A jewel case is the plastic case that holds CDs. They are made up of a front cover that pivots open to the left (as you are holding the CD), a back cover and a tray that sits in the back cover which holds the CD. The front cover artwork is held in the front cover part of the jewel case - this is the booklet with photos, liner notes, lyrics and such - and the back cover holds the tray card, which usually has the track listing and other artwork on the back side that can be viewed with the CD closed and may have other artwork on the front side that is visible when the CD is removed from the tray.
Jewel cases are usually made of clear plastic, although they are sometimes made of tinted plastic that is still transparent. The tray part of the jewel case is sometimes made of black plastic and sometimes made of clear/colored plastic. The black plastic trays are heavier and stronger than the other, thin plastic used to make the rest of the jewel case, but sometimes the thinner clear/colored options are chosen for the tray for aesthetic reasons.
Another jewel case variation is the slimline jewel case sometimes used for CD singles. The slimline jewel cases are essentially the same, but thinner, and the front part of the case holds the artwork with a plastic lip on the right side instead of the four small teeth that holds the artwork in a standard size jewel case, which means the artwork can really only be one folded sheet at most.
Jewel cases have pros and cons. They crack easily, especially the front cover which has no support underneath it. However, they are the cheapest option for CD packaging, which makes them appealing. The price does increase with special features, like clear tray, slimline case or colored plastic.
Find out more about other packaging options:
