Bead Vocabulary 101 - Findings

Findings are the connections and the decorations added between beads in jewelry.  There are many different kinds of findings, so here are a few that I use in my jewelry.

a.  Bead caps are added to surround the bead, and are hollow in the inside to cap the bead.

b.  Crimp beads are used to make a loop at the end of a wire, and to prevent the beads from falling off.

c.  These are crimps with rings on the end to attach a clasp.

d.  Cones are used to make multiple strands of beads into one.

e.  Lever back earring findings are a secure way of keeping your earrings from falling off your ears.

f.  Ear wires are simple and delicate, but can fall off your ears.  Try using a ear wire safety sleeve.

g.  Jump rings help connect beads, and come in all different sizes, thicknesses, and colors.

h.  Bails connect pendants to chains.

i.   Headpins look like straight pins- add a bead at the end and make a loop on the top of the bead.

j.  Eyepins are for adding a bead and making a loop on both sides.

k.  Spacer bars come with different holes, and hold multiple strands in place.

l.  Spacers are added in between beads- most popular spacers are made in Bali, including daisy and star shapes.

Bead Vocabulary 101 - Clasps

All good jewelry must come to an end, and what you put on the ends makes all the difference.  I want to show examples of the clasps I use.
a.  These clasps are called bar and ring toggles.  They are easy to fasten than traditional clasps, and are handmade in Bali.  Bali silver is .925 sterling silver, which means that it is 92.5% silver, and 7.5% copper, which makes the silver stronger than pure silver.

b.  These clasps are called s-hooks.  Again, they are made in Bali, and fasten more securely than toggles.

c.  These are bar and ring toggles, put have extra circles for multiple strands.

d.  These are slide locks for multiple strands, and they fasten securely.

e.  Lobster claws are a more traditional clasp, and fasten securely.