As a wholesale jewelry supplier, we work with thousands of designers around the world and we are able to notice when there are ups and downs in their sales, as it affects ours as well. We dug deeper and noticed that some shops suffered as they only sold on the online marketplace platform.
An important aspect of a jewelry piece design is the clasp. The clasp may not be the most noticeable component but it is the most functional when it comes to wearing a piece and securing it into place. In some cases, the clasp can also become a striking part of the design too.
There are so many types of clasps to choose from so here is a guide to help explain what options are available and how to use them.
Basic Jewelry Findings Terms
Findings: The component parts and materials used to complete a piece of jewelry.
Bail: Components used to easily attach pendants or charms to a chain without the soldering being required.
Bead: A small, often rounded piece, with a hole through it so it can be strung. Beads can be made from a variety of materials.
Bead Cap: A metal ornament, which is used to highlight beads and turn them into a focal piece. They are also used to cover up any imperfections or damage around the drilled hole of the bead.
Bezel: A metal ring that holds a stone in its setting.
Cabochon: A highly polished gemstone used in bezel settings. They have a curved top and flat bottom to allow them to sit in the settings.
Clasp: A device that allows the two ends of a chain to close together. They can be functional and decorative, coming in many styles and shapes.
-Lobster Claw Clasp: With the look of a lobster claw, it has a rounded top with a self-closing bottom hinge that opens when a small lever is pushed.
-Spring Ring Clasp: A round hollow ring with an inner wire that is opened and closed by pulling and releasing a lever on its side.
-Magnetic Clasp: Attracting magnets on each end are used to close securely and open easily.
-Toggle Clasp: Has a bar that is pulled through a ring and cannot pass through again, making it secure.
Crimp Bead: A small round or tubular hollow bead that is secured to jewelry by flattening it with pliers. Often times they are used to secure clasps or floating beads on stringing material.
Earwire: A curved and looped piece of wire that is one part of an earring. The curved part fits through the piercing of an ear and a loop is used to dangle a decorative finding.
Faceted Stone: A polished gemstone with many flat cut surfaces called facets. This helps the gem reflect light, making it look brighter and shimmer.
Gauge: The thickness measurement of wire or metal. The higher the number is, the smaller the size.
Gold Filled: Legally required to contain 1/20 gold by weight and more valuable than gold plated. It will not tarnish or fade over time like gold plated due to a different bonding process.
Gold Plated: Covering another type of metal with a thin layer of gold using electroplating.
Half-drilled Bead: A bead that only has a hole halfway through it and can be glued onto metal pegs to create charms, pendants or stud earrings.
Jump Rings: Small, round connectors used in jewelry making.
-Open Jump Rings: Have a divide in the wire that can be pried open and closed using pliers.
-Closed Jump Rings: Cannot be opened as they are soldered shut. They are ideal for projects that require a stronger connector for heavy or expensive pieces.
Oxidization: A reaction that occurs when sterling silver is exposed to oxygen, sulfur, and moisture in the air over time that results in a dark tarnish on its surface. Some jewelers purposely give a black patina to sterling silver by using chemicals to speed the process up.
Pave: Tiny gemstones set close to one another with no visible metal that results in a “paved” stone surface look.
Pins: Straight pieces of wire, which can come in many gauges and lengths.
-Ball Pins: Have a small ball at the end to prevent beads from sliding off. Loops can be created with pliers to attach to other findings.
-Eye Pins: Have a small loop at the end. The loop can be attached to other findings to make longer pieces.
-Head Pins: Have a flat or round end that keeps beads from sliding off. Loops can be created with pliers to attach to other findings.
Quality Tag: A small, flat piece of metal that has the metal quality stamp or trademark of the manufacturer or artisan. They usually have a hole on each end to easily attach to the chain with jump rings.
Rhodium Plating: Done like gold plating with electroplating, rhodium plating is used to prevent scratching or tarnishing on sterling silver. Rhodium is a precious metal of the platinum family and is also a good option for those with nickel allergies as it is hypoallergenic.
Rose Gold: Done like gold plating with electroplating, rose gold is a combination of specific amounts of silver, copper, and gold.
Slider Bead: A bead with an inner silicone layer that allows the bead to grip chain or cord. The silicone allows the bead to stay in place while also making it easy to adjust its position if needed.
Sterling Silver: An alloy of silver with a silver content of 92.5%silver. The remaining 7.5% is of other metals.
Wire wrapping: Using wire around a bead, stone, other findings, or itself, to create pendants, charms, or decorative patterns for jewelry pieces.
Vermeil: Vermeil is a combination of sterling silver and gold, usually a sterling silver core with thicker gold plating of 2.5 micron thickness.
Explore all of the findings AZ Findings has to offer: https://www.azfindings.com/wholesale-jewelry-findings
What is Gold Vermeil?
Gold vermeil has been increasing in popularity but interestingly enough, not many people know what this is. Although vermeil might seem like a new trend, this type of metal has existed for centuries.
If you are into jewelry that looks like gold, vermeil may interest you. It is an affordable and durable alternative to real gold. Although there are other similar options as well, such as gold-plate and gold-filled.
So, what is Gold Vermeil?
In short, vermeil refers to a variety of gold-coated metal. For metal to be considered vermeil, it needs to meet three main trade criteria:
If these three criteria are not met, then the metal becomes gold-filled or gold-plated. You can also find gold vermeil in a variety colors such as rose gold, white gold and so on.
How is Gold Vermeil made?
To create gold vermeil, the item is first crafted in fine or sterling silver and is then covered in gold using the process known as electrolysis. In the past, vermeil was crafted using the process of fire-gilding, but this was later banned due to the dangers inherent in this process, especially the issue with mercury causing blindness. Electrolysis results in a consistent thickness and quality that is capable of lasting for a very long time.
How long does Gold Vermeil last?
The durability of your gold vermeil actually depends on the thickness of the gold plating. In other words, gold is the primary factor when determining whether or not the gold vermeil will last. As a general rule of thumb, the thicker the gold plating, the longer the life of the piece.
Another factor to consider is the purity of the vermeil. As you may know, the higher the purity of gold, the softer it is and more susceptible to scratches and damage. If you would want gold vermeil that will last for a long time, buying 14 k or 18 k gold vermeil is recommended. Anything higher will be too soft and lower would not have the color of gold you may be after.
How does Gold Vermeil differ from Gold-Plated and Gold-Filled?
Gold vermeil, gold-plated and gold-filled jewelry are very similar in concept. Only slight differences in execution and materials distinguish these three methods:
Gold Plated- There is no standard metal or gold thickness when it comes to gold-plate. You can find gold plate in a variety of thicknesses and on a range of varying metals and alloys. With gold-plating, there is the high likelihood of the gold finish wearing out and chipping over time as the gold coating is very thin.
Gold-filled jewelry is more valuable than gold-plate. It contains more gold as the gold coating is quite thick. Also, the base metal used for gold-filled items is often a gold alloy. This is hypoallergenic and also does not tarnish. Gold-filled is the next best thing to solid gold. This is why it is costlier than gold-plate or even vermeil.
Gold vermeil is similar to gold-plate in terms of affordability and amount of gold used. The main difference between the two is that vermeil has its strict standards and is made entirely of precious metals (both silver and gold are considered precious metals) while gold plate has different levels of gold thickness and is made with any base metal. If the same criteria is met for both, gold plate and gold vermeil can be one and the same!
How do you maintain Gold Vermeil?
With proper care and maintenance, gold vermeil jewelry can keep sparkling through the years. Here are some tips for cleaning and storing your gold vermeil jewelry.
Gold vermeil is the ideal choice if you love the look of gold but affordability gets in your way. It gives you the look without the steep price. The main reasons people choose gold vermeil over the other two is because it is more affordable than gold fill and more valuable than gold plate. Make your decision based on your preferences and what you deem is important.
