pinchbeck

Cheap gold substitute

Pinchbeck is an alloy of copper and zinc that resembles gold, used in cheap jewelry.

Named after its 18th-century inventor, the word now primarily serves as an adjective meaning cheap, counterfeit, or falsely valuable: pinchbeck sentimentality, a pinchbeck imitation of the real thing.

The figurative sense dominates modern usage.

imitation

counterfeit

Fraudulent imitation

fauxArtificial or imitation
shamFraudulent imitation
ersatzArtificial and inferior substitute

phony · bogus · tawdry · meretricious · pretentious · cheap · gaudy · flashy · knockoff · pseudo

alloy

brass

Copper-zinc metal mixture

zincElement thirty
copperReddish-brown metallic element
gildingApplying decorative gold coating

watchmaking · buckles · trinkets · buttons · chains · metalwork · composition · fusible · smelting · alloying

Categories

Alloysbrass, bronze, pewter, solder, steel
flashy fakesfake, sham, counterfeit, imitation, phony
gold metalsgold plated, gold plate, gold tone, rolled gold, gold-filled
brass alloyshigh brass, low brass
historic metalsbronze, brass, pewter, electrum, gunmetal
goldpure gold, solid gold, fine gold, 24 karat, gold bullion

Opposites

authenticity

pinchbeckgenuine

Truly what it claims

authentic · real · bona fide · true · legitimate

material value

pinchbeckgold

Element seventy-nine

solid gold · pure gold · 24-karat · precious metal · sterling silver

quality/value

pinchbeckgold

Element seventy-nine

solid gold · precious · 24-karat · fine gold · valuable

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G