AB (Aurora Borealis) finish is a half coat metallic finish that gives a prismatic effect to the surface of the beads. See Aurora Borealis.

Amulets can be traced back to ancient times as objects worn for the purpose of providing the wearer with protection from evil forces.

Aurora Borealis is a special iridescent coating covering some beads. It was named after the northern lights (aurora borealis). The coating, which gives the crystal beads a highly iridescent surface, is achieved by vapor blasting the facets of the lower part of the crystals with an invisible, micro thin metal sheet. The “aurora borealis” effect was created in 1955 by Swarovski in collaboration with Christian Dior. Today the term “AB (aurora borealis) finish”, refers to any highly iridescent surface.

Bails are metal loop that are used to attach a pendant to a chain or cord.

Bail Pendant Mounts bond to any flat backed item to make a pendant that is easily attached to a chain or cord.

Bezel is the metal groove or flange that holds a stone in its setting. It is also referred to as the slanting face on a cut gemstone.

Biwa is a cultured pearl that was originally non-nucleated. It is grown in a freshwater mussel from Lake Biwa in Japan, hence the name Biwa. It is important to note that only those actually produced in Lake Biwa should be called Biwas. All others should be called freshwater cultured pearls.

Bone that is used for bead making is usually taken from larger animals such as cows, buffaloes, oxen, and camels. Bird bones are popular as well, since they are hollow and therefore easy to turn into beads. Vertebrae and knuckles and other joints are also used. Bone which is primarily made of calcium phosphate has been used since ancient times for beads, because it is so hard and durable and easily accessible.

Box Setting is a closed gemstone setting that is in the shape of a box.

Briolette is an elongated, pear-shaped stone that is covered with bands of triangular or rectangular facets. It usually has a pointed end and is without a girdle.

Brooch Convertor is a finding that is used to convert a brooch into a pendant. Depending on the styles they can be used with horizontal or vertical pins.

Cambay, India (Khambat) is known as the longest continuing center of stone beadmaking in the world. It is famous for its agates and other quartz minerals, including carnelian. Cambay carnelians can be differentiated from because they are typically orange, while others such as German agates are usually red to brown in color.

Cameos are carved gems or shells, in which the carved design stands out against a background of a different color.

Carat is the unit of weight used for measuring precious stones. One carat equals one-fifth of a gram. It is also a measurement of the pureness of gold. Pure gold is known as 24 Kt.

The term “carat” dates back to ancient times. The traders and merchants of the Mediterranean and Middle East needed a reasonably consistent unit of measurement. It was this need that also led to the use of seeds and grains as widespread units of measurement. The carob seed and the wheat grain were found to be ideal units of weight. For centuries the carob seed was used as the weight measurement for precious gems. However this changed about 700 years ago. By the Middle Ages changes had occurred in the trade routes and there were now large centers of trade throughout Europe. At this time the carob seed was abandoned and the carat became the preferred unit of measurement. It was linked to 4 grains Troy weight, which was equivalent to approximately 205 milligrams. This measurement of weight lasted for the carat for approximately 600 years. At some point between the years of 1907 and 1914, the carat became linked to the metric system of weights. By 1914 the United States decided to officially abandon the former Troy measurement of 205.3 milligrams, and adopt the metric carat measurement of 200 milligrams. The measurement of 200 milligrams equaling 1 carat is still in use today.

Cat’s Eye is glass that reflects light in a way that is reminiscent of a cat’s eye.

Celluloid is a thermoplastic material that was commonly used in jewelry before the invention of injection molding. It is used today to simulate a tortoiseshell look.

Ceramics fall under the category of pottery, which covers a very broad group of earthenware to fine porcelain. These beads are derived from clay taken from the earth, purified, formed into different shapes and then glazed many times. They are fired in a furnace to give them added durability. Before firing, artists may add artificial materials such as faience and frit or kyanos so as to add an individuality and uniqueness.

Chain Tabs are metal tabs that are stamped with a specific metal content designation.

Chalcedony is a group of various types of colored quartz. They usually have a milky appearance or luster. Carnelian, agate, natural cat’s eye and jasper are all part of the Chalcedony family of quartz.

Charms are small metal ornaments that can be worn as pendants or bracelets depending on the design.

Chatelaine is an ornamental chain, pin or clasp, that is usually worn at a woman’s waist. Trinkets, keys, a purse, or other articles are usually attached to it. The term Chatelaine is also used to refer to pins that have two figures linked together by a small chain.

Chokers are tight-fitting necklaces that are worn close to the base of your neck. They can be plain or with pendants or ornamentation. They are usually 16 to 18 inches long.

Cinnabar and cinnabar lacquer is an artificial material that comes from the sap of trees. It is then colored with ground mercury-rich earth to give it its bright vermilion color. Mistakenly it can be called a carved mercury ore, but it is not that.

Coated Beads are beads that are coated in order to create color combinations that may be unachievable or just too expensive to produce within the glass itself.

Collars are broad, choker-like necklaces which consist of three or more strands that fit snugly onto the middle of your neck. They are usually 14 to 17 inches long. They are also known as a “plaque de cou” when attached with a front clasp. While the style was popular in the 1960’s, it originally was made fashionable by Queen Alexandra.

Composition is a term used to refer to non-homogenous glassy materials, such as frit or faience that is usually in such old and poor condition that one cannot determine its exact nature. In Asia this term also refers to newer reconstructed materials that are derived from ivory, bone or wood dust that are then used in jewelry.

Cones are necklace terminators or beading findings that are used to bring multiple strands together at one point, so that a clasp can be attached.

Core-formed and Rod-formed is a bead-making process that was used before glass blowing was implemented. This process entails taking a metal rod covered by a compound that forms either the interior shape or the actual bead perforation. No one is sure of the actual core used, but it is believed to have been some type of friable refractory material that would not fuse with heat, and could then be scraped and/or removed from the glass. Today we think of the “core” as the base of a bead, especially when it is made of a different material, shape, or color from the exterior. In ancient times, the “core” was the material around which the bead was formed which was then removed leaving a perforation on the bead.

Djenne (d’Jenne), Mali is an ancient West African site located near the Niger River. Numerous stone, pottery and glass beads have been discovered here and are thought to date back to early Islamic times in this area. Stone beads, mostly carnelian and white or translucent agates have also been found here and are believed to have come from Cambay, India, thus indicating trading of beads dating back to this time. Later trade beads from Europe, including 16^th century chevrons have also been found in strands.

Dragged Trail is a technique that is used to create a “feather” pattern or “festoon” pattern. In both cases one starts by trailing a glass of a contrasting color on to a base using parallel lines. A metal instrument is then used to drag the trails in order to make perpendicular lines. This dragging is also known as “combing”. The two patterns differ in that with festoon the lines are dragged all in one direction, while in feather patterns they are dragged alternating between up and down.

Drawn glass is used to mass produce nearly identical beads. They are made in great numbers and are much cheaper than wound beads, which are individually made. It is manufactured by using drawn canes with a central hole as the raw material. They are finished by using tumbling and constricting and grinding techniques, which allows them to differ slightly in pattern, color and shape.

Dulling (or Sanitizing) is when you brush a metal surface, sometimes with a matting punch, powder or liquid chemical in order to give it a duller (matte) finish.

Ear spools are ear ornaments that were used in ancient societies and are still used today by some. In order to accommodate these large ornaments the earlobes are perforated and enlarged. Ear spools are also called ear plugs or capstan beads. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and materials. Sometimes they are perforated and are worn through a hole in the earlobe. The can also be suspended from a string or wire.

Electroplating is when you coat a metal surface by means of electrolysis. Typically copper, nickel, chromium, gold, silver or rhodium is used as the coating. The amount of electroplate used is measured in microns (one micron = .001 mm). See also Gold Electroplating and Silver Plate.

Embossing is the process of raising a domed design on the front of a piece of metal by beating it from behind with punches using a hammer.

Enamel is a colored, opaque glassy material that is fused onto metal, pottery or glass.

Engraving is a pattern that is made by cutting away the surface of metal, wood or other substances.

Equatorial refers to the middle of the bead which is perpendicular to its perforation. It is also known as “the belt” of the bead.

Etched agate or etched carnelian is the most popular name for a group of treated stone beads with artificial designs. These stone beads dating back 4500 years to Western Asia feature linear and dot patterns painted on the surface and then fired to become permanent thus making the name “etched “ a misnomer. The surface patterns are usually white but can be black, gray, or a combination. The agate used is sometimes color-enhanced carnelian or can be artificially colored brown to black. These beads are mostly found in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran and have the notoriety of having been continually produced into present times. They are believed to be related to dZi beads from the Himalayas and pumtek beads from eastern India and Myanmar (Burma).

Faience is also known as “Egyptian paste”. It is the first known synthetic material used for beads. It is considered to be the direct ancestor of glass, even though it can be considered a type of ceramic with a quartz body covered with a glassy glaze. While it is composed primarily of silica and alkali and is colored by minerals such as copper (giving it the bright blues we see in ancient Egyptian jewelry) like glass, it differs in its non-homogenous composition. It is also less well-fused. It is always opaque and will often have an external glaze coating which is actual glass. It is most commonly found as tiny disks and cylinder beads of various colors. It is also referred to as “mummy beads”, because they were often used in funerary jewelry and beadwork in ancient Egypt. It is believed that is was devised as a cheaper substitute for lapis lazuli and turquoise.

Filigree is a lace-like ornamental work made of fine gold or silver wire.

Findings are manufactured components that are used to create jewelry. Usually findings provide the structure for the jewelry design and the ornamentation is found in both the design of the finding as well as the gems, beads or other decoration that is added. Findings include, but are not limited to jumprings, clasps, bails, headpins, earwire, and charms.

Focal Components are any items that are used as the central element in a necklace, bracelet, or other jewelry design. A focal component is intended to be the “main attraction” - the “focal point” of the piece. It is used in pendants, carved gemstone beads, cabochons in settings, etc. It is also referred to as a “station”.

Foil is a thin leaf of metal that is placed behind a gem, stone, or bead in order to heighten its color or brilliance.

Glass is the primary bead material used today. It is believed to have been developed approximately 4,000 years ago when the glazing of ceramics, stones and faience were all being used. It is a quartz sand, soda or potash, and lime liquid, that becomes rigid at room temperature, but when heated becomes less viscous and therefore more malleable allowing it to be shaped with simple tools. While it is made from silica, alkali and lime and it can be colored by various mineral compounds, which allow it to be transparent, opaque or anything in between. The soda is obtained by burning seaweed, while the potash comes from wood ash. As a result in earlier times the type of glass would be dependent on the location of the glass factory. Those by the sea used soda and those in wooded area used potash. It is believed that the earliest uses of glass were specifically for beads and to imitate rare and costly gems. These uses are still quite popular today.

Gold Electroplate is an electrolytic coating with gold, or with an alloy that is not less than 10% fineness to a minimum thickness throughout that is equivalent to seven millionths of an inch. This means that where the fineness is less that 24 Kt, the thickness must be greater, so that the same amount of fine gold is seven millionths of an inch throughout. It may be marked as “heavy gold”electroplate.

Gold-filled is a gold alloy plate made by soldering, brazing, welding. It is not less than 10Kt fineness, where the plating is at least 1/20^th of the weight of the metal in the entire piece. The term needs to be preceded by the karat fineness of the plating, such as 14 Kt Gold-Filled. However, when using the term “gold overlay”, manufacturers are allowed to use a layer of gold that is less than 1/20^th the weight of the piece, but there must be a stamp stating the proportion of the gold layer on the jewelry.

Gold Imitation is usually an alloy of zinc, tin and copper that gives the piece a yellow color which resembles gold.

Granite is a coarse-grained igneous rock composed primarily of quartz, feldspar, and mica which gives it its speckled appearance.

Granulation is one of the oldest jewelry design techniques dating back 4,500 years. The look is achieved by sticking tiny grains of gold or other metal to a surface as ornaments.

Hammering gives a metal surface marks and textures.

Hanks are a form of measurement. A hank is a unit bundle of strands of seed beads or bugle beads. There are usually 12 strands of 20 inches of strung beads in each modern hank of 11/0 beads. Different sizes and types of beads may be sold in hanks which have different numbers and lengths of strands. Different hanks, (age, type, size) have had from 8 to 14 strands, and lengths have varied from 8 to 20 inches per strand.

Heishi Bar is a narrow spacer bar used to hold heishi beads, bugle beads, liquid silver or seed beads parallel and therefore prevent tangling.

Hittite is an ancient culture dating back to 1600 B.C. located in Syria. Their artwork was greatly influenced by the Babylonians and Assyrians.

Hornbill ivory is a horn-like cask of large tropical birds of the hornbill family. Although it is called ivory it is not true ivory. It is commonly a warm yellow color that has an exterior coating the can be red or other colors. It has long been used by Asian cultures for small carvings and beads.

Ice Pick Bails are similar to prong bails. They are used to create a loop to attach a chain to when the prongs are closed into a cross-drilled pendant.

Idar-Oberstein are two river towns in Germany that are known for jewelry making dating back to Roman times. The water power allowed them to run cutting and polishing wheels and drills for perforating. Originally local quartz was used, however today most of the stone is imported from South America. Area craftspeople are known for their artificial coloration of agates and chalcedonies and they provide most of the onyx and carnelian used worldwide.

Inlays are used to set pieces of wood or ivory into a surface, usually at the same level, in order to form a design.

Intaglio is a decoration that is made by carving or engraving a design into a gem or other hard material.

Iridescence is the appearance of a metallic sheen or rainbow colors on the surface of the bead, which comes from the decay of the glass. It is considered in many cases to increase the beauty of the bead.

Ivory comes from the teeth and tusks of any vertebrate animal, not just elephants. It is known for its beautiful grain, creamy-white color and relative hardness which makes it easy to cut and carve. Tagua nuts and plastics are used as substitutes, since many of the vertebrates used are endangered species.

Kaolinite is an artificial compound that is made from Kaolin clay dust and sometimes talc. It is from the Indus Valley and is used to make very small extruded beads, which are then hardened by firing.

Transparent means that the light is clearly visible through the glass. This includes colors such as crystal/clear and other jewel tone colors.

Opaque means that no light is visible through the glass. This includes colors such as jet, turquoise and white.

Opal is translucent glass that has a cloudy, diffused look. It is sometimes referred to as “milky”.

Hurricane Glass is a combination of multiple glass colors whose appearance and swirl pattern changes based on the conditions at the time of pressing. Each batch is unique and nearly impossible to reproduce.

Lantana is a jasper, banded agate or chalcedony bead that was made in Ilorin, Nigeria during the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Lapidary manufacture/techniques is the process of cutting, flaking, grinding, carving, drilling and polishing materials in order to form and decorate them.

Lapis lazuli is a type of calcite that contains a variety of blue minerals and iron pyrites. It is considered to be rare and very desirable. It is found in Afghanistan, Russia and Chile. Due to its rareness and desirability, it has been artificially reproduced by faience, kyanos and glass since ancient times.

Lariat is an open ended necklace that is held together by an object with some flexibility, such as a drop or ring. Its length is 48” or longer.

Latticino is an old term used to describe milk-white glass. It is now used for any glass item that is decorated with fine lines, regardless of its color. It is also called filigree glass or retorte, which means twisted in Italian.

Lavalier is a pendant with one stone that is suspended from a necklace.

Lenticular is the flat or tabular tapered lens-like shape of the cross section of ancient stone beads and faience beads from the Middle East. If the cross section is less tapered than the shape is considered to be a rhomboid.

Limoges enamel is a very fine variety of patterned enamel that comes from France.

Loctite is a methacrylic ester adhesive used for glass.

Lost Wax Casting is a technique used for casting metal objects that has been used for centuries. It is a process of casting in which a wax model is encased in an object, which is then agitated mechanically or put into a vacuum in order to remove any air bubbles. After the wax is burned off in an oven, there is a cavity which remains, that is then filled with molten metal through an opening. The object is broken away from the hardened metal and is then ready for polishing or ornamentation. For large scale production, a rubber mold is used with numerous identical wax models.

Luster is a durable, transparent, glossy color coating that is attained by heat treatment. These coatings are usually applied to a crystal or jet based beads.

Maltese Cross is a cross with four broad arms of equal length, whose tips look like inward pointing arrowheads.

Manchette Bracelet is a wide bracelet which resembles a cuff.

Mandrel is any rod or wire straight or tapered of any diameter that is used as a tool in making wound glass beads. It is usually made of copper, iron or brass and provides a handle for working glass and forms the bead’s perforation. In order to get the bead off, it may be coated with clay slip, an acid is used to dissolve the wire, or the bead is just knocked off.

Marea is attained by the same process as AB but the result is an orange/yellow reflection.

Married Metal Technique is the combining of different metals to each other by soldering so as to form one continuous surface.

Marving is a shaped and consolidated heated glass that is rolled across a flat surface while it is being made. This flat surface is made from a marble, a stone slab, or iron sheet and is called a “marver” or “marvering” board.

Matinee-length is a single row necklace which ranges from 20 to 25 inches in length.

Matrix is the portion of a rock in which minerals are embedded.

Matte is a dull finish, usually found on metals or beads. The matte finish creates a soft appearance or glow to the bead.

Matte AB is a combination of the coatings. The beads are first coated with an AB finish and then dipped into an acid solution to take away the shine. This brings out the color refraction of AB finish and the rough texture of matted beads and creates a mesmerizing glow and a wonderful depth to the bead.

Meerschaum is a white clay-like substance also called sepiolite by mineralogists. It is usually found in Turkey but a similar material is found in East Africa. In both cases it is used for making beads and other small items.

Micron is a unit of length that is equivalent to 0.001mm. It is used for measuring the thickness of electroplating.

Mohs scale is the system of relative hardness used in classifying minerals. The numbers range from one being the softest (talc) to ten being the hardest (diamond).

Mold-Cast Glass is one of the earliest methods of working glass. The molten glass was poured into open forms and upon being cooled, the glass was released from the mold and then completed by hand.

Molded Glass uses a preformed cane that is then heated to a softened state and used to fill a two-part mold. It is the preferred method of Bohemian and Germanic glass manufacturers and is also known today as “pressed” glass.

Mosaic glass is made when a glassworker makes various components and then used them to compose or decorate another piece. The most popular group of mosaic glass is the millifiori beads. Stratified, “ribbon glass” and “filigree glass” are also considered to be mosaic glass.

Netsuke – see Toggle

Nickel is a silver-white metal that is popular for plating because it is so malleable and resists oxidation. Unfortunately, it is the most common metal allergy.

Open-face mold is a mold that is shaped on only one side, so that you can easily remove the item. This type of mold was used in ancient times to form metal, faience, glass beads, and amulets.

Opera-length is an especially long stranded necklace. It is 26 to 36 inches in length.

Palladium (pay-law-dee-um) is a dense and lustrous white-silver metal, that is a cousin of the platinum metal group. It was discovered in 1803 by William Wollaston. He named palladium after the famous asteroid Pallas, which is named after Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom. Palladium is a rare and precious metal that is used for fine metal jewelry, findings and beads.

Patina The coloration that occurs in certain metals when they are exposed at length to the atmosphere. A thin, greenish layer appears on the surface of copper and bronze; a reddish effect on gold. An artificial patina can be created with acids or electrolyte.

Pave Setting is the method of setting stones so closely together that very little metal shows between them.

Pearl Essence is also known as “essence d’orient”. It is a crystalline substance that is extracted from fish scales and combined with acrylic resins. It is used to make imitation pearls. In more expensive imitations, the “essence” is applied over opaline glass beads, while in cheaper imitations, it is applied over plastic beads. Pearl Essence was discovered in 1565 by Jaquin, a French manufacturer of rosaries when he mistakenly dipped some pearls into water in which he had washed fish. Today the process had been refined to produce spectacular results.

Pendants are ornaments that are suspended from a single chain.

Perlen is the German name for beads of any type or material, even though the name implies pearls which are extracted from mollusks.

Phoenician head pendants or beads were made for a long time beginning about 2,500 years ago in the Mediterranean area. They are also known as mask pendants, because the head is hollow and usually depicts a man’s face including facial ornaments. In ornate pieces the hair and beard are curls of glass made and applied in individual strands. Animals and grotesques were also made. Sometimes female and young boys were made but they are rare and not as well made. It is believed that they are related to similar eye beads from this period which consisted of stratified eyes and hemispherical bumps all set in rows around the edge of the beads.

Picasso is a “spotty” luster coating that gives the bead a natural, earthy appearance.

Plastics are artificial materials or synthetic resins that have been made since 1869, when Celluliod was first patented. While there are numerous types of plastics with a variety of uses, for beads, thermoplastic is used, since it can be softened when heated and then thermoset, so that it cannot be remelted once made. In the late 1920’s cast phenolic plastics were first made. They were popular at this time because they were hard, durable, translucent and colorful. They continued to be used in the 1930’s and 1940’s for costume jewelry. They were originally used to imitate natural substances like ivory, amber, jet, and coral, but as time went on they became less imitative and more original. Plastics continue to be popular for copying popular beads throughout the world. In the 1980’s a doughy plastic called polyform or polymer clay began to be used to make jewelry that was based on traditional ceramic and glassmaking techniques. It is goes by brand names such as Fimo, Cernit and Sculpey. It is popular with children because the doughiness makes it easy to manipulate into a variety of shapes.

Polishing is the last stage of metal finishing. This process uses a rotating instrument that is dipped in a polishing substance. The outcome is an increased shine while eliminating all flaws.

Polychrome usually means having more than one color – poly meaning many and chrome meaning color. In beadmaking, it refers to individually created beads decorated by hand with the application of molten colored glass. These beads are also referred to as lampwork beads.

Pottery Shard is a piece of broken pottery.

Precious Stones are rare and costly gems, such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires.

Princess Length is a necklace that is 17 to 19 inch in length.

Prong Bails are findings used to attach a chain to a cross-drilled pendant.

Quartz is from the mineral family that most stone beads come from. The more popular forms are crystals, agates, chalcedonies, jaspers, and opals. They most popular types are carnelians, banded and spotted agates, amethyst, adventurine, tiger eye, and bloodstone.

Rebus is a symbolic way of representing a word with an object. It is popular with the Chinese where when two words sound similar ie. Bat and happiness, they would make a bat carving to represent happiness.

Register is a band of patterns around the middle of a bead.

Reheating is the term used for drawn-glass beads that get reheated so they can be reshaped by tumbling or by being individually pinched.

Repousse are patterns or decorations that are achieved with punches or chasing hammers.

Resin is a solid or semi-solid organic (carbon based) material that can be either natural or synthetic. It is usually non-soluble in water.

Rhinestone was originally quartz that was found in the gold washings along the Rhine River. Today, it usually means colorless potash and lead glass that contains quartz in the form of melted lead crystal. It is cut like a diamond. Rhinestone is also known as strass and diamante.

Rhodium is an expensive whitish-gray metallic element that belongs to the platinium family.

Riviere is a necklace of stones that are either all the same size or graded from a large central stone.

Rope Necklaces are 37 inches or longer in length.

Sassanian Dynasty ruled the Persian Empire between AD 224 and 640 (fall for the Parthians to the rise of Arab domination). A variety of beads were made during this period, but they are especially known for their distinctive etched carnelians.

Sautoir is a long necklace that is usually made of pearls or beads and often ends in a tassel. It was very popular in the 1920’s.

Scarab is an image of a beetle that is carved in a stone or gem. Scarabs were held sacred by the ancient Egyptians.

Scatter Pins are small pins usually depicting a bird, insect, or flower and worn in groups. They were popular in the 1950’s.

Seed corals and pearls are very small beads that resemble the seed of a plant, hence their name. Originally they were used quite sparingly due to their rareness for embroidery trims in Asia, India, and Europe. Glass seed beads were copied from these to supplement or replace their use, since they could be cheaply produced.

Semiprecious Stones are naturally occurring stones that usually have a lower monetary value than the precious stones. They include stones such as amethyst, aventurine, carnelian, garnet, opal, and rose quartz.

Silver Filled is a mechanical bonding with a silver alloy of at least 92.5 percent fineness. The bonding must be equal to at least one-twentieth of the metal in the article. It can also be called silver overlay, but can never be referred to as silver plate.

Silver Plate is a fine silver film deposited on a base metal by electrolysis. It is made with the same kind of electrically-charged bath that is used to make gold electroplate. As with gold plate 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’ on it.

Slurry is a liquid that is developed within a stone bead during the drilling of its perforation. The mixture of water and stone dust is actually a help to the drill and bit itself. It can be referred to a similar mixture that is made to enhance fusing when making faience and ceramics. It is also known as “slip”.

Spacer Bars are jewelry findings that are used to hold multiple strands of beads in alignment and prevent tangling. They are inserted at intervals while you are stringing the beads.

Station is another name for a focal pendant. It is meant to be the “focus” of the design.

Stickpins are straight pins that are worn vertically on a scarf or tie, with some kind of ornamentation on the top.

Talismans are similar to amulets in that they are believed to be protective objects. The difference being that a talisman protects one against a specific evil and may or may not be worn. It can also consist of parts or objects bound or held together within a vessel such as a pouch.

Tailored Jewelry is jewelry that is constructed entirely of metal and does not contain any stones.

Talhakimt is the West or North African name for ornaments usually made of agate that are shaped like finger rings, but often worn on the coiffure or in necklaces. It is believed that they originated in India, but then were either made locally or brought from Europe. These later versions were often made of plastic or glass.

Terminator is the name used to refer to the bond at one end of a flat bulk chain. It is used to create a jumpring attachment. Also the governor of California!

Terra cotta is the term used for objects made of clay and colored buff, red or reddish brown. Please refer to ceramics for more information.

Toggle is a small carving made of various materials – usually glass, minerals, or organic in nature. It is perforated with a short off-center or back hanger so that it can be hung. It is called a netsuke in Japan and is used as a belt ornament to hang other items.

Torsade is a popular choker-type, multi-strand necklace in which the strands are twisted around each other.

Trail decoration are patterns that are made by the application of a heated, viscous stream of glass onto a base.

Up Eyes are findings that can be bonded to round beads or tumbled stones to add a loop and create a pendant.

Vitrail is the same as an AB finish, but the results are a pink/green reflection.

White Metal is an alloy with a heavy tin or lead content, such as pewter. It is also known as Britannia metal or tin plate. White Metal is a commonly used metal in costume jewelry.

Wound Glass is molten glass that is wound around a metallic rod or wire in a manner similar to the way a thread is wound around a spool. This saves the step of drilling or perforating the bead.

© copyright,1998-2014, Great Northern Bead And Gem