Jewelry Glossary - F

• Fabulustre
  A stick type of polish compound.
• Facet
  A flat polished surface on a gemstone, usually a transparent stone, and usually in combination with other flat planes in a specific design. Also a small surface displayed by a crystal that is naturally occurring from growth, as in crystal faces.
• Faceting Head
  That part of a faceting machine which is moved up and down on a rod and can be adjusted to the proper angle to cut the facet.
• Faceting Saw
  A small thin diamond saw for preliminary cuts of facet rough.
• Fantasy Cuts
  Novel new combination cuts which have concave "facets" and elements of cabochons, flat facets, and carving.
• Feathering Disc Adhesive
  Cement for bonding abrasive discs to pads.
• Feldspar
  A group of rock-forming silicate minerals with the subgroups orthoclase and plagioclase.
• File-a-Wax
  Wax to be shaped by files for lost wax models.
• Files
  Principal jewelry files are flat, mill, half-round, and round.
• Filigree
  Spiral wire units forming lacy designs in flat metal framework.
• FinaLap
  A metallized resin lap for faceting.
• Findings
  Parts for making jewelry complete, such as pin backs, bola tips, bell caps, bails, jump rings, etc.
• Fine Grind
  The last grinding process before sanding.
• Fine Silver
  Pure silver, not alloyed.
• Fire
  The flashes of different colors in gems resulting from the breakup of white light.
• Fire Scale
  A deposit of dark cupric oxide on the surface of alloyed metals such as sterling because of overheating or not enough flux.
• Fishhook Clasp
  Hook shape which fits in decorative metal oval.
• Flanges
  Discs to hold lapidary wheels and saws in place.
• Flannel Buff
  Cotton buffing wheel used with rouge.
• Flask
  Stainless steel cylinder with matching sprue base for casting.
• Flask Tongs
  Long-handled tongs for handling hot flasks.
• Flats
  Either slabs or flat areas on stones which should be curved.
• Flaws
  Fractures or inclusions which mar the stones and should be avoided in the cutting process.
• Flexible Shaft Handpiece
  A motorized hand-held piece of lapidary equipment with variable speed, which can hold a variety of cutting, grinding, and polishing tools, especially for carving.
• Foredom
  A popular brand of flexible shaft handpiece and tools.
• Forging
  Forming metal by raising it with a hammer over a stake.
• Foxtail
  Fine nickel chain for heavy beads.
• Freeform
  A stone which is not cut in a regular or standard geometric shape.
• Fused Metals
  Fusing scrap metal onto a preformed metal back.