W Jewelry Information – Sterling Silver, Gold, Gemstones, Fashion, General Jewelry and Jewelry Terms
W Jewelry Information
Water sapphire: See Iolite.
Wedding Cup: The tradition of the Jungfrauenbecher, meaning “maiden’s cup” originated in Germany during the 16th century. The legend goes that a goldsmith was challenged by the father of the girl he loved to build a cup that two people could drink from at the same time in order to marry his daughter. He came up with a chalice with a split in the handle which suspended a cup on a swivel. The contraption is now often referred to as the wedding cup for the role it plays in nuptial feasts. The bridegroom drinks a toast out of the larger cup and then rights the figure, without spilling the wine in the smaller pivoted bowl, which is then to be drunk by the bride. The Jungfrauenbecher has also been known as the “wager cup” – the challenge is having the couple drink from both cups at the same time without spilling the contents of either.
Wedding Ring: A band ring with parallel sides, typically made of precious metals like Silver or Gold. It is becoming more common to have small gemstones set into this band. It is worn to indicate married status. Both men and women wear these rings.
White Agate: See White Onyx.
White gold: An alloy made of gold mixed with nickel, sometimes also containing palladium or zinc.
White Marble: White colored crystalline limestone used primarily in sculpture and architecture, especially by the ancient Greeks and Romans. See also Marble
White Metal: Any combination of alloys of non-precious metals such as lead and tin. Also called “Pot Metal”.
White Onyx: A form of agate from the chalcedony family which is semi-translucent with white to yellowish-white banding.
White Quartz: A translucent white mineral consisting of silicon dioxide in crystal form. White Quartz is basically clear quartz with a high degree of cloudiness. It is usually uniform in terms of the color, but has areas of more or less opacity.
Wholesale: Of, relating to, or engaged in the sale of goods in large bulk or quantity for resale by a retailer or jobber rather than directly to consumers.
Width: The horizontal measurement across the widest area of an item of jewelry.
WWJD: Stands for “What Would Jesus Do?”. Worn by Christians as a reminder to think before acting. It is often seen on all sorts of jewelry including pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and rings.