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All 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Word	Description
Baddeleyite	A mineral with the same chemical composition as cubic zirconia. It is powdered, melted down, and mixed with oxides to make cubic zirconia.
Baguette	A gemstone cut in a narrow rectangular shape reminiscent of a loaf of French bread, from which it draws its name. Small diamonds cut this way are often used as accents for rings and necklaces.
Bail	A metal loop used for connecting a pendant, watch, stone or other jewelry piece to a chain or cord.
Bakelite	(also called catalin): A moldable plastic invented by Leo Bakeland in 1909, it was used in jewelry extensively during the U.S. Great Depression of the 1930's. Bakelite can be molded, lathe-carved, and one color can be inlaid into another, as in polka dots. The inlaid and carved pieces are especially popular with collectors today. It has a distinct scent when rubbed similar to formaldehyde.
Baluster	A measure with a distinctive, slightly bulbous body. Usually lidded, and often classified by the shape of the thumbpiece (eg hammerhead, bud, double volute). Very long history of use. Replaced in the 1820s by the squatter bulbous measure whose body has a much more pronounced bulge.
Bangle	A rigid bracelet that slips over the hand, or hinged oval worn over the wrist that closes with a clasp.
Bar Brooch	A bar shaped, (long, narrow), brooch which is often set with gemstones or pearls.
Bar Closure	A hinged bar which fits into a catch and is secured in the catch with a pin.
Baroque	A pearl with an uneven or craggy shape and/or surface. Also an irregularly shaped stone or glass bead.
Barrel Clasp	A method of securing two ends of a chain together by having one half of a fitting screw into the other half. When the two halves are screwed together they resemble a barrel.
Basalt	A dark volcanic rock, often with a glassy appearance, composed chiefly of plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine.
Base Metal	Any combination of alloys of non-precious metals used as the base for precious metal plating.
Basket	A fancy setting with a lacy or basket-looking appearance due to numerous holes pierced in the side.
Bauxite	A clay-like mineral, bauxite is the principal ore of aluminum. It is composed of aluminum oxides and aluminum hydroxides. Bauxite is used as an abrasive, a catalyst, and a refractory for the lining of furnaces which are exposed to intense heat.
Beading	Linear ornamentation formed by adjacent spheres.
Beefeater	A flagon, c 1660-1700, with a lid that is similar in shape to a Beefeater's hat.
Belle Epoque	See Edwardian: Refers to the period during the reign of Edward VII of England (1901-1910), but the style has it's beginnings during the final years of Victoria's reign, and continued until shortly before World War I when the more geometric influences later to be called Art Deco began to make headway. In jewelry, this period 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 necklace and brooches. Both dog collars, and long fringed necklaces were also "in", being popularized by the graceful, long-necked Queen Alexandra.
Beryl	The name of a family of stones, composed of a silicate of aluminum and glucinum (beryllium), that includes aquamarine, emerald, and morganite.
Betrothal Ring	A tradition dating back to as early as ancient Rome where it was called an anulus pronubus, a betrothal ring is usually a plain ring without a stone presented by a man to his fiancée indicating their intention to marry.
Beveled	Any surface that is cut at an angle less than 90 degrees.
Bezel	Although it is now often used to refer to the entire ring setting, the bezel is more accurately the term for the metal case which the gem is set into. The ring of metal that surrounds the stone is called the "collet".
BHP	brake horse power
Birthstone	Birthstones have their roots in ancient astrology, and there have been many birthstone lists used over the years. The most common one today is based on a list first publicized by the Jewelers of America in the 1950s: January - Garnet February - Amethyst March - Aquamarine April - Diamond May - Emerald June - Pearl or Moonstone July - Ruby August - Peridot September - Sapphire October - Opal November - Citrine December - Turquoise (or Blue Topaz)
Black Hills Gold	A style of jewelry made in the Black Hills area of South Dakota featuring 10kt yellow gold with accents of 12kt rose and green golds usually featuring a grape and grape-leaf motif.
Black Onyx	Opaque black colored onyx.
Black Prince’s Ruby	Not an actual ruby, but a ruby-red color of spinel.
Bleeding Bowl	A porringer-like piece for blood letting with graduation marks around the inside of the bowl. Usually has straight, rather than curved, sides.
Blister Pearl	A pearl that forms attached to the shell.
Bloodstone	A variety of chalcedony that is dark green red spots resembling blood.
Bloomed Gold	The term used for gold jewelry that has been immersed in an acid bath giving it a textured, slightly matte appearance.
Blue John	Blue John A type of Crystalline fluorspar with bands of yellow, purple, blue and white, mined in Derbyshire. It was popular in the late 18th and late 19th centuries, when it was used for objects of vertu, candlesticks and candelabra.
Blue Lace Agate	A translucent light blue agate with milky white banding.
Blue Topaz	A topaz that is light brown or colorless when mined but turns a vivid blue when exposed to heat. Blue Topaz is an alternate birthstone for December.
Bobeche	Broad brimmed cup or collar, placed within a candle socket to collect the flow of wax drippings.
Bohemian Garnet	Term for the red pyrope garnet found in much Victorian and turn of the century jewelry.
Bolo	A braided leather loop worn about the neck and adorned with a slide, (an ornament of silver, stone or other material fastened so that it slides up under the chin), leaving the two leather ends hanging.
Bombé	The word itself simply means "curving or bulging outward". In regards to jewelry it refers to a dome-shaped setting often seen in rings and earrings from the 1940s and 1950s.
Book Chain	A Victorian style of chain made in gold, gold filled , and sterling silver, in which each link is a rectangular, folded piece of metal resembling a book. They were often elaborately engraved and had large lockets attached.
Boron	A soft, brown, nonmetallic element. It is extracted with some difficulty and in its reduced state appears as a substance of a deep olive color, in a semi-metallic form, and in colorless quadratic crystals similar to the diamond in hardness and other properties. Boron is used in flares, propellant mixtures, nuclear reactor control elements, abrasives, and hard metallic alloys.
Bouge	(or booge) The round wall between the well and rim of a plate or dish. Brim. The broad, flattened upper edge or rim of a plate, dish or charger surrounding the deeper body of the flatware.
Bow-Guard	Originally just a wide leather strap worn on the left wrist to protect the arm from bow strings, it is now usually decorated with a wide ornament of silver.
Box Chain	A chain in which each link is wide and square so that it resembles a box.
Box Clasp	A method of connecting two ends of a chain. One end has a box with an opening which is notched on the top of the box. The other end has a flat piece of metal which has been folded over to form a spring with a knob at the end. The folded metal spring slips into the hole in the box with the knob sticking out through the notch in the top. The compressed spring holds the two ends in place. It is released by pressing the knob. The connection is usually reinforced by a figure 8 catch.
Brass	An alloy made up of roughly half copper and half zinc which has a nice yellow color.
Bridal Set	An engagement and wedding ring that come in a set and usually match or compliment each other.
Bright Cut	A type of engraved decoration produced by short deeply angled cuts of the graver to produce highly reflective lines.
Bright Finish	A highly polished and reflective finish.
Brilliance	The amount of sparkle a stone gives off through reflection and refraction of light.
Brilliant Cut	A cut gemstone having 56 to 58 facets to maximize the volume of light that is reflected from the inside and thus produce the greatest brilliance. The most common shape of brilliant cut stones are round, which is why this is type of cut is sometimes called a "round-cut", but oval, marquise, pear shape and heart shapes are not unusual.
Briolette	A gemstone cut with triangular facets into the shape of a teardrop or elongated pendant.
Britannia Metal	An alloy of tin, copper and antimony. Similar to in look and feel to pewter, but much harder. Used primarily as a base metal to be silverplated. (Not to be confused with Britannia Standard) See: Electroplate
Britannia Standard	A higher standard of silver than Sterling (92.5%), the Britannia standard (95.8% silver) , was made compulsory in England to protect the new coinage from being melted down by silversmiths for raw material. Britannia was required as of 1697, but the Sterling standard was restored in 1720. Brittania, and its corresponding standard mark, are still sometimes used in Britain.
Brooch	An ornamental piece of jewelry with a pin and clasp to be attached to clothing, from the French word "broche", meaning "to pierce" or an object/weapon made for piercing.
Bruiting	The term for shaping the girdle of a diamond, the first step in the cutting process.
Brushed Finish	(Also known as “satin” finish). A series of tiny parallel lines scratched onto a surface with a wire brush or polishing tool to produce texture
Bud Leaf	The slang term given to the leaf of the cannabis plant, which is the plant used to make hemp products. It is a popular motif in modern jewelry. Also called a "marijuana leaf".
Buffalo Stone	Ammolite: (also known as Buffalo Stone, calcentine, or korite) is the fossilized shell of the ammonite, an ancient cephalopod. It can be used as a gemstone and is a gray, iridescent stone with flashes of blue, green, purple, red, or yellow. (Blues and purples are rare.) The color changes as the stone is viewed from different angles. It is only found in southern Alberta, Canada.
Bulbous Measure	A round bodied, mug-like piece made in abundance during the 19th century and into the 20th century used in pubs and inns to provide varying measures of beer, ale and spirits. Usually lidless, and in sizes ranging from a gallon downward to very small pieces.
Burnish Setting	A setting in which the gem is set flush with the setting's surface without using prongs to hold it in place.
Buttercup Setting	A deep six prong setting with prongs that flare from the scalloped looking base resembling a buttercup flower.
Butterfly Chain	A chain composed of very tiny butterfly-shaped links with oval-shaped "wings". The butterflies are linked head to tail at a slight angle very close to one another so that the wings form a long continuous spiral along the length of the chain.
Butterfly Clutch	A fitting that slides onto the back of an earring post to secure it in place.
Button	A method of joining two parts of a garment together by means of a toggle fastened to one side of the garment which is then pushed through a slit in the other side of the garment. The toggle, called a "button", is usually a disk and may be quite ornamental. Some buttons are worn strictly as decoration rather than serving a functional purpose. The term "button" is also applied to round pins that usually bear a slogan of some kind.
Button Earring	An earring with no dangling parts.
Byzantine Chain	An intricately designed chain. Two pairs of oval-shaped links are linked together. Each pair is then parted to allow a large thick oval link to be attached to the other pair.