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.
Essential Resources
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Essential Resources
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.
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