A helpful jewelry term glossary

I realized that in my videos I often use terms that not everyone is familiar with so here is a short glossary:

BANGLE = this is an early style bracelet often made from silver wire and decorated

BEADS = hand or machine made round shaped silver ovals or discs in necklaces

BEZEL =  a wall of silver used to hold a stone in place, can be flat or serrated

CABOCHON = a term for a turquoise stone, flat on the bottom and rounded on top

DIE = a tool for raising or lowering the design elements on a piece of silver

FILE WORK = the use of a hand file to create a design element on silver 

FIRST PHASE PERIOD = circa 1868 to 1900

GERMAN SILVER = an alloy of Nickel and Copper, sometimes called white brass

HAND CUT STONES = stones ground by hand against a hard course surface

HOUSING = native name for bezel

INGOT = a piece of silver formed by casting, often in the form of a small bar

NAJA = Navajo word for the crescent pendant at the end of the necklace

NAVAJO = Indigenous tribe living in Arizona and New Mexico, four corners area  

REPOUSSE = raising the surface of metal by hammering from behind creating a bump

SANDCAST = casting silver in stone molds, also known as tufa casting

SQUASH BLOSSOM = the design element on the side of a necklace resembling a petal

STAMP = a tool for creating a pattern on metal or leather by striking it with a hammer

STERLING SILVER = an alloy of .925 silver and .075 copper

TERMINALS = the end or bottom of the bracelet

VINTAGE JEWELRY = something classic, 50 years old, and well worn from use

ZUNI =  Indigenous descendants of the Ancient Puebloans, from New Mexico 

Please let me know if this is useful to you and if you’d like to know more!  Don…