I’ve been polling my social media audience in an effort to learn what you’d like to read about here on the blog. Jewelry terms? Style how-tos? Jewelry news and trends? Detailed descriptions of gemstone attributes? Based upon the responses I’ve received so far, the answer seems to be all of the above, please.
That’s a pretty large topic area, so I tell you what: I’ll just write about jewelry stuff, and you can let me know what you want more or less of. Jewelry is one of my favorite topics, so I could talk about it all day, but the idea is to share with you what I know and love, while somehow managing not to bore you to death. A tall order, I know.
So, I think I’ll post a few more general jewelry topics at first, then drill down to some of the minutiae, which, in the case of jewelry, usually means the plethora of parts and pieces that make up the beautiful, glittering whole. The truth is, there’s tons of information already out there, and any hope I may have of being original is a vain hope for sure, but one thing I can do is to describe some aspect of jewelry in a way that is meaningful to someone with vision loss.
If one can be considered fortunate at having lost their eyesight altogether, then I guess I am among the fortunate, simply because my vision loss is caused by Retinitis Pigmentosa, which for those in the know means that I have lost my eyesight slowly over time. While I was born legally blind, and my RP symptoms manifested very early on, I do have the advantage of at one time being able to see at least some detail. So, unlike those who were either born blind, or who lost their vision completely at a very early age, I have been able to fully perceive colors, and combined with usable vision, at least up to my college years, I believe I will be able to communicate a certain amount of nuance. I will leave it up to you to let me know if you require additional information.
For most of us who are blind or visually impaired, it’s not always easy to grasp the entirety of an object simply by way of a description if we haven’t held it in our hands. Sometimes, we know exactly what is being referred to, we just didn’t connect the object with a specific term. My goal is to bring together a thorough description as well as definitions, so next time you are holding a piece of jewelry, you will recognize the various parts, and can refer to them by name. I thought I’d begin the first jewelry blog subcategory I’ll tentatively call “parts and pieces,” where I describe a jewelry finding or component. Mental note: Remember to define “finding” and “component.”
Today I’m going to describe a type of jewelry clasp called a spring ring. First, I’ll say that a jewelry clasp is exactly what you think it is…a way to secure a piece of jewelry around your neck or wrist, a closure or connection that keeps the piece on you, and not on the ground or languishing in a box of items lost and found. there are many different types of clasps, and the spring ring is probably one of the most commonly used. You’ll find a spring ring clasp securing both bracelets and necklaces.
A spring ring clasp is almost always round. It is very small, smaller than a dime, anywhere from 1/8 of an inch in diameter and up. It is actually a tiny hollow tube formed into a ring. A spring ring is a continuous circle up to the point at which the circle opens to allow for a link to be threaded onto it, namely, the link at the other end of the chain. At one end of the open/close mechanism is a tiny lever that, when it is pulled back,a small section of the circle separates, sliding back inside the tube,. Think of a pocket door sliding into the wall. After you thread the link at the opposite end of the chain through the opening of the clasp, you release the lever and the movable section slides, or springs, back into place, closing the circle completely, securing the chain. That is how this type of clasp gets its name – from the fact that a tiny spring inside the tubing enables the opening to spring closed after the lever mechanism is released. Pulling back the tiny lever compresses the coil, creating tension, and when you release the lever, the coil expands and springs the sliding metal section back into place.
Because spring ring clasps are usually very small, and often lightweight, they are not the strongest, most reliable clasps. Also, due to the tiny moving parts and the coil inside the ring that allows for the circle to be opened and closed, these clasps can easily cease to function. Once the spring fails, the clasp can come open, and losing your jewelry is practically inevitable. On the other hand, this type of clasp is usually less expensive than alternatives, and because a spring ring clasp is smaller, it is a better balance, both in terms of size and weight, proportional to a dainty jewelry item. Spring ring clasps come in all sizes and finishes, and are easily purchased in bulk if you are making your own jewelry, or if you need to scoop one up to make a quick repair of a broken clasp.
The spring ring clasp is just one of many types of clasps used to secure jewelry. Some are more utilitarian, such as the spring ring, other clasps are ornate and decorative. I’ll be writing about lots of different types of clasps, so check back for more info on jewelry parts and pieces!
Sparkle on!
Laura
About Laura:
Laura Legendary is a speaker, author and educator specializing in disability awareness, accessibility, advocacy, and assistive technology. She is also the owner of Elegant Insights Braille Creations elegantinsightsjewelry.com/. Feel free to use the contact form on the home page to ask a question, make a suggestion, or to discuss a custom jewelry design idea. Just don’t be a big big meanie. She’s super nice.