The Complete Metalsmith: An Illustrated Handbook

This spiral-bound book by Tim McCreight has been around for years, and it's now available in a "Professional Edition" that's even better. You'll get an overview of common metal working techniques like making chain, annealing, fusing, bezel-setting stones, making hinges, and much more. It's a great reference to keep on your bench, but it's an interesting and fun book to browse even if you're not doing metal work yourself.

There's also a Pro Plus edition that includes a CD with: The Professional Edition plus a CD that includes a searchable PDF of the book, video clips, Calculation software for PC, Mac, and PDAs, and the text of two more books, "Practical Jewelry Rendering" and "Design Language"