Claire's Bead Wear - Unique, one of a kind, Beaded Jewelry Designs for Everyone

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Claire's Bead Wear
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Q: What is a lampwork bead?

Lampwork beads range from the simple to extremely complex. An artist makes these beads using a rod called a mandrel, sticks of glass and a torch. They melt the glass with the torch and swirl it onto the mandrel. They can do one or many layers to get all sorts of effects. They can also add decorations like flowers, dots and ribbons by placing tiny strings or dots of molten glass on the bead. The end result are beautiful beads that are truly individual.

Q: What is Gold-Filled?

Gold-filled describes when a layer of gold is mechanically bonded with heat and pressure to one or more surfaces of the supporting base metal, then rolled or drawn to a given thickness. In the jewelry industry the quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th by weight of the total product. Under FTC regulations, a product may be marked as 14, 12 or 10kt gold-filled. Karat measurement of the gold content must be part of the marking or designation, so when you see our items listed as 14/20 it means it is 14k gold equaling 20% of the weight of the piece. Gold-filled items will remain gold for a lifetime if cared for properly. The occasional silver spot is from solder holding joints together. Unless you are using harsh chemicals or abrasives, the gold layer will stay gold for years to come!

Q: What's the difference between gold-filled and gold-plated?

The difference is in the amount of gold. Gold-plated products have a very thin layer (seven-millionths of an inch) of gold, while 14K/20 gold-filled products must have at least one-twentieth of their entire weight in 14K gold. What this means for you as a beader is that gold-plated items, while cheaper, will not last as long. Eventually the thin gold layer will rub off. Gold-filled items, however, will remain gold for a lifetime if cared for properly. The occasional silver spot is from solder holding joints together. Unless you are using harsh chemicals or abrasives, the gold layer will stay gold for years to come!

Q: What is Vermeil?

Vermeil (pronounced ver-may) is a process that combines precious metals to produce semi-fine-quality jewelry. The inside core is sterling silver; the outside is a thin plating of 14-karat gold. This combination produces jewelry that looks and feels like pure gold.

Q: Why do the toggle clasps on my bracelets always come undone?

If a bracelet is made too loose for the wearer, it is inevitable that the clasp will work its way free. Many sad customers have lost a favorite bracelet to this fate. To ensure the safety of your bracelet, and still use your favorite toggle clasps, simply make the bracelet no more than a half inch bigger than your wrist.

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