Made With Purpose
The lobster clasp takes its name from its shape, a rounded body with a hinged gate that resembles a crustacean claw, and it became the dominant closure in jewelry manufacturing because the mechanism is straightforward and difficult to fail. An internal spring holds the gate under constant tension. A small lever, when pressed, compresses the spring and allows the gate to swing open. Release the lever and the gate closes again. The design requires no alignment, no threading, and no second hand, which is why it replaced earlier toggle and box clasps as the default for most necklace and bracelet construction.