Essential Resources

What is Dichroic Glass?

Explore the fascinating history of dichroic glass and learn ways to incorporate this iridescent wonder into your jewelry designs.

Work Hardening Metal

Jewelry-making expert Tammy Honaman explores work hardening metal in this informative article. Learn how to make gold, sterling silver, sterling silver-filled, copper, brass, bronze and nickel metal rigid or malleable to suit your design needs.

A Complete Guide to Turquoise

Learn what turquoise is, types of turquoise gems, typical gemological enhancements and buying tips for this popular blue-green gemstone.

Wubbers® Pliers

Patti Bullard has invented a better set of tools to save you time and energy on jewelry-making projects. Follow along as she demonstrates how to use her line of Wubbers® pliers.

Explore Series

Everything You Need to Know About Jewelry-Making Cutters

What type of cutters are for which types of jewelry-making techniques? Nip over to this article to learn more about these essential tools of the trade.

Make Your Own Wind Chimes with Jewelry Supplies

Why make wind chimes with jewelry-making materials? Well, why not? Wind chimes provide a melodious tune and can be aesthetically pleasing—plus they make great gifts!

The Beadmakers' Handbook

The first openly available resource for the beader and jewelry maker, the Beadmakers' Handbook includes bead-stringing designs and techniques. Download the free PDF and discover where it all began!

All About Rhinestones

Discover interesting beading facts and new insights into the jewelry making industry with articles from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. Article: All About Rhinestones

The Psychology of Color and Jewelry Design

Delve into the psychology of color and learn how it can play an important role in jewelry design.

The Benefits of Stainless Steel for Jewelry Design

Explore the benefits and properties of this sturdy and stylish metal.

Selecting the Right Bead Reamer

Bead reamers are an important tool. Use this helpful guide to choose the correct reamer for all your jewelry-making needs.

Turquoise: Then and Now

What do the ancient Egyptians, Native Americans, 1970's celebrities and people today all have in common? A love of turquoise! Explore this gemstone's popularity throughout history.

Gemstone Grading

Learn all about industry standards of gemstone grading—color, clarity, cut and more—including a chart that explains the difference between each grade.

A Guide to Jewelry-Making Hand Tools

In jewelry making, it's important to have the right tools. Check out this guide to learn the right tool for every job, ensuring a professional finish each time.

Blushing Beauty

Popular fashion is leaning toward blush hues for clothing, handbags and jewelry. Find design ideas and more in this article.

A Guide to Metals

What does your choice of metal say about you? This article explores the meaning of different metals in jewelry designs to help you learn what your jewelry is saying.

Crystal (Glass)

A material made by adding lead oxide to molten glass. Crystal glass has high density and refraction, creating brilliant sparkle. Also leaded crystal or glass.

Acrylic Resin

A form of plastic which can be molded into a variety of shapes, including beads, components and findings.

Crow Bead

A bead cut from a tube of glass or plastic, then tumbled and polished to smooth the edges. Used on cornrow braids, fringe and in Native American styles.

Carat

The unit of weight used for precious stones. One carat equals one-fifth of a gram. Also a measurement of fitness in gold. Pure gold is expressed as 24Kt.The term ''carat'' dates back to the traders of the ancient world.

Crimp Tube

A metal bead or short metal tube used with all beading wires and some beading cords to secure the beginning and finish the end of a strand.

Crimping Pliers

Pliers with a grooved opening for folding, rolling and smoothing crimp beads and tubes. Crimping pliers create a smooth, rounded or curved crimp.

Crimp Clasp

Has structural crimps for attaching to the end of beading wire or cord with Crimping Pliers. Can include Hook-and-Eye, Lobster Claw and Magnetic Clasp styles.

Crimp Bead

A metal bead or short metal tube used with all beading wires and some beading cords to secure the beginning and finish the end of a strand.

Crimp

A metal bead or short metal tube used with all beading wires and some beading cords to secure the beginning and to finish the end of a strand.

Cord Coil

(see also Coil End) A wire coil bead with an end loop.

Cord

A thin, flexible length of twisted fibers.

Curb Chain

A form of chain with oval links that have been twisted, so that the entire chain lays flat.

Ice-Pick Bail

Similar to a prong bail, it will create a loop to attach a chain to when the prongs are closed into a cross-drilled pendant.

Cane Glass

Beads resembling old-fashioned candy sticks. Small canes of colored glass are fused together to create a larger rod, then coated with clear glass and fired.

Cone

Necklace terminator or beading finding used to bring multiple strands together at one point to attach a clasp or be part of the design.

Component

A smaller, self-contained part used in jewelry-making and beading.

Cameo

A carved gem or shell, in which the carved design stands out against a background of a different color.

Cultured Saltwater Pearl

Pearls created by a farmer, who inserts a "seed" of mother-of-pearl into a saltwater oyster. The oyster coats the seed with layers of nacre, creating a pearl.

Pearl, Cultured Freshwater

Pearls created by a farmer, who inserts a "seed" of mother-of-pearl into a freshwater oyster. The pearl oyster will coat the seed with nacre, creating a pearl.

Clasp

A fastener that connects two or more ends of a piece of jewelry together. Clasps can be utilitarian and purely functional, or embellished design elements.

Cloisonne

Enamel with surface decorations set in hollows formed by strips of wire welded to a metal plate.

Coil End

(see also Cord Coil) A wire coil bead with an end loop.

Celluloid

Thermoplastic material that was commonly used in jewelry before the invention of injection molding. Now used to simulate tortoiseshell.

Coil Bead

A bead created using coiled wire. Some styles can be pinched like a crimp bead.

Chevron Beads

Learn about chevron beads (also called rosetta beads or star beads). Explore their origins, evolution, and cultural significance in this enlightening article.

Chaton

A particular shape of cut glass or crystal, most commonly known as Crystal Passions® rhinestones. A chaton has a faceted, pavillion-shaped (pointed) bottom.

Chatelaine

A chain, pin or clasp worn at a woman's waist, to which trinkets, keys or other articles are attached. Also used for pins with two figures linked by a chain.

Charms

Small ornaments worn as pendants or on bracelets.

Chain Tabs

A small, flat metal finding that is often hung on a piece of precious-metal jewelry and stamped as a "tag" identifying the precious metal content.

Chain-Nose Pliers

Pliers with flat gripping surfaces, used to reach into tight places, at difficult angles, to grip components, bend wire and stabilize a design while working.

Accurate Measuring in Jewelry-Making

Learn how to save time and money by taking the guesswork out of wireworking and metalsmithing by learning how to accurately measure. In this article jewelry-making expert Sandra Lupo teaches us how to accurately measure for jewelry-making success.

A Guide to Bails

Ever wonder what a bail is? How do you use it and what should you look for to find what you need for your designs? All of that has been compiled in one handy location.

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