The Met Store Jewelry Glossary

The Met Store’s expansive selection of jewelry recalls fabulous treasures in The Met collection and beyond. From necklaces to earrings, bracelets to brooches, our embellishments pay homage to paintings, decorative objects, and personal adornments crafted across cultures and eras. We present The Met Store jewelry glossary below to facilitate your shopping experience in-store and online.  

Agate

A fine-grained translucent quartz with colors arranged in stripes, blended in clouds, or showing moss-like forms.

Amethyst

A clear purple or bluish-violet variety of crystallized quartz.

In our Turkish Amethyst Jewelry, this rich purple gemstone is used to represent the unusual eggplant-hued detailing on a textile fragment (ca. 1570–80) in The Met's Islamic Art galleries.

Aventurine

A translucent quartz speckled with mica or other shimmering minerals.

The perfect pop of color, aventurine stars in our Karavas Gems Jewelry, which reimagines a 6th–7th-century necklace found at Karavas, Cyprus.

Baroque Pearl

Named after the word barroco, a Portuguese term for a pearl with an irregular shape.

Baroque pearls were often incorporated into clever pendants, such as a late 19th-century German or French example that we transformed into an eye-catching mermaid brooch. Our interpretation adapted the baroque pearl torso on the original pendant with a cultured freshwater pearl, which we likewise embellished with colorful enamel and sparkling accents.

The original work was probably based on a design by the German goldsmith Reinhold Vasters (German, 1827–1909), who’s credited with other similar baroque pearl wonders in The Met collection.

Carnelian

A red-to-orange variety of chalcedony, a microcrystalline form of quartz.

Thought to suggest clusters of grapes, the unique beads defining our New Kingdom Textured Bead Jewelry come from a timeless gold-and-carnelian necklace displayed in the Early New Kingdom Study Room of The Met’s Egyptian Art collection. 

An ancient ring crafted during Greece's Classical period is transformed into our Classical Carnelian Jewelry. The pendant on the necklace adapts the ring's fiery carnelian centerpiece, which is enveloped by a setting accented with gold filigree.

Cubic Zirconia

Also referred to as CZ, a colorless synthetic form of zirconium dioxide often used in place of crystals or diamonds.

Cultured Freshwater Pearl

A pearl cultivated in a pond, lake, or river, as opposed to a saltwater environment.

Czech Crystals

A type of clear or colored crystal glass from the Czech Republic.

Doublet

An assembled gemstone made from two pieces of material: a natural stone, such as mother-of-pearl or quartz, bonded to glass or another strong backing. Popular in fashion jewelry.

Garnet

A deep-red gemstone.

Jade

Typically a green or bluish-green gemstone, though it also may acquire a reddish-orange or reddish-brown color due to the presence of iron oxide.

Jasper

An opaque quartz stone that comes in multiple colors.

The Muslim subha, or strand of prayer beads, typically includes 33 or 99 beads for the recitation of the 99 “beautiful names” of God. Our Nishapur Beaded Jewelry pays homage to a group of 9th–12th-century carnelian beads, found in the Iranian city of Nishapur and restrung for exhibition in one of The Met’s Islamic Art galleries, as carnelian and red jasper adornments. The pendant bead on the original, reenvisioned here as a decorative element, would alert the user (who was most likely a man) by touch that his prayer circuit is complete. 

Labradorite

An irridescent type of mineral known as feldspar commonly used in jewelry.

Our Egyptian Symbols Jewelry featuring labradorite accents borrows the protective motifs on a so-called magic rod used in ancient Egypt to ward off harmful spirits, and reimagines them as ornamental charms. The only completely preserved example of its kind, the Museum’s rod is composed of four joining segments, perhaps related to the four “birthing bricks” arranged for the defense of a mother and her baby during delivery. A procession of animals, including feline predators, crocodiles, toads, and a turtle, guard the rod.

Lapis

Also known as lapis lazuli. A complex composition of multiple minerals, which technically makes it a rock. Ranges from azure blue to violet to greenish blue. Prized in jewelry and other decorative art forms for thousands of years.

Malachite

A vibrant green mineral popularly used to embellish decorative objects.

Moonstone

A gemstone in the feldspar family. Comes in a range including yellow, blue, clear, and pink, with or without a pale silver sheen.

Mother-of-Pearl

The pearl lining of an oyster or mollusk shell. Only oysters or mollusks that have this lining can produce pearls. This lining is also used as inlay in jewelry and other ornamental items.

Mother-of-pearl has long been used to enhance decorative objects with its ethereal, shimmering qualities. The butterflies defining our Meiji Butterfly Jewelry bring to life the mother-of-pearl butterflies decorating a marvelous Japanese box (second half of the 19th century) in The Met's holdings of Asian art.

This head-turning necklace pays tribute to a double beaker crafted around 1593/94–1602 by the consummate goldsmith Georg Rühl (German, master 1598, died 1625), who was duly celebrated for the way he so artfully mounted exotic materials with gilded silver. The original vessel in The Met’s European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection boasts lustrous mother-of-pearl stripes likely taken from an object made in Gujarat, India.

Pearl

A lustrous, organic gem produced by saltwater oysters, freshwater mussels, and occasionally by some shellfish. Pearls range from white to pink, silver, cream, peach, gold, green, blue, purple, brown, and black.

Quartz

A transluscent, colorless-to-colorful mineral featuring crystalline details.

Rock Crystal

A colorless, water-clear form of quartz.

Semiprecious

Organic stones that have been enhanced by cutting and polishing, among other possible treatments. Common semiprecious stones include agate, amethyst, carnelian, coral, emerald, garnet, jade, lapis, malachite, opal, peridot, sapphire, tourmaline, turquoise, and topaz.

Sodalite

A translucent mineral with a cloudy luster.

Swarovski® Crystals

Hand-cut crystals produced by the Swarovski® brand, established in 1895 by master crystal cutter Daniel Swarovski.

Tiger's Eye

A lustrous, yellow-to-brown stone often used to embellish jewelry and other decorative objects.

Turquoise

A typically opaque gemstone with a range of blue and green colors.

Alloy

A material made of two or more metals; brass, bronze, and steel are all alloys.

Demi-Fine

Jewelry made with sterling silver, gold vermeil, and other plated metals rather than solid gold.

Gold Content

Pure 24K gold is typically too soft for use in jewelry, so it’s mixed with another metal to harden it, creating gold alloys of various purities:

10K gold is 41.7% pure gold

12K gold is 50% pure gold

14K gold is 58.3% pure gold 

18K gold is 75% pure gold 

Gold Overlay

A layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal. Thickness can range from 1/20th to 1/40th of the total weight of the object.

Gold Plate

Must be 1/40th the weight of the metal in the entire article.

Gold-Toned

Finished with a gold color but containing no gold content.

Rhodium-Toned

A silver-toned finish created with alloys that mimic rhodium.

Karat

Unit of measure indicating the fineness of gold. Gold in its purest state is referred to as 24K gold.

Matte Finish

A dull, non-reflective surface finish.

Oxidation

The natural process of discoloration that occurs in some metals due to environmental conditions and exposure to oxygen.

Patina

The change in an object’s surface resulting from natural aging. In bronze jewelry and sculpture, “hand-patinated” refers to the surface of the bronze that has been altered intentionally with acid or the application of other chemicals.

Silver Overlay

A layer of pure silver bonded to a base metal.

Stainless Steel

An iron-based steel alloy with less than 20% chromium. It is extremely durable, resists corrosion, and can hold a long-lasting polish. Typically used in the construction of ear wires.

Sterling Silver

An alloy with .925 parts pure silver and the rest pure copper (or other metal). Sterling silver made in the US is marked 925, .925, or 92.5.

Vermeil

Gold plate measuring at 2.5 microns bonded onto sterling silver; thinner than gold overlay. 

Antiqued Finish

A process that involves the application of a dark top coating over bronze or silver. This coating, either plated or painted on, is partially removed to expose some of the underlying metal.

This eye-catching brooch, inspired by an opulent sword and scabbard displayed in The Met’s Arms and Armor galleries, boasts an antiqued silver patina in striking contrast to its glittering Swarovski® crystal embellishments. 

Cabochon

A stone with a rounded surface, rather than facets.

Cameo

A carved gem typically featuring the likeness of a figure in relief.

Our European Cameo Jewelry celebrates the 19th-century "Marlborough Gem," so named for reputedly belonging to a collection formed by the fourth duke of Marlborough, and featuring a central cameo based on a Roman type in which the subject glances over her shoulder. She's framed by an assortment of smaller cameos—added by a subsequent owner—a few of which may claim classical origins. The Museum's ensemble illustrates the age-old practice of incorporating cameos to build pieces of greater complexity. 

Cameos don’t always depict human subjects, either; these statement-making earrings feature cameos of an elegant fish, taken from a late 18th–early 19th-century Chinese snuff bottle.

Cloisonné

A type of enamelwork that incorporates thin metal strips soldered onto a metal plate in a specific pattern or motif. The outlined design is filled with enamel paste and fired, creating a colorful decorative design.

Enamel

A decorative technique in which a glass “paste” is applied to the surface of a metal. This glass composition adheres to the metal through fusion under very high temperatures. Cold enamel is painted on by hand. Plique-à-jour is an enameling technique that allows light to shine through the material. 

Enamel wares abound in the Museum’s holdings, and many Met Store designs reinterpret these treasures. The American Mackay Jewelry, for example, adapts the enamelwork on a spectacular pair of 19th-century cups and saucers that epitomize Gilded Age splendor with fabulous enamel detailing. 

Our Swiss Frog Brooch likewise recalls a charming enamel character: a Swiss automaton (ca. 1820) in the form of a pearl-laden enamel frog with ruby eyes. A mechanism animates the original frog, now in the Museum's collection of musical instruments, allowing it to jump and croak. 

Filigree

A decorative design made up of fine wires shaped into intricate patterns in an openwork design, or soldered to a metal base.

Filigree ranges from simple to opulent; our Classical Carnelian Jewelry evokes the rather simplistic filigree on an ancient ring crafted during Greece's Classical period, while our Fatimid Crescent Earrings boasted more elaborate artisanship after an extraordinary pair of 11th-century Egyptian earrings made during the Fatimid Period (909–1171).

Gemstone Enhancements

Nearly all colored stones sold at jewelers or specialty retailers, including those sold at The Met Store, are enhanced or treated by way of various techniques, many of which have been used for centuries. 

Intaglio

Italian for “carving,” a carved gem wherein the design is engraved or carved into the object so that it sits below the surface plane of the material.

Introduced as part of the Heirloom Project, a special-edition presentation of artisan-made wares in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Museum's reimagined Islamic galleries, the Indian Poppy Glass Intaglio Pendant Earrings by Monapetra exemplified the intaglio technique.

Lacquer

A durable varnish that forms a hard, protective covering over woods, metals, etc.

A parian porcelain vase (1830–70) probably made in Bennington, Vermont, serves as the inspiration behind our bold Sculpted Bouquet Jewelry. Elevated with cultured freshwater pearls, these statement pieces feature lacquer flowers and a ceramic glaze in reference to the Museum's vessel. 

Openwork

Jewelry that is perforated or pierced so that light can shine through.

This extraordinary technique was exemplified in our sumptuous Byzantine Openwork Jewelry, which celebrated an opulent Byzantine bracelet (500–700) in The Met’s Medieval Art collection. 

The original bracelet’s interior features exquisite opus interrasile craftsmanship—a pierced metalwork technique used by goldsmiths between the 3rd and 7th centuries—while the exterior showcases lustrous stones and pearls.

Amulet 

A pendant or charm believed to possess protective properties.

Amulets were worn or carried in multiple cultures—a global phenomenon that we celebrate in multiple jewelry collections. Amulets were especially popular in Egypt, as exemplified by our Egyptian Nefer Amulet and Egyptian Heart Scarab designs. 

Heart scarabs were popular amulets in ancient Egypt; a righteous heart was essential for transcendence to the afterlife, so the Egyptians used amulets such as this one to ensure favorable judgment. The extraordinary heart scarab that inspired our Egyptian Heart Scarab Jewelry bears a version of a chapter from the Book of the Dead engraved on the base, in which the deceased urges her heart not to bear witness against her during her final judgment.

The timeless Herakles Knot Jewelry nods to the amulet’s cross-cultural influence. This collection evokes a type of amulet known as the Herakles knot on a 2nd-century bracelet, also from Egypt, though the motif is derived from the Greek mythical hero Herakles. Herakles used this knot to tie the skin of the slain Nemean lion around his neck upon fulfilling the first of his legendary 12 labors, and as such, it bears associations with strength and bravery. 

Our Tibetan Mandala Jewelry transports the wearer to 19th–early 20th-century Tibet with inspiration taken from a protective amulet box, or ga'u, that would have been worn around the neck. Its form, comprising two intersecting squares that symbolize crossed vajras, or thunderbolts, suggests the stability of Buddhism, while its striking stone embellishments represent the crystalline nature of the heavens. Amulet boxes typically contained written or printed texts consecrated by monks, and often included pieces of cloth from an important lama's robes. The eye-catching example in The Met collection belonged to a larger jewelry ensemble owned by a noblewoman. 

Bangle

A rigid bracelet that slips over the wrist; it may or may not open with a clasp. 

Chandelier Earrings

A cascading style of earrings that dangle from the earlobe.

Cuff Bracelet

A wide bracelet that doesn’t meet all the way around. A hinged cuff has no clasp and opens from a fixed point.

Lariat

Necklace with two open ends that hang down in the front and can be looped into a knot or secured by a slide.

Locket

Hinged case, usually in the form of a pendant, charm, ring, or brooch, designed to hold a picture or other small memento.

Shop our full range of art-inspired jewelry in-store and online.