Jewelry Making Glossary | Metalsmith Society

A

Annealing: The process of heating metal to a specific temperature and then cooling it slowly to soften it, making it more malleable and easier to work with. Annealing relieves internal stresses caused by hammering, bending, or forming.
Anvil: A heavy steel block with a flat top surface used as a base for hammering, forging, and shaping metal. Jeweler's anvils are smaller than blacksmithing anvils and often feature a horn (tapered end) for forming curves and rings.
Argentium Silver: A modern sterling silver alloy that replaces some of the copper content with germanium, making it more tarnish-resistant and less prone to fire scale than traditional sterling. Argentium (branded as .935 or .960) is popular for ear wires and pieces that need to stay bright.

B

Bail: A metal loop or connector attached to a pendant that allows it to hang from a chain or cord. Bails can be simple wire loops, decorative tube shapes, or hidden connectors soldered to the back of a piece.
Ball Peen Hammer: A hammer with one flat face and one rounded (ball-shaped) face, used in jewelry making to create textured surfaces, rivet metal, and shape forms. The ball end produces a distinctive dimpled texture popular in artisan jewelry.
Bench Pin: A wooden or metal wedge-shaped work surface that clamps to your bench, providing support for sawing, filing, and other detailed jewelry work. Most bench pins have a V-shaped notch cut into them.
Bezel: A thin strip of metal formed into a collar that wraps around and holds a gemstone in place. Bezel settings provide a secure, low-profile way to set stones and are one of the oldest stone-setting techniques.
Binding Wire: Thin iron or steel wire used to hold jewelry pieces together during soldering. Binding wire has a higher melting point than silver or gold solder, keeping components aligned while heat is applied.
Borax: A naturally occurring mineral used as a flux in jewelry making. When mixed with water into a paste, borax helps solder flow smoothly by preventing oxidation on the metal surface during heating.
Brass: A copper-zinc alloy commonly used in jewelry making for practice pieces, findings, and finished designs. Brass is affordable, easy to solder, and develops a warm gold-like color, though it can tarnish and may cause skin reactions for some wearers.
Burnisher: A smooth, polished steel or agate tool used to push metal into place and create a bright finish through friction. Burnishers are essential for setting bezels, smoothing edges, and finishing prong tips after stone setting.

C

Cabochon: A gemstone that has been shaped and polished into a smooth, domed form rather than faceted. Cabochons are typically set in bezel settings and are common for opaque or translucent stones like turquoise, opal, labradorite, and moonstone.
Caliper: A precision measuring instrument used to determine the thickness of metal sheet, diameter of wire, and dimensions of stones and settings. Digital calipers give instant millimeter readings and are indispensable for accurate jewelry fabrication.
Casting: The process of creating jewelry by pouring molten metal into a mold. Lost-wax casting is the most common method, where a wax model is encased in investment plaster, burned out, and replaced with metal. Sand casting and cuttlebone casting are simpler alternatives.
Chain Maille: A jewelry-making technique that involves linking individual metal rings together in patterns to create fabric-like sheets or chains. Common weaves include Byzantine, European 4-in-1, and Persian patterns.
Channel Setting: A stone-setting technique where gemstones are placed in a groove (channel) between two parallel walls of metal. The metal edges are pressed inward to hold the stones, creating a smooth, flush surface with no prongs.
Chasing: A metalworking technique where designs are pushed into the front surface of metal using shaped punches and a chasing hammer. Chasing works from the front of the piece, while repousse works from the back, and the two techniques are often used together.
Clasp: A fastening mechanism used to secure necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry. Common types include lobster claw, toggle, spring ring, box, hook-and-eye, and magnetic clasps. Many jewelers fabricate their own clasps as a signature design element.
Cold Connection: Any method of joining metal pieces without heat or solder, including riveting, tab settings, fold-over connections, and wire wrapping. Cold connections are useful when soldering would damage stones, enamel, or mixed-material pieces.
Copper: A soft, reddish metal widely used in jewelry making for practice, finished pieces, enameling, and electroforming. Copper is also a major component in sterling silver and gold alloys. It is easy to solder and form but tarnishes readily.
Copper Tongs: Tongs made from copper used to place and remove metal pieces from pickle solution. Copper tongs are essential because using steel or iron tools in pickle causes a copper flash that deposits a thin copper layer on your silver or gold pieces.
Cross-Lock Tweezers: Reverse-action tweezers that clamp shut when released and open when squeezed. Jewelers use them as a third hand to hold small pieces during soldering, as they maintain grip without continuous pressure.

D

Dapping Block: A steel block with hemispherical depressions of various sizes, used with matching dapping punches to form flat metal discs into domed shapes. Dapping blocks are essential for making beads, hollow forms, and domed components.
Dead Soft: A temper designation for wire and sheet metal indicating the softest, most malleable state. Dead soft metal has been fully annealed and is easiest to bend and shape, making it ideal for wire wrapping and forming but too soft for structural components.
Deburring: The process of removing sharp edges, burrs, and rough spots from metal after cutting, drilling, or filing. Deburring can be done with files, sandpaper, a flex shaft with rubber wheels, or specialized deburring tools to produce smooth, safe edges.
Disc Cutter: A tool consisting of a hardened steel plate with various sized holes and matching punches, used to cut perfectly round discs from sheet metal. Disc cutters save significant time compared to sawing circles by hand and produce clean, uniform results.
Drawplate: A hardened steel plate with graduated holes used to reduce the diameter of wire. Wire is pulled through progressively smaller holes to achieve the desired gauge, creating smooth, consistent wire.
Drill Press: A stationary drilling tool used to create precise holes in metal for rivets, stone settings, and decorative piercing. Jewelers use small drill presses or flex shaft attachments with tiny drill bits to bore clean holes in sheet metal.

E

Ear Wire: The hook or post component of an earring that passes through the ear piercing. Many jewelers make their own ear wires from wire (often Argentium silver for hypoallergenic properties), using a mandrel and round-nose pliers to form consistent shapes.
Electroforming: A process that uses electrical current to deposit a thick layer of metal (usually copper) onto a conductive surface or mold. Jewelers use electroforming to create lightweight, hollow metal forms from organic materials like leaves and flowers.
Emery Paper: Abrasive paper used to sand and smooth metal surfaces, available in grits from coarse (220) to very fine (2000+). Jewelers progress through increasingly finer grits to remove scratches and prepare metal for polishing.
Enameling: The art of fusing powdered glass onto metal surfaces using high heat from a kiln or torch. Enameling techniques include cloisonne (wire cells filled with enamel), champlevé (recessed areas filled with enamel), and counter enamel (applied to the back for structural balance).
Engraving: The technique of cutting lines and patterns into metal using sharp-pointed tools called gravers or burins. Hand engraving creates precise, decorative designs, lettering, and textures. Jewelers also use pneumatic engraving tools and micro engraving pens for marking pieces.
Etching: A technique for creating designs on metal by selectively dissolving the surface with acid or other chemicals. Areas to be preserved are coated with a resist material, and the exposed metal is eaten away to create recessed patterns.

F

Fabrication: The process of constructing jewelry from raw metal sheet, wire, and tube using cutting, forming, soldering, and finishing techniques — as opposed to casting. Fabrication gives the jeweler direct control over every element of a piece.
Filigree: An ornamental metalwork technique using thin, delicate wire (often twisted or curled) soldered together or onto a base to create intricate, lace-like patterns. Filigree is one of the oldest jewelry-making techniques, dating back thousands of years.
Findings: Pre-made metal components used in jewelry assembly, such as clasps, ear wires, pin backs, bail connectors, crimp beads, and jump rings. Findings can be purchased commercially or handmade by the jeweler.
Fine Silver: Pure silver with a fineness of .999, meaning it contains 99.9% silver. Fine silver is softer than sterling silver and does not develop fire scale, making it ideal for bezel wire, metal clay, and fusing. It is too soft for most structural jewelry components.
Fire Scale: A purplish-gray discoloration that forms below the surface of sterling silver when it is heated. Fire scale (also called fire stain) is caused by copper in the alloy oxidizing and can be difficult to remove without proper prevention.
Flex Shaft: A rotary power tool consisting of a hanging motor connected to a handpiece by a flexible cable. Foredom is the most popular brand among jewelers. Flex shafts accept various attachments for drilling, grinding, sanding, polishing, and setting stones, making them one of the most versatile tools in a jeweler's workshop.
Flush Setting: A stone-setting technique where a gemstone is set into a hole drilled in metal so that the stone sits level with the surrounding surface. The metal around the hole is pushed over the stone's girdle using a burnisher, creating a sleek, modern look.
Flux: A chemical compound applied to metal before soldering to prevent oxidation and help solder flow. Common fluxes for jewelry making include borax-based paste flux and liquid fluxes like Handy Flux.
Forging: The process of shaping metal using compressive force from hammers and stakes. In jewelry making, forging can taper wire, create texture, form rings, and shape decorative elements by moving and compressing the metal while it is cold or heated.

G

Gauge: A measurement system for the thickness of wire and sheet metal. In jewelry making, the most common system is Brown and Sharpe (B&S) gauge, where higher numbers indicate thinner metal. Common jewelry gauges range from 10 gauge (thick) to 28 gauge (thin).
Granulation: An ancient decorative technique where tiny spheres (granules) of metal are fused onto a metal surface to create patterns and textures. Traditional granulation uses controlled heat to fuse the granules without conventional solder.

H

Half-Hard: A temper designation for wire and sheet metal indicating a moderate degree of stiffness between dead soft and full hard. Half-hard metal holds its shape better than dead soft, making it suitable for ear wires, clasps, and structural components.
Hallmark: An official stamp or mark applied to precious metal jewelry that certifies its purity and authenticity. Hallmarks typically indicate the metal type (sterling silver, 14k gold), the maker's mark, and sometimes the assay office and date of testing.
Hollow Form: A three-dimensional jewelry form that is fabricated from sheet metal rather than cast solid, resulting in a lightweight piece. Hollow forms are created by shaping two or more pieces of metal into domes or shells and soldering them together.

I

Investment: A heat-resistant plaster-like material used in lost-wax casting. The investment is mixed with water, poured around a wax model in a flask, and heated to burn out the wax, leaving a cavity that is then filled with molten metal.

J

Jeweler's Saw: A small, fine-toothed saw blade held in a saw frame, used for cutting metal sheet and wire with precision. Jeweler's saw blades come in sizes from 8/0 (finest) to 8 (coarsest) and can cut intricate curves and interior shapes (piercing).
Jeweler's Torch: A handheld tool that produces a focused flame for soldering, annealing, and fusing metal. Common fuel types include butane (for small work), acetylene with air, and oxy-propane or oxy-acetylene (for higher temperatures and larger pieces). The Smith Little Torch is a popular choice for bench jewelers.
Jump Ring: A small ring of wire used to connect components in jewelry, such as linking chain links or attaching clasps. Jump rings can be made by wrapping wire around a mandrel and cutting the coils.

K

Keum-Boo: An ancient Korean technique for bonding thin sheets of pure gold foil onto silver using heat and pressure. The diffusion bond occurs at relatively low temperatures, creating beautiful gold-and-silver bi-metal surfaces without solder.
Kiln: A high-temperature oven used in jewelry making for enameling, metal clay firing, burnout in lost-wax casting, and heat treating metals. Programmable kilns allow precise temperature control for specific processes.

L

Liver of Sulfur: A chemical compound (potassium polysulfide) used to create a dark patina on silver, copper, and bronze. Applied as a warm water solution, it oxidizes the metal surface to produce colors ranging from gold to deep black.
Loupe: A small magnifying lens used by jewelers to inspect stones, examine solder joints, and assess surface quality. Loupes are typically 10x magnification and fold into a protective housing. An OptiVISOR is a popular headset alternative with interchangeable magnification plates for hands-free work.

M

Mandrel: A tapered cylindrical tool used for shaping rings, bracelets, and other round forms. Ring mandrels are typically graduated with size markings, while bracelet mandrels are larger and oval or round in shape.
Metal Clay: A crafting material consisting of fine metal particles (silver, gold, copper, or bronze) mixed with an organic binder and water. Metal clay can be shaped like clay and, when fired in a kiln or with a torch, the binder burns away, leaving solid metal.
Metal Stamping: The technique of impressing letters, numbers, or decorative designs into metal using hardened steel stamps and a brass or steel hammer. Metal stamping is used for personalizing jewelry, adding maker's marks, and creating patterned textures on flat surfaces.
Mokume-Gane: A Japanese metalworking technique that creates a wood-grain pattern by laminating and manipulating layers of different colored metals. The layered billet is forged, carved, and shaped to reveal flowing patterns where the layers intersect.

N

Needle Files: Small, precision files with fine teeth used for detailed metalwork in jewelry making. Available in various cross-section shapes (flat, half-round, round, square, triangular, barrette), they are used for smoothing, shaping, and refining tight areas.

O

Oxidizing: The deliberate process of darkening metal surfaces using chemicals like liver of sulfur or other patina solutions. Oxidizing adds contrast and depth to textured or stamped jewelry by darkening recessed areas.

P

Pallion: A tiny square or chip of sheet solder cut to a specific size and placed precisely on a solder joint before heating. Cutting pallions from sheet solder gives jewelers precise control over how much solder flows into each joint.
Patina: A surface discoloration or coating that develops on metal through chemical treatment or natural aging. In jewelry making, patinas are often intentionally applied to add color, contrast, or an antique appearance.
Pickle: An acidic solution used to clean metal after soldering or annealing. Pickle removes flux residue, fire scale, and oxidation from the metal surface. Common pickle solutions include sodium bisulfate (like Sparex) dissolved in warm water.
Piercing: The technique of cutting shapes and patterns out of the interior of metal sheet using a jeweler's saw. A hole is drilled, the saw blade is threaded through, and the design is cut from within — essential for creating openwork and decorative patterns.
Planishing Hammer: A hammer with smooth, slightly convex faces used to smooth and harden metal surfaces. Planishing removes hammer marks from forging and creates a refined, polished surface through controlled, overlapping blows.
Polishing Compound: Abrasive substances used to achieve a smooth, reflective finish on metal. Common compounds include tripoli (for initial cutting), rouge (for final shine), and ZAM (an all-purpose compound). Applied with a polishing wheel or cloth.
Polishing Motor: A benchtop machine with a spinning spindle (or two) that holds buffing wheels and polishing mops. Used with compounds like tripoli and rouge, a polishing motor brings metal to a mirror finish much faster than hand polishing.
Precious Metal Refining: The process of recovering and recycling gold, silver, platinum, and other precious metals from jewelry scrap, filings, and polishing dust. Jewelers collect sweep (bench sweepings) and send it to a refiner to reclaim the metal value.
Prong Setting: A stone-setting method that uses small metal claws (prongs) to grip and hold a gemstone above the band. Prong settings allow maximum light to enter the stone, enhancing its brilliance.

Q

Quenching: The process of rapidly cooling hot metal by submerging it in water or pickle solution after annealing or soldering. Quenching cools the metal quickly so it can be handled and helps clean the surface.

R

Rawhide Mallet: A mallet made from rolled rawhide leather, used to shape and form metal without marring or denting the surface. Rawhide mallets are essential for forming metal on mandrels and stakes.
Repousse: A metalworking technique where metal is shaped from the reverse side by hammering with shaped tools to create a raised (relief) design on the front. Often combined with chasing (working from the front) to refine details.
Reticulation: A texturing technique that creates a wrinkled, organic surface on metal by repeatedly heating and pickling sterling silver to build up a layer of fine silver on the surface, then heating with a torch until the interior alloy melts and shifts beneath the skin.
Ring Clamp: A wooden hand-held clamp shaped like a wedge that securely holds rings and small pieces for stone setting, filing, and engraving. The jaws are tightened with a wing nut or built-in spring mechanism.
Rivet: A cold connection method for joining metal pieces without solder or heat. A wire or tube is inserted through aligned holes in the pieces and the ends are flared with a hammer or rivet setter, creating a permanent mechanical bond.
Rolling Mill: A machine with two hardened steel rollers used to reduce the thickness of metal sheet or wire, and to imprint textures. Rolling mills can also be used to create patterned metal by rolling fabric, leaves, or other materials into the surface.
Rouge: A fine polishing compound made from iron oxide, used as the final step in polishing to achieve a mirror-bright finish on precious metals. Applied to a cloth or felt polishing wheel on a polishing motor or flex shaft.

S

Safety and Ventilation: Proper safety practices in jewelry making include adequate ventilation for soldering fumes and chemical vapors, wearing a respirator when polishing or using patina chemicals, eye protection, and safe handling of torches and pickle. A well-ventilated studio with an exhaust fan is essential.
Sanding: The process of smoothing metal surfaces using abrasive papers or discs in progressive grits from coarse to fine. Sanding removes tool marks, scratches, and excess solder before polishing. Jewelers sand by hand or with a flex shaft using snap-on discs and split mandrels.
Saw Frame: An adjustable frame that holds thin jeweler's saw blades under tension for cutting metal. Saw frames are available in various depths to accommodate different sizes of metal sheet and allow intricate piercing work.
Scribe: A sharp-pointed steel tool used to scratch fine lines on metal surfaces for marking measurements, guidelines, and design layouts before cutting or forming. Scribed lines are more precise than pencil marks and do not wipe away during handling.
Solder (Easy/Medium/Hard): A metal alloy used to join pieces of metal together by melting it between them. Jewelry solder comes in three main grades — hard (highest melting point, used first), medium, and easy (lowest melting point, used last) — allowing multiple solder joints on one piece.
Soldering Block: A heat-resistant surface used as a work platform during soldering. Common materials include charcoal blocks (which create a reducing atmosphere and reflect heat), honeycomb ceramic blocks (lightweight and durable), and firebrick (affordable and long-lasting).
Sprue: A wax rod attached to a wax model that creates a channel for molten metal to flow into the mold during casting. After casting, the metal sprue is cut off and the attachment point is filed and finished smooth.
Stake: A polished steel form used as an anvil-like surface for shaping and planishing metal. Stakes come in many shapes — flat, domed, T-shaped, and tapered — and are held in a vise or stake holder while metal is hammered over them.
Sterling Silver: An alloy of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals (usually copper), designated as .925 silver. Sterling silver is the most common silver alloy in jewelry making because pure silver (fine silver) is too soft for most functional pieces.
Stone Setting: The art of securing gemstones into metal jewelry. Major techniques include bezel setting (wrapping metal around the stone), prong setting (metal claws gripping the stone), flush setting (stone level with the surface), tube setting, and channel setting. Each method suits different stone shapes and design aesthetics.
Sweat Soldering: A soldering technique where solder is first melted onto one piece of metal, then the second piece is placed on top and the assembly is heated until the solder reflows and joins the two pieces. Sweat soldering creates clean, nearly invisible joints.

T

Texturing: Any technique used to create surface patterns on metal, including hammering, stamping, rolling mill imprinting, etching, reticulation, sandblasting, and chasing. Textures add visual interest, catch light, and can disguise minor surface imperfections.
Third Hand: A soldering tool consisting of two or more cross-lock tweezers mounted on a weighted base or articulating arms. Third hands hold jewelry components in position during soldering, freeing both your hands for the torch and solder.
Tripoli: A coarse polishing compound made from silica, used as the first step in polishing metal. Tripoli removes fine scratches and prepares the surface for final polishing with rouge. Applied to a muslin or felt wheel on a polishing motor.
Tube Setting: A stone-setting technique using a thin-walled metal tube to hold a gemstone. The stone sits inside the tube and the top edge is pushed over the stone with a burnisher or punch. Tube settings create a clean, cylindrical frame around round stones.
Tumbler: A machine that polishes, hardens, and cleans jewelry by rotating pieces with stainless steel shot and a burnishing compound in water. Tumbling produces a uniform bright finish and work-hardens thin metal components like chains and ear wires.

W

Wax Carving: The process of shaping jewelry models from blocks or tubes of carving wax using files, blades, burs, and heated tools. Wax models are then cast into metal through the lost-wax casting process. Carving wax comes in different hardnesses and colors for various applications.
Wire Wrapping: A jewelry-making technique that uses wire bent and wrapped around itself or other components to create settings, connections, and decorative elements without soldering. Wire wrapping is a cold connection method accessible to beginners.