These are some basic information about a few of the more common ingredients found in art jewelry.  If you are a jewely lover, or a beginning jewelry maker, it's important to learn about your pieces.

This helps you in two very important ways.
1. It adds to your own appreciation.
2.  It helps you make good buying decisions because you will know what you are looking at!

Onyx

Is a quartz stone ofund in many countries, and is generally known as a deep black stone. It is thought to be the most powerful of all black stones, possessing many spiritual powers.  It is thought to give protection for your heart, love life, and spiritual well being.  It is the birthstone for the months of July and December.

Swarovski Crystals

Austrian Swarovski crystal is considered by many to be the finest in the world.  Certainly there is no comparison to the brilliance of the crystal, but many wrongly beliefe that it is a naturally occurring element. In fact, it is a man made element. 
Swarovski crystal is made using a formula that Daniel Swarovski perfected in 1892.  Swarovski Silver Crystal is fired using a combination of natural minerals and quartz sand, and then cooled slowly to avoid stress and inclusions.  By the 20th century, Daniel Swarovski was using treatments to perfect the colorful effects of his crystals, and by the 1990's there were many exhibitions featuring many different kinds of Swarovski crystals. In 1995, the company he founded celebrated its 100 yr anniversary.

Hematite

Is a naturally occurring mineral, and is found in many mines in Michigan and Minnesota. It comes in other colors, but usually looks metallic, and shiny. Often it is made into handcrafted items, beads, or jewelry. It has been used by the Egyptians in amulets and talismans, and is still considered by some to have healing properties, such as improving energy, intellect, and protection from others, in addition to having healing properties.  Magnetic Hematite is very much in style right now, and is widely used in art jewelry.

Sterling Silver

Is at least 92.5% silver and up to 7.5%, (but usually 5%) of other metals, usually copper. It is stamped with either the word"Sterling" or ".925". Find silver(99.99% pure) is generally too soft for producing large functional objects.  The term "Sterling Silver" is in reference to the .925 grade of silver, and emerged in England by the 13th century.

Bali Silver

Is generally handmade by artisans in Bali, Indonesia.  They come from many towns, such as Celuk, and Singapadu, and have small houses with dirt floors.  Their tools are generally a crude workbench,basic hand tools, and hand held gas torches. Traditionally Balinese silversmiths created handcrafted ornaments for the Klungkung courts, and is intricately interwoven with spirituality, and, involving a highly comples system of homoring and placating the many gods of Bali-Hindu-animism. Tiny silver pellets are melted and formed into silver sheets, and wires are drawm from it.  This process is very intricate, and takes hours and hours to create. Then the jewelry piece is formed. Bali silver is very intricate, and as each piece is handmade, no two are exactly alike.

Lampwork Beads

These have become very popular within the last 20 years or so in the U.S., but glass beadmaking as an industry started about 3,000 years ago on the Island or Murano, in Italy. Still today, a lot of the glass used by beadmakers is from Italy. Lampwork beads are made individually by the beadmaker, and the designs are as varied as the beadmakers themselves.
The type of glass used can be soft or hard glass. The terms soft and hard are indicative of how easily the glass melts at specific temperatures.  There are many different types of glass that can be used to make beads,and each type of glass has its own unique qualities and beauty.
A very general list of the popular glass used might be:
Moretti, Lauscha, Vetrofond(soft), and Bullseye, Pyrex, Boroscillate(hard)

Note on bead buying: Any beads you buy must be kiln annealed. If they are not, there is still stress inside the bead, and it will be subject to breakage. Most beads made by U.S. beadmakers are probably kiln annealed, but you should always make sure before you buy.