Jewelry Making Resources | Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

Tab Lock Clasp

An easy-open clasp which closes by inserting a tab into a slot of the other half of the clasp. This style is held shut by the weight of the jewelry itself.

Liver of Sulfur™

A sulfur- based oxidizing agent, used to create an antiqued finish on silver, copper and brass beads and components.

Swivel Clasp

A form of the Lobster Claw Clasp. The swivel allows the design to twist 360 degrees while the clasp stays in place, so they are ideal for bracelets and anklets.

Leverback Earwire

(also Hinged Earwire) A type of earwire which has a hinged locking mechanism at the bottom, for added security.

Crystal Passions®

A brand name for leaded crystal glass. Crystal Passions® products are renowned for their color, brilliance and high quality.

Setting

A frame, container or cage designed for the placement of faceted gemstones or cabochons.

Lavalier

A pendant with one stone, suspended from a necklace.

Sautoir

A long necklace, usually made of pearls or beads and often ending in a tassel. Popularized in the 1920s.

Lost Wax Casting

Discover lost wax casting: a jewelry-making technique where a wax model is encased in plaster, melted away to form a mold and filled with metal.

Satin

A form of weaving that creates a material with a glossy surface and a matte back. Commonly used in formal dress material, ribbon and cording.

Luster

How light interacts with a surface. Originally used for gemstones like pearl and opal, it's been expanded to include a glossy sheen on materials like glass.

Stick pin

A straight pin worn vertically on a scarf or tie, which has some kind of ornamentation on the top. Explore Stick pin products.

Stabilized/Stabilization

Stabilization is the use of a colorless bonding agent (commonly plastic) with a porous gemstone to give it durability and improve appearance.

Lariat

An open-ended necklace that is held together by a flexible element such as a drop or ring. Length is 48 inches or longer.

Sterling Silver-Filled

Made by combining an outer layer of sterling silver (.925/20) around a copper-alloy core. Completed with an anti-tarnish coating to preserve its beauty.

Liquid Silver/Liquid Gold

A group of identical silver (or gold) tube beads strung in an uninterrupted group of strands. The jewelry created this way looks like flowing, liquid metal.

Firing Gemstones into Art Clay®

Adding gemstones to metal clay can increase the appeal of a piece, but it's important to know how the stones will react. This article discusses how to fire different stone types.

Springring Clasp

A popular spring-loaded clasp used with a jumpring or chain tab. It comes in a multitude of sizes, for single-strand to multi-strand designs.

Loop-Closing Pliers

Pliers with an internal groove, allowing for the curvature of varied loops. These pliers are used to smoothly close loops, jump rings, bracelet links and more.

Split Ring Pliers

Pliers with a small hook on one tip, designed to open split rings just enough for use. The split ring can then close without distorting or warping the metal.

Split Ring

Double-wire ring findings, similar to those on a keychain, used to connect jewelry-making components. Stronger and bulkier than an equivalently sized jump ring.

Link

A component that connects one component to another, or to a single loop in a chain. A link has the same amount of loops or holes on each end.

Spacer Bar

Jewelry finding used to hold multiple strands of beads in alignment and prevent tangling, are inserted at intervals while stringing the beads.

Snap Lock Clasp

A low-profile clasp that is less likely to tangle or snag on clothes or hair than other styles. It folds shut, closing securely and locking with a quiet snap.

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