Showing posts with label juvelen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label juvelen. Show all posts

Sunday, March 03, 2013

Jewelry for Spring!


Handmade Bracelet photo handmade-bracelet-j7_zps5a1681e1.jpg
I have missed having my winter snow that I so looked forward to (some north of here would say that I was lucky) and am now looking towards Spring. While I have a Spring Collection of jewelry every year, I seem to have gone overboard this year! It will take me over a week to show pieces from the new Spring Collection.
The first piece is as fresh as Spring itself.  Faceted rose quartz rectangles, gem-quality amethysts, and apatite create a feminine ambiance in this two strand bracelet.  The second strand is made of ropey sterling silver chain with dangles of apatite and amethysts.
Handmade Bracelet photo handmade-bracelet-j8_zps870b27f0.jpg


Sunstone Jewelry photo sunstone-jewelry-d1_zpsaba0e50f.jpg

Sunstone is perfect to go with nectarine, one of the colors forecast to be big this Spring/Summer 2013. Above, three strands of sunstone glow enhanced by sterling silver from Bali. Below, sunstone mixes with emerald green apatite - perfect, since emerald is another of Spring's most popular colors. Three strands means a rich,  opulent look for your wrist.
Sunstone and Apatite Jewelry photo sunstone-jewelry-e2_zpsa34bf25c.jpg
Below, large rose quartz rectangles are just as gemmy as it gets in this simple bracelet. The only accents to these magnificent faceted rose quartz rectangles is 14 karat gold-filled tiny beads and a plain toggle clasp.
Rose Quartz Bracelet photo rose-quartz-bracelet-c9_zpsc91577a9.jpg

Below, this bracelet features carnelian in shades of red to orange in a flower theme.  The focal is a large carved open flower; other carved flowers are on either side of the bracelet.  The accents are all gold vermeil (22 karat gold layered over sterling silver). Three little charms dangle from two places on the bracelet.
Carnelian Bracelet photo carnelian-bracelet-b7_zps152c9cdc.jpg

Tourmaline Bracelet photo tourmaline-bracelet-c5_zpse206c0f5.jpg

A tourmaline bracelet is a wonderful portent of Spring! Four strands of gold-filled chain and tourmalines in varying shades of green, yellow, pink and black are accented by small gold-filled beads.  The tourmalines range in shape from smooth heishis to faceted rondelles to gem-quality faceted coin beads and faceted ovals.  A cluster of charms hangs from the front of the chain while others dangle on the sides. With its gorgeous mix of colors, this is the perfect Spring bracelet!
Tourmaline Bracelet photo tourmaline-bracelet-c4_zps098e18d0.jpg
Wishing you a wonderful Spring! See The Jewelry Blog on Tuesday for more jewelry trends from our Spring Collection. 

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Sunday, February 10, 2013

Versatile Citrine; The Romance of Labradorite

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Citrines are a favorite gemstone of mine; yes, it seems as though I say this about so many gemstones, but citrine is one of the gemstones I wear 2 or 3 times every week.  It is a versatile gemstone that can look dressy or casual and despite its being yellow, it works well with a lot of different clothing.  The citrine bracelet here has a touch of garnet (another very versatile stone) that grounds it. The three strands of the bracelet feature faceted nuggets of citrine in different sizes, faceted citrine rondelles, smooth rondelles, an artist's lampwork bead as a focal point and tiny little sterling silver Thai Karen Hill Tribes beads.  The final touch is a sterling toggle clasp that has cabochon citrines set into the ends of the toggle bar. Citrine really looks great with beige and khaki, pops with black, and lends a sparkle to white.
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labradorite jewelry photo labradorite-jewelry-h4_zpse0b1a9b9.jpg

I have been working with labradorite quite a bit lately. I find labradorite a romantic gemstone that works greatly on my imagination.  My mind dwells on northern climes, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Canada, and I think of the fairy tales I read as a child about Hans and Gerda, the Snow Queen, and the reindeer of Lapland. I have a romantic image of these Northern countries to this day and cannot wait to visit Scandanavia (alas, it's not high on the list of friends and family who prefer tropical locations). Labradorite will forever remind me of the Aurora Borealis with its flash of blue and other cool colors. The labradorite bracelet, above and below, is made of two strands of labradorite and sterling silver. Every gemstone has been chosen for flash, and the crowning glory of this bracelet is a flashy toggle clasp of sterling silver with a bezel-set labradorite gemstone in the toggle ring.
labradorite jewelry photo labradorite-jewelry-h3_zps633ed912.jpg

chalcedony jewelry photo chalcedony-jewelry-g8_zpsf477ed1e.jpg

When I first got this lavender tinted faceted rectangles, I thought to myself, whatever will I do with these? They are an odd color and seem to change color a bit with the light. But I still loved them nonetheless and kept them where I could see them because I found them pleasurable to look at. Then I saw these artist's lampwork beads and realized that they were perfect for the chalcedony. With a minimum of sterling silver so as to let the chalcedony be the star, the necklace is mainly the lampwork, three focals, and the faceted rectangles. It is an odd piece of jewelry, unusual in its color, but one that I find compelling in its difference.
chalcedony jewelry photo chalcedony-jewelry-g9_zpsd17d37e5.jpg

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Thursday, February 07, 2013

Jewelry for My Valentine!

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Cluny Grey Jewelry has a special Valentine Jewelry page on the site, though every piece of jewelry on the entire site would be a perfect Valentine's Day gift for someone! We have a few pieces on this page that you won't find anywhere else on the site yet, and a few jewelry pieces that are there because they are pink, red, peach or have hearts or some theme that seems to target love or romance. These are just a few offerings on the page. First, one of our favorite necklaces made with Swarovski crystals that you won't find anywhere else on the site. The Swarovski crystals are pink and pale golden shadow and work beautifully together especially since those are the two colors found in the special artist's lampwork heart that is the focal of the necklace (close-up picture is above). Sterling silver filigree beads are pretty, feminine and perfect for this necklace.
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Pink also plays a major role in this charm bracelet on our Valentine Jewelry page. The bracelet itself is made of oval links of sterling silver from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes (with a much higher silver content than is required by law here in the USA). The Swarovski crystals are sparkling pink rondelles grouped romantically in twos and alternated with different sterling silver hearts, three from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes. For the closing touch, a lobster clasp (sterling, of course) in the shape of a heart holds it all together!
Valentine Jewelry photo valentine-jewelry-b2_zpsa43b5c38.jpg
Valentine Jewelry photo valentine-jewelry-b3_zps907bacbb.jpg
Above is another charm bracelet, this one with a sterling silver double-linked chain (you can add more charms to it later if you wish) and little bezel-set, cabochon garnet charms and heart charms from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes.
Below, a very dainty sterling silver charm bracelet features mostly open hearts hanging from a chain whose links are hearts. One large faceted briolette of red chalcedony hangs from the center of the bracelet. A ropey toggle clasp is the closure (all sterling).
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Swarovski crystals just seem right for Valentine's Day for some reason.  The necklace above features an artist's lampwork heart (from Laffingull) in a pretty opal-like pink color sprinkled with black.  Taking a cue from the heart, Swarovski crystals in rosewater opal pink and jet black make up the necklace itself, along with sterling silver from Bali.  For an extra special touch, a double-triangle sterling toggle clasp has a cabochon onyx embedded in the toggle.
Below, more Swarovski crystals sparkle in this Valentine Jewelry. The Swarovski crystal hearts in copper, crystal, and red form the centerpiece of the necklace. Two little copper Swarovski butterflies appear to be flying up the sides of the necklace which is formed of more Swarovski crystals and little tiny sterling beads from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes.
The bracelet below features one of Cluny's favorite chains that she uses when she makes jewelry for herself. It is a twisted 14 karat gold-filled chain with largish oval links; the twisted 14 karat gold-filled toggle clasp is a perfect match for the chain. The bracelet features only two charms: one is a beautiful Swarovski crystal cross in golden shadow, the other a puffed 14 karat gold-filled heart.  It's classic and simple and perfect for someone of Christian faith.
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Sunday, February 03, 2013

Jewelry To Blog About!


Who has time to blog when she is busy making jewelry? Certainly not I! And that explains my absence from this blog for a while. I have been busy making beauty as I hope that you will attest. Of course, I have been busy with some amethysts since they are the birthstone for February - and also since I love to work with amethysts anyway. The top bracelet is a beautiful, gem-quality amethyst bracelet made with cushion-cut amethysts and sterling silver.  It almost hurt me to make it because I love these amethysts so much that I want to make them into jewelry but keep them at the same time!  Once they are made into a bracelet such as this, it's as if those the amethysts no longer belong to me, and of course, I hope that they will go out in the world and be worn on someone's wrist with pride - but I will miss them.
  Below, this amethyst bracelet has some more of my favorite amethysts, but these couldn't be more different.  The three large, flat, flaceted slabs of amethyst that you see here have inclusions and are far from perfect. But they are translucent if a trifle cloudy in places, and I love them. And yes, I bought a lot of them so that the first thing that I did was to use a few to make a bracelet (with gold) for myself. The amethyst bracelet below is for sale though, and features not just 14 karat gold-filled accents, but also some of Robin Weber's fantastic lampwork beads with silver leaf.  They are so gorgeous.

I've been working quite a bit with abalone as well and I thought I would try the two together: abalone and amethyst, it seemed like a good mix, especially when I saw the abalone embedded in this pendant with its pretty purple iridescence, and with the purple cabochon bezel-set in sterling silver at the bottom of the pendant. I was so taken with the pendant that I decided to use just the elements in the pendant for the abalone necklace. Sterling silver, abalone and freshwater pearl sticks. It really is a looker!
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And as usual with me, one thing leads to another. I kept looking at the abalone and freshwater pearls together and decided that I would like to put together something with their wonderful contrast of light and dark iridescence, so the necklace below was born. It's a classic, so much better than just a plain pearl necklace!
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To end on colorful note, here is a piece of chalcedony jewelry I am wild about! This bracelet is all chalcedony and sterling silver and just as colorful as it can be.  I especially love the focal faceted nugget of aqua chalcedony. To make it even more special, I added a colorful gemstone toggle clasp in sterling silver.
 photo chalcedony-jewelry-g7_zps9a5fc0f9.jpg
Don't forget that shipping is free for all purchases over $50.00; only $1.95 for purchases under $50.00!

Monday, January 07, 2013

Garnets for January!


Ah, garnets, a favorite of so many people for so many years! This wonderful red gemstone was named after the pomegranate, most likely because of the color, although garnets come in many different colors including gold, brown, and green.  And I have seen red garnets so dark that they look almost black!
   I am a garnet lover.  I have a garnet ring, an oval that I wear almost everyday. I also have a garnet bracelet (with gold, of course) made of flat, faceted nuggets, made by me, that I wear almost everyday. Garnets are wonderfully versatile and can be worn with most colors.  
  Garnets are the birthstone for January, and we have quite a few garnet bracelets at Cluny Grey for you to peruse.  One of the new ones you can see here, above and below, is a double stranded bracelet with a variety of different garnets including faceted nuggets and my favorite little faceted cushion-cut rectangles.  This garnet bracelet is enhance with borosilicate lampwork beads that pick up the color of the garnets and adds just a touch more. Pretty sterling silver gives the bracelet a feminine touch, but I especially love the toggle clasp that has an bezel-set faceted garnet in it.

Of course, if you know me, you know that I love to mix gemstones, and the more I like a gemstone, the more that I want to mix it! I love aquamarines and thought these pretty deep blue faceted aquamarines would make a great foil for the garnets.  I was right! The sterling toggle clasp is in the shape of a butterfly. All of these gemstones are very fine.



I told you garnets came in other colors! I adore green garnets especially when they are translucent as these are.  Green garnets are rarer than red garnets and really pretty. The faceted nuggets and square here are mixed with plenty of sterling silver. The second strand of the bracelet features one of my favorite twisted rope sterling chains with three Thai Karen Hill Tribes charms hanging at intervals.
One strand simple garnet bracelets, below, for the purist who wants her garnets unadulterated. Accented only by sterling silver, these garnets show off their shapes, first in sterling silver, then in a gold version.

Next post, garnet earrings and garnet necklaces!


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Sunday, December 09, 2012

More Blue Topaz and Consider Custom!

 The Christmas Season is hard upon us and everyone is scurrying around to find presents. If you haven't done so yet, consider a custom piece of jewelry for someone special - in many cases, there is still time to make a bracelet, necklace, or earrings depending on what you want!
   Today, just three pieces of pretty blue topaz jewelry: a bracelet, and two pairs of earrings.
    The bracelet, above, is made with London Blue faceted rondelles and goldfilled accents. It's a small bracelet with great presence.
    Below are two pairs of blue topaz earrings; both are Swiss blue topaz; one pair is made with goldfilled fluted beads and goldfilled accents. The second pair is made with sterling silver and features Thai Karen Hill Tribes heart beads above the blue topazes. The blue topazes in both pairs are faceted cubes.


These will be available for sale in the next hour or so.

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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Gold Bangles and Abalone


Fall is truly here although we still have most days in the 70's and it did hit 80 degrees this week. Never mind. I'm wearing my Fall clothes and busily finishing transferring all my warm weather clothing to another closet. Along with seeing what clothes I have that are still going to "work" for me this year, I also have all my jewelry, including costume jewelry, out to see what necklaces and bracelets are going to look good with what new outfits.  Does anyone else do this every year?
     I'm a bangle lover. Bangle bracelets have been a favorite of mine since I was in junior high and longed for a simple real gold bracelet. The bangle bracelet is one jewelry trend that has never really gone out of style. These gold bangles, however, combine gemstones with my gold for a look that is both colorful and classic.  Gold bangle bracelets look fantastic with your work clothes, then go out to happy hour and dress up well, too.
   Above is pink tourmaline (difficult to find) in the form of dainty little hearts; below is a lapis bracelet made with smooth lapis rounds. Lapis bangle bracelets look great with jeans!


Above and below, abalone is scrumptious for bangle bracelets.  Because the actual pieces of abalone are so beautiful, bangle bracelets are a wonderful venue to show off the gorgeous colors. (All the gold here is 14 karat goldfill).


Above is a beautiful aquamarine bangle bracelet. This gold bangle bracelet has pretty blue aquamarine flat nuggets in the center, and twisted bangles on the side. A twisted toggle clasp adds to the texture of the bracelet as do the sharply faceted aquamarine rondelles and fluted caps on either side.
The abalone bracelet, above, features two strands of abalone and sterling silver.  This bracelet really, really gleams.  I've kept the sea theme going on with a pretty seashell charm and a starfish charm. Little stick beads are from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes and are so pretty with the different look they give the bracelet.
  Be sure to get your Christmas orders in early.  For once, I will not be going out of the country this Christmas, but it's still good to start working on custom orders as soon as possible!

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Sunday, September 16, 2012

Jewelry Trends for Fall

Although it is not officially here until next week, I can smell Fall in the air, and feel the energy that comes along with the season. I'm continuing to post pieces from the new Fall Collection on the Cluny Grey Jewelry website.  Here are some of the pieces that will be posted this week:
Above and below: the aqua chalcedony bracelet features gold chain which is a big fashion trend this year.  The chalcedony here is beautiful; the smaller gemstone serves as a counter-weight  so that the bracelet does not keep turning over. 14 karat goldfill and vermeil.

Below, a prehnite bracelet features pretty translucent green olive faceted gemstones linked together with sterling silver and closing with a filigree cameo clasp.


Below, a pretty bracelet in chrysoprase has a feminine flowered toggle clasp in sterling silver and little round cabochon chrysoprase charms.

A drusy pendant is the focal of this necklace of tourmalinated quartz and amethysts. The faceted flat quartz nuggets are partially translucent and separated by translucent amethysts pebbles.  The back of the necklace is a heavy sterling silver chain.  The drusy pendant has a sparkling black drusy surround by sterling silver and four faceted bezel-set amethysts. The perfect necklace to go from work to happy hour, to pair with a LBD or with a favorite  dress.
Below, the bracelet of tourmalinated quartz and amethysts, sold separately, is a perfect match for the drusy necklace above. 

The aquamarine necklace features only aquamarine and sterling silver.  The aquamarines are smooth ovals, faceted nuggets, and pretty briolettes clustered at the center. This would look great with navy - the neutral this season, and also with burgundy, the really hot color for Fall/Winter.

Pearls are big this season! The freshwater pearl bracelet above is meant to be worn with the chalcedony nugget and the pretty toggle clasp on top of the wrist.  The toggle clasp has a bezel set pearl.  The aqua chalcedony is a beautiful faceted nugget.
   Below, three strands of freshwater pearls mix with gold and mother-of-pearl.  The gold, including the pretty puffed heart charm, is 14 karat goldfilled.  The geometric look comes from an open square of mother-of-pearl with a fluted 14 karat goldfilled bead inside it.
The earrings below are chalcedony in  a minty green topped with genuine rubies.  All metal is sterling silver. Beautiful with black - and the colors show up with most hair colors.
Chain bracelets are another big trend this year; add charms and you have a real winner.  All sterling silver with a sterling silver toggle clasp with a cabochon onyx embedded in a triangle of the toggle. The sterling chains range in size from 2mm to 8mm.

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