Materials
When we think about jewelry materials, gems and metals come to mind. It is interesting to note that throughout history, various other materials have been incorporated into jewelry such as glass, porcelain, ivory, plastic, enamel, and bone to name a few. The articles below in the Jewelry Materials pictorial glossary reveal more on this topic.
Vignettes
Two or more elemental metals mixed to form a homogeneous mass are an alloy. Sometimes metals are alloyed with a non-metal such as carbon. The newly formed metal is usually...
The platinum family, or platinum group, is comprised of six metallic elements; platinum, palladium, iridium, osmium, rhodium, and ruthenium. Along with gold and silver, they are considered the noble or...
All metals are chemical elements that conduct heat and electricity. Their densely packed crystal structure causes them to be heavy, malleable, ductile strong, opaque, and shiny. Non-noble metals, for jewelry purposes, are those...
As a gemstone and jewellery grading and identification expert at Lang Antiques in San Francisco, Starla Turner FGA GG has seen her fair share of exceptional pieces, both historic and...
Silver is a white metallic element, harder than gold, softer than copper and second only to gold in malleability and ductility. Represented on the Periodic Table of the Elements by the symbol Ag, silver is an...
Contrary to gold, encountering silver in a pure metallic form is extremely rare. Most silver occurs in ores containing a mix of metals, most commonly lead, zinc, nickel and/or copper. As...
Human hair has been incorporated into jewelry since at least the seventeenth century. Around that time, the hair of the dear departed began to be incorporated into memento mori pieces, as...
Terms & Definitions
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Berlin iron is a black-lacquered cast iron material used in jewelry making beginning c. 1790. Originating in Silesia, Prussia at the Gleiwitz Foundry, the Royal Berlin Foundry and a manufacturer...
Camphor glass is clear glass that has been treated with hydrofluoric acid vapors to give it a frosted, whitish appearance. This effect resembles gum camphor, hence the name. Camphor glass was...
