Mabe' (Or Mobe'): A Japanese term
for cultured pearls which
are cultured against the shell so that only half a pearl is
formed resembling a half-sphere.
Magnesia: Also called periclase,
magnesia is a light, solid, white earthy mineral
composed of magnesium oxide.
It is a source of magnesium and is used
as a laxative. It takes its name from Magnesia, an ancient city
of Asia Minor, and is a mineral
ingredient of the philosophers' stone.
Magnesium: A light,
silvery-white, moderately hard, malleable, ductile, metallic
element which only occurs
in nature as a compound with other elements,
as found in magnesite, spinel
and olivine. In ribbon or
powder form magnesium burns with a brilliant white flame, (the
so-called magnesium light), which is used in signaling,
pyrotechnics, incendiary bombs, or in photography where a strong
actinic illuminant is required.
Malachite: A hydrous
carbonate of copper,
malachite is an opaque green
stone characterized by bands of light and dark green which have
very pronounced contrast and are often concentric. A source of copper.
Maltese Cross: Named for the
Knights of Malta, a group of knights who bore this symbol on
their tabards during the Crusades. A Maltese cross has four
broad arms of equal length with a V shaped notch cut out of the
ends.
Manganese: A gray-white or
silvery brittle, metallic, element
which resembles iron but is
not magnetic. It is found abundantly in the ores
pyrolusite, manganite,
and rhodochrosite and
in nodules on the ocean floor. Manganese is alloyed
with iron to form
ferromanganese, which is used to increase strength, hardness,
and wear resistance of steel.
Manganite: Steel-gray or
iron-black crystals composed of manganese
oxide. Used as a source of manganese.
Marble: A metamorphic rock
composed of calcium carbonate,
(like aragonite or coral),
or carbonate of lime,
(limestone or dolomite, a
variety of calcite), which is swirled or clouded with color. It
is most often used for architectural and ornamental purposes.
The most common variety is white, but it can also be yellow,
red, or green.
Marbled: A stone, or other
object, with two or more colors swirled together.
Marcasite: A mineral
with the same composition as pyrite,
(fool's gold), and often called "white iron pyrite",
but differing in crystal structure. It can be faceted
like a gemstone and is
often used in sterling silver
jewelry.
Marina chain: A chain
composed of small, round, diamond
cut links that are
designed to lie flat like a curb
link chain, but are set
very close together.
Mariner link: A chain
link resembling a flat oval
with a flat bar in the middle of the ring. A figogucci
chain is a variant form.
Marquise: (Mar-KEYS, also
called a navette). An oval shape gemstone
which tapers to a point at both ends, named for the Marquise de
Pompadour, Mistress of King Louis XV.
Matinee Length: A necklace
which is 30 to 35 inches long.
Matte: With jewelry
which has a matte finish the designer uses either a chemical
process or an abrasive material to scratch the top layers of the
piece creating a dull and non-reflective surface. Also referred
to as having a "brushed finish.".
Melanite: A common black
variety of garnet composed
of iron lime.
Mesh: A sheet of fabric-like woven
fine wire, similar to the kind used for screen doors.
Metal: A solid mineral
element that is able to
conduct heat and electricity and is pliable under heat or
pressure. Common metals include bronze,
copper and iron.
Metals used for making jewelry,
such as platinum, gold,
and silver are called "precious
metals".
Metallic: There are two basic
definitions. A material composed of metal is
"metallic", but the term is also used for a material
displaying a reflective, shiny, lustrous
appearance, like a metal would.
Mica: A group of minerals
consisting of hydrous silicates
of aluminum or potassium
which are common in igneous
and metamorphic rocks. Mica vary in color from pale brown or
yellow to green or black and characteristically split into very
thin leaves. Sheets of mica used in insulation and electrical
equipment because of their resistance to electricity. The transparent
forms are used in lanterns, the doors of stoves, etc.
Micromosaic. Ancient Roman mosaic
created by using minute pieces of colored glass or stone called tesserae,
up to 1400 per square inch. Micromosaics were used for brooches
and pins.
Middleman: See Agent.
Milgrain: A raised, beaded edge
on a ring done with a special
engraver's tool; resembling the edge of a coin.
Milgrain Setting: A milgrain design engraved into the
edge of the metal securing a stone in
place.
Millefiori: Glass or clay beads
with imbedded floral designs. Millefiori means "a thousand
flowers" in Italian.
Mine Cut: Differs from the modern Brilliant
cut only in its girdle
shape, which is square instead of round, a higher crown,
smaller table, deeper pavilion,
and larger culet, but the
number and arrangement of the facets
are the same. It is lumpier than the form accepted today. This
form of cut surfaced in the
early 1800's and began to disappear around the turn of the 20th
century.
Mineral: Any inorganic
substance; i.e. anything that is not a plant or an animal.
Mineral crystal: see Quartz.
Mint Condition: A piece of jewelry
having no signs of wear whatsoever, including no discolored
stones. A piece that is in Mint Condition is in virtually the
same condition as it was when it left the manufacturer.
Considering that vintage jewelry
is usually 50 or more years old, and that it likely has been
worn, it is obviously quite rare to find a piece that is truly
in Mint Condition.
Mohs Scale: A measure of a mineral's
hardness and its resistance to scratching invented by Austrian
mineralogist, Friedrich Moh. The scale goes from talc (number 1)
being the softest, to diamonds
as number 10, being the hardest substance known by man. Most gemstones
fall in the 6-8 range
Mollusk: An invertebrate animal
usually enclosed in a shell, such as an oyster, mussel or clam.
Monoclinic: A system of crystallization
wherein two crystal axes intersect obliquely and are
perpendicular to the third. See Amphibole.
Moonstone: A transparent,
slightly iridescent,
milky white variety of feldspar
with white or light blue opalescent spots. Moonstone is
considered a good luck stone, especially for lovers.
Morganite: A pink variety of beryl
found in California, Brazil, and Madagascar named after J.P.
Morgan.
Morse: A clasp
used by the clergy for fastening garments, such as a cape, in
front. It is usually very large, from 12.5 to 17.5 cm in
diameter, of various materials and shapes, and decorated in
religious themes.
Mosaic: A design created by
pressing pieces of stone, glass, or ceramic tile, (called tesserae),
in mortar. See also: micromosaics.
Moss Agate: A type of agate
displaying a variety of green splotches with a little white or
clear. Not much different than Tree
agate.
Mother-of-pearl: The pearlescent
material on the inside of mollusk shells
like abalone, oysters, and
mussels. This material can be scraped off, sliced thin, and used
as inlay on a variety of jewelry,
furniture, etc.
Mothers' rings: A kind of "family
jewelry", Mother's rings are rings
personalized with their children's birthstones
or with birthstones and
names.
Mount: To place or fix a stone in
the setting. See Mounting.
Mounting: A piece of metal
that holds a gem in place.
Mourning Jewelry: Jewelry
worn to commemorate the death of a loved one, usually in the
form of a ring, brooch,
or necklace; widely worn
during the Victorian era
when the death of Prince Albert plunged Queen Victoria into a
lifetime of mourning. See Filigree,
Jet, and Jabot
Pin.
Muff Chain: A long chain
with a clasp used to suspend
a lady’s fur muff.
