Antique jewelry glossary

Welcome to our extensive antique jewelry glossary with around 1,500 jewelry related entries.If you feel you are missing an explanation, feel free to let us know and we will add it.

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     all

Macaroni

A longer version of a chatelaine, made without a suspensory hook to be attached to the girdle but worn slung over a close-fitting belt or girdle with the two ends hanging down at equal lengths. On one end was an ornamented medallion with several (usually five) small hooks for suspending a watch (open-face, so as to be readily viewed), a seal, and other articles and decorative tassels, and on the other end more tassels or a hook for a fausse montre or a girdle book.

Such pieces were made of enamelled gold links separated by enamelled plaques and often set with gemstones or pearls. They were fashionable from c. 1770 intermittently until the late 19th century, when some late examples were made of steel or jet.

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson