Jewelry Glossary - B

• Baculite
  A common uncoiled ammonite of the late Crustaceous Period.
  
• Baguette
  A facet cut for small gems, step cut, and rectangular.
  
• Bail
  Holder for the top of a pendant.
  
• Bangle
  A rigid, entirely round, loose-fitting bracelet.
  
• Bar Pin
  Narrow decorative pins of a more or less rectangular shape.
  
• Barion
  A mixed facet cut combining emerald cut crowns with brilliant cut bases.
  
• Baroque Pearl
  A pearl of irregular shape.
  
• Bas Relief
  A low relief carving -- raised slightly above the background material.
  
• Basse Taille
  A transparent enamel technique with repoussé.
  
• Bead Board
  A wood or plastic grooved board for arranging bead necklaces before stringing.
  
• Bead Mill
  A machine to finish spherical beads.
  
• Bead Thread
  Silk or nylon thread of various sizes for beading.
  
• Bead Wire
  Fine nylon-coated wire for beads.
  
• Bearings
  Supports for rotary shafts of revolving lapidary machines.
  
• Beeswax
  Used for cementing and dopping.
  
• Belcher Mounting
  Pronged modification of the gypsy mounting for rings.
  
• Bell Cap
  A metal bell-shaped cap with loop top for attaching stones.
  
• Bench Pin
  A notched hardwood pin to be attached to the workbench to hold jewelry during specific stages.
  
• Bench Vise
  A small vise with can attach the pin or various other tools to the workbench.
  
• Bevel
  A small rim around the bottom edge of a cabochon with an angle of about 45 degrees.
  
• Bezel
  A shape made of flat wire to hold the stone in place in a piece of jewelry.
  
• Bezel Pusher
  A tool to flatten and smooth the edge of the bezel firmly around the stone.
  
• Bezel Wire
  A metal wire with a collar and sometimes fancy designs for making bezels.
  
• Biaxial
  Stones with two optic axes and directions.
  
• Binding Wire
  A soft iron wire for holding together parts to be soldered.
  
• Birefringence
  Doubly refractive materials.
  
• Blank
  A piece of gem material which was been sawed and ground to the approximate size and outline of the planned cabochon.
  
• Blazer Blades
  Modern long-lasting diamond saw blades.
  
• Bobbing Compound
  A fine abrasive which leaves metal scratch-free with a dull finish.
  
• Bola Slide
  The slide which moves up a bola tie cord.
  
• Bola Tie
  A neckpiece consisting of a length of cord with tips and held together by a movable slide of metal and often set with a stone.
  
• Borax
  Mineral powder used as a flux to control oxidation during melting of metal. Also, when combined with boric acid, used for flux during soldering.
  
• Bort
  Industrial diamond for lapidary purposes.
  
• Botryoidal
  A smoothly curved group of rounded mounds on some gem rough which resembles a pile of marbles or grapes.
  
• Boule
  The pear-shaped gem material resulting from early synthetic production.
  
• Box Clasp
  A standard box-shaped jewelry clasp with a tongue which slides into the end opening.
  
• Brass
  A copper-zinc alloy used for jewelry and decorative objects.
  
• Breccia
  Cutting material made of angular bits which have been naturally cemented together by some mineral, often chalcedony.
  
• Brick
  A brick is often used for initial cuts and for deglazing diamond saw blades.
  
• Brilliancy
  The total light reflection of a gemstone.
  
• Brilliant
  A basic facet cut of 58 facets, primarily for round stones.
  
• Briolette
  A drop-shaped facet cut with the crown similar to the rose cut.
  
• Britannia Metal
  Modern pewter alloy of tin, antimony, and copper.
  
• Bronze
  An alloy of copper and tin.
  
• Bruce Bar
  A patented polish compound in stick form.
  
• Buff
  The wheels or pads used for polishing gem materials. Usually leather, felt, muslin, Pellon, etc.
  
• Bur
  Carbon steel tool which can be one of 30 or more shapes to be used in a flexible shaft tool.
  
• Burnisher
  Oval-shaped blade tapering to a fine point for setting stones and smoothing metal.
  
• Bushing
  A replaceable lining for a bearing or the removable cylindrical lining of the grinding wheel holes.