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Fly Happily with Butterfly Jewelry
June 13th, 2010 | 
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Opal Butterfly Jewelry
One of the most fun pieces of jewelry is a butterfly shaped opal brooch. It has a classy and feminine touch that can be worn in different ways. During the early times, people believed that this gemstone had healing powers. They used this gem to ease eye diseases, depression and anxiety. Other types of butterfly jewelry includes: necklaces, earrings, and rings.
The different kinds of opals that are commonly used in jewelries are black opals, white opals, synthetic opals, crystal opals and boulder opals. Black opals are the hardest to find and are the most costly as well. The shades of white opals, on the other hand are lighter than the other types. Synthetic opals are the ones that are made with artificial material and relatively cost cheaper. They are brighter in colors compared to natural opals, and the spots of color are larger. Crystal opals have transparent surfaces, which some people find more appealing. All opal jewelry is beautiful, yet some types will appeal to you more than others.
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Polished by fire
Fire polished beads from the Czech Republic are a faceted glass bead. Czech fire polish beads are made in an area called Jablonec nad Nisou. Production of glass beads in the area dates back to the 14th century and this area is well known for the manufacture of high quality glass beads. Czech fire polished beads have become so popular in recent years, primarily because they are the highest quality manufactured faceted bead available. This has helped make them one of the most favored glass beads by jewelry makers and beadworkers alike.
Thinking of summer themes, I decided that I need a light, bright, and not expensive necklace because this season is funny for outdoor activities, summer vacations, and nature scenes; summer is just the lovely season itself; and glass faceted beads seemed to be a good choice. Looking for beads, I stopped by Artbeads.com, that has… mmmmmm… unbelievably rich inventory! Using right angle weave technique, stringing and looping, Czech glass beads and Toho seed beads 11/0, I designed the necklace I like. It took me just a few hours! The only problem is how to photograph the necklace because of sparkling beads. It’s not named yet, could you help me please with that?
Jewelry Business: Market ValueJewelry Business: Market Value
Each piece of metalwork you do has two values: intrinsic value (what the raw materials are worth) and market value (the value added by your labor and the demand for your work). The theory of mass production is that very little is added to the intrinsic value, since not much labor goes into the manufacture of a single item. But if you do mostly one-of-a-kind pieces, then your labor may well be the major part of the market value.
The market for your work becomes more limited as you increase the labor costs. If you are well known, and have a large following and/or demand for your work, then it does not really matter what your work costs — it will sell. If you are just starting out, adding many hours of work to a relatively insignificant amount of intrinsic value probably will not sell very well. Without an established name to justify the cost of a piece of relatively low intrinsic value — a piece made of silver with an inexpensive agate, for example — you’ll end up paying yourself only a few cents per hour in order to sell a piece that took you 40 hours to complete. Spending that same 40 hours on a gold piece with expensive stones, however, even if the selling price will be quite a bit more than the one in silver, makes the work more saleable. Unfortunately, it takes a certain amount of educating the buying public to make people perceive that an artistic value may be greater than the intrinsic one.
So how does this market value affect your choice of metals? It will depend on a number of factors. Do you need to sell this piece to earn your living? Or will it be “not for sale” — made for yourself or as a gift? What is your current market? Could the galleries now handling your work sell something like this? Many galleries cater to a specific kind of clientele, and might find it difficult to sell work which is radically different. Is there an exhibition or competition coming up which would be an appropriate showcase for this piece? Would recognition of you as an artist be worth the time and effort you will need to take away from your regular work for you to produce this piece? All of these aspects must be considered when you are designing and making decisions about what materials to use.
Related posts: Color Factor, Weight of Metal
Gemstone Buyer’s Guide
What is a gemstone?
Any naturally occurring substance in a raw, uncut state that is capable of being a gem. They are also known as precious stones.
What are natural gemstones?
Gemstones mined in nature are known as natural gemstones. They may take several millennia to grow.
What are synthetic or laboratory grown stones?
Synthetic stones are made in the laboratory using molten chemicals to solidify and form the stone. They are also referred to as laboratory grown. They do not have the rarity and the history of natural gemstones. These stones generally lack imperfections.
What are imitation stones?
Imitation stones look like natural gemstones in appearance only. They may be glass, plastic or less costly stones.
Gold Buyer’s Guide
What is gold?
The word gold, used by itself, means all gold or 24karat (24K) gold. Gold has been a monetary standard throughout the history of mankind. Gold is a soft but heavy metal.
What is a karat?
Karat tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with the other metals. For example, 18 karat (18K) gold contains 18 parts of gold and 6 parts of metals. Therefore 14 karat (14K) gold is less valuable than 18 karat gold since it contains 14 parts of gold and 10 parts of other metals. The abbreviation of karat is K. or Kt. It is easy to confuse this term with carat described below in the gemstone guide.
What are the gold alloys?
Pure (24K) gold is soft and unworkable. To increase its durability and hardness, it is mixed with other metals which are referred to as the gold alloys.
What is yellow gold?
Yellow gold refers to gold that has been alloyed with a mix of 50% copper and 50% silver.
What is white gold?
Pale, almost silver-colored gold caused by nickel, zinc alloys.
What is pink or rosegold?
Gold with a sligthly reddish hue, caused by copper.
What is green gold?
Gold with slight greenish hue that has been alloyed with a higher percentage of silver than copper.
What is gold plate?
Gold plate refers to items that have a layer of gold placed to a base metal. Gold plating wears away with time exposing the metal underneath.
What is vermeil?
A gold plated product consisting of a sterling silver base coated or plated with gold.
What is the best gold for jewelry?
The design parameters of a jewelry piece, personal choice, cultural preference and the economics are some of the factors that may have an influence on deciding the karat of gold. Each has its pros and cons.
In Asian countries, much jewelry is made of 24K or 22K. The 22K maintains most of the bright rich color of 24K, with enough added hardness to make it durable. 18K is used around the world, and generally is considered to be sufficiently hard for use in making most jewelry. The commercial mass produced 14K is harder but the gold color is significantly less satisfyingly rich.
How do I determine the karat of a gold item?
It is difficult to determine the karat of a gold item by looking at it. An effective test is the streak method.
Whats Hot?…..
JEWELLERY STYLIST OF COURSE!! We don’t like to blow our own trumpet, but we thought we would just share with our wonderful candidates and fantastic recruiters, just how well we are doing!!
We have built an excellent reputation within the industry, already gaining loyal clients and proudly recruiting for some of the world’s most luxury jewellery and watch companies. Towards the end of 2008, we completed an extremely successful recruitment drive and undertook a mystery shopping survey of 197 stores throughout the UK, across a variety of stores ranging from independents to multiple retailers. The results of which were released at the end of January 2009, and published in Goldsmiths Magazine, receiving a vast response from retailers ready to recruit staff that can really make a difference to their business.
Our staff at Jewellery Stylist have a genuine passion for the jewellery industry. We are more than just a recruitment agency; we are a team of dedicated and hard working consultants, with a solid career history in the jewellery and watch industries. We have excellent contacts within the industry, and constantly keep abreast of the developments within the trade, particularly with the recent addition of our Jewellery Blog, which is adored by our candidates and favoured by retailers!
Plus with our popular offer of £250 Harrods scheme, candidates have been purchasing some wonderful luxury items across the country!! So come on, recommend a friend and you could soon be on a guilt free spending spree!!
May is Here!
Emerald being the modern birthstone for the month of May, it is the more frequently turned jewelry for that purpose. Its name can be traced to Semitic origin through the word “izmargad” or the Sanskrit word “marakata,” which means “green,” pertaining to the gem’s color which may range from medium to dark green. It has a hardness rating of 7.5 on the Mohs Scale, but is not very resistant to breakage especially if with inclusions or surface fissures. It is often irradiated and oiled, because of this, to achieve clarity (no naked eye-visible inclusions). To clean emerald jewelry a soft, dry cloth must be used, sudden temperature changes must be avoided as well as hot, soapy water, household chemicals, and home ultrasonic jewelry machines and cleaners.
Emerald is used for emotional and physical healing as it is believed it can strengthen and soothe both aspects of the human body. Energy healers associate emerald often with the heart chakra. Some believe that it helps increase one’s flexibility and understanding so they add the gem to wedding rings, aside from the basis that the emerald is a symbol of fidelity and goodness. See more interesting facts about emerald.
Sapphire rings given in engagement express commitment and loyalty. The gem also represents sincerity, truth, and consistency; it is used by energy healers for clear thinking.
Kings used to wear sapphire-encrusted necklaces which they believe defended them against harm, the stones attracting divine favor and negating the wearer’s envy. Enjoy more fun sapphire facts.
Agate is an unusual stone, considered classy and earthy, but included as one of the May birthstones. Its common types include blue lace, moss, tree, and petrified wood. It is commonly turned into beads for pendants, necklaces or earrings. It has a hardness rating of 7.
Agate is believed to guard its wearer from danger, endowing him as well with boldness of heart which was the reason behind warriors using it on their armors to be victorious in battle. It is also said to ensure pleasant dreams and protect from nightmares, hence they are sometimes given to children. Moss agate is ideal for gardeners as it is believed to bond one with nature; tree agate is believed to help one with introspection.
Deceptive Techniques Used in Jewelry
Various deceptive techniques are used to alter the appearance of lesser value gemstones. Often these practices are intended to deceive the consumer. However, all of these techniques are considered legitimate if they are revealed to the buyer. Listed below are a few tricks that every jewelry consumer should be aware of:
Painting. Using paint or some other colored material underneath a gem to improve its color. For example, a speck of paint placed on one spot of the gemstone will reflect throughout the entire stone.
Foil Backing. Using foil behind gems adds brilliance to the stone. This technique is often found in jewelry with closed back settings. The use of foil was common and is often seen in antique jewelry.
Crackling. Cracking synthetic gems by applying thermal shock. This technique if often used on lab-made stone to create the flaws found on natural stones.
Assembled Stones. Two or more stones are glued together to form a bigger and better looking gem. Several types of composites can be made. Assembled opals are normally disclosed to the consumer and are not considered a deceptive practice. However, this technique is often used with Sapphire or Ruby to deceive the consumer.
It can be difficult to spot a fake stone. Your best defense is to buy jewelry from reputable jewelers. An honest establishment will always reveal to the consumer what treatments a gem has received. As a general rule, a buyer should avoid gems that have been set on a closed backing, unless the item in question is an antique.
Rubies and Sapphires
Rubies and sapphires belong to the same family of minerals and thus have the same physical characteristics. Among gemstones, they are the hardest, second only to diamonds, but still require gentle handling. The term ruby only applies to the color red. However, sapphires range in color from blue to green, black, orange, pink, yellow, purple or colorless (white).
The best colored rubies are often found in Burma while the best sapphires are often found in Kashmir. The rarest of the various colored saphires is the pinkish-orange sapphire. Among the ruby and the blue sapphire, medium colored stones are the most valued. Pale or dark areas are not desired.
GEM A Courses Starting Soon!
From its headquarters in Hatton Garden, London’s historic jewellery quarter, Gem-A actively runs courses in over 30 countries around the world. Whether you are a local jeweller, retailer, gem dealer, buyer or gemstone enthusiast, their courses and workshops are designed to give you exceptional gemstone and diamond education.
Jewellery Stylist highly recommends enrolling on such courses, as they are becoming extremely desirable amongst employers not only because it demonstrates your level of product knowledge, but gives you the edge against other candidates too!
So whether you are a Sales Professional, Manager, Goldsmith or Designer, check out these up and coming courses with the GEM A!
Diamond Buying Guide:
Improve your knowledge of diamonds with practical information about the 4C’s, which will give you fantastic sales advice!
Price: £92.00
Student: £74.75
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Introduction to Practical Gemmology
This course offers an introduction to gemmology, offering a practical day of gem testing and the use of gemmological equipment.
Get to understand the basic principles required for identification and then you will then be able to try gem-testing yourself, under the guidance of an experienced tutor.
Price: £92.00
Student: £74.75
Tuesday 13 October 2009