Pietra dura

from the Antique Jewelry University

Main article: mosaics in jewelry

Pietra dura is a Florentine mosaic technique that is descendant from the Roman opus sectile mosaic style. In this technique carefully sawn pieces of gemstones are fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle to form an image. The pietra dura technique blossomed during the renaissance and revived in the 19th century.