Antique jewelry: materials
What materials do we use to make ourselves look prettier? "Metals" and "stones" is the obvious (though not exclusive) answer.
Metals we can divide into:
- precious metals: gold, platinum, silver
- non precious metals: iron, copper, alpaca, aluminum etc.
- even modern metals specially designed for space travel like titanium
- or a combination of the above metals
Stones we can divide into:
- precious stones like diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies
- semi precious stones like topaz, aquamarine, tourmaline, lapis lazuli etc.
- as well as less valuable stones like onyx and carnelian (or cornaline) belonging to the family of agates
- pyrite (also named foolsgold) and marcasite (steel colored pyrite)
Other materials such as:
- synthetic gemstones made with for example the Verneuil-method.
- strass by Frederic Strass (1710-1773) in Strasbourg; actually simply a clear colorless glass but with a high lead content and very easy to facet.
- enamel (melted glass)
- polished steel as imitation of marcasite (which is cheap itself)
- organic materials ivory, amber, shells, pearls, coral
- less known materials as cows horn, elephant hair, animal skins (leather) fish skin (e.g.shark or stingray)
next issue: alloys
other issues concerning antique, estate and vintage art deco jewelry :
introduction • function • materials • alloys • combination of metalslaws and regulations • hallmarks • design, users, fashion
reasons for wearing • style overview • fakes and counterfeit
precious stone's ascription • glossary