Confused about vintage jewelry terms & acronyms?

NOS = New Old Stock indicates old vintage that was never sold (until now). Collectors drool over NOS because condition is original. OAK = One Of A Kind, "original", one-off or unique. If you desire to wear something that no one else has, then OAK is for you! (Vintage) Patina = Darkening of metal due to being exposed to air over time. Examples include silver turning dark grey, black or tarnishing. Brass can become a darker gold color or almost black. Patina can show wear patterns, too.