piece of jewelry / gem
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piece of jewelry
An object worn on the body as jewelry, such as a ring, necklace, or bracelet.
Zum Geburtstag hat sie ein wunderschönes Schmuckstück von ihrer Großmutter bekommen.
For her birthday, she received a beautiful piece of jewelry from her grandmother.
The word consists of 'Schmuck' (jewelry) and 'Stück' (piece). So it literally means 'a piece of jewelry' and is a very direct description.
In der Schatulle lagen mehrere alte Schmuckstücke.
There were several old pieces of jewelry in the jewelry box.
You can tell from the context whether the literal or the figurative meaning is intended. If people are talking about rings, necklaces, or bracelets, it means jewelry. If they are talking about a building, a car, or a city, it is an admiring description.
Sie trägt ein wertvolles Schmuckstück am Hals.
She is wearing a valuable piece of jewelry around her neck.
When referring to a real piece of jewelry, the verbs 'tragen' (to wear), 'anlegen' (to put on), 'ablegen' (to take off), or 'verschenken' (to give as a gift) are often used.
Zu besonderen Anlässen legt sie dieses Schmuckstück an.
She puts on this piece of jewelry for special occasions.
In the figurative meaning, 'Schmuckstück' (gem) is often used for things that people are proud of and like to show. These can be buildings, works of art, or even well-maintained vintage cars.
Sein altes, perfekt restauriertes Motorrad ist sein liebstes Schmuckstück.
His old, perfectly restored motorcycle is his favorite gem.
jewelry / decoration
'der Schmuck' and 'das Schmuckstück' both refer to things like rings, necklaces, or bracelets. The most important difference is quantity. 'Schmuck' is usually used as a collective term: it means several such things or these things in general. 'Schmuckstück' means one specific individual piece. Learners may confuse the words because they look very similar and belong together. A practical way to remember it is: 'Schmuck' is the whole category or collection; 'ein Schmuckstück' is one individual ring, one individual necklace, or one individual bracelet.
Dieses Schmuckstück habe ich von meiner Großmutter bekommen.
I got this piece of jewelry from my grandmother.
Frau Schwarz bewahrt ihren Schmuck in einer kleinen Schachtel auf.
Mrs. Schwarz keeps her jewelry in a small box.