| Materials FAQ / Birthstones |
Freshwater Pearl
Cultured or freshwater pearls are considered to offer the power of love, money, protection, and luck. Pearls are thought to give wisdom through experience, to quicken the laws of karma and to cement engagements and love relationships. They are thought to keep children safe. An organic gem, pearls are formed inside mollusks such as oysters and mussels. They are formed when an irritant such as a tiny stone or bit of sand gets inside the mollusk's shell. A lustrous substance, called nacre, is secreted around the object to protect the soft internal surface of the mollusk. As layer upon layer of nacre coats the irritant, a pearl is formed. Light that is reflected from these overlapping layers produces a characteristic iridescent luster. This process of building a solid pearl can take up to seven or eight years.
Special care is needed for pearls. Since they are a natural substance and are porous, it is important to make sure they do not absorb cologne, hair spray, lotions, or make up. So, it is always recommended that the wearer puts pearls on last so that contact to these irritants is limited. To clean pearls, do not use any jewelry cleaners. Instead try wiping them with a damp cloth after wearing and occasionally cleaning in mild soapy water followed by air drying. Under no circumstances should they be placed in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner. Another great way to take care of pearls is to wear them. The oils from your skin help keep the pearls from drying out.
Garnet
The Garnet is a stone of purity and truth as well as a symbol of love and compassion. Garnets are associated with the color red, but they actually are available in a variety of colors. Their colors range from yellow orange to red orange and are frequently quite vivid and striking in appearance. These gemstones are durable and well suited for virtually all jewelry settings. Garnets are believed to provide for safety to travelers on journeys. This gemstone takes its name from pomegranate, presumably because of their resemblance in color and size to pomegranate seeds.
Gold Filled vs. Gold Plated?
To gold plate a metal you place the metal into a special solution that contains gold. The metal is then electrically charged for an instant. The electrochemical reaction creates a microscopic thin layer of gold on the surface of the metal. This very thin layer can be worn off by rubbing or through body oils. Over time the electric charge will wear off and the gold layer may flake off in large sections.
Gold-filled describes when a layer of gold is mechanically bonded with heat and pressure to one or more surfaces of the supporting base metal, then rolled or drawn to a given thickness. In the jewelry industry the quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th by weight of the total product. Under FTC regulations, a product may be marked as 14, 12 or 10kt gold-filled. Karat measurement of the gold content must be part of the marking or designation.
Gold-filled items will remain gold for a lifetime if cared for properly. Unless you are using harsh chemicals or abrasives, the gold layer is very durable and will stay gold for years to come. Unlike gold plated jewelry you can wear gold filled jewelry every day. For these reasons, I only use gold-filled beads and findings.
Will Gold Filled "Turn"?
When people ask the above question, they usually want to know one of two things:
(a) Will the gold filled tarnish? Yes. All metals will tarnish over time. Tarnish is the sulphur in the air interacting with the surface of the metal. It can be removed in a number of ways. For instance: A soft cloth and/or a soft bristled tooth brush with mild soap and water should be enough to remove surface tarnish.
(b) Will the gold filled turn my skin green? No, it should not. Gold filled has a thick enough layer of gold to protect most people from this reaction.
Why not solid 14K gold then?
Solid gold beads are more malleable than the gold filled beads. This means that they can dent, crush, and scratch far easier than the gold filled beads. Gold filled beads are sturdy and have the quality you expect from gold with more durability than solid 14K gold beads.
Kyanite
Kyanite is a calming stone. The most highly prized Kyanite is the vibrant blue or blue-green hue. Kyanite is of interest because of the extreme variability in hardness with direction. The fan like clusters or blades that are formed by Kyanite make it an ideal stone for restoring energy balance. It helps to quiet the mind, dissolving emotional, mental, or spiritual confusion, and letting go of anxiety. Kyanite is found in mountainous regions.
Lampwork Beads
Lampwork beads are glass beads that are formed by winding molten glass around a mandrel, which is usually a stainless steel rod of varying diameters. Many lampwork beads are decorated with dots, spirals, and other designs of glass. See my section dedicated to how lampwork beads are made for more info!
Opalescent Quartz
Synthetic - A clear milky color when looked at from direct light, Opalescent Quartz has an iridescence that give it its namesake. When placed on black or dark material, it really shines, especially on a necklace with darker colored beads and pendants. These extraordinary pieces are specially made to possess the lovely, pale white opalescence one sees in the natural gemstone known as the opal. Each glass bead is transparent, with slight overtones of creamy white that shift to a startling shade of translucent cyan as the eye moves from one angle to another. Truly magnificent, eye-catching pieces.
Rhodocrosite
Cleanses the subconscious and allows access to higher thoughts. This stone is also known to be useful in treating the thyroid gland. Helps the body to cleanse and remove toxins. Creates emotional balance and assists one in increasing feelings of self-worth and self-esteem.
Rose Quartz
Emits a calming, cooling energy which can work on all chakras to gently remove negativity and to reinstate the loving, gentle forces of self love. Good to wear in a chaotic or crisis situation. It is "the stone of gentle love" bringing peace and calm to relationships. It can be used for spiritual attunement to the energy of love. It is a rejuvenating agent for both physical body and the emotions. It is an excellent energy for healing emotional "wounds". An excellent stone to give to express friendship. Your marriage can have more sparkle and fire when you keep a rose quartz under your pillow. Rose quartz is known as the love stone. It helps the user feel a strong sense of self-worth, therefore being worth love. Rose quartz is the stone of universal love. It is also the stone of love in marriage. When worn in jewelry the wearer feels a sense of self-worth.
Sterling Silver
Silver, even that has been fully work-hardened, gradually recrystallizes and softens at room temperature. To maintain hardness, other metals are added to form alloys that are harder, stronger, and less susceptible to scratching and marring. The best-known copper-silver alloy is sterling, which is 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper (hence the name 0.925 sterling silver).
What are Bali beads? What's the difference between Bali Silver and Sterling Silver?
The Bali beads I use are oxidized sterling silver and are handmade in Bali, Indonesia. They are exceptional in detail and quality. When a craftsman produces a bead, it is shiny silver. They then oxidize the entire bead in a process that essentially creates a thick tarnish encompassing the entire bead, including inside the cracks and crevices. They then polish each bead either using a buffing tool or by tumbling the bead. The effect is that the bead becomes bright and shiny on the outside surfaces, but spaces within the crevices remain tarnished. If done properly, the bead should look rich and have a lot of depth.
Birth Stone List
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