Archive for the ‘Necklaces’ Category
Ahoy, Mateys!
The Black Pearl is a fictional ghost ship in the popular “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, but you don’t have to be a pirate to own your own black pearl necklaces. Since ancient times, pearls have symbolized purity and perfection, representing the moon and magical powers in some cultures, natural beauty and good luck in others. Some legends of the Orient say pearls represent the tears of an angel or mermaid. Still others maintain that the Tahitian black pearl is an enduring symbol of hope.
Originating in Tahiti, the black pearl has long been a sought-after jewel of the sea. The great gemologist of the 19th century, George Fredrick Kunz, has been quoted as saying, “The pearl owes nothing to man. It is absolutely a gift of nature on which man cannot improve.
Space Age Style
We might not be driving to work every day in flying cars, but there’s no denying that the Space Age has provided mankind with a multitude of discoveries and innovations. Some of these are directly related to space exploration, and others came about almost accidentally. Many of the items that we use regularly in the course of our daily lives were developed for much different reasons.
Dichroic glass is just one example. NASA developed this particular type of glass for use in mirrors on satellites. Today, jewelers craft and sell the result of that innovation: dichroic necklaces. These necklaces feature a unique sparkle that can only be attained through a complex glass-making process involving quartz crystal, metal oxides and an electron beam gun.
Gorgeous Glass Jewelry
While some people think that jewelry has to contain precious gemstones to be beautiful, in truth some of the most gorgeous jewelry is made from plain old glass. Glass, while not representing quite the distinction of a precious gemstone, is a hardy material that has a wonderful luster and can be molded into different shapes. When thinking of glass jewelry, don’t believe that these accessories feature the same clear glass found in window panes. Glass jewelry is much more like a stained glass window than it is a standard window pane. Each piece of glass jewelry contains unique colors, and because of the manner in which glass jewelry is heated, there’s never one piece quite the same as another.
Amongst glass jewelry, you will find glass necklaces, bracelets, and earrings the most common accessories. But glass can be used to create any kind of accessory, and because glass is so malleable, it’s much easier to craft it into a unique shape than a precious stone. Celebrate glass jewelry by giving it to friends and family!
Wire Wrapped Jewelry
Wire wrap jewelry is wearable art. Learning how to make wire wrap jewelry can allow you to create personalized pieces that show your style to the world. Before you start you’ll need a few tools; pliers, side cutter, a pin vise, a ring mandrel, a rawhide mallet, a millimeter gauge, a needle file, steel ruler, and a steel scribe are all required. Any local craft shop should have these items.
Next you will need wire. You have several choices in this area. Experienced jewelry makers say brass is the best for beginners, but you an also choose from; bronze, gold, sliver and colored niobium.
Beads should be the next item on your shopping list. Large glass beads are the easiest to work with and are great for wire wrapped necklaces. Make sure beads’ holes are large enough to slip into the gauge wire you will be choosing. Start by arranging your beads on a towel in a pattern that pleases you. Leave space between each bead in order to fit the wire through.
Avoid Scratches to Precious Jewelry
When I was just a young girl, I inherited a vast selection of priceless jewelry from my grandmother. She had been a scrupulous collector, and each piece was practically in mint condition. The collection came to me in a clunky old jewelry box that didn’t live up to my aesthetic standards. Without knowing any better, I ditched the box and kept the jewelry bunched together in my top dresser drawer. What a mistake.
Before long the pearl necklaces and sterling silver brooches were scratched beyond salvation. I had committed a serious jewelry faux pas by allowing the diamonds to mix with softer stones and precious metals. As it turned out, this whole mess could have been avoided if I knew about the Mohs hardness scale. In general, hard stones like diamonds should be kept away from more delicate pieces.
An Old Style Reborn
Lampwork is one of the most stylized and intricate ways of creating glass jewelry. As one might guess from the name, the first examples of lampwork were fashioned by melting tubes of colored glass over an especially hot lamp. This method has died out almost completely in modern times, but the quaintly decorative end result remains the same. Lampwork necklaces feature finely shaped glass beads that are molded with much the same tools that a glassblower would use.
The most prominent lampworkers in history were most likely the Italian artisans who flourished during the Renaissance. Cultural centers such as Venice and Florence contained flourishing markets for glass jewelry and other elegant accoutrements. American artists have been inspired by the form in the last few decades, and most of the lampwork jewelry we see today has been produced domestically.