JEWELRY GLOSSARY -  -

MABE PEARL:  Cultured or man-made pearl in a hemispheric shape

MALACHITE: Bright green mineral / stone which takes a high polish

MALTESE CROSS:  A cross with arms of equal length which broaden toward the outside 

MARCASITE:  Metallic, sparkling PYRITE stone; also called CUT STEEL

MATCH SAFE:  Small box; often ornate; used to hold match sticks

MATTE FINISH:  Dull, non-reflective surafce

   

MEMORY WIRE:  Wire that reverts to original shape after stretching

METALES CASADOS:  Married or mixed metals; frequently seen in Mexican jewelry

MEXICAN JADE:  Usually calcite or other minerals dyed green to resemble JADE

MICROMOSAIC:  Use of very small, fine pieces applied as a MOSAIC design with little or no space between pieces

MILLEFIORI:  Italian word translates to "thousand flowers," glass that is formed from multiple colored canes that are fused together and then cut crosswise

MINE CUT:  A stone cut with higher crown and depth compared to modern gemstone cuts

MIZPAH:  An emotional bond between two people who are separated. The motif often includes the Biblical passage: "May the Lord watch between you when you are absent one from the other." Genesis 31:49

MODERNIST:  A departure from the traditional; incorporates abstraction and impressionism

MOONGLOW: Usually LUCITE or plastic, the stones have a shimmer resembling the shine of the moon

MOONSTONE:  Member of the Felspar family; mostly commonly seen in pale blue

MOSAIC:  Jewelry and souvenirs made by piecing together small pieces of glass or stone; pieces are often crudely shaped and show space between them

MOSS AGATE:  From the AGATE family; it has mineral inclusions which give the suggestion of moss inside the stone

MOTHER-OF-PEARL:  Iridescent inside shell of some mollusks; see NACRE, ABALONE

MOURNING JEWELRY:  Jewelry, almost always black, indicating the wearer is in mourning

The Jewelry Glossary is a work in progress: As I add more posts, you can access them here:
                         

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