Basic jeweler's lingo aka (just what IS vermeil
and why have I been pronouncing it wrong all these years?)
Ed. Note: Based upon my current research and understanding, I offer the following terms customers should find useful as they read descriptions on the nancy's naturals site.
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Alloy: mixture of metals. ( i.e., sterling silver = 92.5 fine or pure silver, the rest copper).
Bali silver: as in beads, earwires, and spacers (the things you put between your beads to turbocharge the finished look). Bali silver is basically sterling silver metal which is fashioned into beads and whatnot by artisans (who have been doing these intricate beautiful styles with astoundingly crude implements for generations) in Bali, Indonesia . This style is much sought-after and often imitated in the business. And yes, they are considerably more costly. Thai silver beads are similar in style and technique but are made with 99.5 to 99.9 percent fine silver as opposed to sterling's standard of 92.5 percent.
Bone beads: they really are just that. Beads made of (naturally white) bones of cows, goats, and other common beasts of burden. Many times bone beads are tinted /soaked in solutions to 'stain' them, giving them an attractive antiqued look, with an overall feeling of greater depth and texture.
Crystal beads: the only crystal beads you will find in nancy's naturals will be the Swarovski crystals .. straight up, these are the Cadillacs of crystals. Originating in Austria, what sets these babies apart from ordinary crystal, even other lead crystal for jewelry making purposes, is the special process invented by Mr. Daniel Swarovski. Mr. Swarovski developed a precision cutting process where all the facets are pointing up to ensure maximum reflection and sparkle (the most bling for your buck). After you have seen these, there is no turning back. Yes, these leaded crystals are more expensive.
Czecholsovakian ( as in Republic of) fire-polished glass: (Czech fire-polish or Czech glass, for short) .. lovely faceted glass beads that have a finish 'baked" on via a fine vacuum mist of special mineral compounds during processing. Others do try and fail, not unlike the above Swarovski crystal situation. The colors used in these fire-polished badboys are, in my humble opinion, very nice.
Freshwater pearls: genuine pearls grown in special, closely monitored, freshwater farms in the U.S., China, and Japan. Opposed to the standard saltwater pearls (which are not made in sufficient numbers nor in a reasonable timeframe for the enormous demands of a pearl-hungry world), they are available in nearly every color of the rainbow, (some natural in color, some not). They are grown in the shells of mollusks or oysters in a process that the Japanese have perfected over the years, in order that the common person may afford to wear these timeless beauties. This has not always been so, in history. Pearls used to be reserved pretty much for royalty only. Thank YOU, Japan!
Gold-filled: several layers of gold bonded to a base metal (usually brass or sometimes nickel), that must be at least 1/20th of overall weight of the piece .. i.e., 5%. This is a treatment that is one hundred times thicker than gold plating and with normal use, should last for a very long time. This treatment allows the average person the beauty and strength of gold without the prohibitive price.
Gold-plated: a very thin layer of gold bonded to a base metal. Not as durable over time as gold-filled.
Granulation: an ancient techqnique still used in Indonesia today where tiny grains of silver are built up into ornate patterns during the bead-making process.
Lampworked beads: amazing, hand-made beads literally made one at a time over a ("lamp".. flame, or torch ) where molten glass is wound around a mandrel with a wire piece through the middle that later becomes the hole for the bead. They can have bumps, swirls, or both and can be quite heavy. These beads are fairly costly and many are considered collectable.
Luster (orient): regarding pearls: the reflective qualities of a
particular pearl .. does it have a nice way the light plays off it and does it look luminous and rainbow-like, or is it cloudy and dull? Does it look a little different viewed from different angles? A very desireable quality and important during the grading of a pearl.
Millefiore: in Italian, it translates, literally, to "a thousand flowers"having to do with the patterns that this glass bead ends up with. Special glass artisans make (glass) beads using many rods of different colored glass that, when fused and then later sliced, create the patterns that are usually, but not always, in flower shapes. Very popular now. And, the name is fun to say .. Just kinda rolls off the tongue.
Niobium: a newer metal that is very strong and known to be extremely hypoallergenic. It may be natural (a grayish color) or anodized into brilliant green, blue, purple, and the like. Very good idea for earwires although it has many other uses. And, you guessed it, more pricey.
Pewter: a strong metal alloy that contains some tin, and in some cases, small amounts of lead. It has that grayish cast to it and is a little heavy for its size. It is used extensively in charms and beadcaps and can look quite nice with antiqued finishes, as in antiqued "copper", antiqued "brass" and antiqued " silver." In many cases, a fine substitute for more costly metals.
Precious gemstones: mainly diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires .. what makes them precious in part is the availability factor. They're always busy. Just kidding. These particular gems are considerably more rare and with this limited supply comes greater perceived value, thus the price goes up, up, and awaaaaay. The value is said to be greater, generally speaking, on the non-drilled stones, as drilling decreases value.
Recycled glass: (as in African) a well-developed art handed down from father to son in specific regions of Africa .. Ghana , and to a lesser extent, Nigeria, being known for this in particular .. where the original glass used for, say, coca-cola bottles, perfume bottles, and the like is ground down and later used to create 'brand new' beads for jewelry purposes. This process has a sea-glass, semi-transparent quality that has kind of a 'glow' about it. Used extensively in African trade beads and available through specialty dealers.
Semi-precious (stone) beads: these are natural (and a few man-made) beads from stones and in some cases, the sea, i.e., coral, abalone, mother of pearl, etc. though beautiful in their own right, they are more widely available than precious gemstones, and more affordable. Some examples are: amethyst, jasper, moonstone, turquoise, carnelian, freshwater pearls, etc. Many of these beads are quite heavy, and with the exception of amber and little else, they should, like a stone, be cool to the touch and have this nice weight to them. There are so many lovely semi precious gemstones that it seems the word 'semi' is almost an insult.
Snake vertebrae beads: actually Czech glass beads that are cut with a unique zigzag edge so as to fit together just like snake vertebrae. The more you stack up, the better it looks. Used individually, they lend a lot of interest in a design. An interesting and uncommon look as a bead. They kind of 'grow' on you. Also used in the trade bead industry.
Silver-plated: a very thin layer of sterling silver over a base metal.
Sterling silver: silver that is 92.5 percent pure silver, the remainder being copper .. the standard in decent jewelry creations. Note that fine silver 99.5 percent to 99.9 percent although purer is quite a bit softer in texture. Most people with metal sensitivities can wear sterling silver and not have any negative metal reactions.
Surgical steel, i.e., earwires: a surgical grade of steel that is used in earwires and is known as hypoallergenic. (Incidence of allergic reaction is very low. Please note that, according to my sources, surgical steel may contain up to 8% nickel. Those with nickel allergies should be able to wear these wires comfortably for several hours, however, sterling silver and niobium are the safer bet.) This metal feels very sturdy in the hand. I like to use this in the variety that has the gold-plated ball and coil in order that the wearer can enjoy their preference of either gold or silver accompanying jewelry .. and still have metal harmony!
Trade beads: these simple beads have been around since the late fourth century. Many of them originated in Europe and were used as currency in various countries for goods such as gold, ivory, silk, spices, palm oil .. and (gulp) at one time, even slaves. All along the trade-wind routes, (that's how they got their name), nomadic peoples of all origins carried these beads with them on their travels and sometimes wore them as a display of wealth and social status. African trade beads are still made today, the ancient techniques passed down from parent to child through the
generations.
Venetian (or Murano) glass: equally as interesting a story as above .. these beautiful hand-made glass beads are made on the tiny island in the Venice region called Murano. Throughout history, the glass industry was one of extreme secrecy, so much so, that legend has it that in 1292, all glass makers in Italy were forcibly moved to this island and threatened upon pain of death not to give up the secret glassmaking techniques literally handed down from father to son, over hundreds of years. There are supposedly only
three places in the world that make this special glass. All, I believe, are in this general region. Once again, the price is dear. But so are the beads!
Vermeil: (pronounced VERmay) gold plating over a sterling silver base. The look and feel of real gold, only much more affordable. A very fine idea. |