Jewelry Knowledge | De Beers 4'cs charts | Diamond & Jewelry Care | Dictionary

V - Jewelry & Gem Dictionary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

VABANITE

Vabanite is a type of brown-red jasper with yellow flecks that is found in California, USA.

VARISCITE

Variscite, AlPO4-2H2O, Hydrated Aluminum Phosphate, (also called Utahlite) is a relatively rare translucent pastel green to emerald green gemstone with blue or yellow overtones (it is similar to chrysocolla, chrysoprase and turquoise). Variscite is found in the USA (in Utah and Nevada), Germany, Brazil, and Australia (in Queensland). Variscite has a hardness of 4.0 - 5.0 and a specific gravity of 2.57. It is not enhanced.

VICTORIAN ERA

The Victorian era was the time when Queen Victoria ruled Great Britain (1837-1901). Many different styles of jewelry developed during this era.

VIENNA TURQUOISE

Vienna turquoise is fake turquoise made by compressing a precipitate of aluminum phosphate (colored with copper oleate).

VENDOME

The Vendome label was made by Coro beginning in 1944. Vendome was a high-end subsidiary of Coro, replacing the Corocraft label. Helen Marion was the principal designer for the Vendome line beginning in the early 1960's.

VENUS' HAIR STONE

Venus' hair stone is another name for rutilated quartz.

VERMEIL

Vermeil is gold-plated silver. Less occasionally, gold-plated bronze is referred to as vermeil.

VITREOUS

Vitreous means glass-like.

VINAIGRETTE

A vinaigrette is a tiny, decorative bottle or box that was often carried on a chatelaine. Smelling salts or aromatic vinegar was carried in the vinaigrette.

VOGUE

Vogue was a costume jewelry compnay that was founded in 1936 by Harold Shapiro (father of the founder of the Les Bernard company), Jack Gilbert, and George Grant. Their jewelry was sold through I. Magnin and other stores. They went out of business in the 1970's.

VOLCANIC GLASS

Volcanic glass is another name for obsidian.

VULCANITE

Vulcanite (also called ebonite) is a hard, moldable, polished dark colored (ranging from brown to black) early rubber. Vulcanite was produced by adding sulfur to vulcanized rubber. It was used for combs, ornaments, and buttons. It is not the same as gutta percha.