Essential Resources

Maltese Cross

A cross with four broad arms of equal length, with tips that look like inward pointing arrowheads.

Millefiori

Created by fusion of several glass rods arranged so that the cross-section creates a flower or pattern with a mosaic-like appearance.

Mala

A set of beads used by Hindus and Buddhists for prayer and meditation, similar to a Catholic rosary. Mala sets are usually made of a loop of 108 beads.

Mohs Hardness Scale

A scale ranging from one to ten, which rates the hardness of a gemstone or mineral in comparison with other minerals and gemstones.

Magnetic Clasp

A two-piece clasp with one or more magnets. The magnets hold the pieces of the clasp together. Can include Bead, Crimp, Hook-and-Eye and Snap Lock Clasp styles.

Thread Heaven®

Unravel the secrets of Thread Heaven® and uncover how it can streamline your jewelry-making endeavors.

Omega Chain

A type of neckwire where bands or links of metal are assembled on a wire or woven mesh for structure, for a flexible design. Also called Omega Necklace.

Thread

A length of fine string composed of several fibers twisted or spun into a single strand. Thread can be made of natural or manmade fibers.

Micron

A unit of length equivalent to 0.001mm, used for measuring the thickness of electroplating.

Tigertail™

A braided stainless steel cable-style wire used for jewelry-making, with a nylon coating against corrosion, and stiff enough to be strung without a needle.

Macramé

A method of cord knotting that creates a rough, lace-like band. Commonly used in jewelry and décor, macramé popularly uses cotton, hemp, silk and leather cords.

Toggle Clasp

A style of clasp consisting of a loop (usually a circle, but sometimes other shapes such as stars, hearts or leaves); the other piece is a ''T'' shaped bar. The clasp is closed by pulling the ''T'' shaped bar through the open loop. Immensely popular and easy to use, the toggle clasp is available in almost infinite material options and in a variety of styles, weights and designs. They are commonly used for necklaces (especially lariat style), bracelets and anklets.

Embossing

The process of raising a domed design on the front of a piece of metal by beating it from behind with punches and a hammer.

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.

How to Form a Wire Spiral

Jewelry-making expert Tammy Honaman shows you how to form a wire spiral with step-by-step instructions. This simple technique makes a decorative addition to any design repertoire.

Design Idea 9A7S

Learn How

Semiprecious Stones

Natural stones that generally have a lower value than precious stones, including amethyst, aventurine, carnelian, garnet, opal, rose quartz and others.

Silver Plate

A fine silver film deposited on a base metal by electrolysis, in the same kind of electrically-charged bath used to make gold electroplate.

Silver-Filled

A mechanical bonding with a silver alloy of at least 92.5% fineness, which must be at least 1/20th of the metal in the piece. Also called silver overlay.

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.

Slide Lock Clasp

A clasp consisting of a set of tubes, one of which slides inside the other and locks into place. See also Multi-Strand Clasp.

Shore Hardness

Three different scales ranging from 10-100 for measuring the resistance of gels, rubbers and plastics to indentation.

S-Hook Clasp

A double-ended clasp shaped like an "S." Available in many sizes and styles, some with two rings. Pinch or pull the arm of the "S" to close or open the clasp.

Loomwork

(see also Bead Weaving, On-Loom) The process of using seed beads woven between the warp threads on a Beading Loom, to create a design or pattern.