Nephrite's fibrous interlocking structure gives it exceptional toughness; jadeite's interlocking granular crystals produce a slightly different density and translucency. Visually similar, but so structurally distinct.
Industry Insight
The 10K, 10KT, and 417 stamps on 10kt yellow gold are three ways of stating the same fact, the karat notation familiar in North America, and the per-mille figure expressing 41.7 percent gold content in the notation system international hallmarking uses.
A Storied Heritage
Victorian sentimental jewelry's use of the heart could be seen in engraved or enameled designs, combined with clasped hands or forget-me-nots to communicate enduring love. These motifs give antique pieces in those forms a specific communicative history worth knowing, functioning as part of a visual language that both the original and modern-day recipients and could read and appreciate.