Dreaming of Aquamarine

Aquamarine is one of my favorite gemstones, a member of the beryl family just like my own birthstone, the emerald. Aquamarine comes in a variety of colours, but my favorite is the pure "aquamarine" colour that is a light turquoise blue. Yes, I've been working this weekend, trying to get a bit ready for the March birthstone offerings on the Cluny Grey Jewelry website. Of course, bracelets are my favorite! Making aquamarine bracelets is a real joy whether I'm making them with gold or sterling or with or without lampwork beads. The top aquamarine bracelet is a sterling bangle bracelet handmade with Karen Hill Tribes tube beads and one of the huge special aquamarine specimens I ordered from my dealer in Hong Kong. The lampwork beads on either side were made by Lynn Nurge of laffinggull beads.
More special aquamarine beads are in the bracelet below; these came from Thailand and are quite large so that they match the size of the large borosilicate lampwork beads. It's a nice chunky aquamarine bracelet for the person who likes for bracelets to stand out.

The third bracelet illustrates the difference in aquamarines; these are beautiful and quite gemmy, almost crystal clear for the most part with more of a green tint than blue. The lampwork beads by Robin Weber are laced with silver for a really special look.
The earrings both have flower themes - yes, I'm dreaming of spring, the beach in May, long hot summer afternoons by the pool, the smell of fresh-cut grass baking in the summer sun! (Watch, tomorrow the temperature will probably be back below freezing!) By the way, the last piece is an ankle bracelet.



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Amethysts!

It has been so long since I last posted that I've almost forgotten how. Valentine's Day and its aftermath have kept me busy, then the indescribable sickness that comes from having fibromyalgia stole most of this last week away from me, keeping me bedridden and much of the time in a deep sleep ( asleep I don't hurt though!). I haven't managed really to get anything new posted on the site, much less make new jewelry (still working on custom orders, too).
The two bracelets here are composed primarily of amethysts, the February birthstone, and I've done something I don't usually do: I've used the same lampwork beads for both bracelets. These lampwork beads are very different from most borosilicate beads; they have different colours and a strange opal-like quality as well without really being opalescent. The colours led to the mixture that you can see in the bracelet above. Large faceted rondelles of pretty blue aquamarine mix well with the amethysts with the addition of the lampwork. And I do love box clasps with stones set in them.
The next amethyst bracelet uses the lampwork beads and dark and light amethysts in faceted nuggets and rounds for a more homogeneous look. Bali and Karen Hill Tribes sterling silver accent the two. They will both be on the Amethyst Bracelets page of the Cluny Grey Jewelry website.
I'm still rushing to catch up, so if you want some information about the amethyst gemstone, where it gets its name, etc. see last year's February post.
Meanwhile, everyone pray for Spring!


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