The Colors of Spring in Chalcedony and Aquamarine!

I love Spring colours! Color blocking is a really big trend in fashion this Spring and I've "color-blocked" as well in some of my bracelets.  I am especially fond of the deep pastel colors found in chalcedony and so I've used it in this group.  Above and below, deep aqua chalcedony and pink chalcedony feature in this handmade bracelet with color-blocking. It's lacy and feminine with the sterling silver filigree toggle and charm.  The aqua chalcedony is faceted and sparkly while the pink is smooth and polished.

Above and below, the look of shining sterling mingles with aqua chalecedony in another handmade bracelet. This bracelet definitely has a modern twist with its large hammered circle, bean bead, and little circle with cut-outs. I love the tulip (so perfect for Spring) toggle clasp.

Below, I haven't done one of these bracelets before, but I see so many braided bracelets and bracelets with suede that I decided I had to try one! The suede is in Spring colours of lilac, green, and aqua, and an aqua chalcedony faceted oval is next to the heart-shaped toggle clasp. Little Thai Karen Hill Tribes spiral charms hang around the bracelet. I really like this! To me, the charms lift it up from a bracelet to be worn only with jeans to a dressier look.

Above and below, I love mixing unexpected colors! While aquamarine and amethyst seem to go naturally together, I like to put a punch of color in by adding carnelian, in this case, faceted carnelian squares cut on the diagonal.  One of my favorite rope chains makes the second strand and dangles little flowers from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes.

A remake, below, of one of my favorite styles: An aquamarine bracelet with a single faceted nugget of amethyst. The beaded heart toggle of sterling silver is gorgeous. 

Don't forget! FREE SHIPPING  in the USA on any purchase above $50.00; only $1.95 for purchases below $50.00!

Aquamarines, Emeralds, and Labradorite

March is the month for aquamarines although anytime is a good time for aquamarines!  Who doesn't love them?  From pale green to turquoise to strong blue, aquamarines are just luscious - and they go so well with so many other gemstones.  Above is a simple aquamarine bracelet with cultured freshwater pearls.  The smaller aquamarine nuggets are a gorgeous shade of blue with great faceting.

Below, aquamarine nuggets and rondelles are paired with a pretty deeper green peridot for a striking result.  The intricate braided-look sterling silver chain adds to the bracelet's complexity, and a single pendant-like charms has a faceted, bezel-set peridot in a pretty star or flower-like shape. 

I always love emeralds (I'm a May baby so I'm fortunate to have the emerald as my birthstone). Two views of the same emerald bracelet, below show how wonderful emeralds look with sterling silver.  There are two strands of emeralds, large and small, and little Thai Karen Hill Tribes sterling flower charms hang at intervals along the bracelet.

Labradorite with its blue and blue-green flash is amazing.  The photos here really don't show the great flsh of the main focal nugget, but it is great! The other labradorite stones all have flash as well.  And the toggle clasp is a sterling silver dragonfly!

Finally, a simple citrine necklace has a pretty dangle with carved, nugget, and gem-quality citrines hanging from the main strand.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I only have 3 bracelets to show today; I am busy trying to get all my special orders done. But a shipment with these rubies, above, made me decide that I needed a break from the things I was working on. I put together this ruby bracelet with these gorgeous faceted ruby oval nuggets. They are a lovely dark red color - no brown. The artist's lampwork beads are the same colour, but with lashings of real sterling silver winding around each one.

I always like aquamarine.  It's a favorite because it looks good on everybody.  I haven't yet met a person who cannot wear aquamarine. This aquamarine bracelet features three of my best large faceted nuggets in a lovely blue colour complemented by artist's lampwork beads and Karen Hill Tribes sterling silver.   It is a substantial bracelet, but one that is easy to wear since it is only one strand and has just the one charm. The colours here are gorgeous!

Finally, a labradorite bracelet with Swarovski crystals in tanzanite.  Don't know what it is, but tanzanite looks wonderful with labradorite, a seemingly unlikely pairing. 

  You have a bit less than two weeks to order before I take off for Africa - Mozambique and Swaziland!  I can't wait to see the jewelry and what gemstones and beads I can find there.  Meanwhile, don't forget that shipping is FREE when you purchase anything over 50 and only 1.95 when the purchase is under 50.

For Graduation: The Colours of Spring and Summer

More bracelets in the colours of Spring! The jade bracelet above celebrates the colour of the season - turquoise! Faceted rectangles of turquoise jade are complemented by purple and pink jade, including a carved pink jade tulip and also spring green carved flowers in jade. The second strand is a sterling silver chain with dangles of turquoise jade. It's the perfect Spring/Summer bracelet with all those colours that we traditionally associate with the two seasons.
At the end of this post, a second jade bracelet is the more traditional jade green with carved jade beads and special flat freshwater pearls in a creamy white.
Below, a celebration of femininity begins with rose quartz; in one rose quartz bracelet, blue agate and sterling silver flower charms and beads are anchored by a focal bead of pretty faceted rose quartz; in the second bracelet, some of our favorite lampwork beads by Suzette Celestin are added to the mix.
A Spring/Summer staple: the turquoise and coral bracelet gets oomph here from lampwork beads with a touch of coral as well as sea-themed charms. The second coral and turquoise bracelet features large red coral slices, sterling silver charms, and a very special "harmony ball" that discreetly chimes when shaken.
The aquamarine bracelet, above, is mixed with rainbow moonstone for a different look - very fresh, very springy/summery. A "watch chain" goes a little over half way around the bracelet for added texture and interest. The wonderful aquamarine nuggets are delightfully chunky.
Jewelry makes a great and lasting graduation present for your favorite graduate! Don't forget that we ship free of charge (over $50.00 purchase).

Can Spring Be Far Behind?

After 55 inches of snow this year, a new record here in Washington, D.C./Arlington since 1899, it feels strange to think that it is almost March and that, despite the mounds of snow everywhere (there are still some large 5 -6 feet tall mounds) Spring is just around the corner!
Spring means new jewelry - LOTS of new jewelry! And the Spring colours this year are wonderful, or at least I think so, probably because one of the biggest colours for Spring is my favorite - turquoise. Whether it's called deep aqua, lagoon, or any other romantic name, turquoise is a wonderful colour that looks good on almost everyone; it is truly universally becoming. And if you are practicing a certain austerity lately, then a pop of turquoise, in a scarf, in jewelry (such as the apatite bracelet that you see above or the amazonite bracelet below) provides a touch of fashion that will enliven your spirit as well as your outfit.

The aquamarine earrings are a classic clear aquamarine nugget and gold mix while those mixed with sterling have an edgier look featuring chain that is so in right now.


I am so very fond of rock crystal, or clear quartz crystal as it is also known, that when I get some in, I can hardly wait to work with it. The necklace below is chock full of rock crystal smooth briolettes with sterling silver chain meandering around them as well as small freshwater pearls in a pretty grey colour. On one side, dark grey coin pearls hang below the crystals. Three different chains dangle sterling charms in a heart and key motif.

I fell in love with the faceted rock crystal in the quartz necklace (two views, above and below) that sparkles and glistens in sunlight and candlelight! The one spot of colour is a large faceted rectangle of rose quartz in a pretty deep pink.
Pretty in pink perfectly describes the bracelets below, both featuring rose quartz in a luscious pink, top bracelet, and a paler rose colour, (second bracelet).
And if Spring looms ahead, then Summer is just around the corner, so the two ankle bracelets here are just waiting for bare ankles. The first one is full of precious gemstones: emeralds, sapphires, and rubies, while the one underneath features amethysts.

A Few Bracelets Before Fall

Today had a coolness in the air despite the bright sunshine; a portent of Fall. And I'm working on the Cluny Grey Fall Collection still! Remember that I will start posting from the Fall Collection on Labor Day.
Meanwhile, here are some bracelets that haven't made it to the website yet, and that I will price in the next two days. If you want to know when these are available to buy, go to the end of this post and sign up for my Twitter feed. I don't tell you when I'm having coffee - or really much of anything except when I've made a new bracelet or other piece of jewelry and/or posted it on the website so that it is ready to purchase. I didn't see the point of Twitter personally until I realized that I could use it to announce each new piece that I made for those customers who want to see what's new, but don't have time to scan 100+ pages of the Cluny Grey Jewelry website. And several times people have called me or e-mailed me to reserve something that they had seen here on the blog before I got it posted. So this gives you first chance at finding the perfect piece to complement your wardrobe!
Today's offerings (these have not been priced on the website yet, but I will tweet when I price them): the first two bracelets are both predominantly sapphire and will be found on the Sapphire Bracelets page. The first bracelet features a large pink chalcedony nugget and a borosilicate lampwork bead. The second bracelet is from the Raj Collection and has genuine rubies and 14k goldfilled accents..
Directly above are two Aquamarine Bracelets . Aquamarines surround a flat smooth rectangle of fire agate in the top bracelet, all accented with vermeil ; in the bottom one, faceted aquamarine nuggets are punctuated by a single nugget of amethyst. The accents here are sterling silver.
The last bracelet on the page is made of tourmalines - two strands of varying sizes ranging from smooth nuggets to small faceted hearts. You will be able to find it on the Tourmaline Bracelets page.

SIGN UP HERE TO follow me on Twitter

The Stones of Summer

I wrote a blog entry once about how some gemstones are seasonal; that is, they seem to belong to a certain season or seasons (the main division being, however, winter and summer). This really doesn't have anything to do with the Color Me Beautiful idea that women should wear certain colours based on their "season" (meaning the season they fall into determined by their complexions, eye colour and hair colour). This is simply a subjective feeling I have for probably very silly reasons. For instance, I think of rubies as summer gemstones because they are the July birthstone (although rubies do work well in the winter - probably because of the red we habitually see at Christmas?), sunstones are summery because they are reminiscent of the summer sun, bright, orange, glinting, aquamarines because they echo the colours of the ocean, and of course, corals because of the colours and the relationship to the sea (meaning the beach, of course). So some of the most recent bracelets here are summer bracelets from the ruby bracelet at the very top of the page to the last coral bracelet below.
But despite my designating these as "summer stones", they do work well at other times of the year, especially with the addition of a "wintry" stone such as the pietersite in the aquamarine bracelet above.
However, the ankle bracelets that you see below, one ankle bracelet of gold and sunstone and one with aquamarine and sterling silver both sing out summer loud and clear!



Above, coral bracelets page, and   the turquoise and coral bracelets page on the Cluny Grey Jewelry website.