Aurora Borealis - In 1956 Swarovski presented a stone called Aurora Borealis or also known as AB. This stone shimmers in every color you can imagine. A steam treatment creates this shimmering effect and although AB is used to define these amazing crystal beads, many people refer to the plastic or glass rhinestone looking beads that have the same shimmer as AB.  

Bakelite –

Bakelite was accidentally invented by Leo Hendrick Baekeland in the early years of the 20th century when he was trying to make a new type of varnish. Instead, he invented a man-made plastic. Bakelite was patented by the Bakelite Corporation and in 1927 the patent expired so that many companies began to make the same or similar products. In the 1920's Bakelite was quite popular but also expensive. In the depression years, 1930's, the price of jewelry drastically dropped. In the 1940's Bakelite continued to be popular. Because early plastic is oftentimes referred to as Bakelite when it is not actual Bakelite, there are many tests that can be performed to determine if it is genuine. Some people can generate enough heat by rubbing the piece to smell the varnish or formaldehyde, carbonic acid smell. The same smell can happen by running the Bakelite under hot water. One of the easiest test is to use 409 cleaner or Scrubbing Bubbles. You put a small amount of the cleaner on a q-tip and wipe it on the Bakelite. If it is truly Bakelite, no matter what the color of the jewelry, the q-tip will turn yellow. Some pieces will cause the q-tip to turn dark yellow, others just a light yellow but if the q-tip turns even slightly yellow, chances are you have Bakelite. Another test is to use Semichrome metal polish. Applied to a soft cloth, the cloth will turn yellow when applied to the jewelry.

Demi Parure - A matching set of jewelry, such as a necklace/earrings/pin set. Typically not as extensive a collection as a parure.

Electroplate- This is the process which involves fusing metals that are of different qualities.

Faux- French: False, or Fake.

Filigree - ornamental work especially of fine wire of gold, copper, and silver.

Gilded - refers to the application of gold onto a surface of another object which is produced from another material.

Gold Tone - refers to metal that has a gold colored finish but with no actual gold content.

Navette – Sharp Oval

Parure - In its most general sense, a parure is a decoration or ornament made for personal wear. However, the term is most often used to describe a matched set of jewelry or other ornaments. For jewelry, a typical parure consists of a necklace, earrings, brooch and a bracelet (or two bracelets). In Victorian times, two bracelets was the norm. Today, many people wear wristwatches, so a modern parure includes a single bracelet.

Rhinestone - Is a diamond simulant made from rock crystal, glass, or acrylic. 

Silver - The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) requires that silver content and quality be accurately represented on the jewelry itself. A piece labeled "Silver", "Sterling Silver", "Solid Silver" or "Sterling" must be at least 92.5 percent pure silver to have this label. It may also be stamped with 925, .925 or 92.5 indicating that the piece is genuine sterling silver.