Essential Guide to Christmas Ornaments | Balsam Hill

Globe Ornaments

These are your standard Christmas balls, and they can be made of glass, metal, plastic, or acrylic. We recommend investing in these basic globe ornaments so that as your collection grows, you can mix and match them with themed sets for easy decorating.

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Finials

These ornaments were inspired by decorative elements you see on roofs, gables, or domes of architectural buildings. Finials have long, tapered points on one end and are available in a range of sizes. Some finials have a round bulb, while others are more egg-shaped.

Angels

It’s believed that the tradition of putting angels on a Christmas tree comes from the Nativity story. The first angel ornaments were handmade from natural materials like straw and even edible ones like cookies. Today, angel baubles can be made from glass, plastic, or metal.

Egg Ornaments

These are reminiscent of Fabergé eggs that have become a symbol of opulence since they were manufactured by the House of Fabergé in the s. Many egg ornaments are made of blown glass and feature intricate designs and details such as glitter and metallic accents.

Figurines

Figurine ornaments are considered novelty and come in a wide array of designs. Nutcrackers, Santa Clause, reindeer, and elves are just some of the classic figures you can find. These are great for classic Christmas decorating themes with a red and green color palette.

Snowflakes

Made from glass or iron, snowflake ornaments can add sparkle to any holiday decorating theme. These baubles are available in a variety of unique patterns and designs, just like real snowflakes. Use these for your winter wonderland or snowy forest theme to create an enchanting, magical look.

Icicles 

Like snowflake ornaments, icicles are perfect for a winter or frosted Christmas theme. They can be made from an assortment of materials including blown glass, plastic, or acrylic. Hang them on your tree along with silver or grey baubles for a monochromatic look.

Vintage Ornaments

Vintage Christmas ornaments refer to tree decorations from older generations. Some collectors specialize in finding rare, authentic vintage ornaments in specialty stores, flea markets, and garage sales. Commercially made pieces are usually replicas designed to look like they’re from the late ‘30 to the ‘50s.

Common Ornament Materials

From artisanal mouth-blown glass to fabrics such as felt and polyester, Christmas ornaments are made from a range of materials. Here are the most common ones:

Glass

Glass ornaments date back to the 18th century in Germany where Christmas trees and baubles originated. Artisans use a laborious process that entails heating a glass tube, inserting the end into a clay mold, and blowing the glass into the shape of the mold.

Mercury Glass

Also called silver glass, mercury glass is blown double-walled, then coated on the inside with a silvering solution, and then sealed with a plug. These are made from clear glass without any mercury or silver, making them perfectly safe to use as Christmas decorations.

Wood

These ornaments can be as simple as a one-dimensional star or as intricate as forest creatures. They can be hand-carved or laser-cut and made from different types of wood. Wood ornaments are versatile and complement a range of decorating themes like rustic farmhouse or enchanted woodland.

Metal

Whether flat or three-dimensional, these baubles add sparkle to any Christmas tree décor. Metal ornaments are made from a host of materials such as iron, copper, or variants of alloys like steel. You can find pieces that feature different shapes and are intricately designed with crystal beads.

Fabric

These ornaments can be made from felt, burlap, wool, or any type of fabric. They’re usually crafted by hand, giving them that charming, handmade appeal. Available in a wide variety of designs, fabric ornaments add a wonderful texture to any Christmas tree display.

Capiz

Capiz shells are translucent and durable, making them great substitutes for glass. Capiz ornaments include classic designs such as stars, angels, and bells. Aside from Christmas tree ornaments, they’re also used to make lampshades, lanterns, and other decorative objects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to commonly asked questions about Christmas ornaments.

What Is the Most Common Christmas Ornament? 

Angels and stars are always popular, whether as an ornament or tree topper. Classic Christmas balls also never go out of style.

What Are the Different Christmas Ornament Shapes? 

Christmas ornaments come in a variety of shapes including balls, onions, teardrops, finials, stars, angels, snowflakes, and more.

What Materials Are Used To Create Ornaments?

Glass, metal, fabric, wood, and Capiz are some of the most common materials used in making Christmas ornaments.

How Do You Pick Christmas Ornaments?

Choosing Christmas ornaments depends on your personal style and preference. Start with a theme and build out your ideas from there. For example, a winter wonderland motif would look great with white and red elements, snowflake accents, and faux frozen red berries.

How Many Ornaments Do I Need for My Tree?

Wondering how many ornaments you need for a 6-foot tree? The number of ornaments depends not just on the size of your tree, but its shape as well. The sizes of your ornaments also come into play, including how light or heavy you want the coverage to be.

What Is the Standard Size Christmas Ornaments?

Standard ornament sizes can range from 2.5 to 3 inches. Use standard-sized ones if you like everything to look uniform or mix them with jumbo or mini ornaments to add visual interest.

How Do I Customize Ornaments?

If you’re into DIY arts and crafts, customizing ornaments is a wonderful way to make them more personalized. Start with plain ball or star ornaments and decorate them with various materials like glitter and sequins. You can also paint them in your favorite colors using watercolor or craft paint.

What Are the Three Types of Ornaments?

The three types of ornaments typically include traditional ornaments, such as glass balls and angels; personalized ornaments, which commemorate special occasions or loved ones; and thematic ornaments, like those shaped as stars, snowflakes, or other seasonal symbols.

Why Is It Called ‘Ornament’?

The word “ornament” comes from the Latin word ornamentum, which means “equipment” or “adornment.” In the context of Christmas, it refers to decorative objects that adorn the tree and other parts of the home during the holiday season.

What Does a Christmas Ornament Symbolize?

It symbolizes celebration, tradition, and the festive spirit of the holiday season. Each ornament can carry its own meaning, such as love, peace, or the commemoration of special memories shared with family and friends.

We’ve created a handy guide so you can discover everything you need to know about the different metals you can choose from to help you finding the best choice for your ring (necklace, earrings or bracelet).  

18k Gold

Gold has been used for Jewelry for s of years, making it a timeless choice for an engagement ring or any other piece - no matter the color that you choose. 

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What colours can Gold be?

Gold can come in a variety of different colours. At Fenton we craft our Jewelry from 18k Yellow, White and Rose Gold. 

How is Gold quality measured?:

Gold quality is typically measured by the purity of the Gold. There are two different ways of doing this:

1. In parts out of 24 -  24k Gold is ‘pure’, however when entirely pure Gold is too soft for daily wear. This is why Gold is mixed with other metals, or ‘alloys’ - as this strengthens the metal making it durable enough for daily wear. The Golds you’re most likely familiar with are 9k or 18k Gold.  This means that either 9 or 18 parts out of 24 are pure Gold, with the remaining parts being made up of other alloys for extra strength.
2. In parts out of - The second way to look at it is a little more technical, but works on the same principle as above. 18k Gold is 750 parts out of pure Gold, and the remaining 250 parts are other alloys in the composition. Depending upon the color of Gold you choose, the alloys used to strengthen the Gold will change. 

Which finesse of Gold does Fenton use?:

At Fenton, we craft each of our beautiful pieces from 18k Gold (750), as we find this to be the best balance between purity and long-term durability. 

How does Gold Jewelry age?

Over time, all Gold will see some scratching as the result of normal everyday wear and tear. This is totally natural and not something which you should worry about. We personally think that this is something which adds character to your Jewelry - but you can of course have your Jewelry re-polished if you wish, to bring it back to its original condition!

What color is best?

Next up - let's think about metal color - as this is something which can also change over time. If your Jewelry is crafted from Yellow and Rose Gold these will typically keep their colours. 

However, with White Gold, this is rhodium-plated. What this means is that the White Gold alloys are not typically strong enough alone to create a brilliant white metal. The solution to this is adding an extra layer of rhodium over the White Gold to give it that beautiful white finish which we all love! 

Over time, this rhodium layer will wear through general wear and tear, causing a yellowy-tinge to show through. There is no need to panic though as it is always possible for a jeweller to replace this top layer of rhodium to bring your Jewelry back to it’s brilliant white color! 

It is also worth noting that rhodium is hypoallergenic, so if you’re worried about reacting to a particular metal, you should be fine with White Gold. 

Platinum

What color is Platinum?

Next up we have Platinum! It is a white colored precious metal, which looks pretty similar to White Gold and Silver. 

How is Platinum quality measured?:

When it comes to measuring it’s quality - platinum quality works along the same principles as Gold when we measure the finesse (purity) of the metal.

However, with Platinum it is never measured out of 24 parts but rather always out of parts. The Platinum that we use at Fenton is 950 parts pure out of . 

Platinum by nature is a very hard and durable metal, which is why it doesn’t need to be mixed with as many alloys as Gold. 

How does Platinum Jewelry age?

As Platinum is harder than 18k Gold it is more resistant to abrasion. However, that is not to say it is completely resistant to scratching or denting - so you should still take care! 

One thing with Platinum is that over time, it can become slightly gray and matte due to lots of small scratches occurring on the surface from general wear and tear. This slightly worn aesthetic is called Platinum patina, and is highly sought after by many people as it gives the Jewelry an antique look. 

Don’t worry if you’re not a fan of this look though as Platinum can always be repolished to remove the scratches, and as with White Gold it can be restored to its former brilliance! 

Platinum, like rhodium-plated White Gold, is also hypoallergenic, and is a great option for those of you with slightly more sensitive skin. 

What is the difference between recycled and non-recycled Gold and Platinum?

You’ve probably heard people talking about recycled Gold and Platinum a lot over recent years, as it has gained traction in popularity. But what exactly is it?

Well, typically recycled metal comes from existing Jewelry being melted down and sometimes from excess metal used for making Jewelry in workshops. The metal is collected from these sources, and then reworked and reused to create beautiful new pieces of Jewelry and thereby saving it from being wasted, ultimately reducing the demand for new raw materials.

With recycled metal, the beauty is that the composition of alloys may differ from one ‘batch’ to another. This accounts for the slightly different shades one can sometimes find between two metals of the same color and karat, albeit only slightly. This however adds to the uniqueness of your piece!

What metal is best for an engagement ring?

When it comes to choosing the right metal for an engagement ring - personal preference plays a big role. If you or your partner already wears Jewelry then the chances are you are already partial to a particular metal color - be that Yellow Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold or Platinum. This can be down to personal taste, or perhaps hair and skin color, but really there is no right or wrong here. 

However in saying that, we would always recommend you ensure the Gold used in your engagement ring is 18k Gold and for Platinum 950 to ensure durability and high quality - which is what all Fenton rings are crafted from. 

Another thing you can also consider is how the metal color may affect your gemstone. Warmer metals are often paired with warmer gemstones, such as Yellow Gold with Emeralds. Diamonds and Aquamarine are typically set in light metal, think Platinum or White Gold, which will enhance the whiteness of the gemstone. 

A final thing to consider could be how likely you are to knock your ring from time to time? If the answer is a lot, then we’d typically suggest going with Platinum given its proven ability to resist abrasion more than Gold! 

Do you use sterling silver?

Sterling Silver is another metal which is widely used to create Jewelry. However, Sterling Silver is not a metal we use to manufacture our pieces at Fenton - this is due to its softness. 

If you are looking for a white metal ring, we would always recommend opting for 18kt White Gold or Platinum, as this offers the perfect balance of being a precious metal and coupled with long-term durability. 

How can you tell which metal your Jewelry is made from?

In the UK, there is a standardised system which makes it pretty simple to tell what your Jewelry is made from. The law requires all Jewelry weighing above 1 gram for Gold and 0.50 grams for Platinum to be Hallmarked at the Assay Office

What is the Assay Office you ask? It’s a part of the government which deals specifically with determining and verifying metal purity for Jewelry, providing a clear standardised system, which makes it pretty simple for you to tell which metal your Jewelry is made from!

The hallmark which your Jewelry will be given typically consists of four things. 

1. The metal purity - typically displayed as 750 or 950 for example.
2. The sponsor’s mark - each jeweller will have a unique mark registered with the Assay Office for traceability. For us this is our name ‘Fenton’. 
3. Where the piece was hallmarked - there are several branches including in London, Birmingham and Edinburgh. 
4. The date of Hallmarking - which is displayed as a letter. You can find out more information on how this system works here. 

This system ensures that when you buy Jewelry you can always be confident that the Jewelry you’re getting is what you’re being told it is! 

So which metal should you choose?

When it comes to choosing your perfect metal, there are certainly a few different aspects which you should consider from long term durability, to whether you have sensitive skin (ie do you need a hypoallergenic metal). In the end though, it really does come down to personal preference, and what you think the wearer is going to love for years to come!

We really hope this guide has shed a little more light on our chosen metals and why we choose to use exclusively 18k Gold and 950 Platinum to craft our Jewelry. We also hope you’re feeling confident and at ease with your own choice, and you’re ready to begin creating your perfect ring!

And if you’re still feeling like you want to compare the metals in person, then we would love to host you for an appointment! You will be able to visit our central London showroom, where you will be able to come and meet a member of our Concierge team, who will be able to answer any questions you have and help you make the perfect choice!

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