May: The Month of Emeralds

May 01, 2009 :: Posted by - admin :: Category - Bestsellers in Jewelry, birthstone jewelry, emerald bracelets, emerald earrings, emeralds, handcrafted jewelry, handmade bracelet, handmade jewelry, helmi, jewellery, jewelry, jewelry blog, unique jewelry, unusual jewelry

I adore emeralds: it's no secret. The emerald is my birthstone and I am delighted by its colours whether the palest green like pond water to the dark translucent greens that one can see in the Tower of London in the Crown Jewels of England. Emeralds also remind me of one of my favorite places, India, as do rubies. Say the phrase "emeralds and rubies" and India instantly springs to my mind with all its beauty, strangeness, and mystery.

It is a joy to work with emeralds whether they are gem quality or opaque or totally included and rustic. The very knowledge that they are emeralds still imbues them with mystery and exoticism (I have some very crude uncut emeralds that a friend brought me back from Mexico; they are rather rock-like, but I still cherish them).
I am still trying to organize my new studio, but did have some time for the emerald bracelets that you see here. As you can see, I do like mixing emeralds of different quality for a unique texture and range of colours. An AA emerald may be beside an included, opaque stone, but each acts as a foil for the other.
I will be writing more information on emeralds, their history and the beliefs surrounding them. By the way, the largest cut emerald is known as the Mogul Emerald, dates from 1695,and although it was discovered in Colombia was carved and set in, yes, India! I will be going to see it soon, for it belongs to the Smithsonian's National Gem and Mineral Collection.



Finally! Getting a Little Work Done!

April 24, 2009 :: Posted by - admin :: Category - Bestsellers in Jewelry, chalcedony, handcrafted jewelry, handmade bracelet, handmade jewelry, helmi, jewellery, jewelry, jewelry blog
The work that a move entails is mind-boggling! But finally things are starting to calm down although I still don't have a place for everything and everything in its place. Here's hoping that will happen soon. My new favorite necklace is the one above made from chalcedony, big faceted slices of chalcedony in soft aqua and yellow colours. The lampwork beads are some of Suzette Celestin's best and echo the colours of the chalcedony (or do the colours of the chalcedony echo the colours of the lampwork?). You will find it listed on our Chalcedony Jewelry page. These faceted rectangles of rutilated quartz have streaks of black in them that emphasize the iciness of the rest of the stones. The pretty flower embossed sterling beads are a nice contrast to the quartz and add a touch of femininity to the bracelet - the double hearts a bit of sweetness! On our Rutilated Quartzjewelry page. Finally, the blue lace agate bracelet gets its softness from the lampwork beads that have just a hint of pink in them. April is almost gone; my favorite month is May with its warm, warm Spring weather and flowers everywhere. May is fresh and inviting invoking all the wonder of the summer that is to come. Enjoy!