Since the previous post here on the Sparkle On blog was an introduction to the most common types of chain, it seemed a natural progression to write next about the way jewelry crafters hang something decorative from it. There are so many clever ways to embellish a pretty chain. Some are “in line,” meaning the design flow is not broken by a detour from the chain. Links, bars, beads, or focals are part of the continuum that is the chain itself. Other adornments for chain include pendants, slides, floating charms, pearls, and so on. When a focal embellishment is dangling from a chain, rather than being affixed to it, the component used to hang the pendant from the chain is called a bail.
A pendant bail allows for a charm, locket, gemstone, or other embellishment to move freely along the chain. A pendant bail slips over the chain, as opposed to being fixed or soldered to it. Click to tweet this! Although usually made of metal, a bail can be crafted out of just about anything. You may see pendant bails in a variety of shapes, such as a teardrop, oval, bead, or even a short length of tube.
There are also different ways a bail attaches to a pendant or charm. If the focal has a ring incorporated into the design, or if a jump ring can be connected to the pendant, then the ends of the bail can be crimped, or pinched together to close it tightly around the ring, or it can be soldered closed for extra security. If the bail itself has a hanging ring attached, such as with a tube bail, the pendant can simply be secured to the bail by way of a jump ring, ensuring the pendant lays flat against the skin, always facing front.
Most bails are tiny and innocuous, so as not to compete with the beautiful gemstones hanging from it. However, bails can also be decorative. The more elaborate the overall design of a piece of jewelry, the more elaborate the components used to craft the piece may be. A pendant bail can be embellished with gemstones, oxidation, laser engraving or stamping, cutwork, wire-wrapping, or diamond-cutting. If you are crafting your own jewelry, a bail should either disappear into the design, or be eye-catching and thematic.
Keep in mind that any component from which to hang a pendant is just one tiny contact point, the weak link, so to speak, and it can fail. A bail is one of those jewelry components that you don’t pay attention to until you discover that you’ve lost the pendant from your necklace chain. Then, you may notice the ends of the bail have come apart, or it has broken. If you want to wear a pendant that originally hung from an inherited or vintage necklace, or if you want to interchange it witth other chains for a new look, then it’s worth having it attached to a more heavy-duty type of bail that can stand up to a lot of wear. Don’t leave an heirloom medallion, pendant, or locket hanging from a mere jump ring. Have your pendant re-set and soldered to a sturdy bail so you’ll be sure to get years of enjoyment from your treasure.
A bail is one of those jewelry parts and pieces that you normally don’t think about, so you would have no reason to know what it’s called. Now that you do, you are better able to identify differences in one type of necklace style. Wear it in good health, and sparkle on!
Laura