Bracelets: A Motley Crew!

If the above bracelet doesn't make you think of spring or that summer is almost upon us, then you are a glass-half-empty person! Today's "motley crew" of bracelets range from precious gemstones like rubies to odd combinations in colors and gemstones such as the one you see above and below.  Many of these do not have prices on them yet, so if you go to the Cluny Grey Jewelry website give me a day or two to get the cart on these. The Harlequin bracelet that you see above is made of chalcedony, aventurine, carnelian, sterling silver, and one of my favorite artist's lampwork beads made by James Derrick Reeves (he is no longer making beads, unfortunately, so I treasure the small supply of his that I have). The flower charm is from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes.

Two of my favorites are having a fine romance here in this aquamarine and sunstone bracelet which has gorgeous aquamarines, including the large faceted aquamarine nugget that is the focal. The sparkling sunstone beads hold their own however, since they are equally beguiling. Thai Karen Hill Tribes tiny faceted beads show off these pretty gemstones. The charms are also Thai Karen.

I really like the unusual rectangular reticulated sterling toggle clasp on this aquamarine bracelet.

I adore sunstone and I'm always trying to see how it is going to look with other gemstones, but it is great just on its own!  For proof, just look below! Four sumptuous strands of sunstone in different shapes and sizes are set off by the tiniest of Thai Karen Hill Tribes sterling beads. Because of these beads, the bracelet, while very full on the wrist, also has a daintiness to it.

The unbelievable focal here is what is known as crab fire agate.  It looks splendid with orange gem-quality carnelian and vermeil from Bali. It's a real show-off bangle bracelet!

What can I say about rubies? That I adore them, love to work with them, love their luxuriousness and the way they always make me think of fairy tales or India?  All of this is true. That may be why I love to use large ruby nuggets in my jewelry such as in the ruby bracelet below. An added attraction is a focal that is a large wire-wrapped bead with little ruby rondelles sticking up out of it like cabochon gemstones.

The wonderful sterling silver accents are from Bali.

And speaking of focal beads, I'm captivated by this large faceted labradorite nugget which flashes blue or green depending on the way that you look at it.  The other coins and rondelles of labradorite also have blue or green flash, and an unusual dragonfly toggle clasp is the closure.

I don't know why the bracelet below makes me think of summer, but it does. Maybe it's the bluejean color of the pretty royal blue lapis gemstones - or the yellow opals which are actually a glowing deep creamy ivory, the color of really old genuine ivory. Could it be the flowers cut out in the sterling charms or on the toggle clasp.  Whatever it is, I can see myself at 22 wearing jeans and an eyelet top with skinny straps, proud of my summer tan. (22 was a long time ago!)

I also have more new jewelry than is shown here on the site and I am adding more daily. Want something special? Just let me know - my custom work is the same price range usually as what you see on the site.

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More Jewelry for Spring!

The mixed colors of tourmaline are always in style; here the two strand tourmaline necklace is truly seasonless. The necklace has tourmalines in all shapes and sizes from smooth opaque nuggets to translucent rondelles to gem-quality tourmalines.  Sterling silver accents the many colors and a special gemstone clasp holds it all together!
   Below, I've become really enamoured of apatite, especially the neon turquoise color that you see here in this apatite and mixed gemstone bracelet. Gem quality amethysts are beautiful with the apatite, but the unusual addition is that of genuine opals from Australia. 14 karat gold-filled components show off the beauty of the gemstones, and 14 karat gold-filled sand-dollar charm adds a whimsical touch.

Above and below, this chalcedony necklace will mix with most of your chalcedony jewelry since it boasts wonderful spring colors of aqua, light green, purple, pink and yellow.  The purple gemstones are large faceted slabs of amethysts; the small faceted yellow olive gemstones are lemon quartz. Tiny accents of sterling silver are between each of the gemstones and a sterling silver clasp is the closure.

Finally, chrysoprase boasts the ultimate spring green color in this two-strand bracelet with lemon quartz. Sterling silver components are in this bracelet featuring some of our favorite chrysoprase carved and faceted gemstones.
Cluny Grey Jewelry

More Jewelry from the Spring Collection

Today a sampling of jewelry with no rhyme or reason as to its inclusion except that all pieces are part of the Cluny Grey Spring Collection.
The first is a labradorite necklace with accents of 14 karat goldfill. Each single bead was chosen for its flash, and the little smooth briolettes in the center of the necklace gives it a "ruffled" look.

This labradorite necklace has two strands of labradorite in varying shapes, both faceted and smooth gemstones. Again, each gemstone of labradorite was chosen for its flash. The star of the necklace is the wonderful sterling silver pendant with bezel set smooth and faceted gemstones set in an assymetrical pattern.  The largest stone is a labradorite cabochon with amazing blue flash.  There's also a bezel-set garnet gemstone on the actual bail of the pendant. The two other gemstones are faceted rectangles of amethyst and blue topaz.

Sunstone earrings are simple smooth teardrop briolettes.

The emerald bracelet, above, boasts the addition of cultured freshwater coin pearls in the same emerald color. Emerald is one of the biggest colors for this spring.

Above and below, an aquamarine bangle bracelet features pretty blue aquamarines and sterling silver bangles; the mother of pearl bracelet below has clover-shaped cultured freshwater pearls as an accent on one side and 14 karat gold-filled accents. Both bracelets will look wonderful with Spring's colors of dusk blue, Monaco blue, and African violet.

Tourmaline is a perennial favorite and one of the most beautiful gemstones with its many varying colors which are mixed here in both the necklace and bracelet. Both pieces of tourmaline jewelry have a good measure of the valued pink tourmalines.

  Both pairs of quartz earrings are accented by sterling silver earwires with bezel-set white freshwater pearls.

More jewelry on Thursday!

Jewelry for Spring!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Wishing you a wonderful Spring! See The Jewelry Blog on Tuesday for more jewelry trends from our Spring Collection. 

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Versatile Citrine; The Romance of Labradorite

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.

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.

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.

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Jewelry for My Valentine!

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.

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!

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).

 

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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