Mosaic Terminology

So... occasionally people will tell me they want a mosaic... and then I'll show them one, and they basically say, "no, not like that."  Well... chances are, I did show them a mosaic.  But... just like sky blue and dark blue are both, well.... blue... different people's perceptions of a mosaic are different.

Most often, this sort of exchange happens when someone asks for a mosaic, and I tell them, I only have a silver mosaic at this time.  So I show them a picture... oh they want one more white.  Well... a silver mosaic isn't white.... it's silver... hence, silver mosaic. 

So, let's go back a few steps.  A mosaic is a genetically white w/ grey markings chinchilla.  They can range from mostly white (called "predominantly white" in show terms), to more spotty ("mosaic"), to white with darker hairs peeking through ("white with dark guard hairs") to a mostly silver-ish animal ("silver").  The base coat is white... other than that, they really vary. 

For example, this is a chin that I have marked as a silver mosaic:

Some people would even go so far as to tell me that that's not a white chin, but it is, it's just a silver mosaic.  Still white base coat, but more silvery in the patterning.

On the other hand, this is what I would term a white mosaic:

Yes, he has some silverish pattern, but it's not over the whole body, and he definitely looks of more of a white white, than the previous chin.

They're both mosaics.  This is where it can be super useful when people tell me, ok, they want a white white, with as little shading on it as possible.  Now, I may not have that... but at least, based on that description, I know what they're looking for.  Cause if you ask for a mosaic... the top one is a mosaic... whether it fits a specific person's definition of mosaic or not.  This ends your education for the day.  :)