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| Word |
Description |
| D,T & W-BT |
dealer, trader and would be trader |
| Damascening |
Designs made of gold, silver, or copper decorating a base metal. |
| Danalite |
A reddish mineral composed of iron, zinc manganese, glucinum and sulphur occuring in massive octahedral crystals. Danalite is named after James Dwight Dana. |
| Date Letter |
The alphabetic system used by an Assay Office to indicate the year of assay |
| Deco Style |
A term derived from the style of "Art Deco" for jewelry typified by abstract designs and linear, geometric patterns but not necessarily created during the Art Deco period. |
| Demantoid |
A small, rare, bright and glittering green variety of garnet of the andradite family first mined in the mid-nineteenth century. |
| Demi Parure |
A set of two or three matching pieces of jewelry, usually consisting of a necklace, pin, bracelet, or earring. |
| Depose |
The rights or patent granted for an exclusive jewelry design in France. |
| DHC |
drop head coupe – equivalent of convertible – used to describe older models, or super exclusive luxury models |
| Diadem |
A semi circular jeweled ornamental head band or fillet worn by Eastern monarchs as a badge of royalty. |
| Diamante |
A faceted, glittery glass bead like a rhinestone or strass. |
| Diamond |
A clear transparent precious gemstone composed of pure crystallized carbon which has been highly compressed over millions of years. Diamonds are the hardest substance known to mankind, rating a 10 on the Mohs scale. They are valued because it is difficult to produce a faceted diamond and when properly cut they have high refractivity and brilliance. The quality and value of a diamond is rated using the "4 C's" of color, cut, clarity and carat weight. (See individual listings). The diamond is the birthstone for April. |
| Diamond Accent |
Jewelry that has one or more diamonds with a combined carat weight of less than one-fourth of a carat. |
| Diamond Color |
One of the 4 C s of diamond grading, the term "color" actually refers to the absence of color in a diamond. A diamond acts like a prism letting light pass through, refracting back to the human eye, into a rainbow of color. The color scale breaks up the subtlety and various grades of a diamond’s color from purest white to yellow and brown. The letters D through Z are used to designate a diamonds color with D being colorless and Z-graded stones having a lot of color. |
| Diamond Cut |
One of the 4 C's of diamond grading, "cut" refers to the shape and style of a polished gem. How a diamond is cut has a lot to do with the stone's fire and brilliance. A diamond that is cut either too shallow or too deep will not be as brilliant as a properly cut diamond. |
| Dichroism |
The property possessed by some crystals of exhibiting two different colors when viewed from different angles. See Alexandrite, Ammolite, Iolite, Opal. |
| Die Cutting |
Industrial technique in which a die pattern is created in steel. This steel die, or master, is used to stamp out identical articles of a softer metal. Virtually all pattern flatware is created in this fashion. |
| Dinner Ring |
Another name for a Cocktail ring. |
| Dish (Pewter) |
A piece of sadware 11 to 18 inches (280 to 460 mm) in diameter. |
| Dispersion |
(or "fire"). The prism of light refracted from within a finished diamond or stone. The better a diamond or stone is cut or faceted, the more colors are emitted from the stone as it is turned. |
| Diva Fashion |
The term "diva" was originally applied only to prima-donna opera singers, but it has come to be used for any female who takes great pride in being a woman. "Diva fashion" is designed to be worn exclusively by women and is usually quite flashy, extravagant, and effeminate, exemplified by necklaces with lots of beads, pearls, and/or faceted stones. |
| Dog Collar |
A broad choker worn tightly around the neck above the collarbone, just like a dog's collar, that often incorporated parallel strands of pearls, beads, stones, diamonds, and platinum to great effect. It was made popular in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods by Queen Alexandra, who had a long graceful neck |
| DOHC |
double overhead camshaft. Emphasizes the sporty nature of the car |
| Dome Lid (Pewter) |
Describes a flagon or tankard lid type common from c 1680 to the nineteenth century. |
| Door Knocker Earring |
An earring with a hinged bottom that hangs below the earlobe. |
| Double Dome Lid |
Describes another flagon or tankard lid type. A stepped dome that gives the appearance of a smaller dome atop a larger dome. |
| Double Volute |
Term used to describe a particular thumb piece type frequently found on baluster measures. |
| Doublet |
A method of combining two inexpensive stones and/or glass to imitate more valuable gemstones. For example, a green glass bottom with a garnet top will give the appearance of a fine emerald because the top is a natural gemstone with cut facets, and a few natural imperfections, and the bottom is bright green which reflects throughout the stone. |
| DPA |
Data Protection Act |
| Dress Clip |
A brooch that uses a hinged clip or two-pronged pin to fasten the article to clothing. They were popular during the 1930s and 1940s and often made in pairs. |
| Dress Set |
A set of gentleman’s jewelry composed of, usually matching, cufflinks, shirt studs, and sometimes vest buttons. |
| Drop Earring |
Any earring which hangs below the earlobe. Also called a "Chandalier Earring" or "Dangle Earring". |
| Drum (Pewter) |
The body of a tankard, mug, measure, or flagon. |
| Drum-shape (Pewter) |
An adjective used to describe the body form of a piece of hollowware, most often a teapot of neo-classic design. It can be used to describe the body form of a mug, tankard or flagon but these are often referred to as a tapered cylinder. |
| Duette |
A combination of two clips on a pin back. Duette was a registered design by Coro, but is now used generically for this design. |
| DVLA |
Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency |
| dwt |
The symbol for "pennyweight", or 1/20th of a troy ounce, approx 1.555 grams. |
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