Handmade
Jewelry Glossary
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Agate
- A semiprecious gemstone. Agate is a banded multicolor form of
chalcedony. There are many different varieties of agates, depending
on the coloring and pattern displayed by the material. Unpolished,
agate is usually undesirable, but once cut and polished, the extraordinary
beauty of the stone can be found. Read more about Agate...
Alexandrite
- A semiprecious gemstone. A rare member of the chrysoberyl family
of minerals that changes color in different lighting. Alexandrite
is red or purple-red when seen in incandescent light, but in fluorescent
light and daylight it appears in shades of blue and green.
Read more about Alexandrite...
Amber
- A semiprecious gemstone. Amber is the sap of ancient trees which
have become hardened and fossilised. Sometimes it has insects
locked inside which were trapped in the sap, or have other interesting
bubbles and inclusions which create beautiful patterns in the material.
Much of the Amber on the market today comes from the Baltic region.
Read more about Gemstones...
Amethyst
- A semiprecious gemstone. Amethyst is a beautiful purple variety
of Quartz which often comes from Brazil or Africa. Considered a
semi-precious stone, Amethyst is the modern February birthstone.
Read more about Amethyst...
Anneal,
Kiln-Anneal - After glass has been introduced to
a flame, the center of the bead or glass will cool more slowly than the surface,
the result being internal stress caused from the temperature differences.
This may result in the bead cracking or shattering. The process
of annealing, or heating the glass very slowly to a set temperature,
is designed to eliminate such stresses. This temperature is referred
to as the stress point. The bead is then held at this temperature
for a period of time and then cooled very
slowly to room temperature.
Read more about Lampworking and the history of Kilns and Furnaces.
Read more about Kiln-Annealed...
Metal is annealed by heating to make it workable. In the making of jewelry, precious metals become stressed when they are hammered or bent, making it brittle. Jewelers sometime purchase metals in their annealed state which may be referred to as soft or half hard. Different metals become annealed at different temperatures and jewelers look for the "color" to determine when the metal has reached its annealed state. These colors are described as bright orange, dull red and cherry red.
Anniversary
Gift Traditions-The chart lists the most accepted
jewelry and gemstone gifts as endorsed by the Jewelers of America,
the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the American Gem Society,and
the American Gem Trade Association. For a complete table of anniversary gifts that includes Traditional
Anniversary Gifts, Modern Anniversary Gifts, and a list of Anniversary
Flowers see our complete Anniversary Gift Traditions Chart.
Aquamarine
- A semiprecious gemstone. Aquamarine is a gemstone-quality transparent variety
of beryl, having a delicate blue or blue-green color, suggestive
of the tint of seawater. It's closely related to the gem emerald.
Read more about Aquamarine...
Art
Glass - Art glass normally means the modern art
glass movement in which individual artists working alone or with
a few assistants to create works from molten glass in relatively
small furnaces of a few hundred pounds of glass.
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Base
Metal - Non-precious metals used as a core for plating
and gold-filled items. Brass and nickel are common base metals in
jewelry. Beadalon
- This stringing material is a 7-strand bundle of
wire wound around a straight core wire. These wires are coated with
nylon to protect the material wrist or neckline. Unlike an elastic
bracelet, this material ensures a strong bracelet that wont break
when pulled or tugged.
Birthstone
- A set of twelve gemstones that are associated with births during
a specific zodiac sign or month of the year. Stones chosen for each
month vary by culture.
See the Birthstone Chart...
Bloodstone
- A semiprecious gemstone. Bloodstone is a dark green variety of
chalcedony colored by traces of iron silicates and with patches
of bright red jasper throughout its mass. Both polished and unpolished
stones show red spots on a dark green backgound resembling blood,
hence the name, bloodstone. Read more about Bloodstone...
Borosilicate
- is a particular type of glass, better known under the brand names
Pyrex, Kimax, and Endural. Borosilicate glass has a very low thermal
expansion coefficient, making it a popular material for objects
like telescope mirrors, where it is essential to have very little
deviation in shape. See an example of Borosilicate glass...
Bracelet
- A bracelet is jewelry worn around the wrist. Types of bracelets
include bangle bracelets, expansion bracelets, cuff bracelets, beaded
braclets, charm bracelets, spiral bracelets and link bracelets.
Shop for Handmade Bracelets....
Bridge
Jewelry - Bridge Jewelry is jewelry that bridges
the gap between fine (precious) jewelry and costume (fashion) jewelry.
Sterling silver jewelry and Gold Fill Jewelry are an example of bridge jewelry.
Read more about Bridge Jewelry...
Shop for Bridge Jewelry...
Briolette
- A teardrop shaped faceted gemstone or glass bead. Briolettes are
used in bracelets, earrings and necklaces and they bring a unique and delicate look to these jewelry pieces.
See Handmade Earrings using Lemon Quartz Briolettes...
See Handmade Earrings using Crystal Quartz Briolettes...
Bullseye
Glass Manufacturer and Brand Name for colored glass for art and architecture since 1974. Bullseye Glass Co. is a leader in promoting glass art worldwide through quality production of colored glass for art and architecture, research and education, and the presentation of innovative glass art in its Portland gallery.
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Carat
- Carat (ct.) is the standard measure of weight used for gemstones.
One carat weighs 0.2 gram (1/5 of a gram). A hundredth
of a carat is called a point. Note that karat is the term used to
describe the fineness of gold. Common Misspellings: Karat, is
the U.S. measuring system used to define how much gold an item contains. Read more about Carat Vs Karat... (New Window)
Cats
Eye - Top "A" grade fiber optic glass
beads is expertly shaped with a well-defined "eye"
line and uniform "eye" within the bead strand. This kind
of bead has graduated colors in it starting with a lighter colored
"eye" centered around the middle of the bead. A lot of
bright colors to choose from make this bead a good choice for many
uses in bead jewelry designs.
See a bracelet using cats eye...
Chain
- A series of connected loops, links, rings, or beads used to create
bracelets or necklaces.
Chalcedony
- A category of semiprecious gemstones. A class of microcrystalline
quartz that includes agate, jaspers, tiger eye, bloodstone, sardonyx,
chrysoprase and others. Petrified wood is also sometimes composed
of chalcedony that has replaced the original organic material. Read
more about Gemstones...
Citrine
- A semiprecious gemstone. The yellow variety of Quartz, Citrine
is closely related to Amethyst as it often results naturally from
Amethyst coming in contact with heat in the earth's crust. Citrine
is also often created by heating natural amethyst or even smokey
quartz in a lab to create it's golden yellow color. Citrine is used
as the November birthstone. Read more about Citrine...
Clasp
- A clasp is a fastener that can open and close, attaching two ends
of a necklace, or a pin to a garment.
Compatibility
- Glass that has the same COE are compatible with one another. Which
means that they are able to be joined while hot, with out separating
from each other when cooled. If uncompatible glass is used to make a glass beads, the separation from eachother results in a cracked bead.
Coral
- Formed when small sea animals create living quarters,
coral comes in colors ranging from vivid orange to palest pink.
During the mid-Victorian large brooches of coral finely carved in
high-relief floral sprays, or faces were popular. At the turn of
the century, small natural pieces of branch coral or small cameos
of coral were more popular.
Cord
- Cord is thicker than thread and usually a woven
product. Many materials are used to make cord for beading, such
as satin, leather, suede, hemp, flax, silk, and nylon. Kincaidesigns used silk cord as a necklace cord for the Handmade Glass Bead Pendants.
See a Glass Bead Pendant on a Silk Cord...
Crystal
- A top-quality colorless, transparent glass resembling natural
or rock crystal. Made through an ancient process that involves lead
oxide. To be crystal, there must be a minimum of 10% lead. About
200 kinds of crystal are associated with jewelry.
Read more abou Gemstones and Minerals...
Cultured
Pearl - Like natural pearls, cultured pearls grow
inside a living organism. However, they do not begin as accidental
intruders to the shell. Instead, humans insert mother-of-pearl beads
or other shapes into a mollusk. Over time they become coated with
nacre. The depth of the nacre coating depends on how long the beads
are left in place before being harvested.
Read more about Pearls...
Read "What is a Pearl" in the Handmade Jewelry Articles Archive...
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Dangle
- Any part of a piece of jewelry that hangs free and can move with
the wearer. Dangles add motion and interest to a piece.
See a bracelet with dangles...
See Dangle Earrings...
See Cluster Necklaces using Glass Bead Dangles...
Delica
- A registered trademark, term refers to Japanese seed beads made
from cut glass that have uniform shape, size and color properties. You can buy these as bead stores in long multiple strands (Usually hanging on the wall) or in clear plastic tubes.
Diamond
- A precious gemstone. The Diamond is the hardest mineral on earth
and is made up of pure carbon. Most diamonds come from two rare
kinds of volcanic rocks, lamproite and kimberlite, but they are
much older than the rocks in which they are found. Read more about
Diamonds...
Dichroic
Glass - A glass which contains ultra-thin layers
of aluminum, chromium, silicon, zirconium or the metal alloy titanium.
The colors are almost holographic in appearance. Metallic oxides are bonded to the glass using an electron bombarder inside a vacuum chamber under strict laboratory conditions. Once the coating has adhered to the glass, it is fired in a kiln to make it permanent. The angle of the glass within the vacuum chamber determines the color. In actuality, there is no color produced. What you are seeing is pure light manipulation at it's finest.The appearance will be different
depending on whether the light is reflected or transmitted.
Drop
Earring - Any earring that hangs below the earlobe,
also called a dangle earring.
Shop for Handmade Earrings...
Druk
- Glass beads that are round and smooth.
dwt.
- A measure of Troy weight, dwt. is the abbreviation for "pennyweight",
a measure used to weigh gold, silver, and jewels. In Troy weight,
the pound = 12 ounces, the ounce = 20 pennyweights, and the pennyweight
= 24 grains. While this method of weighing is believed to have originated
in Cairo during the crusades, the name comes from Troyes, France
where it was first used.
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Effetre
- Also known as Moretti is a soft glass from Italy. Both opaque and
transparent colors are available (refer to the color chart for the
colors available). The glass is heated to a working temperature of
approximately 1700F. The annealing temperature is between 920f-968f,
with a strain or stress point of 840f. See an example of glass beads
using Effetre glass...
Emerald
- A precious stone. Emerald is the grass green variety of Beryl.
Its name originates from the Greek word "smaragdos", which
seems to have been given to a number of green stones besides emerald.
Emeralds green color results from trace chromium.
Read more about Emeralds...
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Facet(s)(ed)
- One of the flat polished surfaces cut on a gemstone which allow
the cut stone to sparkle and reflect light. Diamonds, emeralds, sapphires,
and rubies are normally faceted.
Fire
Polish - High quality molded or cut pieces, that
have been heat at an extremely high temperature treated to give
very clean, glossy surfaces. The treatment softens the facet edges.
Flamework
- Also referred to as lampwork, it is a process dating back to the
Middle Ages, in which glass is heated over a flame. Then, oil lamps
were used to create the flame, today torches are used in combination
with a mix of propane and oxygen to create the heat needed to turn
glass to its molten form. Read more about Flameworking...
Floating
Necklace - A floating, or invisible, necklace looks
as though the beads or gemstones are floating on the skin. The pearls
are strung far apart from one another on an almost invisible string.
See an example of a Floating Necklace...
Foil
Paper - thin sheets of metal (often colored) that
were used in closed back settings to intensify the brilliance of
the stone.
Freshwater
Pearl - an irregular pearl of various colors produced
by fresh water molluscs such as mussels and clams, popular in Roman
jewelry for its irregular shape and relative availability.
Read more about Pearls...
Read "What is a Pearl" in the Handmade Jewelry Articles Archive...
Frit
- Powdered glass in various colors used to apply color to hot glass
in a speckled or random fashion. Multiple colors can be used to
give a wide variation in the resulting piece.
Read more about Lampworking...
Furnace
- Glassblowing involves three furnaces. The first, which contains
a crucible of molten glass, is simply referred to as "the furnace."
The second is called the "Glory Hole," and is used to
reheat a piece in between steps of working with it. The final furnace
is called the "lehr" or "annealer," and is used
to slowly cool the glass, over a period of a few hours to a few
days, depending on the size of the pieces. This keeps the glass
from cracking due to thermal stress. Historically, all three furnaces
were contained in one, with a set of progressively cooler chamber
for each of the three purposes.
Read more about Lampworking and the history of Kilns and Furnaces.
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Garnet
- A semiprecious gemstone. Garnet is a group of minerals that have
been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. Today,
it is widely known as the birthstone for January. Garnets are most
often seen in red, but are available in a wide variety of colors spanning
the entire spectrum. Read more about Garnets...
Gemstone
- Today, the common definition of a gemstone is any precious or
semiprecious stone, rock or mineral. The explicit definition of
a gemstone is a precious stone: diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald
and precious opal. Semiprecious stones are any other rocks, minerals,
or petrified material that is not classified as precious and which
is used in jewelry or collected. Some semiprecious stones include:
agate, topaz, carnelian, and jasper, lapis lazuli, jade and turquoise.
Read more about Gemstones...
Glass
Bead - Blass beads are formed by winding molten
glass around a mandrel, which is usually a stainless steel rod of
varying diameters. Many glass beads are decorated with dots, spirals,
and other designs of glass. See Lampwork. See an example of a Glass
Bead...
Glass
Pipe - A hollow glass rod used in glass blowing
Glass
Rod - A long, round piece of glass about the width
of a pencil that is heated and used by lampworkers. Rods come in
a wide variety of colors.
Glassblowing
- Glassblowing is the process of forming glass into useful shapes
while the glass is in a molten, semi-liquid state. A person who
blows glass is called a glassblower, glasssmith, or gaff.
Read more about the History of Glasswork...
Glasswork
- Also referred to as lampwork or glass blowing, it is a process
dating back to the Middle Ages, in which glass is heated over a
flame or in a furnace. Read more about Glasswork...
Gold
- A precious metal that does not oxidize or tarnish as most other
metals do. It has been used for over 6000 years in coins, jewelry
and ornamental objects. Gold is very malleable and can be melted
and cast into both small and large objects. It is also forged into
very thin sheets called gold leaf and used to cover the surface
of less valuable ornaments.
Gold
is alloyed with other metals like silver, copper or nickel to make
it harder. The ratio of gold to other metals is what denotes the
karat content.
Common
gold alloys are made by mixing gold, silver, copper, and/or other
metals to produce 14K, 18K and 22K gold, white gold (gold and nickel
or palladium), rose gold (gold and copper), green gold (gold with
silver or silver and cadmium) , and blue gold (a recent gold color
perfected by only a few jewelers). (example: 14kt-by weight 14 parts
gold to 10 parts other metals, or 58.33% pure gold)
Gold
Fill - Jewelry or other item with a sheet of gold
applied to its surface. Newer items contain markings that indicate
how much and what type of gold was used in the layer. Example: a
marking of 1/20 12K G.F. means that the piece is at least 1/20th
12K gold by weight. Read more about Gold Fill...
Gold
Leaf - thin sheets of gold. See a glass bead using
gold leaf...
Gold
Leaf Bead - Transparent or translucent bead in which
gold leaf has been trapped within the body or on the surface of
the bead. See a Gold Leaf Glass Bead...
Gold
Plated - A layer of gold applied to base metal,
usually by electroplating. This is usually a very thin layer, only
a few microns, which is likely to wear much more quickly than gold-filled.
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Hammering
- Giving metal surface marks and textures by hammering.
Heat
Treatment - Heat treatment is commonly used to change
or intensify the color of a gemstone. The change alters a stone's
structure and is usually permanent.
Read more about Gemstones...
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Jade
- A semiprecious gemstone. An opaque, semiprecious stone found in
shades of green, light purple, yellow, pink and creamy white shades.
The term jade is often used to describe both jadeite and nephrite
which are similar in appearance and use. The best quality jade comes
from Myanmar (formerly Burma). Jade is not only a hard stone, 6.5
to 7 on the Mohs scale, but is also an extremely tough stone which
allows it to be cut as a solid piece and used for a ring or bracelet.
Read more about Gemstones...
Jasper
- A semiprecious gemstone. Jasper is an opaque and fine grained
variety of chalcedony quartz. It is found all over the world in
all colors including: red, brown, pink, yellow, green, grey/white
and shades of blue and purple and is often spotted (Dalmatian),
striped (banded jasper), and/or multi colored (picture jasper, poppy
jasper).
Read more about Jasper...
Jewelry
Home Party - A jewelry party is hosted by a client
or customer and usually take place in private home or residence.
The client invites their friends for a private shopping experience
where they can try on and purchase jewelry from the Designer or
Jewelry Representative. Read more or Schedule a Jewelry Home Party...
Jewelry
Wire or Beadalon-Jewelry wire is a type of stringing
material composed of multiple strands of steel wound together and
then coated with nylon. It is sometimes referred to as tiger tail.
Some of the more popular brands are Soft Flex, Beadalon and Griffin.
See Handmade Jewelry using Beadalon...
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Karat
- Karat (abbreviated Kt or K) is the measure of the fineness of
gold equal to 1/24 part. Pure gold is 24 karat gold, 18K gold is
18/24 gold, 14K gold is 14/24 gold, 12K gold is 12/12 (exactly half
gold). Note that the term carat is used as measure of weight for
gemstones.
Kiln - A high temperature insulated brick oven used to anneal glass beads.
Read more about Lampworking and the history of Kilns...
Read more about Kiln-Annealed...
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Lampwork
- Also referred to as flamework, it is a process dating back to the
Middle Ages, in which glass is heated over a flame. Then, oil lamps
were used to create the flame, today torches are used in combination
with a mix of propane and oxygen to create the heat needed to turn
glass to its molten form. Read more about Lampworking...
Lapis
Lazuli - A semiprecious gemstone. Deep blue gemstone
mineral which is often speckled with sparkling pyrite inclusions.
Lapis Lazuli has been used for jewelry for thousands of years with
many ancient cultures treasuring it. Currently, much of the Lapis
Lazuli on the market is mined in Afghanistan. Read more about Lapis
Lazuli...
Lampwork
Bead - Lampwork beads are glass beads that are formed
by winding molten glass around a mandrel, which is usually a stainless
steel rod of varying diameters. Many lampwork beads are decorated
with dots, spirals, and other designs of glass.
See an example of a Lampwork Bead...
Link
- Links in a way are un-detachable clasps. They can be used to link
two pieces of stringing material together, or can be attached to
each other to form a chain.
Lobster
claw clasp - A lobster claw clasp is a jewelry fastener
that resembles the claw of a lobster. A tiny spring keeps the arm
of the clasp closed. It is used to attach two other links of a necklace
or bracelet together.
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Mandrel
- The steel rod on which glass beads are made.
Marver
- A smooth surface, usually graphite or other heat
resistant material, that molten glass is rolled on to create various
shapes, such as bicones and barrel beads.
Read more about Lampworking...
Memory
Wire - Wire made of a metal that will retain its
shape after it has been bent or coiled in some fashion. See Glass
Bead Wine Charms using memory wire...
Millefiore
- In Italian, it means "1000 windows". It refers to slices
of glass that are made or purchased in which the slice contains
a picture or pattern in the center like Christmas candies. These
slices can be used to add delicate patterns and pictures to beads
and other glass objects.
Millefiori
Beads - Created by fusion of several glass rods
arranged so that the cross-section creates a flower or pattern with
a mosaic-like appearance.
Mineral
- are natural compounds formed through geological processes. The
term "mineral" encompasses not only the material's chemical
composition, but also the mineral's structure. Minerals range in
composition from pure elements and simple salts to very complex
silicates with thousands of known forms (organic compounds are excluded).
The study of minerals is called mineralogy. Read more about Minerals
and Gemstones...
Moonstone
- A semiprecious gemstone. A beautiful variety of feldspar which
come primarily from Sri Lanka, but is also found in the USA, Brazil
and Madegascar. Moonstones have a magical soft pearly reflective
appearance to them called adularescence. Commonly available in white,
moonstones are also available in peach, green, or grey varieties.
Read more about Moonstones...
Moretti
- Also known as Effetre is a soft glass from Italy. Both opaque
and transparent colors are available (refer to the color chart for
the colors available). The glass is heated to a working temperature
of approximately 1700F. The annealing temperature is between 920f-968f,
with a strain or stress point of 840f. Read about the History of Lampwork and Moretti...
Mother
of Pearl - Mother of pearl is the common name for
iridescent nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters
and other mollusks and deposited inside their shells, coating and
protecting their bodies from parasites and foreign objects.
A pearl grows when mother of pearl surrounds and builds layers around
an object that's inserted in she shell by nature or humans. See
a necklace with a Mother of Pearl Flower Pendant...
Murano
- Murano is usually described as an island in the Venetian Lagoon,
although like Venice itself it is actually an archipelago of islands
linked by bridges. It lies about a mile north of Venice and is famous
for its glass making, particularly lampworking. The glassmakers
in Venice were forced to move to Murano due to the fire hazards
of Glasswork.
Read more about the history of Murano and Glasswork...
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Natural
Pearl - A pearl that begins as a piece of grit or
other forein substance that makes its way into the shell of a marine
or freshwater mollusk (oysters, clams). A defense mechanism kicks-in
to coat the particle with layer after layer of a substance called
nacre, eventually forming a pearl. A natural pearl is a pearl that
forms in nature with no human intervention.
Read more about Pearls...
Read "What is a Pearl" in the Handmade Jewelry Articles Archive...
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Onyx
- A semiprecious gemstone. A variety of chalcedony or microcrystalline
quartz with a hardness rating of 7. Very similar to agate, and treated
agate is often sold as black onyx. Onyx may be brown, white, grey,
or black. Read more about Onxy...
Opal
- A semiprecious gemstone. Opal is primarily composed
of silicon and water, and unlike many other gemstone materials,
is not considered a true mineral because it lacks crystalline structure.
The water content of opal contributes to it's wonderful play of
light. Several large concentrations of opal are found in Australia.
Opal is often found filling cracks and crevices in other stones,
or the interior of geodes. Read more about Opals...
Oxidation
- (Antiqued) Darkening or other color changes of metal which is
accelerated by humidity, especially salty air or the presence of
acidic perspiration. This does not happen to very high-karat gold
or stainless steel.
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Pearl
- dense variously colored and usually lustrous concretion formed of
concentric layers of nacre as an abnormal growth within the shell
of some mollusks and used as gems or beads.
Read more about Pearls...
Read "What is a Pearl" in the Handmade Jewelry Articles Archive...
Pendant
- A pendant is a hanging jewelry piece. Necklaces, pins, and earrings
often feature a pendant. Shop for Pendants...
Pennyweight
- A measure used to weigh precious metals of gold, platinum and
silver, a pennyweight (abbreviated dwt.) is equal to 24 grains and
there are 20 pennyweights in a Troy ounce.
Peridot
- A semiprecious gemstone. Peridot is the gem quality variety of
forsterite olivine. Olivines are usually yellow-green, but can be
yellow, brown or gray. Read more about Peridot...
Pewter
- Pewter is an alloy of tin, lead, antimony, and a bit of silver
or copper. Pewter was the most widely used metal in America between
the early 1700 and 1800's. The best pewter is achieved using a low
lead content and a high tin content. As you would expect, U.S. pewter
manufacturer's today are required to make lead free pewter. Both
copper and antimony are added to the tin to make a harder metal
alloy.
Platinum
- Platinum is the rarest of the three precious metals (platinum,
gold and silver). It is harder than gold or silver making it more
durable for jewelry purposes. It has a whiter color than silver
and is resistant to oxidation (tarnish). Challenging to work with
due to its high melting point it is difficult to alloy and cast.
Platinum was discovered in the 1700's in Russia and is abbreviated
Pt. or Plat.
Precious
Gemstone - Diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald and
precious opal are the precious stones. Any other rock or mineral
is referred to as semiprecious.
Read more about Precious Gemstones...
Pyrex
- Pyrex is a brand name of borosilicate glass introduced by Corning
Glass Works in 1924. Though borosilicates had been produced before,
the name Pyrex is widely used as a synonym for the material. Corning
spun off its kitchenware division in 1998, and the Pyrex brand is
now owned by World Kitchen, Inc.
See an example of Pyrex glass...
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Quartz
- A semiprecious gemstone. Quartz is the most common mineral on
earth. It is a crystalline mineral that comes in many forms, including
amethyst, citrine, rock crystal, rose quartz, tiger's eye, chalcedony
(agate, carnelian, aventurine, chrysoprase, jasper).
Read more about Gemstones...
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Ruby
- A precious gemstone. The red variety of corundum. Long cherished
for their deep passionate color, rubies are available as natural
gemstones, but also are widely available as lab created gemstones.
Rubies are also sometimes cut into cabochons. Ruby is the July birthstone.
Read more about the Ruby...
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Saltwater
Pearl - Saltwater Cultured Pearls, are farmed in saltwater,
and grown in oysters. Only one pearl is grown per oyster. This makes
salt-water pearls more expensive than freshwater pearls. Countries
known as producer of saltwater pearl are Burma, Indonesia, Thailand,
and Philippines in South East Asia; Australia and Tahiti in South
Pacific, especially in Tahiti, you'll find the beautiful black pearls.
Read more about Pearls...
Read "What is a Pearl" in the Handmade Jewelry Articles Archive...
Sapphire
- A precious gemstone. Blue is the color most often thought of when
the word 'Sapphire' is mentioned, but is not the only color this
wonderful traditional gemstone can be found in. Sapphires are also
available in 'fancy' colors such as pink, orange, purple, green,
yellow, and white. Composed of the mineral corundum which is second
in hardness only to diamonds, sapphires are durable, and easy to
care for, contributing to their popularity. In popular culture,
blue sapphires especially are associated with harmony, friendship,
loyalty, trust, and permanence.
Read more about Sapphires...
Sardonyx
- A semiprecious gemstone. Sardonyx is another form of onyx. The
colors of Onyx bands are white and black. Sardonyx is a variant
in which the colored bands are sard (shades of red) rather than
black. Read more about Sardonyx...
Seed
Bead - Very small oval beads made from segments
of tubes of glass that have been tumbled and polished.
Semiprecious
Gemstone - Any stone that is not classified as precious
. Some examples are: turquoise, aquamarine, agate, jade, pearl,
rose quartz, aventurine.
Read more about Semiprecious Gemstones...
Silver
Plated - A fine silver film deposited on a base
metal by electrolysis, in the same kind of electrically-charged
bath used to make gold electroplate. The film can be as thin as
seven millionths of an inch. A silver plate item cannot be called
sterling or bear a marking of ’silver’.
Sodalime
Glass - A soft glass
with a lower melting temperature, thus allowing the glass to be
softer, with a longer working time to manipulated the glass once
it has been removed from the flame. Read about the History of Lampwork and Soda Lime Glass...
Soft
Glass - A sodalime glass which is called soft glass
due to the fact that it has a lower melting temperature, thus allowing
the glass to be softer, with a longer working time to manipulated
the glass once it has been removed from the flame.
Read about the History of Lampwork and Soft Glass...
Soldering
- Soldering is a method of joining metal parts using a filler material
(solder) which has a melting temperature below 450 °C (842 °F).
Sterling
Silver - Sterling is silver with a fineness of 925
parts per thousand or 92.5% silver and 75 parts per thousand or
7.5% copper. Copper is added to the alloy to increase the silver's
hardness.
See an example of Sterling Silver
Jewelry...
Sterling
Silver Leaf - thin sheets of sterling silver. See
a glass bead using sterling silver leaf...
Sterling
Silver Leaf Bead - Transparent or translucent bead
in which sterling silver leaf has been trapped within the body or
on the surface of the bead.
See a glass bead using sterling silver leaf...
Swarovski
Crystal - Made in Austria, Swarovski products are
considered to be one of the finest products of their kind in the
world. Unlike Czech glass, these are machine polished and are higher
in cost than Czech Glass. Read more about Swarovski Crystals...
Synthetic
Gemstone - A gemstone created by humans in a lab.
Synthetic stones mimic the structure of natural stones. It's often
difficult for even experienced gemologists to tell a synthetic from
a natural stone. Read more about Gemstones...
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Tanzanite
- A semiprecious gemstone. A gem variety of the mineral Zoisite, Tanzanite
comes from a small area in Tanzania. Nearly all tanzanite on the market
has been heat treated to generate it's lovely blue violet color. When
first mined, tanzanite is usually a muted green color. Tanzanite is
similar in final color to iolite, though iolite is usually of weaker
intensity and has less fire. Read more about Tanzanite...
Tarnish
- Tarnish is the term applied to metal that has
discolored due to oxidation or corrosion. Sterling silver is very
susceptible to tarnishing but can be cleaned easily with a soft
cloth and cleaning products designed to clean metal. Never use toothpaste
to clean jewelry as it is too abrasive and will result in fine scratches
that dull the metal surface.
Read more about
Caring for your Jewelry...
Teardrop
- A teardrop is a tear-shaped object. Imagine taking an elastic
band and setting it on a flat surface in the shape of a circle.
Hold down two opposite points and pull a third point (halfway between
your first two points) and drag it away from the circle. Your elastic
will now be in a teardrop shape. (Also see Briolette)
See Handmade Necklace using a teardrop shaped quartz ...
Toggle
clasp - A toggle clasp, also called a bar and ring
clasp, is a jewelry fastener in which a bar can be inserted into
a ring to fasten a piece of jewelry. It is used to attach the two
ends of a necklace or bracelet together.
Topaz
- A semiprecious gemstone. A very hard and lovely mineral that has
been known and valued both in ancient and modern times. Topaz naturally
comes in yellow, brown, red, pink, and colorless varieties, but
is also available in modern times in several shades of blue through
treatment with irradiation. Ancient legends associated topaz with
several different 'sungods', dispelling of enchantments, and improving
eyesight, as well as crediting it with the ability to change colors
in the presence of poisons. Read more about Topaz...
Torch-Blown
- Also referred to as lampwork, it is a process dating back to the
Middle Ages, in which glass is heated over a flame. Then, oil lamps
were used to create the flame, today torches are used in combination
with a mix of propane and oxygen to create the heat needed to turn
glass to its molten form. Read more about Torch-Blown Beads...
Tourmaline
- A semiprecious gemstone. A family of aluminum and boro silicate
minerals that comes in a wide variety of colors depending what other
trace minerals are present. Can be found in pinks, greens, blues,
yellows and oranges, as well as black. Often bi-colored or tricolored.
Sometimes displays plieochroism or chatoyancy. Tourmaline has a
hardness of 7-7.5.
Read more about Tourmaline...
Trillion
- A modified brilliant cut triangular stone with 44 facets.
See Handmade Earrings Using Faceted Aquamarine Trillions...
Troy
Weight - The measure used to weigh gold, silver,
and jewels. In Troy weight, the pound = 12 ounces, the ounce = 20
pennyweights, and the pennyweight = 24 grains. While this method
of weighing is believed to have originated in Cairo during the crusades,
the name comes from Troyes, France where it was first used .
Trunk
Show - A show at a retail boutique where the designer
can set up and sell their jewelry for a limited time, usually a
few hours or the business work day. Similar to a Jewelry Home Party,
however, this takes place at a retail business that has the potential
and/or interest to carry the jewelry line in the near future. Read
more or schedule a Trunk Show...
Turquoise
- A semiprecious gemstone. An azure or greenish soft mineral that
derives it's color from copper. Turquoise is very soft and porous,
and it's high water content makes it vulnerable to destruction by
drying, and absorbing impurities. Turquoise is often stabilized
with a resin to preserve it's color, protect it from environmental
pollutants and drying.
Read more about Turquoise...
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Venetian
Beads - A style of glass bead making originating in
Venice in the late 1800s. Antique "fancy" Venetian Beads
are rare and prized by collectors. Today, many types of beads made
by hand in Murano and Venice are sold under this label. Generally
the term denotes a very high level of craftsmanship and that the beads
are made individually by hand. More about Venetian Beads.
Read more
about Lampworking...
Vermeil
- Vermeil (pronounced ver-may) is a process that combines precious
metals to produce semi-fine quality jewelry. The inside core is
sterling silver, the outside is a thin coating of 14 karat gold.
This combination produces jewelry that looks and feels like pure
gold.
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White
Gold - An alloy of gold made with nickel. Sometimes
the jeweler also mixes palladium or zinc in the alloy. White gold
has a brighter and whiter color than silver due to the nickel content.
Wire
- Thin strands of metal wire provide a stringing material that is
both strong and stiff enough to add structure to a beaded project.
Wire is sold in different sizes which are called gauges, with smaller
numbers being thicker. All the jewelry in Kincaidesigns used semiprecious
metal wire.
Shop for Handmade Jewelry using Sterling Silver wire
and Gold Fill wire...
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Y-Necklace
- A popular style of necklace that consists of a single strand, usually
chain, and a focal drop in the center. See an example of a Y-Necklaces...
Yellow
Citrine - A semiprecious gemstone. A semiprecious
gemstone. The yellow variety of Quartz, Citrine is closely related
to Amethyst as it often results naturally from Amethyst coming in
contact with heat in the earth's crust. Citrine is also often created
by heating natural amethyst or even smokey quartz in a lab to create
it's golden yellow color. Citrine is used as the November birthstone.
Read more about Yellow Citrine...
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Zircon
- A semiprecious gemstone. One of the few stones to resemble the
diamond in fire and brilliancy is zircon. It's colorless stones
have been intentionally and mistakenly substituted for the diamond.
The natural color of zircon varies between colorless, yellow-golden,
red, brown, and green. Read more about Zircon...
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