| Have
you ever wondered if that unusual stone in your vintage
jewelry had a name? Is it rare? Are there more like it out
there? What if you have to find a replacement for it? Would
you know what to call it or what term to use to search for
it on the internet?
The
list below will help you identify your unusual and unique
stones. Specialty stones include but are not limited to
the types identified below. We will include more as time
passes. |
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| Art
Glass |
| Because
stones used in jewelry are often complex and could fit into
multiple categories, often times interesting glass cabs are
described best as art glass. When you can narrow it down to
the most prominent defining characteristic, it is best to
do so. Some common terms used for this broad category are
presented below. |
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| Avventura
(in Italian - that's 2 "v's", not a "w"):
Also known as Avventurino or aventurine (like the stone which
was said to be named after this type of glass.) You can see
in the photo to the right that it is made by working copper
filings into the glass. It produces a sparkling effect. |
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| Plastic |
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| Moonglow
Lucite: These cabs look similar to moonstone however they
are plastic. They do have a certain "glow" about
them, as the name suggests. Some people just call these faux
or simulated moonstones. This effect can also be seen in glass
cabochons. |
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| Confetti
Lucite - A plastic stone with embedded materials resembling
confetti. |
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| Lucite
(jelly belly) Stones - Although lucite isn't really considered
a "specialty stone" it is harder to find and does
have features that set it apart from regular cabs. For instance,
it will sometimes be seen embedded with rhinestones or "reverse
carved" as shown in the picture. |
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| Molded
Plastic - A plastic stone that is formed in a mold. Many
other materials such as glass and porcelain can also be mold
formed. You may see evidence of the plastic spilling slightly
over the mold as seen in the flower on the right. |
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| Swarovski
Special Effect and Special Shape Stones |
| Swarovski
crystal colors are named according to the color of the glass
itself as well as the effect that is applied to it. Some of
the ones more commonly found in vintage jewelry are shown
below. For a complete color guide click
here. Or for a definition of Swarovski colors click
here. |
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| Margaritas
(shape) - Faceted crystal flower. |
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| Rivoli
(cut) - second image is from a Kenneth Lane pave flower brooch. |
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Aurum (effect)
- A shiny gold effect that utilizes real gold in the formula.
An example of these are shown in the second photo with a
satin or moonglow glass stone. |
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| Watermelon
Stones (effect): These glass stones resemble
the colors of tourmaline. The term "watermelon"
comes from when this stone has a pink inside with a green
trim although both genuine and faux tourmaline can be found
in many different varieties of color combinations. Known
in Swarovski terms as Vitrail
Medium. |
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| Aurora
Borealis (effect): An iridescent coating is applied
to the stone. Also known as AB or when applied on crystal,
CAB. This effect has a "rainbow" look as it emits
many different colors. Probably the most common effect seen
in vintage jewelry. |
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| General
/ Miscellaneous |
| Baroque
- An irregularly shaped stone or pearl. |
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| Baroque
Navette, Moon Rock or Lava Rock Stones: These stones
are bumpy molded glass or plastic that sometimes have an
iridescent coating or painted tips. |
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| Fruit
Salad Stones: Different resources say different things
about this type of stone. The universal feature is that it
is a stone that is molded. The true definition of
fruit salad is a glass stone that is molded in the style of
Cartier such as what you see in the first photo but in colors
of blue, green and red. Additional sources say that
it can be plastic and can be anything from molded leaves to
abstract shapes. Jewelry made in this style is also sometimes
called "tutti frutti." |
*image
on the left courtesy of
Beth of Emerald City Vintage
Costume Jewelry
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| Givré:
The word Givré is French for "frost over".
These stones almost look as if they have a frozen river running
through them and come in many different colors. This Florenza
earring has a good example of this type of glass stone. |
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| Goldstone:
A brown glass flecked with metallic particles such as
copper or chromic oxide. It is now made in other colors. |
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| Iris
Stones - Also sometimes referred to as "rainbow"
stones, are glass or crystal and have stripes of pink, blue,
and green running through them. |
*image
courtesy of Sheree
of jeweltopia.net
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| Frosted
Glass - Appears as a matte satin finish. Foil, which is
sometimes used underneath the stone makes it glow. These particular
molded glass stones are found in vintage Austrian fruit jewelry. |
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| Cat's
Eye Glass - A glass stone that resembles cat's eye gemstones
in that it has a line of iridescence running through it much
like the eye of a cat at night time. |
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| Molded
Glass - Is a glass that has been shaped by a mold to create
a design like the cabochon from a Celebrity bracelet to the
right. This particular cab has also been painted. |
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| Shoebutton
- From our own research, we believe that these stones
(often found in Trifari jewelry) are named after a fruit that
the Ardisia elliptica plant grows. The cabochons are indented
to allow a small rhinestone to sit in the center. |
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| Additional
Resources (links
will open in a new window) |
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Swarovski
Stone Effects |
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Swarovski
Stone Shapes |
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Swarovski
Crystal Beads Coating Chart |
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| Where
to find unusual and hard to find replacement stones and findings: |
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Matthew
Ribarich Antique & Costume Jewelry Stones - Replacement
Stones |
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B'Sue
Boutiques |
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Jan's
Jewelry Supplies - Stones, beads, settings,
findings |
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The
Family Jools - Selection of Fancy Stones & Artglass
Cabs |
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Closeout
Jewelry Findings from Wolf E. Myrow - Wolf E.
Myrow is the premier close out dealer for stones, findings,
beads and accessories for the jewelry and fashion trade. Wholesale
only. |
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Earthly
Adornments - Vintage cabs and
beads |
|
The
Beadin' Path - Vintage
lucite, pendants, sequins and cabochons |
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