A “piece of jewellery” or “jewel” is an ornamental object, typically worn on the body, designed to add beauty, elegance, or personal significance to the wearer. Jewellery is crafted from a variety of materials, including precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum, gemstones or semi-precious stones, pearls, shells, glass, plastic, and other materials. Jewellery can take many forms – including rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches, watches and more – and is often used to express the personality, culture, religion, or personal symbolism of the wearer.

“Gems” are precious or semi-precious stones that are commonly used in jewellery due to their beauty, rarity, and value. These stones are extracted from the earth and can include examples such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, and many others. Gems are often cut and polished to enhance their natural brilliance and colour, and they have been cherished throughout history for their use in jewellery and other precious objects.

While the term “semi-precious” is accepted in English, the use of the French term “semi-précieuse” is prohibited by French law and must be eliminated from everyone’s vocabulary! These stones were once called “pierres fines” (fine stones), but today they are all considered gemstones. In the early 20th century, gemstones were limited to blue sapphire, ruby, emerald, and diamond, while other stones – equally beautiful or even more so in our eyes – were termed “fine” or ornamental stones if very opaque. Over time, garnet, citrine, and amethyst gained recognition, and now, the entire Place Vendôme uses semi-precious stones such as tourmaline, beryl, quartz, spodumene, spinel, etc. Nowadays, all stones are considered precious, and that’s fabulous!

“Jewellery” is the art and practice of designing, crafting, decorating, and selling jewellery, particularly that which incorporates precious metals, gems, and other refined materials. Jewellers are highly skilled artisans who create pieces of jewellery, such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches, and watches. They use metalworking techniques, stone setting, engraving, and other skills to bring unique and aesthetically pleasing creations to life. Jewellery is often associated with elements of luxury, style, and prestige, and has a long history dating back to ancient times.

“Fine jewellery" is the pinnacle of the art of jewellery-making, characterised by the creation of exceptional and unique pieces. It is a field where craftsmanship reaches its zenith, and where each piece is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using the most precious materials and the rarest, most exceptional stones. Fine jewellery pieces are often designed as works of art, combining extraordinary aesthetics with remarkable technical skill.

Fine jewellery brands or “maisons”, often renowned and historical, create unique or limited-edition pieces for an extremely exclusive clientele. These jewels are frequently adorned with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and other highest-quality gemstones, embodying excellence in the art of jewellery. Fine jewellery is synonymous with luxury, exclusivity, and prestige, continually pushing the boundaries of creativity and artisanal virtuosity.

“Horology or watchmaking is the art and science of designing, crafting, and repairing clocks and watches. This encompasses the creation of mechanisms for measuring time, the assembly of these mechanisms into aesthetically pleasing cases, as well as the precision and regulation of these devices to ensure reliable timekeeping.

Horology involves aspects such as engineering watch movements, the selection and assembly of high-precision components, the manufacturing of dials and hands, as well as the design of aesthetic cases and meticulous finishing. The watch industry produces a diverse range of timepieces, from simple precision models to complex high-end watches, often equipped with complications such as perpetual calendars, tourbillons, and minute repeaters.

Horology is also intertwined with history, culture, and fashion, as watches are often perceived as objects of style and status. It relies on significant craftsmanship and technical expertise and continues to evolve with the integration of modern technologies, such as smartwatches.

Pure gold isn’t used in jewellery because it is too malleable (soft); it needs to be mixed with other alloys to create a more resistant material. Originally yellow, it can also be white or pink and even take on rarer hues. The colour of gold mostly depends on the type of alloy. Carats are used to assess its value: the higher the carat, the more pure gold a piece contains.

Carats – the measure of gold purity – should not be confused with the weight measure of gold, which is evaluated in ounces (1 ounce = 31.104 grams).

Common terms for pure gold include fine gold, 24k gold, or 99.9% gold. The hallmark for pure gold is the seahorse.

18k gold is the most widely used in jewellery and is considered the standard. It consists of 75% fine gold and 25% one or more other metals. Its hallmark is an eagle’s head (22 to 18k). Indian jewellery is often crafted with 22k gold, known for its vibrant yellow hue.

14k gold contains 58.5% gold, and its hallmark is a scallop.

9k gold consists of 37.5% gold, and its hallmark is a clover.

Always remember to check what you are buying before making a purchase or bidding on a piece of gold jewellery at an auction. The price may seem low, but this could be because the piece is made of 14k or even 9k gold. You can still buy it, of course, but being an informed consumer is always beneficial.

If you want to sell your gold jewellery, be aware that the scrap price is currently around €34 per gram. This varies depending on the price of gold per ounce, of course.