January, 2010 | JewelStruck Blog

Archive for January, 2010

Pearls!

by Maura Nicholson on Jan.28, 2010, under Handmade Jewelry

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My lovely model Bianca is wearing two pearl necklaces, one is a 2 strand necklace of grey pearls and faceted black onyx with a large black lipped pearl set in silver,the other is a smaller black lipped pearl set in silver with grey pearls and silver chain. I realised the other day that each collection of mine had pearls in it!

GEMS January – History behind garnet and its applications!

by JewelStruck on Jan.25, 2010, under GEMS

Here comes another post on Garnet for Gemstone Each Month Series (GEMS) – January. We would be discussing history behind Garnets and its applications these days.

Garnet are one of the world’s most ancient gems, it has been known to Man for thousands of years. Garnets are also found in jewellery from early Egyptian, Greek and Roman times. Many an early explorer and traveller liked to carry a garnet with him, for the garnet was popular as a talisman and protective stone, as it was believed to light up the night and protect its bearer from evil and disaster

14kt Yellow Gold and Rhodolite Garnet Necklace

Applications :-

From ancient times the artisans created beautiful garnet beads, bracelets and other jewelry.
Garnet sand is a good abrasive, and a common replacement for silica sand in sand blasting.
Garnets are said to have been used by Asiatic tribes in place of bullets.
They were especially used inlaid in gold cells in the cloisonné technique, a style often just called garnet cloisonné, found from Anglo-Saxon England, as at Sutton Hoo, to the Black Sea
During the latter part of the 19th century, garnet bracelets and brooches were particularly popular.
The Garnet group is a key mineral in interpreting the genesis of many igneous and metamorphic rocks via geothermobarometry.

So that was all about Garnets history and its application, wait for more to come on Garnets this month. If you have anything to share on Garnets, do email us at info@jewelstruck.com

Image credit :- Claudette Isaacs – Jena Lee Creations, jenalee.biz

The Perfect Valentines Day Gifts

by Joy Jewlr on Jan.23, 2010, under Jewelry Making

Chocolate. Flowers. Jewelry. I think everyone knows that some combination of any of these would make a good valentine’s day gift. Its completely fine to stick to the traditional gifts, however, it will be even more appreciated if you try and find some new variation on these classics. Your goal should be to create a memorable experience for your loved one, instead of just another bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates.

For Chocolate check out this cool creation by a company called Bruce County. This company has taken the candy apple to new extremes by creating many different variations of chocolate covered apples including nuts, and different toppings. These treats are not only great looking, but they are also super delicious. In giving your significant other this creative gift you will definitely create a Valentine’s day that stands out. You can find these cool products at www.nutandfudge.com

When it comes to Flowers it is a bit more difficult to be creative. This year instead of simply giving her a bouquet of roses try and spice it up and get creative. There are a number of ways to do so. One is to buy more exotic flowers like the Blood Lily, Blue Dawn Flower, or the Calatheas. All of which are very beautiful and very exotic. A nice vase is also a good touch.

Finally, Jewelry is always a difficult thing to buy for your loved one. The key is to avoid potentially buying the wrong thing. To do so consider buying an engraved couple’s ring. This will not only show her that you had been thinking about this day for a long time, but it is also extremely personal and difficult to dislike. I came across a number of these rings on www.jewlr.com.

This valentine’s day do something different and make her happy.

Amethyst and Onyx Bracelet

by Jewels of Saraswati on Jan.22, 2010, under Handmade Jewelry

I have been thinking a lot about the beauty of stones in their various forms and amethyst really seems to be a favorite of mine!

Recently, I have created several items with amethyst in a rough nugget form. To the touch they are rough, but they also have a velvety appearance which is delightful. Here is a recent creation of mine from natural amethyst nuggets. I have purposely mixed them with smooth jet black onyx to bring out the play in the textures an added antique filigree beads to accent.