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Amber
Amber is the fossilized resin of conifer trees. Colors can range from reddish brown, to honey, to yellow.
Amethyst
A transparent variety of crystallized quartz that typically is purple or violet in color. Amethyst is the February birthstone.
Aquamarine
A blue semiprecious colored stone in the beryl family. Aquamarine is the March birthstone.
Austrian crystal
An imitation of natural or rock crystal.
Azurite
Azurite is a copper based mineral. Azurite ranges in color from deep to pale blue. It is considered a semi-precious gemstone and is used in jewelry making.
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Bail
A bail is a metal loop used for connecting a pendant, watch, stone or other jewelry piece to a chain or cord.
Bali Beads
Bali beads are handcrafted beads that originated in Bali, Indonesia. The term does not exclusively refer to beads created in Bali anymore, but is used to describe beads using similar designs and themes.
Bar Pin
A bar pin is a long and thin rectangular ornament backed with a pin. They can be used to create brooches or other pieces.
Base Metal
Non-precious metals used as a core for plating and gold-filled items. Brass and nickel are commonly used base metals in jewelry.
Bead Board
A bead board is a rigid, felt-lined board with curved measured grooves use dto lay out a jewelry piece. The beading wire is laid into the appropriate length groove, and beads are added to the design. The groove holds the beads in place, and the center compartments offer easy access storage for beads and jewelry findings to be used in the piece.
Bead Tip
A bead tip is a jewelry finding used for attaching thread or wire to a clasp. The knot sits inside a small concave shape attached to a bent metal loop.
Bicone
A bicone is a type of bead consisting of two faceted cones attached to each other at the wide ends.
Box Chain
A type of chain with links that are wide and square, and resemble boxes.
Button Cover
An ornamental piece worn over a button, commonly at the collar.
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Cable Chain
A type of chain in which the links are round and are uniform in size.
Cabochon
A cabochon is a smooth round or oval convex polished gemstone. It has no facets, and is commonly used with opal, moonstone, jade, cats eye, and turquoise. Cabochons can also be glass or acrylic.
Carnelian
Carnelian is a translucent red or orange variety of chalcedony. It has a wax-like luster and is sometimes banded orange and red. In ancient times, it was believed to benefit the wearer's love life and health. Carnelian primarily comes from Brazil, India, Siberia, and Germany, but the best carnelian comes from India.
Cats Eye
Cat's eye, also referred to as cat eye, is a glass that reflects light in a manner reminiscent of a cat's eye.
Channel Setting
A channel setting is grooved metal that is built into a jewelry setting for holding stones. Unlike most setting methods, the stones are not secured individually, so there is no metal visible between the stones. Also a common term for a number of uniformly sized small stones set in a row.
Charm
A decorative pendant or trinket that can be worn on a bracelet, necklace or earring.
Charm Bracelet
A link bracelet to which charms can be attached.
Chaton
A chaton is a cone shaped rhinestone or crystal.
Cherry Quartz
Cherry quartz beads are man-made glass beads colored with thin lines of pink. Cherry quartz is made by meting raw glass in a furnace, and then adding coloring to the glass until the desired color is reached and letting it cool. Cherry quartz gives you the look of a semi-precious or gemstone bead.
Citrine
A variety of quartz, citrine occurs in color ranging from light yellow to a brilliant orange that may be confused with fine imperial topaz.
Cluster
A cluster is a type of setting in which stones are grouped together.
Clutch
A finding used to fasten post earrings.
Crimp Bead
A crimp bead is either round or tube shaped. It is compressed, using crimp bead pliers, around bead stringing material, such as coated beading wire, to hold the string or wire in place by friction.
Curb Link Chain
A type of chain where the links are oval and twisted. This makes the links lie flat.
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Drop Earring
Any type of earring that hangs below the earlobe. Also commonly known as a dangle earring.
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Fine Silver
Fine silver is made of 99.9% pure silver. Since it has fewer alloys it is softer than sterling silver. It does not tarnish as quickly as sterling silver does.
Fish Hook
A fish hook is a jewelry finding used in creating earrings. It is shaped like a fish hook, and has a loop or eye on one end to attach beads or wire to.
Fluorite
Fluorite, also called fluorospar, can be striped or spotted. This semi-precious stone can emit visible light when certain wavelengths of light are shined on it. The color of fluorite can be changed by heat or radiation.
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Garnet
Garnet is a dark red mineral. Garnet was used in many Victorian era jewelry pieces, commonly cut into cabochons and backed by gold or silver foil. Garnet is a common mineral, but gemstone quality stones are more rare.
Gold Filled
Although gold filled is not pure gold it is created by many layers of pure gold. It is much better quality than plated gold.
Gold Plated
Gold plated consists of one layer of plated gold.
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Head Pin
Also known as eye pins, head pins are long wires with a flattened end, and look somewhat like a thin nail. Head pins are basic jewelry component, and are used in many beaded earrings or for attaching beads to any type of jewelry piece. Beads are threaded onto the head pin, and the flattened end holds them on. The opposite end of the head pin is wrapped around a wire or other finding to attach the beads to the main jewelry piece. Longer head pins can also be used to attach pendants that are center drilled.
Hematite
Hematite is the most common iron ore. Often also called black diamond, it is a shiny, silvery stone that is used to create beads and other ornaments.
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Jasper
Jasper is an opqaue form of quartz. It is found in red, yellow, brown, or dark green colors. Jasper can be highly polished.
Jump Ring
A jump ring is a circular wire loop that is cut at one point to allow connection with other wire loops or jewelry components. For example, a jump ring might be used to connect a pendant to a chain. A jump ring can be any shape and size, and be of various gauges of wire. It is often designed to be the weak link in a design, to prevent injury to the wearer if the jewelry piece is caught for any reason.
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Lampwork Beads
Lampwork beads are usually made from thick, but lightweight, glass rods. Heat is applied to the rod using an open flame or lamp, and the glass is wound around a mandrel. The shape of the bead is made by rotating the mandrel in the flame. While the glass is molten, color and design components are added to create the final bead. Since each bead is handmade, each is unique and will vary from bead to bead
Lapis Lazuli
Sometimes referred to as simply "lapis", lapis lazuli is a royal blue opaque semi-precious stone with white veins or patches and gold colored metallic flecks. It has been used in jewelry and ornamentation since ancient Egypt.
Lozenge Bead
A lozenge bead is a bead shape that resembles a pill or lozenge, usually an elongated oval shape.
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Metal Plating
Millefiori
Millefiori beads are glass or clay beads containing embedded floral designs. "Millefiori" is Italian for "a thousand flowers"
Moonstone
Moonstone is a transparent milky white variety of feldspar with light blue or white opalescent spots. It is considered a good luck stone, especially for lovers. The finest varieties of moonstone display a bluish sheen, known as adularescense. Commoner versions have a whiter sheen.
Mother of Pearl
Mother of pearl is the inside shell of an oyster that has been polished to a thin veneer and is used on beads and other items to give them the look of real pearls. Mother of pearl is primarily off-white in color, but can be pink or light gray.
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Pineapple Quartz
Pineapple quartz beads are man-made glass beads colored with thin lines of yellow. Pineapple quartz is made by meting raw glass in a furnace, and then adding coloring to the glass until the desired color is reached and letting it cool. Pineapple quartz gives you the look of a semi-precious or gemstone bead at less cost.
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Rhodonite
Rhodonite is a glassy, opaque semiprecious stone that is pink to rose-red in color. A member of the pyrozene group of minerals, rhodonite can be found in Russia, the United Stats, India, and Australia.
Rondelle
A rondelle is a bead shape that is a flattened ball or saucer shape. Rondelle is also often spelled 'roundel'.
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Seed Beads
Seed beads were originally made thousands of years ago with actual seeds. The seeds were drilled and strung for decorative purposes. Today's seed beads are small glass beads ranging in size from under 1 millimeter to several millimeters, and are uniform in size. They are uses to create intricate pieces of jewelry in which the seeds are strung on wire or thread to create multicolored designs.
Slide
A slide is a jewelry finding that is basically a tube with a ring or other connector on it. A cord or necklace can then be threaded through the tube allowing the ornament to slide along the length of the cord or necklace. Similar to a bolo.
Split Ring
A split ring is a tightly coiled ring used to attach charms to a charm bracelet, or attach a clasp to a necklace or bracelet. The split ring resembles a small keychain.
Spring Ring
A spring ring is a fastener made from a hollow circular metal tube with a spring opening. The tiny spring inside the tube keeps the clasp closed. A spring ring is used as a clasp for necklaces or bracelets.
Sterling Sliver
Sterling is a metal that is mado out of 92.5% silver. The rest is made up of alloys such as cooer and zinc. These alloys are meant to provide strength. Sterling items will tarnish through oxidation if it is not left in sealed containers when it is not being worn. It can be polished easily with a polishing cloth.
Swarovski Crystal
Swarovski is a name long synonymous with beauty and excellence featured on runways and in haute couture around the world. The use of Swarovski crystal beads or flat backs in your project give it an instant air of glamour. There is simply no crystal that parallels the Swarovski name. Have you ever wondered where the phenomenon that is Swarovski has come from.
Swarovski is a family run business. The company was founded in Austria by Daniel Swarovski in 1895. Daniel invented a grinding machine that could produce large numbers of high quality decorative stones with incredible facets and angles. No competitor has come close to replicating these Austrian crystals.
Swarovski crystal is set apart from its competitors by it’s 32% lead content in its product. This percentage qualifies the product as a “fully leaded crystal.” The lead in the product increases the weight, brilliance and prismatic qualities of the crystal. Although lead can be a toxic substance, wearing leaded crystal jewelry does not pose a health risk.
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Toggle Clasp
A toggle is a type of clasp that utilizes two pieces, a loop and a bar. The loop is attached to one end of the jewelry piece, and the bar to the other end. The bar slides through the loop to fasten the necklace or bracelet.
Turquoise
Turquoise is a semi-precious stone that varies in color from green to blue. Prized by ancient cultures as a decorative stone, it is found in arid regions. The best turquoise is a deep blue in color.
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Unakite
Unakite is a semi-precious varigated opaque stone, primarily green and pink in color. The name unakite comes from the original source of the stone, the Unakas mountains of North Carolina. The stone takes a polish well, and is used in jewelry designs. Unakite is also referred to as epidotized granite.
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