Contemporary jewellery reflects the creativity and innovation of modern designers, combining traditional craftsmanship with unconventional materials and techniques. Whether you’re a collector, designer, or simply an enthusiast, familiarising yourself with key terms can enhance your understanding and appreciation of this evolving art form. This glossary offers clear, concise definitions to help navigate the terminology of contemporary jewellery, ensuring clarity for both beginners and seasoned professionals.
- Alloy: A mixture of metals designed to enhance strength or alter colour. Common alloys include sterling silver (92.5% silver and 7.5% copper) and various gold alloys.
- Amulet: A decorative or symbolic jewellery piece believed to provide protection or good luck. Although often used interchangeably with “pendant,” an amulet holds spiritual significance.
- Assay: The process of testing precious metals to determine their purity, commonly performed to ensure compliance with hallmarking standards.
- Bail: A small component, often a loop or hook, used to attach a pendant or charm to a necklace.
- Baroque Pearl: A pearl with an irregular, non-spherical shape. These unique pearls are often used in avant-garde and contemporary jewellery designs.
- Bezel Setting: A setting style where a gemstone is surrounded by a metal rim, holding it securely in place. This technique is commonly used in contemporary rings and pendants.
- Birthstone: A gemstone associated with a specific month of the year, often incorporated into personalised jewellery designs.
- Bolt Clasp: A circular clasp with a small spring mechanism that opens and closes, commonly used in necklaces and bracelets.
- Brilliant Cut: A popular gemstone cut, particularly for diamonds, characterised by 58 facets designed to maximise light reflection and brilliance.
- Briolette: A teardrop-shaped gemstone that is faceted to reflect light. This cut is often used in earrings and pendants.
- Cabochon: A gemstone that has been shaped and polished, rather than faceted, with a smooth, domed surface. Often used for opaque stones like turquoise and opal.
- Cameo: A carving technique, traditionally on gemstones or shells, where a raised image contrasts with the background. Today, cameos often depict profiles or floral motifs.
- Channel Setting: A setting technique where stones are placed in a groove or channel between two metal walls, creating a smooth, continuous row of gemstones.
- Choker: A short necklace worn snugly around the neck, typically 35–40 cm in length.
- Clarity: A term used to describe the internal flaws or inclusions within a gemstone. Higher clarity generally means fewer imperfections.
- Claw (Prong) Setting: A setting where small metal prongs hold a gemstone in place, allowing maximum light to pass through the stone. Common in engagement rings.
- Cluster Setting: A setting style where smaller stones are grouped around a central gem, creating a larger, eye-catching design.
- Cocktail Ring: A large, statement ring designed to stand out, often featuring a prominent central gemstone or an elaborate design.
- Contemporary Jewellery: Jewellery that breaks away from traditional forms and materials, often incorporating unconventional techniques, experimental designs, and new materials.
- Cultured Pearl: A pearl created through human intervention by inserting a bead into a mollusc. Unlike natural pearls, these are farmed and produced in controlled environments.
- Drop Earrings: Earrings that dangle below the earlobe, typically featuring a gemstone, bead, or decorative element.
- Emerald Cut: A gemstone cut featuring a rectangular shape with step-like facets. The emerald cut is known for its elegance and emphasis on clarity over brilliance.
- Enamel: A decorative coating applied to jewellery, often in vibrant colours, made by fusing powdered glass onto metal at high temperatures.
- Engraving: The process of carving intricate designs or text into the surface of metal, often used to personalise jewellery.
- Facets: The flat, polished surfaces on a cut gemstone that enhance its ability to reflect light.
- Filigree: A delicate jewellery-making technique using fine threads of metal to create intricate patterns and lace-like designs.
- Flush Setting: A setting where a gemstone is set into a metal surface so that it is flush with the surface, offering a sleek and modern appearance.
- Gemstone: A mineral, crystal, or organic material that is cut and polished for use in jewellery. Diamonds, rubies, and emeralds are examples of gemstones.
- Hammered Finish: A texture created by hammering metal, giving it a dimpled surface. This finish adds a contemporary, handmade quality to jewellery.
- Inlay: A technique where pieces of stone, wood, or other materials are set into a depression in the surface of a metal object to create a decorative pattern.
- Lariat Necklace: A long necklace with no clasp, worn by looping one end through the other or knotting the ends together.
- Matte Finish: A non-reflective surface finish on metal, creating a subtle, understated look.
- Milgrain: A decorative technique where tiny metal beads are used to create a border or pattern on a piece of jewellery, often seen in vintage and contemporary styles.
- Mixed Metals: A jewellery design that incorporates more than one type of metal, such as gold and silver, to create contrast and visual interest.
- Oxidation: A chemical process used to darken metal, often sterling silver, to create an antique or contrasting finish.
- Patina: A surface finish that develops on metal over time, either naturally or through chemical treatment, often resulting in a green, blue, or brown colouring.
- Pavé Setting: A technique where small gemstones are set closely together with tiny prongs, creating a surface covered in stones that resembles a paved street.
- Pendant: A decorative element, often a gemstone or metal charm, that hangs from a chain or necklace.
- Precious Metals: High-value metals such as gold, silver, and platinum, commonly used in fine jewellery due to their durability and aesthetic appeal.
- Raw Gemstone: An uncut or minimally processed gemstone, often used in contemporary jewellery for its natural and organic appearance.
- Rose Gold: A gold alloy containing a higher percentage of copper, giving the metal a pinkish hue. Rose gold is a popular choice in contemporary and romantic jewellery designs.
- Satin Finish: A soft, smooth surface finish on metal that creates a subtle sheen, often used for a refined, contemporary look.
- Semi-Precious Gemstone: Any gemstone that is not classified as precious (diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald). This includes stones such as amethyst, garnet, and turquoise.
- Statement Piece: A bold, eye-catching piece of jewellery, often large in size or featuring an elaborate design.
- Sterling Silver: A silver alloy containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, typically copper. Sterling silver is widely used in contemporary jewellery due to its durability.
- Tension Setting: A contemporary gemstone setting where the stone appears to be held in place by the pressure of the surrounding metal, creating a “floating” effect.
- Upcycled Jewellery: Jewellery made from repurposed materials, including old jewellery pieces, found objects, or scrap metals, in a sustainable and eco-friendly design approach.
- Vermeil: A thick layer of gold plating over sterling silver. Vermeil offers an affordable way to achieve the look of gold without the higher cost of solid gold.
- White Gold: Gold alloyed with metals such as palladium or nickel to give it a silvery-white appearance. White gold is often plated with rhodium for a bright finish.
- Wire Wrapping: A jewellery-making technique where wire is used to create settings for stones or decorative elements by wrapping it around the components, often seen in handcrafted and bohemian jewellery designs.
