Heirloom quality original stained glass patterns may contain jewels or roundels. Jewels are not used as much these days in decorative windows as window designs have become simpler. However, due to their varied textures, shapes, and sizes, jewels are a wonderful addition to decorative windows. Jewels add texture, dimension, and color to decorative windows.

Roundels, which are larger than jewels, are round spun discs. When the glass is separated from the punty or pontil, (an iron rod on which molten glass is handled when being shaped and worked), it leaves a center mark in the roundels.

In 1895 Samuel Bing opened an avant-garde gallery in Paris called Art Nouveau. This style was popular throughout Europe. America eventually adopted this new art style for its buildings. Louis Comfort Tiffany, the originator of opalescent glass and the opalescent window style, was known to incorporate Art Nouveau motifs into his work. His glassware and many of his lamps strongly reflect the Art Nouveau style. Much Art Nouveau stained glass is extant in America due to Tiffany. Stained glass in the Art Nouveau style is relatively simple and easy to construct while at the same time adds pizzazz. Its large-scale forms, curves, and floral designs could be rendered into simple patterns which appear complex.

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