture to jewelry. Originally crafted manually by skilled artisans using knurling tools to roll indentations into metal, thereby creating the raised bumps, modern pieces now incorporate mechanized milgrain techniques.
Navette
A navette is a marquise-shaped piece of jewelry (typically a ring) that some also say resembles a boat. It is elongated with two pointed tips and equally curved sides. The style was popularized during the Victorian era.
Old Cuts
Old cut stones were crafted by hand before the advent of modern cutting technology. Common characteristics that distinguish them include large, open culets, chunky facets, and a charming imperfection that sets them apart from modern stones.
Provenance
The documented history of a piece of jewelry, provenance can add tremendously to an item’s value, especially if it was worn or owned by a notable individual. Unfortunately not many antique pieces have verifiable provenance due to how long the pieces have been in existence and how many times they have changed hands. Photographs, receipts, appraisals, and letters mentioning the piece are some examples of documents helpful in establishing provenance.
Parure/Demi-Parure
A parure is a complete matching set of jewelry that typically includes a necklace, earrings, brooch, and bracelet though some may also include additional items such as a tiara or a stomacher. A demi-parure is a smaller matching set that only has a couple of pieces such as a necklace and earrings. Oftentimes parures were split up over time, either divided amongst family members or sold separately by dealers. These sets normally come in a fitted box that make them even more spectacular.
Repoussé
This is the technique of creating a pattern on metal by hammering from the reverse side of the piece to achieve a design that is raised in relief.
Signet
Signet rings are ones which feature an intaglio design on the face of the ring. They date back to early Egypt where they were used to denote social standing and also doubled as wax seals for important documents. Eventually they became more of a fashion statement and the real first personalized form of jewelry. Wearers would select different symbols or initials to depict on their rings and which gemstones, if any, they wanted to include. These pieces are full of history and symbolism, with family crests and other emblems representing the wearer's identity, lineage, or affiliation with a particular group or institution being popular design choices.
This is a very brief overview of some antique jewelry terminology. If you encounter any unfamiliar terms on our site or elsewhere, please don't hesitate to reach out. We love discussing all things gems and jewelry and are here to answer your questions!
With love,
Christine & Hana