flor·en·tine fi·nish | ˈflȯr-ən-ˌtēn fi-nish
noun
A cross-hatched pattern, tooled into the surface of metal
A florentine finish is the cross-hatched pattern, typically tooled directly into the surface of the metal in a piece of jewelry. Because it is engraved into the surface of the metal, it is often coarser and a bit deeper than that of something like a brushed finish. To accomplish this effect, it is typically done using a hand tool. A series of lines are engraved in two directions crossing over one another. The result is a less reflective surface with deeper groove lines than that over other finishes using similar techniques. It is an alternative to both matte finishing and brushed finishing.
