Three More Jewelry Connectors
Magnetic Toggle and Slide Lock Clasps Are Popular Closures
This article is a guide to the difference between magnetic, toggle and slide lock clasps - three of the various types of clasps used to close necklaces and bracelet
This is the second article in a series of how jewelry works. The first article discussed three different types of clasps: lobster, hook and eye and box.
The following is a guide to the difference between magnetic clasps, toggle clasps and slide lock clasps. In addition to lobster, hook and eye and box clasps, these are three of the various types of clasps used to close a necklace or bracelet.
Magnetic Clasp - as the name implies this clasp works using magnetic charges - opposites attract - the positve charge on one side of the clasp attracts and holds the negative charge on the other side of the clasp.
It used to be that magnetic clasps were pretty utilitarian looking and just snapped together for a maybe good/ maybe bad connection. Due to the increased demand for this type of clasp they now come in very fashionable styles. The most secure require that after you snap the opposite sides together you rotate the two sides in a 90 degree angle to form a secure bond.
Very user friendly for jewelry wearers with long fingernails or have arthritis or other issues causing limited use of their hands or fingers.
NOTE: Not to be worn with pacemakers or near computers.
Toggle Clasps - toggles are used in many other applications other than jewelry as closures. The toggle clasp consists of a circle or square (for the rest of this article required to as circle) section and a bar section. To use the bar is turned to a 90 degree angle to the circle and inserted through the circle for the connection.
What makes this clasp work is the fact that the bar is slightly longer than the circle is wide. Normally, the proportion is about 4 to 3. This dimension allows the bar to easily pass through the circle and lay flat on the circle with enough overlap that the bar does not accidentally slip through the circle.
Test this closure at the store prior to buying the piece of jewelry. If the crimp bead connection to the rest of the necklace or bracelet is not properly constructed the bar portion will be difficult to insert through the circle - and a nightmare to take off.
Slide Lock Clasp - this type of clasp has two tubes - one is slightly smaller in diameter than the other. Each tube will have loops or a bar to which the gemstone or bead portion of the necklace is connected. So, for example, a bracelet with three strands of beads will use a slide lock clasp with three loops on each tube.
The smaller tube slides into the larger tube and then is twisted clockwise to hold the clasp in place.
There are a myriad of variations on these types of clasps. However, the six clasps detailed in the last two articles are the most commonly used by jewelry designers.
