• Crystal earrings.earring image by Bionic Media from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether you make jewelry for business or personal use, you will come across a plethora of supplies and components. Find them in large discounts or hobby stores with a jewelry supply department, in a bead shop, or you can order it from an online supplier. If you make earrings, you can find many different crystal components to add sparkle and bring your jewelry design to life.
  
  

Earring Wires/Earring Posts

• Crystal earring posts and wires attach the earring to the ear. Single crystals or a cluster of crystals can embellish the post and wires. Purchase crystal earring components in a base metal or in semi-precious metals such as silver, gold fill and 14k gold. Whether you have pierced ears or not, you can find a crystal ear post to serve your needs.
  
  

Connectors

• You can use a single crystal to create a connector between an ear wire and a larger dangle. Craft store jewelry supply departments offer a wide selection of metal components embedded with crystal in varying colors and colors. Create your own by wrapping wire strung with crystals around a plain earring connector.
  
  

Chandelier

• Chandeliers function like connectors, but they have loops that allow you to attach other stones or crystal dangles. Chandeliers and connectors elongate the earring and come in different shapes. They may be large and intricate or simple in overall design. Some will remind you of hearts and peacocks, while others feature geometric designs. Chandeliers may have a cut-out in the middle that allows you to attach another dangling another crystal, gem or stone.
  
  

Spacers

• Spacers fit between two beads. Depending on their shape, spacers may be packaged as rondelles (round) or squaredelles (square). Usually a channel holds the crystals in place on the spacer. Most spaces have an indention so the beads can fit tightly to them, creating a seamless look. You will find round balls encrusted with crystals to add to your earring designs for a change in texture. Use crystal spacers in conjunction with pearls, gems and crystal beads.
  
  

Dangles

• Dangles and drops often form the most attention-getting part of an earring design. Crystal dangles come in round, cubed, bi-cone, diamond or pear shape--the shapes that are most available. An earring may feature a dangle simply hanging from the earring hook, or the dangle may connect to a chandelier or connector. Some earrings feature a single large crystal dangle, while another may have several crystals. Designers commonly feature multiple dangles in designs worn for weddings and special occasions.