If you’re new to jewellery making, chances are you probably
have never heard of jewellery
findings. Sourcing the right findings is an essential part of the
jewellery making process. At CJ Beaders we stock a wide range of bead
findings, earring
findings, necklace
findings and other wholesale
jewellery supplies. For those looking to get into jewellery making, read
on to discover what are jewellery
findings and the different types available from CJ Beaders.
What are jewellery
findings?
Jewellery
findings are basically the smaller components that make up any piece of
jewellery. They connect pieces together and make a necklace, earring or
bracelet functional. There are lots of different types of jewellery
findings so it
can be a bit overwhelming to know which is suitable for each piece of
jewellery. This guide will go through each type of finding from crimp beads to earring hooks for jewellery making.
A quick word about Nickel Compliance
In order to apply a plating (such as silver
or gold) to another metal, a layer of Nickel is first applied. This makes the
later plating (such as gold or silver) shinier. However, many people are
allergic to Nickel, so within the UK and EU, there are laws that set a limit to
the amount of nickel in Jewellery findings. It is illegal to sell Jewellery or
findings that exceed the EU/UK regulations, so always ensure you buy your
Findings from a reputable supplier – such as CJ Beaders. Many imported findings
do not comply with the regulations.
Clasps
Clasps are one of the most essential jewellery and necklace findings. On bracelets and necklaces, they fasten one end of your jewellery to the other. The most popular type of necklace finding is a trigger clasp. Trigger clasps, or lobster clasps, are common in many necklaces as the mechanism is simple and easy to operate. A trigger clasp works well when paired with other necklace findings like bolt rings or spring rings. There are many other types of clasps such as box clasps, pearl clasps, magnetic clasps and slide clasps.
Earrings
Choosing the right earring findings will make a big difference to the functionality and style and there are many types to choose from. Earring hooks for jewellery making are a popular choice for dangly style earrings and come in different shapes. Earring hooks for jewellery making come with a loop so you can easily attach your jewellery design. For stud-style earrings, you can simply attach your choice of bead findings to create a unique piece.
Ends
Ends or end caps come in a variety of styles but they are
mainly used at the end of a beading thread or wire to attach to a clasp. There
are a couple of different types of end caps, each will attach to the beading
thread slightly differently so it is important that you know the difference.
Box style end caps fold over to secure to the end of the beading thread. Crimp beads or pinch style
are great if you have some pliers to secure them to your thread or wire.
Headpins & Eye pins
Headpins are a
great jewellery finding for
creating earing drops or charms. They are a small length of wire with a head or
ball at the top that acts as a bead stopper. Eye pins are very similar except
they have a loop instead of a stopper. Eye pins are a great earring finding for making
hanging beads and charms. Simply add your chosen beads to either a headpin or eye pin and then either crimp the end to secure
them in place or create a loop at the other end to link to another pin.
Jump rings
Jump rings are a very simple jewellery finding. They are a small circle of wire that twists open and closed to join pieces of jewellery together. Often, they’re used to attach a clasp to a beading wire or chain. To open a jump ring you will need a pair of pliers. Once open, thread on your ends or clasps and then close using the pliers. It sometimes takes a bit of practice to get a neat finish. Split rings are similar to jump rings – but they have two continuous loops of wire that form a sealed ring (just like a key ring). To open you need to risk breaking your fingernail or use a simple tool that makes it much easier! Do not be tempted to use a split ring in place of a jump ring when attaching your wire or cord to a clasp. The idea of a jump ring is that it will come undone under strong pressure – this is for safety should your necklace or bracelet get snagged and can prevent serious injury.
Crimps
Crimp beads are metal beads that work very well when making jewellery with beading wire. Some types of beading wire are not well suited for knotting or tieing. To secure this type of beading wire you can use a crimp bead that’s pinched with a pair of pliers. Crimp beads come in different shapes and sizes to suit different wires – this is covered in another blog article.
Wire Guardians or Wire Protectors
A very simple but essential finding if you
are using beading wire. Wire
Guardians are shaped like a horseshoe with a little
tube at either end through which the wire slips and is then fastened with a
crimp. Wire guardians perform two essential tasks. Firstly, they make the wire
thicker and so help prevent thinner beading wire from passing through the gap
of a jump ring in normal use. Secondly, they reduce the constant bending of the
beading wire, which eventually will cause it to break.
If you’re interested in making your own jewellery and want to use any of the jewellery findings discussed in this blog, shop our full collection of wholesale jewellery supplies online. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in contact with us at CJ Beaders. Get in touch with us by calling 01202 798151 or fill out our online contact form.