Glossary
Antiques & Collectables
Glossary of antique and collectable terms There are 856 entries in this glossary.
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Nacre |
Nacre is a usually whitish crystalline substance, which oysters, mussels, snails, and other molluscs secrete around a foreign object, like a tiny stone that has made its way into their shell. As layers of nacre coat the intruder, a pearl is formed over a period of many years |
| Natural Pearl |
A natural pearl (also called a genuine pearl) is a pearl that was produced in an oyster, freshwater mussel or other mollusk as a reaction to a tiny invading object that happened to be caught inside its shell
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| Navette |
A navette is a gemstone which is cut as a marquise |
| Necessaire |
Necessaire is another word for etui, a tiny, decorative, cylindrical-shaped case that was often carried on a chatelaine. The necessaire or etui was used to carry small "necessary" items like pencils and scissors. The etui was first used in the 1720's
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| Necklace |
A necklace is a piece of jewellery worn around the neck. Necklaces of pearls of different lengths have different names: |
| Nepal Diamond |
Nepal diamond is a huge flawless, pendeloque diamond that probably came from the Golconda mines in India. The Nepal diamond weighs 80 carats. It was originally owned by the Nepalese government but is now owned by Harry Winston, an American jeweller.
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| Nephrite |
Nephrite is a semi-precious stone, a variety of jade, sometimes called greenstone. Two different minerals are known as jade, jadeite and nephrite. Nephrite is slightly softer that jadeite and is often veined; it is used in carvings and for making beautiful bowls and vases.
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| Nevada Diamond |
Nevada diamond is a misleading term for artificially-coloured obsidian, a semi-precious stone. Nevada diamond is not a true diamond |
| Nickel |
Any of various white alloys of copper, zinc and nickel used in electroplating as a base for coating with silver |
| Nickel Silver |
Nickel silver, also known as German silver and Alpaca, is a metal alloy consisting of mostly copper. It contains around 60 per cent copper, 20 per cent nickel, 20 per cent zinc. When the alloy contains 5 per cent tin it is known as Alpaca. There is no silver at all in German Silver that was invented around 1860 in Germany as a silver substitute See also Alpaca and German Silver |
| Niello |
Niello is ancient technique in which an engraved design in metal is filled with powdered niello alloy (a black/dark grey metal alloy composed of silver, copper, lead, and sulphur). The niello alloy is melted (the entire metal piece is heated in a kiln) and it fuses with the underlying metal. The object is then polished - the result is an enamel-like effect with a shimmering black surface. Niello has been made at least since the time of ancient Rome. In older pieces, the niello alloy fills an engraved design in metal. In newer pieces, the nilello forms the background - the niello alloy is simply "painted" onto the metal (this process is simpler, cheaper, and less durable)
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| Night Emerald |
Night emerald is a misleading term for peridot (a semi-precious stone) - it is not a true emerald
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| Nizam Diamond |
The Nizam diamond was a huge Indian diamond that may have weighed from 340 to 440 carats uncut. After being cut into an elongated, convex shape with irregular facets, it was 277 carats. This diamond was owned by the Nizams of Hyderabad in the 1830's. This diamond was "lost" or broken up during a battle |
| Noble Metal |
The noble metals are gold, platinum, and silver. These are metals that are relatively impervious to chemical action. |
| Nozzle |
On a candlestick, the wax pan or nozzle is the detachable top in which the candle is placed.
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