Essential Guide to Jewellery Findings


Jump Rings, catches & clasps.


The essentials for nearly every jewellery making project, jump rings, catches and clasps are must have findings for all jewellers. Whether for you are putting necklace together or attaching a pendant to a chain these findings are findings you’ll be using every day.


4 Tools of the trade...


Jump rings: Perhaps one of the most widely used and versatile of all findings, jump rings are individual links which can be round or oval and are supplied either open or closed. They are made from wire and come in a range of gauges and sizes from 2.5mm upwards and they are essentially used to link two components together. Ideally they should be soldered closed for a permanent and strong connection.


Clasps or catches: A clasp is essentially a closure which holds two things together and is usually made up of two interlocking parts which can subsequently be undone. Jewellery clasps come in many shapes and forms and should be selected for their aesthetics as well their functionality. They include: Magnetic, Box, Padlock and Ball Clasps along with some of the more widely used examples which are covered below.


Split rings: Split rings are most commonly found on key rings and are a permanent way of connecting two components without using solder. They are made of a section of sprung wire, similar in appearance to a spring which can be prised apart allowing components to slide on. They are a great option for attaching charms to bracelets as they are extremely strong.


Bolt ring Catch: A bolt ring is a lightweight clasp often used to secure fine necklaces and bracelets. It is made from a circular section of tube which contains a sprung trigger, which when pulled back reveals a gap that a corresponding loop or chain end can pass through. Bolt rings are attached via a jump ring which is soldered on directly and you can choose to have this jump ring either open or closed to facilitate construction. Sizes vary enormously but 5mm or 6mm are standard if you are unsure.


Tip: Great care must be taken to avoid soldering near a sprung clasp of any k Heat will relax the mechanism inside, rendering it useless so always attach y clasp during the final stages of constru once all soldering is complete or use a isolating compound to prevent any da


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