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.

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Minas novas

An unscientific term popularly used in Portugal since the 19th century to define hyaline quartz allegedly coming from a particular region of Brazil. Minas novas is by coincidence also the name of a mining locality in the State of Minas Gerais in Brazil famed for its deposits of topaz, chrysoberyl and almandine (garnet). Minas novas is today considered as a synonym for colourless topaz in Brazil.