Collecting costume jewelry has quickly become one of the fastest-growing fashion statements to hit the planet. Not only is it purchased to add to a collection it is purchased to wear. The shear beauty of vintage costume jewelry is unsurpassed by current market fashion jewelry. We hope this new section will improve your knowledge on costume jewelry designers of the past and present.

A

Abalone

Also called Mother Of Pearl. Made from the inside of the seashell

AB

Short for Aurora Borealis

Alexandrite

Discovered in 1830 in Russia Alexandrite is a form of the mineral chrysoberyl, discovered in 1830. In sunlight, alexandrite looks blue - green, but in indoor (tungsten) light it the same stone changes to reddish - purple.

Alpaca

Sometimes spelled Alpacca is an alloy metal consisting of approx 60% copper, 20% nickel, 20% zinc, and 5% tin

Amethyst

A type of quartz that ranges in color from various shades of purple from a deep intense purple with red flashes to a very light lavender.

Amulet

An amulet is a pendant or charm worn for its protective magic powers

Art Deco

Art Deco was popular from the mid - 1910's until the mid - 1920's. The art deco style was characterized by angular geometric shapes, zigzags, bold colors, molded or faceted Czech glass beads, plastics such as celluloid and bakelite. This era began to use colored stones more. Jade, onyx and sometimes coral was set in geometric shapes. The art deco period began with very light designs but as the period progressed designs become bolder and more blocky.

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau was popular from 1895 until World War I. Art Nouveau style was characterized by curves and naturalistic designs. It was especially focused on depicting long - haired, sensual women., flower styles, sensual curves, and naturalistic.

Arts and Crafts

The Arts and Crafts movement that began in the late 1800s as a rebellion against the mass - produced, machine made that were common in the late Victorian era. The designers felt that their work should look handmade, so jewelry of this era will often have tiny hammer marks on it. Gold was used but silver was more common because it was used to emphasize the craftsmanship of the piece rather than the value of the metal. Cabochon stones such as moonstone, mother or pearl, agate, amber were quite popular.

Aurora Borealis

Faceted glass beads that have an added iridescent coating are called aurora borealis. The coating is used on beads and rhinestones and produces a multi color light reflection. The Aurora borealis means northern lights. The iridescent surface occurs when a very thin layer of metallic atoms are deposited on the lower surface of the stone. The process was invented by the Swarovski Co & Christian Dior in 1955.

Bakelite

Bakelite was patented in 1909 and is also called catalin. It is a synthetic material which was extensively used in jewelry during the 1930s Depression.. It can be molded or carved and multi colors can be inlaid together. It has a distinct scent when rubbed to warm, somewhat like formaldehyde

Brass

An alloy of copper and zinc which has a nice yellow color.

Britannia or pewter

A somewhat dull silver - colored alloy of tin, antimony, and copper.

Cabochon

A stone with a rounded surface, rather than with facets. Most often seen with opal, moonstone, jade, turquoise, and faux gems.

Chaton Setting

It is a setting in which the stone is held in by many metal claws around a metal ring.

Closed Setting
The back of the stone is not exposed, meaning the metal is not cut away behind the stone

Crystal

A glass stone or bead, usually with high lead content.

Dead Stone

A foil - backed rhinestone that has lost its original shininess, usually after water has damaged the foil.

Diamond

Diamonds are a form of crystalline carbon. Diamonds are valued based on the "4 C's" of color, cut, clarity and carat size

Dog Collar

A wide choker necklace worn tight around the neck above the collarbone just like a dog's collar. Very popular in Edwardian times

Doublet

A form of gemstone trickery that was devised to allow inexpensive materials to imitate the more valuable gemstones before modern synthetics were available.

Edwardian

The period during the reign of Edward VII of England from 1901 – 1910. The style actually began during the final years of Victoria, and continued until shortly before World War. Jewelry was characterized by delicate filigree in white gold and platinum, with diamonds and pearls predominating, and colored stones used less frequently, producing a light, monochromatic look. Delicate bows, swags, and garland effects were used in necklaces and brooches

Emerald

A gemstone of the beryl family, fine emeralds are among the most valuable gemstones.

F

Faux

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

Foilback

A method of coating the back of a stone with silver, gold, or colored foil. This enhances the brilliancy of the stone, by reflecting back as much light as possible. It is commonly seen in costume jewelry.

Freshwater

A pearl produced by a mollusk that inhabits freshwater, usually these pearls are shaped like an uneven grain of rice and are less valuable than oyster pearls. Biwa pearls are very good quality freshwater pearls.

Gold Filled

lower in gold content than 10 KT, usually 1/20 or 1/12 KT.In this technique a sheet of gold is mechanically applied to the surface. Victorian pieces are likely to be unmarked, but later pieces are marked with the fineness of the gold layer, and the part by weight of the gold. An older unmarked gold piece may often be identified by wear through to base metal. Watch for a darker, brassy colored material on the wear spots..

Hallmark

An official mark made in metal that indicates the fineness of the metal and the manufacturer's mark. For example, a hallmark of 925 indicates 925 parts of gold per 1000 weight. Other hallmarks indicate the maker of the piece and sometimes the year of manufacture.

Inlay

Apiece of material often stone or glass that is partially embedded in another

Jump Ring

A small wire ring, not soldered shut, used to link elements of jewelry.

L

Lapidary

Cutting, shaping, polishing and creating jewelry from precious and semi - precious stones

Lucite

Lucite is a clear strong plastic that can be molded or carved. It became popular in the 1940s.

Luster

Stones sparkle or sheen. The way it relects light. The luster depends on the nature of the stone's surface reflectivity

M

Memory Wire

A tough, stiff wire that retains its

Mexican Diamond

A misleading term for rock crystal, and not a diamond at all.

Mine Cut

A style of diamond cutting popular before 1890 or so, it features a cushion shaped outline, rather than the round outline of the modern cut.

N

Navette

An oval stone which is pointed at both ends.

Nickel silver

A white metal mixture of copper, zinc, and nickel which contains no silver. Also known as German Silver. Consists of approx 60% copper , 20% nickel, 20% zinc

O

Oiling

A process of applying mineral oil to a stone in order to enhance it and mask inclusions, make them more transparent, and darken their color. Emeralds are frequently oiled to mask their many inclusions.

Opal Triplet

An opal triplet is a manufactured stone that is composed of three thin layers that are glued together. A thin layer of opal is sandwiched between a layer of clear quartz and a layer of either obsidian or ironstone.

Opaque

Blocking the passage of light.

P

Parure<

A jewelry set consisting of three or more matching pieces. Three of either earrings, bracelet, and necklace, or pin/brooch. In Victorian times, a complete parure consisted of two matching bracelets, necklace, earrings and a brooch.

Pave

Very tightly set stones, as in a pavement; a gem setting technique in which the stones are set low and very closely spaced, so that the surface appears to be paved with gemstones. In better pieces, claw settings are used; in less expensive pieces, the stones are simple glued in.

Pearl

A natural gemstone formed when a oyster is irritated by a substance that gets into its shell. If the irritation is a naturally occurring grain of sand, it is an Oriental pearl. If it is produced by purposefully inserting a mother - of - pearl bead, a cultured pearl is formed.

R

Reconstructed Stone

A stone that is made from pieces of smaller stones or crystals. Reconstructed stones often have telltale air bubbles.

Rhodium

A metal that is part of the platinum family.

Rocaille

Ruby

Rubies are always, by definition, red, but be aware that many other red gemstones and imitations might be assumed to be a ruby. Fine rubies of good color can be more valuable than diamonds, but the first synthetic ruby was created in the 1890's and became quite popular in jewelry. Synthetic rubies must be distinguished from natural by sophisticated testing by trained gemologists

S

Safety Catch

Prior to 1900 or so, brooches had a simple "C" catch with no locking mechanism, and the pin often extended out beyond the "C" far enough to weave back into clothing for security. At the turn of the century several "safety catches" were invented and came into common used for better jewelry, so a piece that exhibits a safety catch was made in the twentieth century

Sapphire

A gemstone. Although blue is the color most commonly associated with sapphires, they come in a range of colors from white to orange to green to pink. In fact, if a corundum gemstone is red, it is referred to as a ruby, but any other color, including the light pinkish "rubies. Sapphires were first synthesized in the 1920's, so it takes an expert to determine if a sapphire is natural. Natural sapphires are sometimes found that exhibit a star effect which can be quite valuable, however in 1967 the synthetic Linde Star Sapphire hit the market, and many star sapphires found today are these synthetics.

Seed Pearl

Refers to a very small round pearl or a very small imitation pearl.

Signed

When a Manufacturers or Designers name or identifying mark is etched, carved, or stamped into the Jewelry it is called signed

Split Ring

Small base metal finding resembling a key - ring.

Star Setting

A setting in which a gem is set within an engraved star; the gem is secured by a small grain of metal soldered to the base of each ray of the star. Popular in the 1890s.

Sterling Silver

925 parts silver, legal standard

T

Taxco

Taxco is a town in the State of Guerrero in Mexico, that is famous for its silver jewelry production. Early Taxco jewelry is highly collectable. Pieces dating 1979 or later are distinguished by a registration mark of two letters followed by a series of numbers

Tiffany Setting

The high pronged setting most common today for large stones such as a diamond solitaire, this setting was introduced by Tiffany & Co. in 1886.

Turquoise

A semi - precious gemstone. Brown or grey streaks in turquoise, it is caused by the mother stone adding beauty. Modern turquoise stones that appear very shiny and absolutely flawless are manufactured by taking pulverized turquoise and reconstructing it with a plastic binding. Untreated turquoise colors vary from sky blue to nearly green

Vermeil

Silver with gold plating.

Victorian

The designation given to the period from approximately 1837 when Victoria became Queen of England until 1901 when she died. This long period is divided into early (approx. 1840 - 1860), mid [approx. 1860 -1880] and late [approx. 1880 – 1900] since it covers a number of distinctive design trends