SAFETY PIN BROOCH : A brooch having a pinstem given one or more turns to create a spring, and a closing that holds the point end. This may be an integral part of the brooch when made of wire, or added to it.

SAUTOIR : A very long, narrow necklace of chains, beads, etc., sometimes with an end tassel.

SCARFSLIDE : An ornament having a circular part through which the ends of a scarf are drawn, the ornament then being pulled to the chest or the base of the neck to holds the scarf in place.

SEAL : Making an impression using a stamping device.

SEAL RING : A ring on which a seal is mounted.

SEAL STAMP : A stamp on which a seal is mounted, this being attached to a chain worn on a person, or by a loop to some other parts of the body or clothing, for use when stamping wax to seal a document or letter.

SECONDARY DEPOSIT : Gems or minerals that have been separated from their original rock and re-deposited elsewhere. 

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS : Rocks formed by the consolidation and hardening of rock fragments organic remains, or other material.

SHOE BUCKLE OR ORNAMENT : Any ornament worn on a shoe, such as a shoe buckle or stud.

SILVERSMITH : One who fashions silver objects and wrought items such as forged flatware. The first silversmith who settled in this country set up our banking system and produced its first coinage.

SINKING : The hammering of a flat piece of metal into a concave hemispherical shape in the top of a tree stump or any dished form.

SIGNET RING : A ring that contains a signet or private seal, also called a seal ring.

SILVERPLATE : A base metal, usually nickel silver or brass, coated with a layer of pure silver by electroplating.

SLEEPERS : Small stud earrings usually gold, inserted in a newly pierced ear to keep the hole open while it heals. Also called dormuses and abridores.

SNARLING : The embossing from underneath or inside an object with along-armed steel tool, with one end placed in a vise.

SOLDERING :  This technique is used for joining low-temperature base metal.

SOUVENIR JEWELLERY : A piece of jewellery created in a particular tourist destination.

SPECIES : Used to refer to individual gems that have distinct characteristics which may be defined and verified.

SPINNING : The forcing of a flat disc of metal over a profiled steel or wooden form with long-handled, polished steel tools. This technique takes much less time than raising.

SPLIT-SHANK RING : A ring having an open split shank which allows it to be adjusted for size by compression or spreading.

SPRING HAMMER : A 5' cast iron beam supporting a long-handled, highly-polished pivoting hammer with a 3" diameter face. The hammer is mounted on a spring mechanism allowing the hammer head to bounce off a highly polished adjustable anvil used to flatten the bottoms.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY : Density, measured as the weight of the material compared with that of an equal volume of water.

STAMPING : Impressing of designs from dies into metal with heavy presses.

STERLING SILVER : In the US . sterling signifies a quality standard defined as 92.5% pure silver.

STEP-CUT : Cut characterized by a rectangular table facet and girdle, with rectangular facets parallel to these.

STONE : Term used for any gemstone.

STONING : The process of abrading with a grindstone.

STRIATION : Parallel scratch, groove, or line.

STUD : An ornamental knob or boss, rod, pin, or nail with a decorative head. Also a detachable, buttonlike device inserted through one or more holes, buttonholes, or loops, eyelets of any material, meant to serve as a decorative fastener.

SURFACE GAUGE : A vertical steel rod mounted with an adjustable arm fastened to a heavy base. It is used to scribe a level line around an object in order to mount a wire or anything else that must be level.

SURFACE PLATE : A perfectly level steel, cast iron or granite table of any dimension; used to check the level and flatness of an object. Often used in conjunction with the surface gauge.

SYMMETRY, AXIS OF : Imaginary line trough a crystal. If the crystal were rotated about the axis it would present an identical aspect two or more times in a rotation of 360 degrees.

SYNTHETIC GEMSTONE : Laboratory-made stone whose chemical composition and optical properties are similar to those of its natural equivalent.