There are French words that put a distinction between jewelry
dominated by gems and jewelry that may feature both metalwork and/or
gems.
bijouterie: The French term for jewelry in general composed of gold
and and whose decorative effect is based mainly on design
and craftsmanship. (emphasis on design and metalwork/craftsmanship)
joaillerie: The French term for the type of jewelry that is
composed mainly of the pieces being referred to as
joyaux. (My understanding of this term has been that the metal
merely connects the stones but is minimally visible. Think of
diamond necklaces where all you see are diamonds and maybe the
tiniest of prongs in white metal.)
Definitions from Harold Newman’s An Illustrated Dictionary of
Jewelry.
Donna Shimazu