Jewelry blanks?

I got into a conversation the other day about “jewelry blanks”…

This is a really versatile (read “vague”) word, when you think about it.

@gingerkittyd tweeted me that her this is what her customers call finger ring findings:

.

Which are also called ring blanks. Which confusingly also means these ring-shaped blanks for metal stamping:

Her customers also use the name “jewelry blanks” for bezel cups (which are also called pendant blanks):

(And I hesitate to tell you this, but these also sometimes get called “empty cups or empty pendants”!)

Not one to clarify needlessly, @JulieRorden tweeted, “Jewelry blanks? You mean that dark period of time when the caffeine high has worn off & the new supplies are on backorder? ;)”

What are “jewelry blanks” to you? If you don’t totally draw a blank about that, leave a comment to let us know! We’ll probably come up with 10 more definitions.:)