Handmade Jewelry-Making Basics: If Money is Tight, Make Your Own Sterling Earrings

Americans are cutting back on expenses as never before in recent years.  Personal and family budgets often cut spending first on gifts and costume jewelry purchases. Handmade sterling silver earrings may fill the need for costume jewelry or for inexpensive gifts. A new jewelry maker can create handmade sterling silver earrings for less than the [...]

Handmade Jewelry-Making Basics – What is a Split Ring?

Knowing the terminology of basic jewelry findings will help the novice jewelry designer to make quality jewelry pieces faster.  Split rings may look similar to jump rings, but they are not interchangeable. What is a split ring? A split ring is a round jewelry finding made of wire that does not have a gap all [...]

Handmade Jewelry-Making Basics – What is a Headpin

New jewelry designers will come up to speed faster when they earn the terminology of different jewelry-making components.  Find the right components quicker, project professionalism to potential customers, and enhance your jewelry making credibility by using correct terminology. Definition of Jewelry Findings In the jewelry industry, “jewelry findings” are components of jewelry less than [...]

Handmade Jewelry-Making Basics – What is a Pearl Clasp

Come up to speed faster as a jewelry designer when using correct terminology for different jewelry-making components.  Locate the right findings faster, converse with suppliers intelligently and boost your credibility in the jewelry making marketplace. What are Jewelry Findings? A jewelry components less than finished pieces are called “jewelry findings” or just “findings”. What [...]

Handmade Jewelry-Making Basics – What is a Crimp?

Good crimping practices and quality crimps play an important part in jewelry design, but many designers minimize the roles these components play in favor of the more visible components. What is a jewelry finding? In jewelry terms, a “finding” is a component of jewelry less than a finished piece. What is a jewelry crimp? [...]

Handmade Jewelry-Making Basics – What is a Toggle?

Jewelry-makers should learn terminology of basic jewelry-making components and techniques to work effectively with friends, customers and suppliers. Jewelry toggles make up one category of many different jewelry closures for handmade artisan jewelry, mass-market costume jewelry and fine jewelry.  While toggle clasps definitely fasten jewelry, they can also enhance jewelry appearance. What is a [...]

Bead and Jewelry-making Glossary

If you’re just getting into beadwork and jewelry-making, you’re bound to come across a few confusing words. Here’s a brief glossary to help you pin down the meaning of ‘Head Pins’ and find the definition of ‘Findings’.   Bead Cap This is a type of metal spacer bead. It is [...]