French wire
Encyclopedia
French wire, also known as bullion or gimp, is a fine coil of silver
or gold
-filled wire used by jewellers to conceal beading wire next to crimps and clasps. Proponents maintain that French wire gives jewelry an elegant, professionally finished look while also protecting and strengthening the ends of the beadwork. Also widely available in silver and gold plated wire, this less expensive version is more commonly used by hobbyist beaders on seed bead and knotted pearl projects.
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
or gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
-filled wire used by jewellers to conceal beading wire next to crimps and clasps. Proponents maintain that French wire gives jewelry an elegant, professionally finished look while also protecting and strengthening the ends of the beadwork. Also widely available in silver and gold plated wire, this less expensive version is more commonly used by hobbyist beaders on seed bead and knotted pearl projects.