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Terms Used On Our Website
AB
Named after the northern lights, aurora borealis, or AB, is a term for
crystal beads that have a highly iridescent surface. The effect is achieved by
applying a micro thin metal coating to the surface of the bead that results in
light being diffused into a rainbow. This effect was created by Swarovski® in
1955 in collaboration with Christian Dior.
Antique Finish (Antiqued)
A patina created on metal beads or components that alters the surface
colors and gives the appearance of age.
Artemis Bead
Swarovski crystal bead which has a conical shape with a
beveled hole at one end.
Aventurina
First produced in Murano by the Miotti family sometime in the 1600's.
Aventurina is simply small suspended particles of copper and other minerals
that attach to each other when the glass cools, giving beads a bright sparkle.
Bead Cap
A decorative, bowl-shaped component used to
"cap" one or both ends of a bead to add visual interest to a design.
Bicone
A bead shape, most commonly seen in Swarovski crystal, of two cone shapes joined at the wide bases.
Briolette
An elongated, pear-shaped bead covered with
bands of triangular or rectangular facets, usually with a pointed end.
Cabochon
An undrilled bead with a smooth rounded top and a flat
back. A cabochon is not faceted.
Cathedral Glass
Spectacular cathedral pressed glass beads are made in
the Czech Republic. The ornate metallic texture on each side of the faceted
bead resembles a sparkling bead cap - made by
pressing the bead in a steel mold, coating with color, then grinding and
polishing each facet to reveal the base.
Cloisonne
Gold or Silver wires are soldered or adhered onto
the bead's surface to form compartments which are filled with enamel coloured
paste, then fired in a kiln. The beads are polished, revealing intricate and
beautiful designs - each cloisonné bead taking up to four hours for a skilled
artisan to produce.
Connector
A link within a piece of jewellery that
connects one component to another.
Crackle
Crackle beads are created by immersing the beads in cold
water while hot, thereby cracking the glass. The beads are then reheated to
seal the cracks giving a smooth finish.
Czech Beads
Czech crystal and glass beads are made in the Czech Republic, centralised
around an area called Jablonec. Production of glass beads in the area dates
back to the 14th century. Because of this long tradition, their workmanship and
quality has an excellent international reputation.
Drop
A component within a piece of jewellery which dangles from another component or the main body of the jewellery.
Druk
A high-quality round pressed glass bead made in the Czech Republic.
Ear Wire
A thin piece of wire used to support ear jewellery. Ear wires
come in a variety of styles - the most popular are fishhook and lever back ear
wires.
Finding
A jewellery-making term for any metal component used to
connect and/or assemble jewellery. Findings are materials used to thread
through, glue on, hook into, link onto or otherwise attach beads and components
together.
Fire Polish
Czech bead makers are famous for their exquisitely crafted faceted beads. The fire polished finish is attained by laying the beads on a conveyer belt that feeds them into an extremely hot oven. The beads are heated to the point that their surfaces begins to melt, creating a naturally shiny finish.
Focal
Any item that is used as the central element in a necklace, bracelet, or other jewellery design. A focal component is intended to be the main attention-getter, the "focal point."
Gold Filled
Gold filled jewellery is composed of a solid layer of gold
bonded with heat and pressure to a base metal such as brass. Some high quality
gold-filled pieces have the same appearance as 14 karat (58%) gold.
Gold Plate
Gold plated metal has a very thin layer of gold
on the surface of the base metal, usually applied by the process of
electroplating.
Head Pin
A length of wire, usually straight, with one flattened or embellished end. The flattened end prevents beads from slipping off the end of the pin.
Hurricane Glass
Hurricane glass is the combination of multiple glass colors
that change appearance and swirl patterns based on the conditions at the time
of pressing. Each batch is unique and very difficult to reproduce.
Jump Ring
A piece of wire formed into a loop, usually round,
and used to connect together jewellery components.
Lampwork
Lampwork nowadays is a type of glass work that uses a gas fueled
torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten
state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with tools and hand
movements. Traditionally, lampwork beads were created using the flame from oil lamps.
Lucite
Lucite is a material that has both properties of plastic and glass and mirrors the clarity of glass. It is heavier in “feel” as compared to traditional plastics and is of a very high quality. (see also Moonglow Lucite, Vintage Lucite)
Millefiore Glass
This is probably the best known of the Venetian Glass Beads
- known as a thousand flowers, lace beads or mosaic, these Murano beads have
been popular for more than a century. Made by carefully placing small slices of
millefiore glass on a small ball of clear or transparent coloured glass, the
bead maker rotates and evenly heats the bead until the millefiore slices are
formed into the bead.
Moonglow Lucite
One of the most popular forms of
lucite, Moonglow Lucite beads have an iridescent moon-glow shine that seems to
come from within the bead.
Preciosa
Preciosa® is a world renowned producer of traditional Czech
glass beads beads – unmatched for their quality, colours and
shapes.
Rondelle
A flat or disc-shaped bead - typically round.
Silver Plate
A fine silver film deposited on a base metal by electrolysis.
The film can be as thin as seven millionths of an inch.
Spacer Beads
Also known as filler beads. They are used to fill up the
length of a finished jewellery piece or fill between other more expensive or
elaborate beads.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by
mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper.
Sterling Silver Filled
Silver Filled is a layer of .925 silver which is
mechanically bonded to a brass core. It is 1/10 or 10% by weight
(.925 or better) silver. Silver Filled is hundreds of times thicker than silver plating and has the same properties as sterling silver. Sterling silver Filled
products will last a lifetime and are a less
costly alternative to sterling silver, yet it retains the same beautiful
appearance.
Swarovski Crystals
Swarovski crystals are expertly faceted and polished to
create the world’s finest quality crystals. In 1892 glass maker Daniel Swarovski
invented a machine that revolutionised the crystal cutting and polishing
process. His electric glass cutting patents ultimately led to the production of
high-quality crystal glass. Beautifully cut and polished for the maximum
reflection of light, Swarovski crystals sparkle like diamonds.
Tensha (Japanese Tensha)
The word 'Tensha' in Japanese translates to the English word
'transfer'. The beads are handmade by applying a beautifully detailed decal to
a base colored acrylic bead. The transfer is then sealed and locked in with an
acrylic coating, which protects the image from abrasion. Gold foil accents are
often used to enhance the decoration. The decoration on both sides of the beads
matches exactly.
Vermeil
Items that are made of sterling silver, heavily
electroplated with 22Kt yellow gold.
Vintage
In the worlds of jewellery and bead work, ''vintage'' is
most-often used to indicate a piece or component that is a product of the high
quality manufacturing of a previous time frame (usually from 25 to 99 years),
and is noted for enduring appeal. Vintage'' jewellery tends to be dated from approximately 1980 back to 1910.
Vintage Lucite
The lucite beads that are used in our earrings were manufactured in Italy during the 1950's and 1960's.
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