Gemstone Bracelets with Color

 I love color in the middle of cold winter.  Above and below, Pierres a Trois is a gemstone bracelet with a strand of citrine a strand of garnet, and a strand of apatite.  Sterling silver charms hang around the bracelet and a sturdy sterling silver toggle clasp is the closure. Guaranteed to go with something you have in your closet!

 Below, purple goes so well with labradorite whether it's in the form of Swarovski crystals (tanzanite color) or in this case, genuine gemstone amethyst.  Very flashy labradorite and pretty quality amethysts make this bracelet very special.  With sterling silver accents and a wonderful sterling box clasp with a cabochon amethyst set into the top. A plethora of labradorite and amethyst charms hang from rings on one side of the bracelet.

 Perk up your spirits these cold days. Buy some new jewelry to add that je ne sais quoi to your boring winter clothes! Remember that shipping is free!

Garnets: The January Birthstone

 I am extremely fond of garnets and wear them almost everyday.  I have an oval garnet ring I love that I've had for many years; it goes with everything and especially looks good with black.  I have made myself a garnet nugget bracelet that I wear also almost everyday.  The garnets are large (large garnets are hard to come by) and the flat faceted nuggets really catch the light.  The best part is that garnet jewelry goes from an everyday situation to a dressy one and looks perfect for both.
   Above and below, a garnet bracelet very like the one that I wear almost everyday.  14 karat gold-filled beads and accents look great with the deep red garnets.

 Above and below, this 2 strand garnet bracelet features smooth garnet nuggets and a second strand of Thai Karen Hill Tribes chain dangling 3 garnet charms and 2 leaf charms.  Lots of sterling silver give it a really rich look.

 Garnet necklaces are good for every occasion. Again, both of these necklaces can be worn to work and then out to dinner or a party.  The garnet necklace below features gem-quality faceted oval garnets that give it a really feminine look.

I love fluorite! Below is the newest fluorite bracelet to grace the Cluny Grey website. The faceted nuggets are especially colorful and pretty. The focal lampwork beads pulls all the fluorite colors together.

 NEW:  Some of you may know that I have opened an Etsy shop called JewelrybyChloemarie to sell my jewelry that I make that may not be on the website.  I've had a love affair with vintage costume jewelry since I can remember and many of the pieces that you find there are made with Czech beads, vintage beads, crystal, Swarovski, gold-plate, silver-plate, brass, and bronze.  Everything from minimal necklaces with a single drop to assemblage necklaces can be found here.  Below is a bracelet that I've been making since 2007 but have never sold online.  It features vintage lucite, silver-plated filigree and chain. It covers the top of the wrist and is really a feminine and fun piece!

 A 14 karat gold-filled chain bracelet with a heart charm and a Swarovski crystal cross.

 A Renaissance style necklace with faceted glass beads, gold-plated filigree, vintage glass opals and a cameo like medallion featuring a princess.

 Another favorite bracelet: silver-plated filigree hugs the top of the wrist completely and 4 chains wrap around to a swirling leaf toggle clasp.  The flowered filigree is topped with a larger flower and leaves and centered with a light blue sparkling vintage rhinestone.

Shipping is always FREE on the Cluny Grey website for purchases over $50.00! Now FREE for Australia and New Zealand also!

Gemstones and More! Bracelets, Earrings, and Necklaces

Ah, the frenzy of the holiday season begins! And no where is it more frenzied than here on the fourth floor in my studio.  I watched heavy snowflakes today (that unfortunately melted right away) only when I chanced to look up from my busy workbench.  I will be closing shop starting December 13th this year, so be sure to get any custom orders right away!
   Above, a multi-gemstone bracelet with sterling silver contains several shades of touraline including pink and green, aquamarine, citrine, apatite, and chrysoprase.  Three sterling silver charms dangle on one side of the bracelet which features sterling silver chain; a sterling toggle clasp is the closure.
   Below, cloisonne earrings with vermeil earwires and Swarovski crystals.

   Below, Swarovski crystals in Indocolite look wonderful with special cloisonne beads; the cloisonne contains a rhinestone embedded on both sides. A vermeil toggle clasp is the closure.
   Next, another cloisonne bracelet, this one features pretty blue genuine faceted agate stones with cylindrical gold and blue cloisonne.

   Above and below, a fire agate bracelet that is full of fire. Charms in vermeil and fire agate hang from 3 points of the bracelet.

   I'm in love with this beautiful turquoise bracelet.  The borosilicate lampwork beads are stunning and streaked with the colors of the turquoise and gorgeous shades of pink.  Sterling silver charms are from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes; the hefty sterling toggle clasp is from Bali.

   Above, the romance of rose quartz deepens when paired with rose gold-filled accented and lobster clasp.  Rose gold and rose quartz? They're perfect together.  And this rose quartz is an especially pretty pink.
   Below, blue fluorite bracelet is one of my favorites! Blue fluorite is unusual and so pretty, and is more striking when it's paired with sterling silver.  The two strand bracelet features one strand with faceted blue fluorite nuggets and another of tiny Karen Hill Tribes beads and charms.

Below, fluorite in different shades is complemented by very special artist's lampwork beads that are exquisite. A pretty Thai Karen Hill Tribes "S" clasp has a flower atop it.

Below, fire agate earrings with gold-filled beads and accents.

I am closing for Christmas vacation on December 13th.

Life and Bracelets and Where's the Fall Collection?

Apatite Bracelet

I have been spending some time in Hot Springs, Arkansas lately where my best friend and most of my family live. That means that I am woefully behind on so many things and  I am struggling to catch up. 
 From the Fall Collection, now long overdue to be shown, are these bracelets that look great alone or stacked together on the wrist.  Above is a bracelet with sterling silver, apatite and a single lotus charm; below,  a similar bracelet with gem-quality faceted coin amethysts, sterling silver, and a fleur de lis charm.  The bracelet has a lobster clasp with a pretty flower on it.

Amethyst Bracelet

Chalcedony Bracelet

Above, a bracelet of blue chalcedony faceted ovals with sterling silver and a puffy star charm.

Below, simple round garnet beads are enhanced by a pretty little toggle clasp with a leaf design.  Thai Karen Hill Tribes charm has three sterling rounds hanging from a single loop.

Garnet Bracelet

Below, my favorite, because it's gold, of course, is this lapis bracelet with 14 karat gold-filled components including an oval blank that can be stamped with your initial. The coin lapis beads are especially pretty.

Lapis Lazuli Bracelet

Above and below, the bracelets paired.

Lapis, Carnelian, and Turquoise Bracelet with Gold-fill

I love the classic combination of carnelian, lapis, and turquoise in this mixed gemstone bracelet.  The large lapis nugget is especially beautiful with its golden sprinkling of pyrite. The gold is a mixture of gold-filled and vermeil.  The vermeil charms are little dragonflies hanging from a 14k gold-filled chain.  Two of the carnelian beads are beautifully carved and rather unusual. The turquoise is from the Sleeping Beauty mine and is a wonderful deep shade of blue.
  Please order early for Christmas this year as I will be heading off to Vienna, Salzburg, and then Bulgaria in mid-December.  If you need a custom piece, remember that they seldom cost more than any similar piece you would find on the site, yet you get personal attention and preferences.
  Now shipping is FREE to AUSTRALIA as it is in the USA: anything over 50.00 is FREE while purchases under $50 are only 1.95 to ship.

Fluorite, Sunstone, and Swarovski

 I saw with dismay this morning that at 6:00 a.m. it was still dark.  Yes, summer is over, and where did it go so quickly?! Fall is almost here and with it will come the new Cluny Grey Fall Collection. Meanwhile, here are a few pieces I've finished lately.
Above, a fluorite bracelet with a dichroic focal bead echoing the colors in the green and purple fluorite.  This bracelet is made with some of my favorite faceted fluorite nuggets in beautiful shades including a blue fluorite.
Below, a sunstone bracelet with flashing sunstone and a 14 karat gold-filled large-linked textured chain with a pretty cross dangling from it.  Vermeil spiral beads and toggle clasp.

 Above and below, a Swarovski crystal bracelet in my favorite Swarovski color of Pacific opal.  Alhambra, (name of the bracelet) features a wonderful focal cloisonne beads with the aqua color as well as gold and coral.  Vermeil accents accompany the pretty crystals.

 Below, large hunky Swarovski cosmic crystals in Golden Shadow complement the single cloisonne bead. The oval cloisonne beads not only has a peach background and blue and yellow flowers with green leaves, but has a rhinestone on each side.

Back to work on the Fall Collection.  See you soon!

Don't forget that shipping for purchases over $50 is always FREE; for purchases under $50, just 1.95.

Cleopatra and the "Gem of the Sun"

 Peridot, the August birthstone, is a pretty gemstone with a clear green color. It is fairly easy usually for us to find translucent peridot that are especially pretty for the jewelry that I make. I do like working with it; the only drawback to peridot is that it is usually difficult to find very large stones.

    Peridot has a rich history, full of legends and lore that makes it an especially interesting gemstone.
The Egyptians called peridot the "gem of the sun" and believed that it was best mined at night when it shone brightly; during the day, it shone so brightly that it couldn't even be seen!
    Most of the peridot mined in the ancient world came from St. John's, an island about 50 miles off the coast of Egypt.  It was so overrun by snakes that the miners had a difficult time until the Pharaoh had all the snakes killed.  Much easier for the miners, not so good for the snakes. As a result, however, peridot is still believed by many to be a guard against snakebite!
   The first three photos are of Minuet Verde, a three strand peridot bracelet with a two-sided sterling bead in the middle of the middle strand.  The bead has two cabochon peridots bezel-set into it.  The bracelet also has a double sided toggle clasp with a faceted square peridot set diagonally in each side of the toggle.

    Many historians believe that the emeralds that Cleopatra wore were not emeralds at all, but actually peridots which would have been readily accessible to her and can easily be confused with emeralds. 
   For many centuries, people thought the 200 carat gems in the shrine of the Three Holy Kings in Cologne Cathedral in Germany were emerald. They are really peridots (gia.com).
   Above and below, another three strand peridot bracelet. The gemstones are small and sparkling and accented by 5 sterling silver flower charms and a pretty heart-shaped sterling lobster clasp.

    Peridot is thought to help one achieve harmony in marriage. The ancients believed that it would give one eloquence and also protect one from evil spirits. It is often used today by proponents of crystal healing for asthma and a slew of other ailments.
   Above and below, this peridot bracelet has 5 strands of peridots on one side of the bracelet and faceted peridot rondelles set between large faceted nuggets of quartz crystal on the other.  In the center, sterling silver and peridot charms are clustered next to a faceted rose quartz square.

 Today, most peridots come from Burma since St. John's island has not been mined since the 1950's.  The largest peridot is approximately 310 carats and resides here in Washington, D.C.'s Smithsonian museum.

    Above, a double-stranded bracelet of peridots with the main strand featuring quite large faceted peridots while the second strand has small peridots. The peridots are accented by square artist's lampwork beads shot with silver handmade by Robin Weber. Below, a bracelet made of peridot rondelles and sterling silver butterflies from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes.

    Below, another peridot bracelet featuring lampwork beads and large faceted peridot nuggets.  The second strand is a large oval-lined chain dangling Thai Karen Hill Tribes flower charms.

As usual, FREE SHIPPING with any purchase over $50; only $1.95 for purchases under $50!

Coral Bracelets, Necklaces, Earrings: Gifts from the Sea

 I adore coral; it's an organic material straight from the sea with all the magic of the sea. Coral combines well with pearls and other gemstones, and of course, it looks wonderful with artist's lampwork beads. I'm especially fond of peachy-pink colored coral of any kind, and I am bewitched by  branch coral with long twiggy-looking sprigs.
Above, a coral bracelet with peachy-pink coral nuggets mixed with irregularly shaped freshwater pearls and sterling silver.  The sea-themed charms include a mermaid, a seahorse,and a fish.

 Above and below, coral bracelets with slices of red coral.  The bracelet above has deep red coral mixed with brightly colored artist's lampwork beads; a second strand features a super-heavy length of sterling chain and tiny Thai Karen Hill Tribe beads and dangles sea-themed sterling charms. The coral bracelet below has brighter red slices of coral with special artist's lampwork beads and vermeil accents.

 The coral bracelet below combines slices of darker peachy-pink coral and short twigs of coral as well as golden coral tubes.  The mix in this bracelet includes charms of sterling and artist's lampwork beads.

    Above, a wonderful mixture of corals with accents of genuine turquoise and sterling silver. 
    Below, golden tube coral with special golden and sterling silver leaf artist's lampwork beads, sterling silver charms.

Above, star-fish themed coral bracelet with red coral slices.              

    Below, a double-strand branch coral necklace with coral rounds and special artist's lampwork beads including a lampwork flower.

    Below, a black coral necklace with golden coral tubes and artist's lampwork beads.

    Below, huge red coral slices and coral nuggets with vermeil and artist's lampwork beads.

    Above, black onyx, vermeil, and coral earrings.
    Below, large coral slices with Bali sterling silver and special earwires with diamond-shaped decorations.

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