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FABERGE
Legendary Russian goldsmith
and jeweler to the Czars of
Russia who created ornate
gifts, notably a series of
jeweled and enameled Easter
eggs for European royalty.
FACET
Facets are the small flat
surfaces of a polished diamond
or gemstone. These polished,
flat planes are a major determining
factor in enhancing the diamond's
ability to sparkle or reflect
light.
FACETED
A gemstone carved with
a regular pattern of many
planes, or "facets".
FACETING
Faceting is the cutting and
polishing of the surface of
a stone.
"FACETS
OF FIRE"
Keepsake's patented diamond
cut with 74 facets that gives
off more light and greater
scintillation than a round-cut
diamond.
FAITH
RING
Are distinguished by having
the bezel cut or cast in the
form of two clasped hands,
symbolizing faith, trust or
"plighted troth".
Fede rings date from Roman
times and were popular in
the Middle Ages throughout
Europe.
FALSE
TOPAZ
A name for yellow quartz.
FAMILY JEWELRY
Jewelry embellished with the
name and birthstone of a member
of the family, or sometimes
just the birthstone. See also
Mother's Rings.
FANCY CUT
A term used for gems that
are cut in a shape other than
the standard round-cut, such
as single cut, marquise, emerald,
pear, heart, oval, square,
baguette, triangle, etc. Also
called fancy shape.
FACNCY DIAMOND
A diamond found in a color
other than white, including
yellow, blue, green, red,
and purple.
FANCY
JASPER
An opaque gemstone, the stone
varying in shade from a pastel
green to forest green, pink
to purple-red and yellow-gold
in color, frequently in the
same stone.
FANCY
SHAPES
Gemstones cut in any way other
than round-cut. Another term
for Fancy cut.
FANTASY
CUT
Stones cut in fancy shapes.
See Fancy cut
FASHION
JEWELRY
Fashion jewelry is another
name for costume jewelry.
The Trifari
leaf pin above is gold-plated
and has glass stones.
FAUX
(Pronounced like "foe")
French word meaning false,
fake, imitation or artificial.
In a manufacturing context,
faux is used to indicate something
made to resemble something
else. Faux marble looks like
marble. Faux bois looks like
wood. Faux porphyry looks
like stone.
FEATHER
A kind of inclusion in
a diamond, usually only a
tiny crack. Although they
may have no affect on the
strength or beauty of the
diamond whatsoever, these
feathers, or “fissures” as
they are sometimes called,
can make a stone more fragile
and susceptible to cracking
depending on the depth or
location.
FEDE
RINGS
(or "Faith rings")
Are distinguished by having
the bezel cut or cast in the
form of two clasped hands,
symbolizing faith, trust or
"plighted troth".
Fede rings date from Roman
times and were popular in
the Middle Ages throughout
Europe.
FEITSUI
The Chinese name for a highly
prized variety of pale green
jade; the royal stone of China.
FELDSPAR
A family of minerals which
are all silicates of alumina
with either potash, soda,
or lime. They're usually white
or nearly white, flesh-red,
bluish, or greenish, and occur
in crystals and crystalline
masses, vitreous in luster,
and breaking rather easily
in two directions at right
angles to each other. The
feldspars are essential constituents
of nearly all crystalline
rocks, such as Granite, gneiss,
mica, slate, most kinds of
basalt and trachyte, etc.
FENICHEL
Fenichel is a very rare costume
jewelry mark. Fenichel pieces
are well made, often using
high-quality rhinestones and/or
enamel on rhodium-plated metal.
FERRER'S EMERALD
Ferrer's emerald is a glass
stone made to imitate an emerald.
FETISH
An amulet, pendant or charm,
often representing an animal
or person, believed to have
magical power to protect or
aid its owner.
FETISH
NECKLACE
A necklace with shell
and/or turquoise beads that
has charms in the shape of
small animals or birds along
it's length.
FIBULA
An ancient and often ornamented
clasp or brooch used in ancient
Greece and Rome to fasten
clothing. It usually consists
of piece of bowed metal with
a pin connected to one end
with a hinge. The pin is pushed
through the clothing to hold
it together and is secured
into the other end of the
bow behind a catch plate.
A fibula is sometimes referred
to as a ‘safety-pin brooch’.
FILIGREE
A design made with thin wire
intricately interlaced or
bent into rosettes, spirals,
or vines. The wire is typically
gold or silver and may be
plain, twisted, or plaited.
There are two major styles
of filigree. The first is
to solder the wire to a metal
base. This style was used
in Byzantine, Carolingian,
Ottonian, Roman, Anglo-Saxon,
and 13th century German and
Italian jewelry. The second
style is to leave the wire
as an openwork design without
a metal backing, which is
characteristic of European
jewelry until the 15th century.
Filigree was used on Jewish
marriage rings as well as
Spanish and Portuguese peasant
jewelry. In England it is
found on some mourning rings.
FILIGREE ENAMEL
A type of decoration similar
to cloisonn? enameling but
having the cloisons made of
twisted wire, (rather than
flat strips of metal), soldered
to the base and filled in
with opaque enamel. After
the powdered enamel in the
spaces is fused and, upon
cooling, has contracted, the
wire shows above the surface.
FIGARO CHAIN
Similar in style to a
curb link chain, but the links
alternate between a long one
and three round ones instead
of uniform links.
FIGOGUCCI CHAIN
A mariner link chain
where the links are twisted
and diamond-cut so they lie
flat like a curb link chain.
FIGURAL
Figural jewelry is disigned
to look like real objects.
Common subjects are the human
body, animals (especially
butterflies, dogs, cat, birds,
and shells), flowers, leaves,
and everyday objects (like
baskets and fans).
FIGURE 8 SAFETY CATCH
A type of safety catch in
which a hinged wire in the
shape of a figure eight snaps
over a pin. The wide end of
the eight connects at the
bottom to the hinge, and the
smaller end of the eight slips
over the pin to hold the clasp
closed.
FILIGREE
Filigree is gold or silver
wire that have been twisted
into patterns and soldered
into place. Openwork filigree
is not soldered onto a sheet
of metal and is difficult
to make. Imitation filigree
is made of stamped metal.
FIMO
A German-made polymer clay
that comes in over 30 colors
and can be hardened by baking
in a standard oven. Beads
made from fimo have become
popular in modern jewelry.
FINDINGS
All types of construction
components used in jewelry
making such as clasps, pins,
hooks, tabs, etc.
FINE CONDITION
A piece in Fine Condition
may show extremely slight
wear, but not enough to have
developed a patina.
FINENESS
Fineness is the proportion
of silver or gold in a metal
alloy. Fineness is usually
expressed in parts per thousand.
For example, the fineness
of sterling silver is 925.
FINGER RING SIZE
To size a finger for a ring,
a finger-ring gauge is used.
The rings are marked with
their size and the person
determines which one fits
well. Another, less accurate
method is a cardboard card
with cut-out holes marked
with the ring sizes. To determine
the ring size of a finger
using the circumference of
the finger, or to determine
the size of a ring given its
diameter, the formulas are:
System |
Formula
using Circumference |
Formula
using Diameter |
| USA |
Circumference in mm
= 36.107 + (2.5890*Ring
Size) |
Diameter in mm = 11.4931
+ (0.8241*Ring Size) |
| Europe |
Ring Size =Circumference
in mm |
Ring Size = 3.1416
* Diameter in mm |
| UK |
Circumference in mm
= 36.667 + 1.2368*Ring
Size(where 1=A, 2=B,
etc.) |
Diameter in mm = 11.6713
+ [0.3937 * Ring Size(where
1=A, 2=B, etc.)] |
FINIAL
A sculptured ornamental knob,
often in the shape of a leaf,
flower, or fleur-de-lys, at
the terminal end of an object.
FINISH
The way the surface of a piece
is polished or textured. The
finish of a diamond refers
to the polish on the external
surface of a diamond. When
a diamond or stone is well
cut and polished, it is said
to have a beautiful finish.
Finish is also used to describe
the polish or texture applied
to a metal. Common finishes
include high polish, matte
or brushed.
FINISH,
FLORENTINE
A surface in which parallel
lines are engraved in one
direction, then crossed with
lighter perpendicular lines
resembling brush marks. Also
called brushed finish
FINISH JEWELRY, HIGH
POLISHED
Jewelry which is shiny, smooth
and reflective.
FINISH JEWELRY, MATTE
With jewelry which has a matte
finish the designer uses either
a chemical process or an abrasive
material to scratch the top
layers of the piece creating
a dull and non-reflective
surface.
FIRE
(or "Dispersion").
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.
FISH HOOK
A fishhook-shaped finding
used to make earrings. The
hook end hangs from the lobe
of a pierced ear.
FIRE OPAL
Fire opals are a type of opal
that is firey orange to red
in color (but have no opalescence).
These opals are rarely transparent
- they are usually milky.
Opal is a mineral composed
of silica (and some water)
and is a species of quartz.
Many opals have a high water
content - they can dry out
and crack if they are not
cared for well (opals should
be stored in damp cotton wool).
Opals have a hardness of 5.5
to 6.5 and a specific gravity
of 1.98-2.50. Fire opals are
found in Western Australia,
Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala,
and Honduras.
FIRESTONE
Firestone is an imitation
iridescent rainbow quartz.
It is made by heating rock
crystal until it crazes; iIt
is then put into dye as it
cools.
FISSURE
A fracture or crack in
the surface of a stone.
FLAW
A flaw is a an imperfection
in a gemstone. Flaws include:
cracks, inclusions of other
minerals or liquid-filled
cavities. A flawless stone
is called "clean." Flaws can
greatly reduce the value of
a stone, but in some cases,
like moss agate or rutilated
quartz, the "flaws" increase
the value of the stone.
FLEUR-DE-LYS
From Old French "flor
de lis" flor (flower)
+ de (of) + lis (lily). A
stylized three-petaled iris
flower, used as the armorial
emblem of the kings of France.
It is commonly found in jewelry
items.
FLOATER
NECKLACE
An floater (or invisible)
necklace looks as though the
beads are simply floating
on the skin; the beads or
pearls are strung far apart
from one another on an almost
invisible string (like clear
fishing line).
FLORA
DANICA
Flora Danica is a Danish jewelry
company that uses real plant
parts to make jewelry. The
plant material (usually leaves
or sprigs) is electroplated
with silver and then gold
plated. The delicately-detailed
jewelry is used as pins, earrings,
pendants, etc.
FLORENTINE
FINISH
A surface in which parallel
lines are engraved in one
direction, then crossed with
lighter perpendicular lines
resembling brush marks. Also
called brushed finish
FLORENZA
Florenza was a costume jewelry
design company started by
Daniel Kasoff Inc. in 1948
in New York City. The name
Florenza was first used in
1950 (it was named for Kasoff's
wife, Florence). Florenza
produced pieces until 1981
(when Dan's son Larry, who
was then in charge of the
company, was injured in a
car accident). Florenza made
well-designed, intricate (mostly)
gold-finished pieces that
often contained colored stones
(usually pastel, frosted or
aurora borealis stones), enameled
surfaces, filigree work, intaglio,
and/or carved cameos. The
styles used were often Renaissance
revival/Victorian-inspired
pieces, including cameos,
Maltese crosses, floral designs,
and cherubs. Florenza designed
pieces (including cosmetic
boxes, compacts, lipstick
holders, picture frames, etc.)
for other companies, including
Estee Lauder and Revlon. The
Florenza cameo pin above is
hand carved.
FLOWERING
OBSIDIAN
Flowering Obsidian (also called
snowflake obsidian) is a volcanic
glass that is usually dark
(black or brownish) with white
"snowflakes". This glassy,
lustrous mineral is found
in lava flows, and obsidian
stones can be massive. Obsidian
is formed when viscous lava
(from volcanos) cools rapidly.
Most obsidian is 70 percent
silica. Obsidian has a hardness
of 5 and a specific gravity
of 2.35.
FLUORESCENCE
A property possessed by diamonds,
fluorspar, uranium glass,
sulphide of calcium, and many
other substances, of glowing
without appreciable rise of
temperature when exposed to
ultra-violet rays, cathode
rays, X rays, etc. This fluorescent
glow is not always considered
when grading a diamond for
quality (using the standard
Four C’s); it is an inherent
characteristic of a diamond.
FLUORIDE
A binary compound of
fluorine with another element
or radical.
FLUORINE
An element of the halogen
class of elements which is
only found in nature combined
with other substances. It
is found combined as calcium
fluoride in fluorite, and
as a double fluoride of aluminum
and sodium in cryolite. Fluorine
is very active chemically,
(the most electronegative
and most reactive of all the
elements), and possesses such
an avidity for most elements,
especially silicon, that it
can neither be prepared nor
kept in glass vessels. This
is why even though it was
first identified by Scheele
in 1771, it was not isolated
until 1886 by Moissan. When
isolated, fluorine is a pale-yellow,
highly corrosive, flammable,
poisonous, gas.
FLUORITE
A mineral composed of calcium
fluoride which is found in
many different colors such
as white, yellow, purple,
green, red, etc. Often very
beautiful, crystallizing commonly
in cubes with perfect octahedral
cleavage.
FLUTED
A long, usually rounded groove
incised as a decorative motif.
Commonly seen on Greek and
Roman columns.
FOB
A short chain or ribbon attached
to a pocket watch, often with
an ornament or decorative
seal attached to the end.
FOIL
A paper thin sheet of metal
placed behind a crystal or
glass stone to intensify the
brilliance of the stone. See
Foilback.
FOILBACK
A method of coating the
back of a stone with silver,
gold, or colored foil. This
enhances the brilliance of
the stone, by reflecting back
as much light as possible.
It is commonly seen in costume
jewelry. A foilbacked rhinestone
whose foil has been damaged,
(often from water creeping
in), does not sparkle anymore
and is said to be a "dead"
stone, lowering the value
of the piece. Before, modern,
highly reflective cuts were
developed, even diamonds were
foilbacked.
FOLD
OVER CLASP
A clasp used on a necklace
or bracelet with a box on
one end and a V-shaped tongue
on the other. The lid of the
box opens to reveal a small
hook. The tongue slips over
the hook and then the lid
of the box is snapped closed
to secure the tongue in place.
FOOL'S GOLD
A common mineral composed
of iron disulphide with a
pale brass-yellow color used
as an iron ore and in the
production of sulfur dioxide
for sulfuric acid. Also called
Pyrite and Iron pyrite.
FORSTNER
Forstner is a mark of the
Forstner Chain Corporation
of Irvington, New Jersey The
company was renamed the Forstner
Jewelry Manufacturing Corp.
in 1950. Forstner produces
silver vermeil and gold-filled
jewelry, specializing in chains
and snake bracelets. Marks
of this costume jewelry company
include: Forstner (since January,
1947), Forstner Sterling,
Forstner Chain Corp., Forstar
(since June, 1950), Bolita,
Dapper, Dubl-Lock, F.C.C.,
Fortune, Merry-Go-Round, Numium,
Radio, Snap-Lock, Slide Ring,
Trustyle, Union, and FORSIT.
FOSSIL IVORY
Fossil ivory is the tusk of
the extinct Woolly Mammoth
(an elephant-like animal that
lived during the last Ice
Ages).
FOSSILIZED
A piece of bone, wood, or
other organic matter that
has become petrified and hard
like a stone over time.
FOSSILS
Fossils are the remains of
ancient animals and plants,
the traces or impressions
of living things from past
geologic ages, or the traces
of their activities. Fossils
can be used to make beautiful
jewelry. Fossils came in many
different mineral and organic
forms, including plain-looking
rocks, marble-like casts of
ancient animals, opals,
and amber
(fossilized tree resin).
FOUR C'S
The method by which a gemstone
is measured for quality. The
Four C’s are cut, Color, Clarity
and Carat Weight. See individual
listings.
FOXTAIL
CHAIN
An intricately woven
chain made up of three rows
of links. The top and bottom
row are oval-shaped links
lying on each other at a 45
degree angle, but not linked
together. The center row is
a set of flat connecting rings
set at an opposing angle and
flush with each other which
bind the top and bottom row
together.
FRACTURE
A type of inclusion in
a diamond or stone. A crack
or feather in a different
direction than its naturally
occurring crystals.
FRACTURE FILLING
A type of enhancement where
tiny fractures in a gemstone
are filled.
FREIRICH
Freirich was a French costume
jewelry, button, and accesory
company that was begun by
Solomon Freirich in the 1920s
after he bought Maison David,
a hats, dress ornament and
accesory maker. In the USA,
the company is called Freirich;
in France it is called Maison
David (David's House). Freirich
also produced buttons for
many fashion designers, including
Chanel and Dior. The company's
increased its costume jewelry
production in 1955, when Solomon
Freirich's son, Arthur Freirich,
joined the firm. The 'FREIRICH'
mark was first used on costume
jewelry in the 1960s (Freirich
jewelry produced before then
is unmarked). Freirich jewelry
is often Victorian in style,
with enamel work, delicate
HREF="/jewel/glossary/indexf.shtml#filagree">filagrees,
glass stones, and metal stamping
that emulates granulation.
Freirich went out of business
in 1990.
FRENCH
BACK
A type of earring attachment
for non-pierced ears where
the earring is tightened against
the earlobe by means of a
screw with a flat padded end.
FRENCH ENAMEL
French enamel refers to fine
enamel work (like the work
of Fabergé) the was
first developed in France.
In this technique, many thin
layers of translucent colored
enamel (glass paste with colorants)
are applied to a metal surface.
After firing the piece at
temperatures of up to about
820°C, the work is polished.
A final layer of clear enamel
often covers the piece. Fine
miniature paintings in enamel
on a white-enamel ground have
been produced in France since
this technique was developed
in 1620-1630 by the French
goldsmith Jean Toutin of Chateaudun
and other French goldsmiths.
FRENCH IVORY
A plastic produced to
simulate ivory. It was first
produced by the Xylonite Company
in 1866. Other names include
Celluloid, Ivoride, Ivorine,
Ivorite and Pyralin.
FRENCH JET
Black glass which is
made to resemble real jet.
Glass is heavier and colder
to the touch compared to real
jet.
FRENCH WIRE
A curved wire resembling
a fish hook which passes through
the pierced earlobe and has
a catch closure. It is mostly
used with dangling earrings
due to their extra weight.
FRESHWATER PEARL
A pearl produced by a
mollusk that inhabits fresh
water, such as a lake or river,
as opposed to sea water. These
pearls are usually shaped
like an uneven grain of rice
and unlike the saltwater oyster,
which normally produces only
one or two pearls, each mussel
can simultaneously produce
many. Freshwater pearls are
grown in many countries such
as the United States, Japan,
China and Ireland. Natural
freshwater pearls are found
in a variety of colors including
blue, lavender, violet, rose
and gray. They can also be
dyed to enhance or change
their color. Freshwater pearls
are much cheaper than their
seawater cousins since they
produce several pearls at
once and do not require an
irritant to be inserted to
produce a pearl.
FROST AGATE
Frost agate is agate with
white markings (that look
like frost).
FRUIT
SALAD
"Fruit Salad"
jewelry is costume jewelry
that is set with colorful,
molded stones. The stones
are glass or plastic, and
can be transparent or translucent.
FUCHSITE
Fuchsite is a deep emerald
green variety of the mineral
muscovite that is rich is
the chromium. It has a glassy
luster. Fuchsite is relatively
soft; it has a hardness of
2-2.5 and a specific gravity
of 2.77-2.88. The chemical
formula for fuchsite is K(Al,Cr)2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2.
FULL 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.
FURNACE GLASS
Furnace glass (also called
furnace worked glass) is made
by working (shaping) hot glass
by hand (the glass was heated
in a glass furnace). Long
tubes of glass are drawn from
molten glass, then beads are
cut from the tube (and later
tumbled and reheated to smooth
the edges of the beads). Furnace
glass beads are made in a
wide variety of colors, shapes,
and designs.
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