Cleopatra and the "Gem of the Sun"

 Peridot, the August birthstone, is a pretty gemstone with a clear green color. It is fairly easy usually for us to find translucent peridot that are especially pretty for the jewelry that I make. I do like working with it; the only drawback to peridot is that it is usually difficult to find very large stones.

    Peridot has a rich history, full of legends and lore that makes it an especially interesting gemstone.
The Egyptians called peridot the "gem of the sun" and believed that it was best mined at night when it shone brightly; during the day, it shone so brightly that it couldn't even be seen!
    Most of the peridot mined in the ancient world came from St. John's, an island about 50 miles off the coast of Egypt.  It was so overrun by snakes that the miners had a difficult time until the Pharaoh had all the snakes killed.  Much easier for the miners, not so good for the snakes. As a result, however, peridot is still believed by many to be a guard against snakebite!
   The first three photos are of Minuet Verde, a three strand peridot bracelet with a two-sided sterling bead in the middle of the middle strand.  The bead has two cabochon peridots bezel-set into it.  The bracelet also has a double sided toggle clasp with a faceted square peridot set diagonally in each side of the toggle.

    Many historians believe that the emeralds that Cleopatra wore were not emeralds at all, but actually peridots which would have been readily accessible to her and can easily be confused with emeralds. 
   For many centuries, people thought the 200 carat gems in the shrine of the Three Holy Kings in Cologne Cathedral in Germany were emerald. They are really peridots (gia.com).
   Above and below, another three strand peridot bracelet. The gemstones are small and sparkling and accented by 5 sterling silver flower charms and a pretty heart-shaped sterling lobster clasp.

    Peridot is thought to help one achieve harmony in marriage. The ancients believed that it would give one eloquence and also protect one from evil spirits. It is often used today by proponents of crystal healing for asthma and a slew of other ailments.
   Above and below, this peridot bracelet has 5 strands of peridots on one side of the bracelet and faceted peridot rondelles set between large faceted nuggets of quartz crystal on the other.  In the center, sterling silver and peridot charms are clustered next to a faceted rose quartz square.

 Today, most peridots come from Burma since St. John's island has not been mined since the 1950's.  The largest peridot is approximately 310 carats and resides here in Washington, D.C.'s Smithsonian museum.

    Above, a double-stranded bracelet of peridots with the main strand featuring quite large faceted peridots while the second strand has small peridots. The peridots are accented by square artist's lampwork beads shot with silver handmade by Robin Weber. Below, a bracelet made of peridot rondelles and sterling silver butterflies from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes.

    Below, another peridot bracelet featuring lampwork beads and large faceted peridot nuggets.  The second strand is a large oval-lined chain dangling Thai Karen Hill Tribes flower charms.

As usual, FREE SHIPPING with any purchase over $50; only $1.95 for purchases under $50!

Summer Romance: Jewelry to Fall in Love With

Citrine Necklace with Sterling Silver

Everything goes in cycles, and making jewelry is no exception. What seems exciting and absorbing for months will suddenly become old, and I'll search for new gemstones everywhere, even though I have an unbelievably large inventory in the studio.  
Then, there are times when I go back to the gemstones that first piqued my interest when I began making jewelry so many years ago.  Precious gemstones are perennials with me, but here are some of the other gemstones in jewelry form that I have long had a romance with.
Above, citrines are one of my favorite gemstones.  I love sunny yellow. The citrine necklace above is very simple, large faceted nuggets with minimal sterling silver accents. It does have a sterling silver dog-shaped clasp (the dog is stylized but resembles a dachshund).  I love this necklace because it has absolutely wonderful sparkle.  Oh, and I adore sparkle!

Ruby Bracelet

Above and below, this ruby bracelet features smooth large pebble-shaped opaque rubies that are a fairly strong red.  They look perfect with accents of 14 karat gold-fill and little faceted ruby rondelles.

Ruby Bracelet with 14 Karat Gold-fill

Fluorite Bracelet

I found fluorite to be one of the most intriguing gemstones to work with because of the purples and greens that look so great together.  It is one of the first gemstones I started using artist's lampwork beads with; I loved the way the right lampwork would draw the two colors together. This bracelet has a large lampwork focal, sterling silver beads, and a pretty sterling silver box clasp with a faceted amethyst.

Fluorite Bracelet

Aquamarine Bracelet with Citrine and Sterling Silver

Blue aquamarine (not the greener aquamarine) is fantastic with citrine.  Think of the sun and the sky, the sun and blue water.  I love this gemstone mix especially for the way that it perks up whatever I'm wearing. One gemstone alone can be classic and beautiful (see the ruby bracelet above), but put two primary colors together and you suddenly have a statement piece.  This bracelet will be on our Aquamarine Bracelets page.

Aquamarine Bracelet with Sterling Silver and Citrine

Fall in love.  And whatever you do, wherever you go, wear your jewelry!

Always FREE SHIPPING on purchases over $50.00!

I'm Loving Multi-Strand Gemstone Bracelets

Snow for two mornings in a row here in the Washington, D.C. area! I am in heaven!  It's a wonderful snow, pretty while it's falling, sticking to the grass, but not to the streets (or the sun or higher temperature is melting it).
The first bracelet, above, was influenced by the snow.  It features bright sterling silver with what I call "snowflower" charms as well as rainbow moonstone, and genuine deep blue aquamarines. The three strands have a healthy dose of my favorite Thai Karen Hill Tribe tiny sterling beads and a sterling silver toggle clasp.

This unique bracelet, pictured above and below, has gemstones of all colors as well as sterling silver. The toggle clasp is one of the sterling hand-decorated ones that I get from Bali. Little charms, both gemstone and sterling silver, hang at intervals around the bracelet. The gemstones include chrysoprase, carnelian, ruby, iolite, sapphire, lapis, garnet, apatite, and labradorite.

The cultured freshwater pearl bracelet below is made with my favorite silvery-grey pearls and those deep blue aquamarines. Four pearl charms hang from one strand; another strand finishes with Karen Hill Tribe chain links.  Everyone needs a pearl bracelet in her wardrobe, and one with gemstones is the way to go!

Keep warm, wait for Spring, and wear your jewelry everyday!

Shipping is always FREE with purchases over $50.00; only 1.95 with purchases under $50.00.

Thinking of Spring, Weddings, Bridesmaids, and Pretty Things!

 It's never too early to begin thinking of wedding season.  While I don't do a lot of bridal jewelry, one thing that I've done since I began jewelry-making was making jewelry for bridesmaids. After being my friends' and son's weddings, I was familiar with the frenzy of wedding planning, and especially the difficulties of finding gifts for the bride to give her bridesmaids.  I thought bridesmaids' bracelets were the perfect answer to the problem.  Not only does the bride have a long-lasting gift to present those who are in her wedding, but the bridesmaids can actually wear the bracelets as part of their bridesmaid attire. Also, it's easy to personalize each bracelet just a bit, so that each bracelet is a slightly different from the other while keeping with the wedding theme.  For one wedding, a very caring bride sent me an email with a description of her bridesmaids' personalities so that I could make a bracelet that would fit with their styles.  All of the bracelets were made of amethysts, but each was unique!

The bracelets and earrings here feature two staples for bridesmaid jewelry: Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls. The first bracelet, above, with creamy white freshwater pearls, a large cosmic Swarovski crystals, and a single blue heart is my favorite. With the blue heart (something blue) it also makes a great bridal bracelet. The bracelets are made either with sterling silver or 14 karat gold-fill.

Above, genuine coral mixed with Swarovski crystals is great for a beach wedding.

Earrings are also great for bridesmaids.  Again, Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls with sterling silver or 14 karat gold-fill is not only on trend, but a classic look!

Fantastic Gemstone Bracelet, Earrings, and February's Birthstone: Amethyst

 I am in love with this unique bracelet featuring iolite, garnet, and rainbow moonstone.  The idea for the 6 strand bracelet came from the sterling silver box clasp with its cabochon garnets and rainbow moonstone. The 6 strands include 2 strands of rainbow moonstone, 2 strands of garnet, 1 strand of iolite, and one strand of tiny sterling silver beads from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes. The rainbow moonstone was all chosen for its flash.  The result is beautiful and versatile since it looks great with almost every color that you can think of.

 Below are dangling earrings with faceted gemstones, in this case pink chalcedony and garnet, bezel set in sterling silver. The earrings hang from some of my favorite marquise shaped sterling earwires..

 Below, a necklace made entirely of dark blue faceted chalcedony briolettes strung so closely together that they have a ruffled look.  14 karat gold-filled chain makes up the very back of the necklace so that the gemstones won't get caught in one's hair.

 Amethyst is the birthstone for the month of February although I have found that lovers of amethyst pay no attention to whether they were born in February!  The gemstone is a perennial favorite and diehard amethyst lovers cannot have too much amethyst jewelry. The amethyst necklace, left, is a favorite of mine, mainly because of the amethyst gemstones which are faceted as though they were meant to be mounted in a ring.  They are also AAA quality, so they sparkle beautifully! The amethyst necklace has a simple S clasp in sterling silver and tiny sterling silver beads separating the amethysts.
Below the necklace are more gem quality amethyst, this time in a faceted briolette that hang from sterling silver earwires.

 The amethyst earrings above are simple but elegant.
My favorite amethyst piece is the bracelet below that is created using roughly faceted flat amethyst nuggets that are translucent with 14 karat gold-filled accents and toggle clasp.  The amethyst bracelet is large, but because the nuggets are flat, they do not get in the way of daily tasks making it easy to wear.

Yes, I am wishing for more snow!
Don't forget: FREE SHIPPING on purchases over $50.00; $1.95 shipping on purchases under $50.00.

Back from Bulgaria and New Jewelry

Happy New Year!  I am looking forward to 2014 being a wonderful, creative and productive year; I hope you are as well. I spent the Christmas holidays with my son and his family in Sofia, Bulgaria, the first time I had traveled to that country.  I've already fallen in love with Bulgaria despite not having it snow while we were there. Luckily, my son lives almost in the side of Mt. Vitosha and a quick drive did provide some white magic.  I fell in love with the food (ummmm, shopska salad and eggs panagyurishte ), the wonderful churches and monasteries, the people, the art. I saw fantastic early Thracian jewelry (Southeastern Bulgaria was part of Thrace at one time), wonderful icons, and ancient sites of worship.  I can't wait to go back. Of course, the main attraction was family, but Bulgaria with family is much better than Bulgaria on my own!

Above, the Rila monastery a couple of hours outside Sofia.

The jewelry today includes (above) a ruffled looking necklace made up of tightly strung dark blue chalcedony faceted briolettes; the color is fantastic!  Then a chalcedony bracelet that is a so rich looking with faceted rectangles of chartreuse chalcedony and 14 karat gold-filled beads and toggle clasp.
Below, vermeil earrings are graceful and reminiscent of some of the Byzantine jewelry I saw in Bulgaria where the gold is so pure that it shines a deep gold. The dangling tips are sunstones.

Below are bezel-set cabochon emeralds with sterling silver. The earwires are decorated with shiny hearts; below the oval emeralds are round hammered circles. Below the emerald earrings are dangle earrings with faceted bezel-set gemstones of pink chalcedony and garnets, also in sterling silver.

Oh, and I am enjoying tremendously the SNOW that we got on Tuesday. It was a rare delight to witness snow falling from morning until into the night and I was happy all day long! The snow energized me, and I was working hard on fulfilling those New Year's resolutions that I make every year. Meanwhile, work still continues on the new site.

Gemstone Bracelets Shine!

I've been working these crisp, cold days of Fall. And when it rains, I can work without ceasing! As a result, I have some new bracelets that are perfect for gifts - or for gifting yourself! Above and below, two views of the same bracelet (which will be placed in our Blue Topaz Jewelry category on the site). The bracelet combines Swiss blue topaz cubes, and boy do they sparkle!, with flashing labradorite. A bezel-set faceted labradorite gemstone is near the center of the bracelet. One side features Swiss Blue Topaz and tiny Thai Karen Hill Tribes beads: the other, different chains hold little charms of Swiss Blue Topaz briolettes and a single teardrop of labradorite.  The special clasp is a toggle with a faceted labradorite bezel-set on both sides. The Swiss Blue Topaz cubes are some of the most sparkling gemstones I've seen, and they are AAA gem quality.

Above and below, a different combination of gemstones makes this bracelet cheerful and unique.  Aquamarine, prehnite, and yellow opal make an interesting mix with plenty of Karen Hill Tribes sterling silver, including little flower charms. A scalloped toggle clasp is the closure. There are 4 strands in this bracelet so it is distinctive on the wrist.

These unique bracelets make great Christmas gifts for someone special!

This mother-of-pearl bracelet is one of my favorites. The large ovals that you see are faceted mother-of-pearl with a pinkish cast.  The smaller gemstones are moonstones. Three strands include one of mother-of-pearl, one of Karen Hill Tribes beads with moonstones, and one special chain made of interlocking hearts.  All sterling silver. Below the bottom bracelet is a pair of matching earrings.

Finally, a last gemstone bracelet boasts two strands: one is sterling silver with tiny little heart and arrow charms hanging from it; the other has a medley of gemstones with a genuine ruby at the center. The gemstones are Swiss and London Blue Topaz, amethyst, citrine, and labradorite. This charming bracelet is great for mixing with your favorite outfits. And what a perfect Christmas gift!

Don't forget that shipping is free for purchases over $50 and only $1.95 for purchases under $50!

Losing Weight, Kitties, and What About Jewelry?!

 I am the proud loser of 33 pounds!  I have been eating healfully since January of this year, eliminated all sodas, and even most artificial sweeteners, and I have learned to adore iced green tea - plain.  I've gone from wearing a size 12, sometimes 10, pant to a size 4! (Note: sizes have changed; even when I weighed 10 pounds less than I do now in the 'eighties, I still wore an 8, sometimes a 6 on rare occasions). 
Sorry, but I have to brag just a little.  The main motivator was my son who told me that he wanted me to be around for a long time for my 4 year old grand-daughter. I want to be here too!

 What are the cat pictures?  The upper picture is of Cluny, my namesake, and the lower of Cuervo Sebastian; both are boys.  They like to hang out up here on the fourth floor with me to, ahem, help me make jewelry.  You haven't lived until you've spilled an entire container of small beads and watched 2 cats go crazy.  I like it when they help me as they are in the pictures here.

 Don't forget that it will soon be Christmas before you know it and you are going to want some jewelry!  If it's custom jewelry that you want, please let me know in plenty of time, so you can choose designs and beads and gemstones at your leisure.  
Cluny and Cuervo will be here to help me!