Opal: The October Birthstone (One of Them)

Here it is almost the middle of October and I haven't really posted anything about the October birthstone. The traditional birthstone for October was the pink tourmaline, but more and more people are turning to the modern alternative, the opal - perhaps because of price and availability. If you think of opal as only those wonderful white- looking stones with a fiery play of colour, then you've missed out on the many varities of opal that are available in the jewelry world today.
First, one of my personal favorites is yellow opal. Gem quality yellow opal has the look of rich melted butter - a deep translucent yellow. The first yellow opal bracelet is made with such gem quality yellow opal and the smallest lampwork beads that I've ever used in a jewelry design. The whole time I was making it the phrase "like buttah" was going through my mind.
Next is a pink Peruvian opal necklace made with smallish pink Peruvian opals. Like yellow opals, pink Peruvian opals don't have the fire one finds in the Australian opals, but the luminous quality of good pink opals and the beautiful pink colours make up for it! I also love getting pink opals that have black inclusions because of the way they blend with lampwork beads. The opal bracelet below is made of some very good quality pink opals that are mixed with aquamarine beads.
Blue Peruvian opals are precious to me also. Good blue Peruvian opals with translucence are my favorites although they range from having a jelly-like look to being completely opaque. Their colors range from a beautiful clear blue to aqua topale green to white. Their inclusions range from by favorite black to a tan to a light ochre. I've mixed the blue opals in the bracelet above with lampwork beads by Robin Weber and natural genuine emeralds. Notice the tan/ochre inclusions on the faceted ovals and the clearer colours touched with black on the faceted nuggets.
Opals are fairly soft and do crack easily, so it's important to store them away from your other jewelry, to protect them when you are travelling, and to avoid banging them against objects when you are wearing your jewelry.


jewellery accessories jewelry fashion shopping braceletsbeads handmade beaded jewelry beading helmi gioielli smykker takı juvelen lampwork beads The Jewelry Blog jewelry trends accessories opal bracelet October birthstone opal birthstone Peruvian opal opal necklace

In the Pink?!

I wanted to entitle this post "In the Pink", but when I consider how I've been feeling lately (see post below about remodeling and dust, dust, dust!), I thought it was probably more appropriate to begin with something green, and to put a question mark after the title.
My green is really wonderful though, as it applies to this bracelet, because I was fortunate enough to get some even more beautiful peridot gemstones than the last batch - in nugget form - and these are practically inclusion-free. I mixed them with lampwork beads by Reeves which also has a very pretty blue aquamarine colour in it, so I added the a few of the blue aquamarine nuggets I have that are really nice. Very happy results.
Otherwise, I have been working "in the pink" as far as gemstones go, with pink tourmaline (see bracelet above), pink Peruvian opal (below) and rose quartz (last bracelet). It has been a good week as far as jewelry is concerned, but the work to do at home (the work we have to do when the workmen leave and we have to get everything sorted out and back to its rightful place) is a bit daunting. The peridot bracelet is already listed and the tourmaline, opal, and rose quartz bracelets soon will be. A short post then as I try to put my closet back together (groan).

jewelry jewellery jewelry trends The Jewelry Blog fashion accessories shopping handmade jewelry handcrafted jewelry beads handmade beaded jewelry helmi gioielli smykker takı juvelen
beading
lampwork beads Karen Hill Tribes jewelry trends opal bracelet tourmaline bracelet peridot bracelet rose quartz bracelet jewelry designs handmade jewelry