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The insignia of an order, worn in a form that indicates the grade held.
Also known as: Order insignia, Knighthood badge, Neck badge
Orders of chivalry are graded, and the insignia says which grade: a collar and breast star for the senior classes, a neck badge below that, a breast badge below that again. Reading the form is how you tell a knight from a member without knowing the order.
The insignia of an order of chivalry, worn in different forms according to the grade held: a collar and breast star at the senior classes, a badge at the neck below that, and a smaller badge on the breast at the junior grades.
Contexts: History
The form therefore encodes the grade independently of the design, which is how an unfamiliar order can still be read: a breast star means a senior class of whatever order it belongs to.
Most British orders have five classes, of which the top two carry a knighthood and the entitlement to the prefix Sir or Dame. The lower three do not, which is the distinction behind a good deal of public confusion about honours.
United Kingdom
An ornamented badge — often a cross or star with an enamelled centre — worn either from a wide neck ribbon, on a chest ribbon, or beside a larger flat star pinned directly to the coat.
A rosette in the order's colours marks the honour on civilian dress where the insignia is not worn.