Essential Resources

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

Our buyers are experts in the field with years of accumulated training and maintain ongoing training of industry standards and availability of gemstone materials. This article is offered to create an understanding of the intricacies of gemstone...

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.

A Dozen Ways to End a Necklace

Sometimes it's not easy to know how to end a necklace, especially when there are so many ways that you can start it. Well take a breath of relief, here are a dozen ways to help you.

Mandrels for Jewerly-Making

Have questions about mandrels? Learn all about this valuable metalsmithing tool and the different options available in this article on mandrels.

A Brief History of Czech Glass Bead Making

Travel to the Crystal Valley and explore the rich heritage of Czech glass beads.

Marketing with Displays: Color Theory

According to the psychology of color, people are emotionally affected by different colors and combinations. Learn how to use color theory to boost your jewelry marketing efforts.

The Rosary

Learn more about the holy rosary and how it's been a treasured devotion in the Catholic Church for centuries.

Life in Color: How to Use Oh! Ring™ Components

Oh how we love the flamboyant bright neon colors of soft and pliable rubber Oh! Rings™. Twisty little circles are so versatile and you can even add to jump rings for chainmaille.

Enamels in Jewelry-Making

Author and jewelry-making expert Tammy Honaman provides you with plenty of tips and tricks for using enameling in your own jewelry-making processes.

The Differences Between Soft and Hard Soldering

Tammy Honaman shows you the tools and techniques needed for soft and hard soldering.

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