Glossary of Terms & Facts

Silversmith

History of Silversmithing In ancient times, silversmiths produced objects and stored them as stock due to the lower value of silver compared to gold. Silversmith guilds formed in the ancient...

Silver-gilt Techniques Silver-gilt objects have been made since ancient times across Eurasia Various gilding techniques have been used, including overlaying or folding gold foil or gold leaf Fire-gilding with mercury...

Silver standard

Origins and History of the Silver Standard Commodity money can be traced back to the Bronze Age, with silver being the first to satisfy all the functions of money. The...

Silver

Properties of Silver Appearance: lustrous white metal Standard atomic weight: 107.8682±0.0002 Boiling point: 2435K (2162°C, 3924°F) Density (near r.t.): 10.49 g/cm Thermal expansion: 18.9 µm/(m⋅K) (at 25°C) Ionisation energies: 1st:...

Shibuichi

Naming and Composition Shibuichi means one-fourth in Japanese Indicates the standard formulation of one part silver to three parts copper Variants of the alloy have specific names, such as rogin...

Shakudō

History and Early Uses The word shakudō first appears in records of the Japanese Nara period (710-784 AD) Actual pieces of shakudō are known from the 12th century onwards Shakudō...

Scratch hardness

Definition and Importance of Scratch Hardness Scratch hardness refers to the resistance of a material to scratches and abrasion by a harder material drawn forcefully over its surface. It is...

Scaif

Definition and Invention of Scaif A scaif is a polishing wheel used in the diamond cutting industry. It was invented in 1456 by Lodewyk van Bercken. The scaif is infused...

Sapphire

Sapphire Basics and Characteristics Sapphire is a variety of corundum, consisting of aluminum oxide with trace elements. It is typically blue, but can also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and...

Sancy

History and Ownership of the Sancy Diamond The diamond was initially called the Balle de Flandres and weighed over 100 carats. It was part of Valentina Visconti's dowry when she...

Same-sex marriage in Australia

Recognition and Rights for Same-Sex Couples in Australia De facto relationships defined in the federal Family Law Act 1975 Available to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples Provide couples with many...

Same-sex marriage

Legal Recognition and Alternative Legal Protections Same-sex marriage is performed in the Netherlands proper, including the Caribbean Netherlands. Same-sex marriage is registered in Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, but the...