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Jewelry terms and FAQ
Bamboo Coral
Botanical Name: deep-sea bamboo coral (Keratoisidinae) is a product of marine plant. It has been used as a gem since prehistoric times. With a history of religious meaning, people think of them as one of the seven treasures in Buddhist scriptures. Deep-sea bamboo coral was long thought to be a strong talisman against evil spirits and hurricanes. It is also said to reduce blood flow, helping anemia, and is thought to give wisdom and prevent madness. Its color ranges from white to red, but most red sea bamboo coral these days is dyed. It grows in branches that look like underwater trees. Most people think of sea bamboo coral on the coral reefs as actual coral microorganism in the South Pacific like the Great Barrier Reef. However, these plants are formed by a different species than the natural coral traditionally used in jewelry which is very often harvested through farming.
Biwa Stick pearls
Strictly spoken the name Biwa designates the pearl’s origin: the Japanese Biwa Lake and a special kind of oyster producing these nucleus empty pearls. Yet overharvesting and pollution put nearly a complete end to pearl farming in this Lake and the oyster was grown in lakes of other countries. Most of today’s ‘biwa’ pearls come from China referring with their unusual shape and way of making to its Japanese model.
Chickenfeet pearls
Chickenfeetpearls are real freshwater pearls and belong the the family of keshi pearls. They don’t have a nucleaus but their shape is determined by the pearl oyster’s incision. Due to their size they are rather expensive and difficult to produce. They owe their name to their very unique shape.
Coin Pearls
Are freshwater pearls with a disk shaped nucleus made of shell. Commonly freshwater pearls are nucleus free but in order to produce calibrated sizes these kinds of pearls do. Coin pearls come in all kind of shapes – they can even be square.
Hui
The HUI pattern is an abstraction of the Chinese character 回 which means ‘return’. It is commonly used as decorative pattern in architecture and crafts.
Keshi Pearls
A keshi pearl is a non-beaded pearl formed by accident as a by-product of a pearl culturing operation. This means they don’t have a nucleus and are composed 100% of nacre. Originally they were saltwater pearls but meanwhile you also can find a wide variety of freshwater ones in any size and shape.
Pearl Necklaces – the right length
Pearl Collar Necklaces
12 to 13 inches long – are usually made up of three or more pearl strands and lie snugly on the middle of the neck. Very Victorian and luxurious, pearl collars go best with elegant V-neck, boat neck or off the shoulder fashions.
Pearl Choker Necklaces
14 to 16 inches long – is perhaps the most classic and yet versatile of the entire single strand pearl lengths. A simple pearl choker can go with virtually any outfit from casual to fancy eveningwear, and just about any neckline imaginable. A 16-inch pearl choker necklace is the most popular length for pearl necklaces.
Pearl Princess Necklaces
17 to 19 inches long – is best suited for crew and high necklines. It also compliments low plunging necklines. It’s perfect support for a pendant or pearl enhancer. An 18 inches pearl princess necklace is the second most popular length for pearl necklaces.
Pearl Matinee Necklaces
20 to 24 inches long – Longer than the pearl princess necklace, and just a bit shorter than an opera length pearl necklace, the matinee pearl necklace is the right choice for casual or business dress.
Pearl Opera Necklaces
28 to 34 inches long – is the queen of all lengths. When worn as a single pearl strand, it is refined and perfect for high or crew necklines. When doubled upon itself, it serves as a versatile two strand pearl choker.
Pearl Rope Necklaces
over 45 inches long – Dripping with elegance and sensuously sexy, the pearl rope was a favorite of Coco Chanel. For those looking for the complete pearl wardrobe, this length is a must.
Rhodium plated
Rhodium is a rare, silvery-white, hard metal and a member of the platinum metal group. It is one of the most precious metals. Rhodium is commonly used for white gold jewellery to enhance the gold colour through plating/coating.
Rhodium plating makes silver jewellery less vulnerable to oxidation. This means the silver turns not black that quickly.
SHOU
Is not a Chinese character but a symbol which represents the wish for long live and it used to be an imperial emblem to protect the Chinese emperors from misfortune. Today this symbol is still commonly used as decorative pattern in various fields: architecture, fashion, craft and jewelry. There are hundreds of different SHOU symbols. The one we use can originally be found in one of the empress’ private rooms: a jade carving attached to the wooden ceiling and surrounded by bats.
Sterling silver
Is also known as 925 silver. It is the most common used silver alloy for high quality jewellery and tableware thanks to its hardness.
