It is already September, and that means that the Cluny Grey Fall Collection comes out this coming week! September also means that the sapphire is the gemstone of the month. So for those of you looking for birthstone jewelry, or those who just love sapphires, above is a sapphire bracelet made with sapphires and sterling silver. And yes, even the golden yellow gemstones that you see is a sapphire as well! The sterling silver filigree and flowers makes this unique bracelet pretty and feminine. And below are sapphire earrings, also with sterling silver, that hang from leverbacks. Happy Birthday to all the Virgos and other September birthdays!
Below is an iolite bracelet made with the gemstone that is also known as the "water sapphire". In fact, some people actually prefer iolite to sapphires since it is easier to find less expensive iolites that have a translucent or transparent blue colour - especially in beads. This three strand iolite bracelet has a pretty true pink rose quartz faceted rectangle and a sterling silver toggle with freshwater pearls bezel set into the ends of the bar. The following 3 pairs of earrings are also made of the gemstone iolite; the iolite earrings include faceted rondelles of iolite, iolite coins hanging from sterling chandeliers, and faceted iolite nuggets hanging from sterling posts set with white freshwater pearls.
The rose quartz bracelet below features some of our favorite lampwork beads which have an incredible depth that isn't showing up that well on camera. The bracelet is punctuated by sterling silver Karen Hill Tribes charms and a single smooth emerald nugget.
Below is the latest antique style jewelry: first, a golden necklace with pretty rhinestones in a peridot colour that sparkle and shine; second, a silver art deco style pendant hangs from a silver chain and flashes small clear rhinestones surrounding a large Azores blue rhinestone.
Following are cameo necklaces (remember that these are made usually of plated metal). Below a blue cameo is surrounded by rhinestones and set in silver; a second fan-shaped piece has a single rhinestone. The cameo pendant hangs from an oxidized silver chain.
The gold cameo has 6 little rhinestones set into the gold filigree. The cameo hangs from a gold and freshwater pearl necklace. Another gold cameo is set into a heavy metal bronze oval, surrounded by pearls and accented by three dark aqua rhinestones. This cameo necklace hangs from a freshwater pearl necklace also.
Immediately below, a silver cameo with a single tiny rhinestone on the neck of the cameo.
CLUNY'S NEW FALL COLLECTION OF JEWELRY WILL BE FEATURE ON THIS BLOG ALL THIS WEEK! STAY TUNED!
Always FREE SHIPPING with purchases over 50.00; 1.95 under 50.00.
I am a great fan of charm bracelets. I personally prefer them in gold with weighty charms, some encrusted with gemstones; they are especially endearing when the charms have been collected over a long period of time and have a special or sentimental value for the wearer. The charm bracelet above is gold and has gemstones, but compared to those sentimental trinkets, it was put together rather quickly. Still, my favorite gemstones are in here, and the bracelet is rife with 14 karat goldfilled components so that it gives a nice golden glow on a wrist. Below is a combination I'm quite fond of. Swarovski crystals in mocca, golden shadow and Indian sapphire combine to make this Swarovski crystal bracelet a real "shiner"! I've mixed it with 14 karat goldfilled accents to complement the colours of the crystals - and best of all - I made 2 of these! They are quite fetching when worn together for maximum sparkle (see the next picture). The first bracelet has larger elements than the second, but, boy, do they look great together!
Below, I so enjoy creating with aquamarines, especially when they are the true aqua blue colour. The aquamarine bracelet below is a true aqua blue; it would be a simple bracelet, but the special reticulated Bali beads of sterling silver and the many little aquamarine charms going around the bracelet give it a special status beyond simple. All sterling silver, of course!
I'm still working with rubies and have two offerings today: a sterling silver ankle bracelet with rubies for some lucky girl, and a pretty ruby bracelet with 14 karat goldfilled elements that is the epitome of simple elegance. It's small enough to be worn everyday, elegant enough to wear when you are dressed up!
Yes, I'm working hard and will have more to blog about soon. Meanwhile, stay cool, but enjoy the summer days. I'm hoping to go kayaking on the Potomac tomorrow!FREE SHIPPING on all purchases over $50.00; $1.95 under $50.00!
One of the favorite gifts for Valentine's Day (in years past anyway) has got to be bracelets, necklaces, and earrings made of aquamarine. So here are some new aquamarine pieces that will be up on the site within the next day or two. Above, an aquamarine bracelet with sharply faceted nuggets of wonderful practically inclusion-free crystal quartz, and smaller nuggets of aquamarine. Below are aquamarine earrings with sterling silver chain links hanging from swirling filigree posts. The next aquamarine bracelet is a three-strand beauty with a pretty marcasite clasp; the pearls are freshwater Biwa pearls, and little Thai Karen Hill Tribes charms hang at intervals on the strands. Following, another pair of aquamarine earrings, this time hanging from some of my favorite sterling silver earwires adorned with an intricate handmade rose facing front.
Below, a quartz bracelet with a huge aquamarine rough cut nugget as the centerpiece, and finally, an aquamarine bracelet mixed with smoky quartz and sterling silver.The last two bracelets are a garnet bracelet with red and green garnets and matching lampwork beads, and a smoky quartz bracelet for a special client.
Did you know that the garnet was named after a fruit? The ancient Greeks thought that garnets looked like the seeds of the pomegranate - thus, garnet! In the Bible, garnet is mentioned fairly often, usually called carbuncle.The Victorians were especially fond of garnets and mixed them often with pearls, opals, coral, cameos, and one of my favorite combinations, turquoise. But they were passionate about Bohemian garnets (from Czechoslovakia)set in gold with an entire piece encrusted with small and medium garnets glittering around a larger focal.I love garnets because I consider them a neutral when they are a deep, dark red. They look great with black - and really blend with almost any other colour you can wear. I mention that I like the deep, dark red because garnets come in almost every colour except blue! They are also fun to create with because they mix so interestingly with other gemstones and other jewelry materials.Above, for a more modern, artisan look, I've mixed garnets with artist's lampwork beads that have a touch of light blue in them; I love those flat, faceted garnet nuggets and recently was fortunate enough to find some (pretty large garnets can be difficult to find in bead form). I've used the same faceted garnet nuggets in the next garnet bracelet with flat, faceted citrine nuggets, charms, and some repousse sterling silver.
Above, a garnet bracelet where the garnets serve as a foil for the sterling silver, especially the sterling silver chains of different sizes. An interesting toggle clasp, a special oval ring in silver, and a hanging circle of garnets make this bracelet special.Below, garnets playing well with others: the first bracelet features rose quartz and a special toggle clasp with garnet cabochons embedded in the ends of the toggle bar; the next garnet bracelet mixes with creamy coloured mother of pearl, dangling charms around the bracelet and a pretty butterfly toggle clasp. All garnet bracelets here are mixed with sterling silver.
Below are two more bracelets new to the Cluny Grey Jewelry site. The first, a freshwater pearl bracelet, the second is an aquamarine bracelet mixed with freshwater Biwa pearls.
Don't forget to make your New Year's Resolutions!
According to Vogue and other important fashion magazines, gold is back in fashion. Of course, I don't think that it was ever out! I love the gleam of gold, and while I will concede that there are certain gemstones that are best served by sterling silver or white gold, (think rose quartz) I generally prefer my own jewelry to be gold or a mixture of silver and gold.
One of my favorite combinations is lapis, carnelian, and turquoise; all of these gemstones look great with silver (although lapis always looks better with gold), but put them all together and you've just got to have yellow gold to match the richness of the colours! Above, a unique bracelet with lapis, carnelian, and turquoise accented with 14 karat goldfilled elements (with the exception of the toggle which is vermeil), and below, the matching necklace and
dangling earrings.
Above is a charm bracelet using vintage lucite flower beads and Swarovski crystals. I used to make different versions of these quite often, but they can take an extraordinary amount of time to make. They catch the light wonderfully.
Below is the shimmer of labradorite - a favorite stone. This bracelet has very good flash that is accentuated by, believe it or not, tanzanite Swarovski crystals. Although the mixture may sound unlikely, it is one that works.
And because it is November, below are two more citrine pieces: a citrine bracelet with the addition of apatite, and a pair of citrine earrings that hang from sterling earrings with citrine cabochons.
If you have a custom order, please start thinking about it now; things get very busy the closer Christmas gets!
Peridot is a gemstone that I feel is often under-rated. It is beautiful in its purest form: a clear almost spring grass green, but equally appealing when included and opaque in colours from a milky green to an olivine colour. The only problem I have with peridot is that I like to work with larger gemstones much of the time, and it is quite difficult to get large nuggets - or any other cut for that matter - of peridot.
I do love the folklore surrounding peridot. Early on, from before the time of Cleopatra, peridot was mined on the Egyptian island known today as St. John's Island (called Topazios previously). Mining peridot was difficult because the island was infested with snakes - probably the reason that peridot came to be associated with protection from snakes and snakebite. The miners also worked at night since they believed that the peridot was invisible during the day. To this day peridots are sometimes confused with emeralds; supposedly many of the "emeralds" that Cleopatra wore were, in fact, peridots.
Peridot was said to have many powers including the power to heal asthma, promote good luck and good fortune (it is known as a "money" stone), to guarantee a happy marriage and a good night's sleep. It releases negativity, draws love to you, and soothes the nerves. It is also thought to help one with spiritual enlightenment. No wonder those miners braved serpents to procure this gemstone!
I cannot guarantee that the peridots in our bracelets will perform all the feats listed above, but these bracelets will certainly look good on your wrist. We have them for every taste (and will have peridot bracelets with gold soon). So if you wear peridot, you will be wearing it in good health!
Immediately below, a silver cameo with a single tiny rhinestone on the neck of the cameo.
CLUNY'S NEW FALL COLLECTION OF JEWELRY WILL BE FEATURE ON THIS BLOG ALL THIS WEEK! STAY TUNED!
