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MABE'
(OR MOBE')
A Japanese term for cultured
pearls which are cultured
against the shell so that
only half a pearl is formed
resembling a half-sphere.
MABE PEARL
Mabe pearls are large, hemispherical
cultured pearls that grow
attached to the inside shells
of oysters. Mabe pearls are
used in earrings, pins, and
rings.
MACHINE STAMPING
Machine stamping
(also known as die-stamping)
is a process in which sheet
metal is cut and shaped between
two dies, forming a pattern
in relief. Two steel dies
are used, the male die has
the design in cameo (protruding);
the female die has the design
hollowed out. The male die
is put on top of the metal,
the female die is put on the
underside of the metal. The
press is forcefully brought
down onto the dies and metal,
forcing the metal into the
shape of the mold. Many medallions
and mass-produced jewelry
findings are made this way.
MAGNESIA
Also called periclase,
magnesia is a light, solid,
white earthy mineral composed
of magnesium oxide. It is
a source of magnesium and
is used as a laxative. It
takes its name from Magnesia,
an ancient city of Asia Minor,
and is a mineral ingredient
of the philosophers' stone.
MAGNESIUM
A light, silvery-white,
moderately hard, malleable,
ductile, metallic element
which only occurs in nature
as a compound with other elements,
as found in magnesite, spinel
and olivine. In ribbon or
powder form magnesium burns
with a brilliant white flame,
(the so-called magnesium light),
which is used in signaling,
pyrotechnics, incendiary bombs,
or in photography where a
strong actinic illuminant
is required.
MAHOGANY OBSIDIAN
Mahogany Obsidian
(also called Apache tears)
is brownish obsidian. 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. The pin above is
Mahogany (brown) obsidian.
MALACHITE
Malachite is an opaque
semi-precious stone with layers
of deep green and light green.
It is usually found in copper
mines; malachite is about
57% copper. Malachite was
used as jewelry thousands
of years ago by the ancients
Egyptians. Malachite is usually
cabochon set in silver. Russian
malachite carvings were done
in miniature and in large
scale; malachite was also
inlaid in furniture. Malachite
has a hardness of 4 and a
specific gravity of 3.80.
It is monoclinic; it has one
two-fold axis of symmetry.
Malachite is sometimes coated
with colorless wax, oil, or
hardening agents to increase
its durability and enhance
its appearance.
MALLEABLE
Malleable metals
are easily worked with a hammer
or a roller. gold and sterling
silver are very malleable
metals.
MALTESE CROSS
Maltese cross is
a cross whose four equal-length
arms get larger the farther
they get from the center.
The Maltese cross brooch above
is by Weiss; it has red paste
stones and a Japanned finish.
MANDREL
A mandrel is a metal
rod used to coil molten glass
in order to make a bead.
MANGANESE
A gray-white or silvery
brittle, metallic, element
which resembles iron but is
not magnetic. It is found
abundantly in the ores pyrolusite,
manganite, and rhodochrosite
and in nodules on the ocean
floor. Manganese is alloyed
with iron to form ferromanganese,
which is used to increase
strength, hardness, and wear
resistance of steel.
MANGANITE
Steel-gray or iron-black
crystals composed of manganese
oxide. Used as a source of
manganese.
MARBLE
A metamorphic rock
composed of calcium carbonate,
(like aragonite or coral),
or carbonate of lime, (limestone
or dolomite, a variety of
calcite), which is swirled
or clouded with color. It
is most often used for architectural
and ornamental purposes. The
most common variety is white,
but it can also be yellow,
red, or green.
MARBLED
A stone, or other
object, with two or more colors
swirled together.
MARBOUX
Marboux is a mark
of the Marcel Boucher costume
jewelry company. Other Boucher
marks include "Marcel Boucher"
and "Boucher."
MARCASITE
Marcasite is a shiny,
metallic semi-precious stone.
It is actually iron pyrite.
Marcasite is generally faceted.
The Czech guilloche pin above
is studded with marcasites.
MARINA CHAIN
A chain composed
of small, round, diamond cut
links that are designed to
lie flat like a curb link
chain, but are set very close
together.
MARINER LINK
A chain link resembling
a flat oval with a flat bar
in the middle of the ring.
A figogucci chain is a variant
form.
MARQUISE
Marquise cut stones
have a shape like an oval
with two pointed ends.
MARVELLA
Marvella is a costume
jewelry brand that was founded
by Sol E. Weinreich, who began
business in January, 1906
in New York, New York. They
were bought by Trifari in
1982. It is now owned by the
Monet Group, Inc. This company
has been called the Weirich
Brothers Company, Marvella,
Inc., and Marvella Pearls,
Inc. Marvella created costume
jewelry, many featuring simulated
pearls and faceted beads.
For more information on Marvella,
click here.
MATINEE-LENGTH
A matinee-length
necklace is a single strand
that is from 22 to 23 inches
(56 to 58 cm) long. Matinee-length
generally refers to a string
of pearls that hangs to the
top of the cleavage.
MATISSE
Matisse is a line
of enameled copper jewelry
from the "Renoir of California"
jewelry company. The enameled
copper leaf pin above is marked
Matisse.
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.
Also referred to as having
a "brushed finish.".
MATTE FINISH
A matte finish on
a metal's surface is a soft,
lustrous finish that reduces
the metal's reflectivity.
MAW-SIT-SIT
Maw-sit-sit is a
rare green gemstone that has
dark-green to black veining;
it sometimes has white spots.
The stone is opaque to translucent.
Maw-sit-sit has a hardness
of 6.0; the specific gravity
is 2.5 to 3.5. This stone
is found in Maw-sit-sit, Myanmar
(Burma), and is often found
neat jadeite, but maw-sit-sit
is not a type of jade. Maw-sit-sit
was first identified in 1963
by the Swiss Gemologist Eduard
Gübelin; the local called
the stone maw-sit-sit, and
the name was retained. Although
its exact composition is still
unknown, Maw-sit-sit is composed
of chromite, ureyite, chrome
jadeite, symplektite, chrome
amphibole, and other lighter
minerals.
MAZER
(Mazer (or Jomaz)
is a costume jewelry mark
used by the Joseph J. Mazer
company (founded in NY, NY
in 1927). Early pieces are
marked "Mazer Bros;" later
pieces are marked JOMAZ or
MAZER. They went out of business
in 1970's. Mazer made high-quality
jewelry like the gold-plated
earring above with pearl and
paste accents.
MCCLELLAND BARCLAY
McClelland Barclay
was a costume jewelry company
that made very high quality
pieces, often gold plated
with colored rhinestones and
a geometric design. He also
made jewelry pieces in sterling
silver and trays in anodized
aluminum and bronze. McClelland
Barclay (1891-1943) was an
artist who was an illustrator,
sculptor, painter, and jewelry
designer. McClelland Barclay
jewelry is not the same as
Barclay.
MELANITE
A common black variety
of garnet composed of iron
lime.
MELEE
A melee is a small
diamond, under .20 carat.
MEMORY WIRE
Memory wire is a
tough, stiff wire that retains
its shape. It is often used
for necklaces and bracelets.
MESH
A sheet of fabric-like
woven fine wire, similar to
the kind used for screen doors.
METAL
A solid mineral element
that is able to conduct heat
and electricity and is pliable
under heat or pressure. Common
metals include bronze, copper
and iron. Metals used for
making jewelry, such as platinum,
gold, and silver are called
"precious metals".
METALLIC
There are two basic
definitions. A material composed
of metal is "metallic", but
the term is also used for
a material displaying a reflective,
shiny, lustrous appearance,
like a metal would.
MEXICAN DIAMOND
Mexican diamond is
a misleading term for rock
crystal, and not a diamond
at all.
MEXICAN JADE
Mexican jade is a
misleading term for dyed stalagmitic
calcite; it is not jade.
MFA
MFA stands for the
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston,
Massachusett, USA. They produce
reproductions of their museum
pieces (and other jewelry
pieces).
MICA
A group of minerals
consisting of hydrous silicates
of aluminum or potassium which
are common in igneous and
metamorphic rocks. Mica vary
in color from pale brown or
yellow to green or black and
characteristically split into
very thin leaves. Sheets of
mica used in insulation and
electrical equipment because
of their resistance to electricity.
The transparent forms are
used in lanterns, the doors
of stoves, etc.
MICROCRYSTALLINE
Microcrystalline
is a type of mineral structure
in which the crystals are
so small that they can only
be seen using a microscope.
MICROMOSAIC
Micromosaics are
pictures or decorations that
are made out of extremely
small pieces (tiles) of stone,
glass or other materials.
Italian micromosaics were
common souvenirs. Older examples
are much more intricate, have
smaller mosaic tiles, and
generally have better workmanship.
MICRON
A micron is a unit
of length equal to 0.001 mm
(millimeter).
MIDDLEMAN
A businessman who
acts for, or in the place
of, another to buy or sell
merchandise in exchange for
a commission. Also called
a"Broker" or a "middleman".
MILANESE MESH
Milanese mesh (also
known as Milanese work or
Milanese chain) is a an intricate
mesh made from spiral wires
braided together. Milanese
mesh is used to make necklaces
and bracelets.
MILGRAIN
A raised, beaded
edge on a ring done with a
special engraver's tool; resembling
the edge of a coin.
MILGRAIN SETTING
A milgrain design
engraved into the edge of
the metal securing a stone
in place.
MILK AND HONEYT EFFECT
The milk and honey
effect is one in which the
apparent coloring of a stone
changes (from milky to the
color of honey) as the angle
of the light changes. When
a light is shined on the stone,
one side of the stone is the
color of milk and the other
is the color of honey. When
the light changes direction,
the color effect also shifts.
Cat's-eye chrysoberyl can
exhibit this milk and honey
phenomenon.
MILLEFIORI
Millefiori (meaning
"thousand flowers" in Italian)
is glass that is formed from
multiple canes of colored
glass that are fused together
and cut crosswise. Millefiori
glass can also be made into
beads.
MILLEGRAIN
A millegrain (or
millegrain setting) is a setting
in which the stone is secured
by tiny beads [grains] of
metal or a band of metal that
is decorated with tiny beads
of metal.
MILLING
Milling is a process
in which wood or metal is
cut while it either the material
or the tool is spinning. Symmetrical
shapes and patterns are cut
into the material.
MINE CUT
Mine cut stones have
a cushion-shaped girdle. This
type of cut was popular in
the late 1800's.
MINERAL
Any inorganic substance;
i.e. anything that is not
a plant or an animal.
MINERAL CRYSTAL
Mineral Crystal is
a crystalline mineral that
come in many forms, including
amethyst, aventurine, citrin,
opal, rock crystal, tiger's
eye, rose quartz,and many
others. Rutilated quartz and
tourmalinated quartz have
needle-like inclusions of
other minerals. Mineral Crystal
has a hardness of 7.0. This
common mineral is found worldwide.
MING'S
Ming's of Honolulu
(Hawaii) was a fine jewelry
company that sold high-quality
jewelry (both gold and silver),
often using pearls, jade,
coral, and ivory (often dyed).
The designs often used Hawaiian
and Asian motifs. Ming's also
produced hand-carved figurals
depicting exotic leaves (like
banana leaves), flowers (like
hibiscus, anthurium, pikake,
bird of paradise, and orchids)
and other natural objects.
Some older, unmarked Ming's
pieces have a distinctive
leaf-shaped clasp. The artist
Wook Moon began Ming's in
1940 and the store soon expanded
over the Hawaii islands, and
to San Francisco, New York
City, Miami, Houston, Ft.
Lauderdale, and Atlanta. The
last of the Ming's stores
(in Honolulu) closed in October,
1999.
MINT CONDITION
A piece of jewelry
having no signs of wear whatsoever,
including no discolored stones.
A piece that is in Mint Condition
is in virtually the same condition
as it was when it left the
manufacturer. Considering
that vintage jewelry is usually
50 or more years old, and
that it likely has been worn,
it is obviously quite rare
to find a piece that is truly
in Mint Condition.
MIRACLE
Miracle makes Celtic
or "Scottish" jewelry, jewelry
using ancient Celtic designs
and stones such as agate.
The Miracle pin pictured above
is made with agate stones.
MIXED CUT
A mixed cut in one
in which the style of the
facets above and below the
girdle are different. A standard
mixed cut is brilliant cut
above and step cut below.
MOGUL EMERALD
These Indian emeralds
were owned by Indian moguls
(like Shah Jahan, the builder
of the Taj Mahal) and were
inscribed with sacred blessings.
MOHS SCALE
The Mohs Scale of
Hardness measures a substance's
hardness, that is, how resistant
it is to being scratched.
In the Mohs scale, which ranges
from 1 to 10, one substance
is harder than another if
it can scratch it. For example,
a diamond (hardness = 10)
will scratch garnet (hardness
= 6.5-7.5), but not the other
way around, so a diamond is
harder than garnet. This scale
was invented by Austrian mineralogist
Friedrich Mohs (1773-1839).
MOINI, IRADJ
Iradj Moini is a
modern jewelry designer who
produces exquisite, imaginative,
handmade pieces. Moini's jewelry
is highly collectible and
is usually figural and studded
with brightly-colored stones.
Moini designs for Oscar de
la Renta, but he has also
produced pieces for Bill Blass,
Scaas and Herrera.
MOISSANITE
Moissanite is a very
hard mineral that was discovered
by Dr. Ferdinand Henri Moissan
(1852-1907), a French chemist
and Nobel Prize winner (Moissan
did work on synthesizing diamonds
and discovered carborundum
in 1891). He found tiny amounts
of Moissanite in the iron
meteorite that was found at
Diablo Canyon (also called
Meteor Crater) in Arizona,
USA. Moissanite ranges in
color from colorless to blue
to green to yellow. Its chemical
makeup is Silicon Carbide
(SiC); it is also called Carborundum.
Moisannite crystals are transparent
to translucent. Moissanite
has a hardness of 9.25 (this
is almost as hard as diamond)
and a specific gravity of
3.1 - 3.2. Laboratory-grown
Moissanite is sold as a gemstone.
MOKUME-GANE
A Japanese metal-smithing
technique which results in
a wood-like finish. Alternating
layers of thin, colored metals
are laminated together. Patterns
are punched in the laminate,
filed away or hammered. This
technique produces unique
and delicate patterns.
MOLDAVITE
Moldavite is a rare,
glassy, translucent, dark
green gemstone. Moldavite
is a silica-based tektite,
a mineral formed when a meteorite
(a rock from space) struck
the Earth's surface and melted
and fused the surrounding
rock. Moldavite is only found
in Bohemia (the Czech Republic)
in the Ries Crater in the
Moldau River valley (which
it was named for). Moldavite
was discovered in the late
1800's; the meteorite from
which it formed hit the Earth
about 14.7 million years ago.
Moldavite has a hardness of
5.5-6.6. Inclusions of gas
bubbles and iron/nickel spherules
are common. This natural glass
has been used for jewelry,
religious articles, and decorative
objects since prehistoric
times.
MOLDED CAMEO
Molded cameos are
cameos that are made by the
molding process and not by
carving the material (as traditional
cameos are). Molded cameos
are usually made from plastic,
glass, or porcelain that is
formed in a mold. Often, two
colors of material are used,
one for the relief pattern
(often depicting a person
or scene) and another for
the background. The molded
cameo above is a Jasper ware
porcelain cameo made by the
Wedgewood Company.
MOLLUSK
An invertebrate animal
usually enclosed in a shell,
such as an oyster, mussel
or clam.
MOMA
MOMA stands for the
Museum of Modern Art in New
York City, New York, USA.
They produce reproductions
of their museum pieces (and
other jewelry pieces).
MONET
Monet is a major,
high-quality costume jewelry
manufacturer. It was founded
as the Monocraft Products
Company in 1927 by Jay and
Michael Chernow as a monogram
manufacturer and began producing
jewelry under the name Monet
in 1929. The mark "Monet"
was begun in September, 1937.
Monet produced Yves Saint
Laurent jewelry in the 1980's.
Monet developed the very comfortable
"friction ear clip" for non-pierced
earrings and the "barrel clutch"
for pierced earrings. This
company has been sold many
times (its owners have included
General Mills and Crystal
Brands Jewelry) and is now
called the Monet Group, Inc.;
it is still located in East
Providence, Rhode Island.
The Monet Group now distributes
jewelry under the names Monet,
Trifari, Ciani, and Marvella.
MONOCLINIC
Monoclinic minerals
have a crystalline structure
in which there is one two-fold
axis of symmetry. Jade, Malachite
and moonstone are monoclinic.
MONTANA RUBY
A "Montana ruby"
is actually a pyrope garnet
(and not a ruby at all).
MOONSTONE
Moonstone (orthoclase)
is a semi-translucent stone
that is made of albite and
orthoclase feldspar. It is
usually whitish-blue, but
can be colorless, yellow,
orange, gray, or even reddish.
Moonstone is usually set as
a cabochon. Moonstone was
very popular early in the
20th century and was extensively
used in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Moonstone has a hardness of
6 and a specific gravity of
2.57. It is monoclinic; it
has one two-fold axis of symmetry.
Adularia is a common type
of moonstone. Oligoclase is
another type of moonstone;
Labradorite and albite are
rare forms.
MORGANITE
Morganite is a transparent
to translucent pink gemstone.
It is a variety of beryl,
Be3Al2(Si6O18) that contains
some manganese (giving the
stone its pink color). Morganite
has a hardness of 7.5 - 8
and a specific gravity of
2.71 - 2.90. It has poor cleavage
and is brittle. Morganite
is often heat treated to give
the stone a purer pink color
(and remove any yellow spots).
Morganite was named for J.
Pierpoint Morgan, the American
industrialist and gem collector.
Morganite is found in Brazil,
Madagascar, Italy, Pakistan,
Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe,
and the USA (California, Maine,
Connecticut, and North Carolina).
MORSE
A clasp used by the
clergy for fastening garments,
such as a cape, in front.
It is usually very large,
from 12.5 to 17.5 cm in diameter,
of various materials and shapes,
and decorated in religious
themes.
MOSAIC
Mosaics are pictures
or decorations that are made
out of small pieces (tiles)
of stone, glass or other materials.
Italian mosaics were common
souvenirs. Older examples
are much more intricate, have
smaller mosaic tiles, and
generally have better workmanship.
MOSS AGATE
Moss agate (also
called Mocha stone in Britain
and the USA) is a green variety
of agate. It is chalcedony
that has dendritic (tree-like)
inclusions of green (red or
black) hornblende. The inclusions
often form beautiful patterns.
Moss agate has a hardness
of 6.5-7 and a specific gravity
of 2.6. Green moss agate is
found in India, and some other
locations.
MOTHER-OF-PEARL
Mother-of-pearl is
the iridescent coating on
the inside of oyster shells.
Mother-of-pearl is used for
jewelry, buttons, and other
uses.
MOTHERS' RINGS
A kind of "family
jewelry", Mother's rings are
rings personalized with their
children's birthstones or
with birthstones and names.
MOUKAITE
Moukaite is a semi-precious
gemstone, a variety of jasper
from Australia. The color
of moukaite varies from red-browns
to pinks, with gold and white
bands.
MOURNING JEWELRY
Mourning jewelry
is a type of jewelry worn
when one is mourning the loss
of a loved one. It is often
black, subdued jewelry (often
made of jet or black glass
and metal with a Japanned
finish) or jewelry that commemorates
the dead (like hair jewelry
or cameos). After England's
Queen Victoria's beloved husband
(and cousin) Albert died (in
1861), she went into an extended
period of mourning. During
these years, she wore black
clothing and mourning jewelry.
English fashion was greatly
influenced by this, and mourning
jewelry, especially jet, became
quite fashionable.
MOUNT
To place or fix a
stone in the setting.
MOUNTING
A piece of metal
that holds a gem in place.
MOURNING JEWELRY
Jewelry worn to commemorate
the death of a loved one,
usually in the form of a ring,
brooch, or necklace; widely
worn during the Victorian
era when the death of Prince
Albert plunged Queen Victoria
into a lifetime of mourning.
See Filigree, Jet, and Jabot
Pin.
MYA YAY
Mya yay is the Burmese
(Myanmar) name for the highest
quality translucent jadeite.
MYSTIC FIRE
Mystic fire (also
called mystic topaz or rainbow
topaz) is topaz that has been
color enhanced by coating
it with a fine layer of metal
atoms (in a process called
vacuum deposition). This stone
has red, green, violet, and
blue streaks. Mystic fire
has a hardness of 8.
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