The Jewelry Blog: necklaces

Friday, July 04, 2008

I wish I had some red, white, and blue jewelry to show today, but I'll have to make do with what's on the page. Here in Arkansas, it has rained until a few minutes ago when the sun has come out in full force! Now, for the jewelry: above, a jade bracelet with wonderful lampwork by Suzette Celestin. Below, a bead necklace with mixed stones including turquoise, apatite, citrine and chalcedony. Finally, two more bracelets: the first is a moonstone braceletmade with grey-green and whitish faceted nuggets of moonstone, and an agate bracelet with yellow crazy lace agate and a wonderful Karen Hill Tribes chain.
Have a safe and happy Fourth!!!

jewellery

accessories

handmade beaded jewelry

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Garnet: The January Birthstone

Although garnet is the January birthstone, it is a favorite with many, many people. It was a classic gemstone for Victorian and Edwardian jewelry and is still popular today. Perhaps it's because its colour makes it extremely versatile. What, red? Yes, although garnet is a red gemstone, most garnet is a very dark and deep red, almost a maroon or a bugundy. At night especially, it can look almost black. Because of its deep colour, it looks great with black clothing as well as all the neutrals - khaki, navy, white, cream, camel. Garnet necklaces and bracelets look fantastic when worn with light coloured summer clothing; the contrast between the darkness of the garnets and the pale clothing can be very dramatic.

But garnet is an ancient gemstone, mentioned several times in the Bible, usually by the name of carbuncle. Carbuncle, often used for any cabochon red stone in ancient times, particularly referred however to garnets. Supposedly there were carbuncles in Eden, and God even promises his followers that He will "...make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles...." The garnet also comes in almost every colour imaginable except blue. Grossular garnets come in grey, pink, shades of yellow and green although green is probably the best known. Uvarovite is a dark green; spessartine garnet is usally an orange or reddish-orange; pyrope garnet ranges from a dark red to a pinkish-red.