Exodus 28:11

the engravings of a signet Seal engraving of precious stones was an art practised from very remote times in both Babylonia and Egypt.

ouches filigree settings, or, in one word, rosettes. (LXX. in v.13 ἀσπιδίσκαι, -little shields"). -Ouch" (-an ouch" for -a nouch," by a mistaken division of words [cf. an apronfor a napron, an adderfor a nadder, umpire for numpire; and conversely newtfor ewt, notchfor otch, Fr. nouche, a buckleor clasp) is an old word for the framein which precious stones were set, used also for the jewels themselves; cf. 2 Henry IV.ii. 4. 53 -Your brooches, pearls, and ouches" (Aldis Wright, Bible Word-Book, s.v.). The Heb. root means to chequeror plait(see on v.39): hence what is probably meant is -settings of filigree work": the gold was first beaten out into thin sheets, which were afterwards cut up into narrow strips (see Exodus 39:3); these were then formed into filigree work by a delicate process of soldering, and used as a setting for jewels (Kennedy, DB.iii. 636). Rosettes would probably express the general meaning with sufficient accuracy.