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Unusual handmade jewelry designs using pearls, precious gemstones or artisan lampwork glass with complements of precious metals are the focus of my designing passion.
A DESCRIPTION ABOUT MY RAW MATERIALS
GEMSTONES. I love gemstones and use them in many of my designs. The wide range of color, texture, weight, light reflection in chatoyancy and irridescence, and just the feel of different stones keeps me enthralled for hours. If you love gemstones, get a good gemstone book (or two) so that you can read up and learn about these fascinating and wonderful natural gifts. I get excited just to work with a new stone and at times work a long time on a design so that the natural tendencies and beauty of the particular stone is accented to bring joy to the wearer and beauty to the beholder. I prefer to use natural gemstones, but if the gems are genuine, I will so state [unless I do not know and sometimes my vendors don't know. I am not a true rockhound that can always tell the difference].
PEARLS. I was never a lover of pearls, but now if you look through my designs, you will see that I am now a lover of pearls. The bigger the better. I just love the luster, the shine, and the funkier, the better. If you want akoya pearls of round perfection. I can get them and knot them. But I won't do this without a buyer. [But I do have a stunning Tahitian necklace for myself, if you would want to see it]. I have a favorite quote from a customer, Mignon, who picked out many bracelets and even beads that she really liked but didn't know what they where. When I told her, "pearls," she would always reply "But I don't like pearls." Well she owns several pearl pieces now, and she loves them. Maybe you will too.
Mother of pearl is the common name for iridescent nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters and other mollusks and deposited inside their shells, coating and protecting their bodies from parasites and foreign objects. Nacre is the same substance that is deposited around an object that becomes lodged in the mollusk--either naturally or inserted by humans--to become a pearl. Although pearls are popular today, some past cultures regarded colorful pieces of mother of pearl as more desirable decoration for jewelry and other objects. Jewelry made from mother of pearl is in the group called organic jewelry, which includes all jewelry that originates from a living creature, plant or other living organism.
GEMSTONES. I love gemstones and use them in many of my designs. The wide range of color, texture, weight, light reflection in chatoyancy and irridescence, and just the feel of different stones keeps me enthralled for hours. If you love gemstones, get a good gemstone book (or two) so that you can read up and learn about these fascinating and wonderful natural gifts. I get excited just to work with a new stone and at times work a long time on a design so that the natural tendencies and beauty of the particular stone is accented to bring joy to the wearer and beauty to the beholder. I prefer to use natural gemstones, but if the gems are genuine, I will so state [unless I do not know and sometimes my vendors don't know. I am not a true rockhound that can always tell the difference].
PEARLS. I was never a lover of pearls, but now if you look through my designs, you will see that I am now a lover of pearls. The bigger the better. I just love the luster, the shine, and the funkier, the better. If you want akoya pearls of round perfection. I can get them and knot them. But I won't do this without a buyer. [But I do have a stunning Tahitian necklace for myself, if you would want to see it]. I have a favorite quote from a customer, Mignon, who picked out many bracelets and even beads that she really liked but didn't know what they where. When I told her, "pearls," she would always reply "But I don't like pearls." Well she owns several pearl pieces now, and she loves them. Maybe you will too.
Mother of pearl is the common name for iridescent nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters and other mollusks and deposited inside their shells, coating and protecting their bodies from parasites and foreign objects. Nacre is the same substance that is deposited around an object that becomes lodged in the mollusk--either naturally or inserted by humans--to become a pearl. Although pearls are popular today, some past cultures regarded colorful pieces of mother of pearl as more desirable decoration for jewelry and other objects. Jewelry made from mother of pearl is in the group called organic jewelry, which includes all jewelry that originates from a living creature, plant or other living organism.
PRECIOUS METALS
SILVER. I use 925 Silver (92.5% pure silver mixed with 7.5% copper) beads in all my designs, never base metals. Sterling silver oxidizes naturally when exposed to air. This can naturally enhance many designs as it adds depth to the metal. If you desire a more polished shiny look, an occasional polishing may be necessary, or be sure to store your jewelry in special tarnish free silver chests (see QVC for Thomas Panoni styles).
KAREN HILL TRIBE OR THAI SILVER. In 2004, silver from Thailand made by the Karne Hill Tribe (the Long-necked women) is more abundant on the wholesale market. Each bead or pendant is handmade by native tribes using methods in use from the first centuries AD. The bead is formed over tree resin by wrapping strips of silver around the form. The beads are actually made of fine silver, with a silver content of 99.9%. This nearly pure form of silver does not oxidize. The pieces are unique and a treasure to own in a jewelry design.
BALI SILVER. Bali is in Indonesia and is silver that is sought after by jewelry designers due to the intricacy and craftsmanship of the beads. They are handmade from strips, dots and wire of silver. A circle shape is cut out of a strip of flat silver. It is rounded with a hammer to form half of a bead. Using a sticky substance from plant seeds, balls and silver wire are stuck onto the bead, then the two sides and design are soldered on and together. They are oxidized and finally polished to form the finished bead.
INDIAN SILVER. These beads are individually handmade similar to Bali beads, although it can be less intricate in design. I am more impressed with the quality and craftsmanship in 2008 than when I started designing jewelry.
ISRAELI SILVER. These beads are often hollow formed created by two different wax methods, either cast with the lost wax method or electroformed and built up on silver. Israeli beads are beautiful, lightweight beads and a favorite among my customers.
14 KT GOLD. Gold is expensive, but quality, and I will rely on the solid gold for clasps, but generally do not use them in beads. Since I am not a metalsmithing bench jeweler, but rather a bead-lover, I choose to put the value of a design in the other components, more focal to the design.
14 KT GOLD-FILL. This is the better of the gold fill [12 KT being the more standard fill]. My beads are 14 KT gold fill unless otherwise stated. You will not be disappointed . These beads are indistinguishable from the solid beads and they wear very well. I have become a fan myself, and don't mind using this cheaper version and passing the costs on to my customers.
GOLD VERMEIL. The beads that are vermeiled that I use are sterling silver beads covered in 18KT or 24 KT gold. These wear well and the more gold karat weight, usually the more golden yellow is the color of the bead.
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