Jewelry Designs & Motifs

Blue and White Enamel Navette-Shaped Amatory Brooch with Seed Pearl Nosegay and Hair Compartment on Reverse c.1800.© The Trustees of ...
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An arabesque is an intricate design of interwoven flowing lines, often featuring heart-shapes, composed in a geometric pattern. Volutes, auriculars, ...
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Archaeological revival refers to the neo-styles of the 18th and 19th centuries inspired by the excavations and discoveries of Roman, ...
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An auricular is a C-shaped - ear shell like - decorative motif. Evolving around 1600, the motif was used extensively during ...
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A basket mount is a fancy setting for a gemstone that is pierced to give the setting a lacy or basket look.Edwardian Diamond and ...
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A belcher ring has a flush setting, similar to a gypsy ring, whereby the prongs are cut into the mounting. The ...
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Bracteate A Bracteate is a thin metal pendant disc, typically made of gold and with a stamped or repoussé decoration based on ancient Roman ...
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Brick link consists of rows of abutted rectangular links, off-set every other row, resembling a brick masonry pattern. Brick links ...
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A brunnian link is a link made from several parts that hold together in such a way that when one ...
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Cable Chain Detail.A cable chain is made from round interlocking links. They come in various sizes and designs and are usually solid.Alternative ...
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Pink Topaz & Chrysoberyl Cannetille Gold Cross c.1830. Cannetille is a close relative of filigree work. It typically features fine gold wires ...
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A cartouche is a decorated frame around a central depiction. Ancient Egyptian Revival Style Pendant Necklace Featuring an Iridescent Scarab ...
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A Latin cross superimposed with a circle at the crossbars. Traditional Celtic Cross Motif with Multi-Color Agates ...
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Victorian Chandelier Earrings.A chandelier in jewelry means with dangling ornaments or with multiple arms. A sevigne brooch or girandole earrings are also chandelier type jewelry ...
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Initials, monograms, messages, and inscriptions on jewelry can all be considered ciphers. These can be intricate designs involving letters and ...
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Victorian Crescent Brooch.A crescent is the shape of a moon at or around the first or last quarter. Crescent moons, set ...
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Cuir roulé (from French: cuir = leather, roulé = rolled) is a term to describe the volute shaped ornaments in jewelry from 1835 ...
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Egyptomania is an extreme obsession for all things Egyptian and, throughout history, a passion for Egypt has been a recurring ...
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A Gold and Enamel Match Striker Featuring Enameled Sunburst Engine Turning. By Abram Beilin, St Petersburg, 1908-1917. Photo Courtesy of ...
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Retro Rose and Green Gold Escalier Bracelet. An escalier (from French: "stairway") is a style from the Retro period where large, hollow, ...
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main article: Etruscan jewelry Etruscan Style typically refers to 19th-century jewelry with design influences from Etrurian jewelry dating circa 7th to ...
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A festoon is an arrangement of flowers, fruit and/or foliage. The word comes from the latin festo ; festive, holidays. Festoons became ...
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Mid-Century Figural Brooch.Figural jewelry refers to items including brooches, rings, and pendants - of figurative design, such as animals or ...
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Filigree is the name given jewelry designs created from very fine metal wires soldered in intricate patterns. The wires could ...
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A fleur de lis (or plural: fleur de lys) is a decoration in the form of a stylized lily flower ...
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Fluting is a surface texture comprised of an undulating metal surface or a pattern of grooves running across a jewelry ...
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Foliate refers - as the name implies - to a method of decorating a jewelry item with leaf (foliage) designs ...
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Fringe is a row or line of articulated ornaments hanging loosely from the edge of a jewelry item or garment ...
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Art Deco Tutti Frutti Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Pearl, and Diamond Bracelet.Fruit salad jewelry is jewelry set with gemstones or pastes in ...
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Gadrooning was a popular edging or border design used primarily on metalwork such as silverware, silver service, jewelry and woodwork ...
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A gardinetto or giardinetto/giardinetti (Italian) is an ornament in the form of a vase of flowers or a flower basket, ...
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A gargoyle is a strange looking and fantastic head or bust which was used in architecture to drain the water ...
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Graduated means of increasing or decreasing size. Pearls are often strung graduating from the smallest pearls in the back to ...
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Greek keys are geometric meanders which were used in ancient Greece as a border decoration. When designed in a repetitive ...
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A gypsy ring is a single stone ring with a slightly raised bezel (or not raised at all). The stone ...
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Heishi jewelry is created by Santo Domingo and San Felipe Pueblo Indians from New-Mexico in the south-west of the USA ...
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A higa is a hand amulet, depicting an ancient insult, where the thumb protrudes between the index and middle finger ...
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A hololith ring is a ring which is cut from a single, solid mineral. Many jade and chalcedony rings are cut this way. Jade Hololith Ring.Image Courtesy ...
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The honeycomb motif became popular in the 1930's through bracelet designs by Van Cleef & Arpels. The original was named the ...
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Horror vacui (from Latin: "fear of empty space") refers to a tendency to completely decorate the surface of jewels, watches ...
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Horticultural refers to the use of flowers and fruit images as a dominant decoration. It became popular from around 1620 ...
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An inro is a small (10 x 5 x 2 cm approx.,) Japanese, compartmentalized case used carry small items. They are beautifully ...
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Jewelry inspired by techniques used in Japan, most prominently Japanese lacquer work with contrasting colors and typical Japanese themes such as ...
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Lazo is the Spanish word for "bow" and, when used in jewelry, refers to a style of earring with a top, bow ...
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A lovers knot was used as a design for rings, chains and other motifs from Roman times. The knots themselves ...
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A Maltese Cross is an 8-pointed cross with 2-point pairs forming v-shapes on the 4 equilateral arms of the cross ...
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A mascaron is a decorative face of a human or animal or mask ornament ...
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Bailey, Banks & Biddle "Sons of the (American) Revolution" Pendant.A medallion is a type of pendant. Usually tablet-like, they are most ...
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