Today's Vintage Jewelry Word - Repoussé

Todays vintage jewelry word is repoussé (prounounced ray poose ay). The term is used when a piece of jewelry is made with a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is detailed or shaped by hammering from the reverse side of the metal.

None of the metal is lost in the process, since the metal is basically stretched, so the surface of the metals remains continuous. The is a slow process, since everything has to be hammered individually. Once the hammering is finished, the metal is polished up on the front and this produces a three-dimensional bas-relief surface.

Repousse' designs were very popular during the Art Nouveau period. The terms repoussé and chasing are sometimes confused, justifiably so. In both techniques, the metal is designed by hammering. However, in Repousse' the hammering is done from behind, and in chasing, the design is formed from the top with special metal punches.

Here are some examples of repoussé designs:

All of these pieces are available on my Vintage Jewelry Lane website. Just click the pictures to go to those listings or type in repousse in the search box to find all the styles that are available.

Vintage Jewelry Find of the Week - Pietra Dura Mosaic Brooch

Mosaic jewelry comes in a variety of forms, from the superb pieces which contain hundreds of tiny tiles to create artistic masterpieces, through the cruder styles which are lovely nonetheless. One of my favorite styles of mosaic jewelry is called Pietra Dura.

In a pietra dura piece, the inlay stones are much harder, but the surface of the finished product is smooth, which differentiates it from the other styles of mosaics which have a rougher finish.

Pietra dura is an Italian term which literally means hard stone. It refers to the various hard stones, such as chalcedony, agate, jasper, and lapis lazuli, which were used in flat slices in the type of mosaic produced in Florence during the Renaissance period. This type of jewelry production continues today, and is sometimes applied to an example of the work. Generally the background is a darker color to offset the object being depicted.

Our vintage jewelry find of the week is a lovely Pietra Dura Mosaic Brooch which is set in 800 silver and also has a bale so that you can hang it as a pendant too. The chalcedony, malachite, agate and mother of pearl stones are set in onyx and the setting has a rolled edge and the stone is bezel set. It is just lovely and perfect for spring with the flower design.

This pretty Pietra Dura Mosaic brooch is available at Vintage Jewelry Lane for $155.99. You can visit the item page for more details on the construction. Pietra dura jewelry is becoming harder to find and is sure to increase in value.

May Birthstone - Emerald

Since the new month is about to start, I will be writing today about the gemstone for May - the emerald.

The emerald is considered both the modern and traditional birthstone for May. This pretty stone is also known as a birthstone for the Zodiac signs for Taurus and Cancer. Emerald is the only stone, other than the Topaz, which is listed as in all of the ancient birthstone tables. Finally, the emerald is also suggested as an anniversary gift for both the 20th and 35th anniversaries and can be used as an alternate stone for the 55th wedding anniversary.

Photo courtesy of ebay seller BangkokGemMart

Emeralds are mined from what are called "host rocks." They have been mined in many countries around the world, but the most notable mines are those from Columbia. The best locations of Columbian mines are in Muzo, Coscuez and Chivor. Columbian emeralds are especially fine with a very shining emerald green which has very little bluish tint.

As with all gemstones, emeralds have many metaphysical properties associated with them. They are thought to improve intellect and memory and to help with tired eyes and insomnia. Emeralds supposedly give wearers the power to see into the future and are associated with greatness in business. They act as emotional stabilizers and help to release emotional trauma and help to govern perception of other's emotions. And they are thought to be associated with the heart chakra and open the heart up to love, healing and peace.

I just love the color! It feels so tranquil and peaceful to me. This lovely poem aptly describes this birthstone:

Who first beholds the light of day
In spring’s sweet, flower month of May
And wears an Emerald all her life
Shall be a loved and a loving wife.

Raquel Welch Jewelry Line

Raquel Welch has a line of Jewelry which she sold on the Home Shopping Network . Her collection combines 18-karat gold, sterling silver and precious & semi-precious gemstones to create jewelry that has a classic look which has contemporary overtones.

The key pieces in her line include a signature "R" inlaid in 18-karat gold on the back. The collection reflects her "love for elegant designs that women will cherish for a lifetime." Pieces in the line range in price from $99 to $699 and, reflect the elegance and sophistication of Raquel.

I recently aquired a demi parure from her collection which is pictured here. It is a very striking piece, set in raised goldtone metal with alternating areas of white enamel. The set features a very large pendant necklace and matching bracelet. It has the classic Raquel hang tag as a marking. Since her line was discontinued in 2004, the pieces are not easy to find and that makes them more special and desireable.

This lovely Raquel Welch necklace and bracelet set is available from my Carolina Collections Vintage Jewelry store for $55. You can even make an offer on the set and perhaps aquire it for a little less.

Her designs are very striking and bold, and this set demonstrates that beautifully.

Jewelry and Astrology - Taurus

This blog post is another in my series about choosing jewelry suitable for individual star signs. Taurus is the star sign for those born between April 21 and May 20. Since this is my star sign, it is a special job to help you choose a jewelry gift for your Taurus friend. Today starts the new star season, so this post will help you with some jewelry choices for this star sign.

Zodiac Logo courtesy of zodiac-signs-astrology.com/

Those born under the sign of the bull are said to be very patient and reliable. They tend to excel in business, are somewhat introverted but social and pay a great deal of attention to detail. On the negative side, they can be stubborn. over indulgent and somewhat self centered.


To get a clue about what sort of Jewelry to choose for your Taurus friend let's have a look at some of these Zodiac facts about the star sign:

• Their astrological color is green
• Gemstone is the blue sapphire and diamond
• Flower is the daisy or rose
• Symbol is the bull
• Lucky numbers are 1 and 9
• Lucky color is blue
• Best location is someplace quiet.

Combining some of these traits leads me straight to this lovely pair of earrings from Sarah Coventry called "Daisy Time." They have 9 stones, are both green and blue and are daisies. They are just perfect! These earrings are book pieces from the 1970s and are available on my Lane site for only $15.25.

Diamonds may be out of the picture for your price range, but clear rhinestone jewelry might be a perfect replacement for your Taurus friend. They give the same sparkle and fire of diamonds without the hefty price tag. This pretty diamante rhinestone pin combines the look and the lucky number 9 since it has 9 perfectly set clear rhinestones in a domed setting.

This lovely pin has a riveted back construction which dates it to about the 1950s. It's available for only $17.99.

Do you want to combine the favorite location (someplace quiet) and the astrological color into a gift for your Taurus friend? I've met many Tauruses who like to mediatate. This green Oriental bamboo pendant necklace may be just the gift idea.


The styling of it fits right into the meditation mood and the color is perfect. It's also available on Lane for $17.99. It's a big piece measuring 3 3/4" long and has a lovely Oriental inscription on it.

Be sure to check back next month when I will talk about jewelry for the star sign Gemini. Check out my Vintage Jewelry Mall and Carolina Collections Vintage Jewelry for a full range of Zodiac jewelry.