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Glossary of Jewelry and Timepiece Terms
 Art Deco: The Art Deco
period (1920-1935) in jewelry is characterized by geometrical designs,
bold primary colors, and a streamlined, modern style. The popularity of Art
Deco jewelry reached a zenith in the early 1990s. The style continues to
attract serious collectors and tends to hold its value in the finer
examples of the period.
Arts & Crafts(1890-1920)
is the Art movement influenced by the philosophical writings of John
Ruskin and William Morris, who spoke out against the poor-quality goods
produced by the Industrial Revolution. The Arts &
Crafts movement focused primarily on the artisan and the process of
creation. This anti-industrial philosophy was adopted by C.R Ashbee in
England, who was the first to establish the guild of handcrafters that
specialized in jewelry and metalsmithing. The key design components of
Arts & Crafts jewelry are related to nature or historical elements,
such as Celtic designs, and have a decidedly hand-made quality. Materials
are usually non-precious, including silver, brass copper with the
occasional use of gold, enamel and semi-precious stones.
Art Nouveau (1890-1915)
is a highly decorative, romantic style featuring intertwining, curvilinear
ornamentation and sinuous, undulating lines. The style often depicts the
female figure and aspects of nature (such as leaves and flowers) along
with elements of fantasy. Art Nouveau jewelry has regained popularity in
recent years, though collectors should be aware that there are many
convincing reproductions currently in the market.
Carat: A unit of weight for precious stones.
One carat is equal to 100 points (.200 grams). See also karat. See Diamond
Carat.
Chronograph: A portable timepiece that simply
tells the time is a watch, while a portable timepiece with a complicated
movement (such as a stopwatch function that measures elapsed time) is a
chronograph. Men's chronographs (in wristwatch form) of the 1930s and '40s
are particularly valuable and sought after today. See Watch
Stands
Clarity refers to the existence or absence of
naturally occurring foreign elements (called inclusions) within a
gemstone. The clarity of diamonds is graded on a scale from Flawless (no
internal or external inclusions are visible under 10X magnification) to
Included (inclusions are readily visible to the naked eye). See Diamond
Clarity.
Classic: A timeless piece.
Contemporary: Jewelry or timepieces described
as contemporary were recently produced and/or are being sold for the first
time. See also antique jewelry and
estate.
Cultured pearls are formed by the
introduction of a mother-of-pearl bead into an oyster. The oyster
subsequently covers the bead with a layer of nacre, thus producing a
cultured pearl. A natural pearl, by comparison, occurs when a tiny
particle such as sand invades the body of a mollusk without human
intervention. Natural pearls are more valuable than cultured pearls, yet
the two are not easily distinguished. Artificial pearls are largely made
of glass or even plastic.
Cut refers to the shape and proportion of a
stone (such as a diamond) after it has been fashioned. The cut determines
how the stone disperses and reflects light. See Diamond
Cut.
Edwardian (1900-15)
refers to the period that includes the reign of King Edward VII and is
also known as the Belle Epoque. Typically, jewelry styles of this period
are elegant and feminine with a concentration on platinum, diamonds, and
accents of colored stones. Edwardian jewelry also contains a frequent
garland motif. Currently, the jewelry of this period is extremely popular
and, like the Art Nouveau style, is frequently reproduced.
Estate refers to
previously owned jewelry or timepieces that are being sold for at least
the second time. See also antique and contemporary and estate
sales.
GIA As the
creator of the International Diamond Grading System, GIA has
literally set the industry standard for diamond grading and gemological
identification. The Institute’s diamond grading reports are regarded
throughout the international jewelry trade as a hallmark of integrity,
reliability, and consistency.
Georgian refers to
jewelry produced from 1714 to 1830, during the reign of King George III
and IV. Georgian jewelry is conservative and lightweight, due to the lack
of supply of raw materials during that period. While it has a select
market, fine quality examples of Georgian jewelry are difficult to find
(particularly on this continent), are often expensive and considered too
diminutive for most collectors' tastes.
Inclusion: A naturally occurring element
present within a gemstone. Many precious stones have inclusions that are
characteristic and help in identifying the stone. See also clarity.
Karat: A unit of measure for the purity of
gold, indicated with the symbol 'k' or 'kt.' Pure gold is 24 karat (24k).
But pure gold is usually too soft to be used in jewelry, so most pieces
are a mixture of gold and other metals. The higher the karat, the more
gold. A 14k jewelry piece is about 58% gold, while an 18k piece is about
75% gold (and is therefore more expensive). The fineness of gold is
measured on a scale of 1,000 outside the U.S. An 18k gold piece is labeled
750, for instance.
Paste: Imitations of natural gemstones made
of glass from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Retro describes jewelry produced between 1935
and the late '40s, a period that includes World War II. The lingering
influence of Art Deco resulted in big, bold, curvilinear jewelry with
geometric patterns. At the same time, wartime economic necessities
resulted in the replacement of expensive platinum with yellow, green, and
pink gold. Retro jewelry also made extensive use of semi-precious stones
that helped to complete the big, opulent look.
Treated stones are gemstones that have been
treated or enhanced by man through artificial means in order to improve
their color or clarity.
Victorian is the
period from 1837-1901 that corresponds to the reign of Queen Victoria in
England. Because of its long duration, the Victorian era actually
comprises a number of distinctive artistic periods in jewelry: Romantic
(1837-60), characterized by sentimental, whimsical designs; Grande
(1860-80), known for large, ornate pieces; and Aesthetic (1880-1901), in
which a return to elegance and simplicity occurred.
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