Gemstones In Agate Turquoise Ivoryite

Natural gemstones in navy blue Agates, Turquoise and Ivoryite (white buffalo Turquoise) make up this beautifully bold piece. I was lucky enough to come across the Ivoryite on the Tucson adventure and is not a common gemstone to find.

A little about Ivoryite; Ivoryite with the Silicate present, is a bit Ivory in color, hence the name. In addition to the opaque material in slabs, it can also be found in crystalline form, and can be faceted into a clear stone resembling a white Zircon. The stone is often referred to by Native Americans as White Turquoise or White Buffalo Turquoise, and it should not be confused with white Howlite, a more common found gemstone. So many geological chains of events must synchronize to create just one thin vein of turquoise that the mineral Turquoise can rightly be envisioned as a fluke of nature, so the white is considered by most to be impossible.

So what is called White Buffalo Turquoise, which should be correctly called ‘Magnesite’ or better yet ‘Ivoryite’ which forms near Turquoise deposits, but as a totally different chemical compound. Magnesite will be a pure white or creamy white in color, opaque and normally without any veining. It is so rare to find, that only a couple of dealers in the United States are allowed on the Shoshone Reservation where it is found to dig the material. Similar material can also be found in smaller quantities and size in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Nevada. Magnesite and Ivoryite however are not the same as Howlite, yet another gemstone meant for another educational lesson!

This necklace is a longer length than I usually design, it is 26.5” long and has matching hoop earrings. Some of the Turquoise has been caged in silver wire; then accented with beige lined seedbeads. The design will make a huge statement for anyone…causal with a jean blazer, t-shirt and jeans or dress up for an evening with a dark blue or beige dress. Any way you look, it’s a great piece to be adding to your natural gemstone jewelry collection!

This lovely set is available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Sun Zodiac Gemstones

Everyone knows what their Birthstone is; but how many know their Sun or Zodiac gemstone? According to the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA), “Most gem scholars agree that the tradition of birthstones arose from the Breastplate of Aaron: a ceremonial religious garment set with twelve gemstones that represented the twelve tribes of Israel and also corresponded with the twelve signs of the zodiac and the twelve months of the year.Because ancient people did not always classify gemstones by mineral species like we do, there is some debate about which gemstones were set in the breastplate and why. Because of this, different cultures around the world have developed different birth stone lists. The modern day list that you know is only the most recent list: some older lists still exist. Some also argue that the proper way to assign gemstones is according to astrological sign and not month.”

Below is a list of the Sun/Zodiac Signs and their corresponding gemstone or birthstone. If you’d like to choose yours based on your actual birth date, you can go the ICA website and use their Gem-o-Matic to discover your actual or preferred gemstone for your birthday, anniversary or any other date you like.

Sun Sign = Birthstone
Capricorn 12/22 – 1/20 – Ruby, Agate, Garnet
Aquarius 1/21 – 2/19 – Garnet, Moss Agate, Opal, Amethyst
Pisces 2/20 – 3/20 – Rock Crystal, Sapphire, Amethyst, Bloodstone
Aries 3/21-4/20 – Bloodstone, Diamond
Taurus 4/21-5/21 – Sapphire, Turquoise, Amber, Blood Coral, Emerald
Gemini 5/22-6/21 – Agate, Chrysoprase, Pearl
Cancer 6/22-7/23 – Emerald, Moonstone, Pearl, Ruby
Leo 7/24-8/23 – Tourmaline, Sardonyx, Onyx
Virgo 8/24-9/23 – Jasper, Carnelian, Jade, Sapphire
Libra 9/24-10/23 – Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Peridot
Scorpio 10/24-11/22 – Aquamarine, Topaz
Sagittarius 11/23-12/21 – Sapphire, Amethyst, Turquoise, Topaz

Purchasing & Selling Jewelry Online

Buying handcrafted jewelry isn’t always easy and can be a challenge. People like to touch, feel and try on the jewelry, looking over every aspect of the piece before making a final purchase. To sell and purchase jewelry online here are some questions to keep in mind:

*What makes people buy?
*What makes people shop with the same jewelry artist again?
*What designs and price ranges would fit best into a potential buyer’s budget?

One of the main reasons that people purchase online is for the love of handcrafted jewelry. It has become much easier to acquire fabulous and unique pieces that you normally might not see in a traditional brick-n-mortar store via online websites, blogs, or shopping venues. Some people see handcrafted jewelry as a wearable form of art, often reflecting their own personalities with individual custom designs. One comment I’ve heard lately from buyers is “If it’s one thing I don’t want is to see my jewelry coming and going.” Meaning, they see the same jewelry they have purchased everywhere they go; home, office, church, and general outings.

Many buyers are drawn to handcrafted jewelry because of the way it feels. This refers to the level of skill it took to craft the piece along with the creativity and how the entire piece (necklace, earrings, bracelet, etc.) all work together. This gives the buyer the ability to purchase from a variety of specialty artists with unusual talents and designs.

Other reason is the ease of shopping online. When shopping online, the prices and policies are well visible to the buyer. Nothing is hidden, no missing tags or not priced all together. Online, prices are reflected with ever piece and they know what to expect. There is also no ‘pressure’ from a sells person hover over them to make a sell. It gives the buyer an opportunity to shop around for jewelry and prices from many different artists, rather than the single mass produced pieces found in brick-n-mortar stores.

Shopping online offers the benefit of less stress; especially to those who don’t live close to any major shopping venues. It gives the buyer time to browse around the internet at any time of the day or night, at their favorite online shops from the comfort of their home or office. Most buyers will admit they will do anything to avoid driving and traffic, long lines and crowds to the easy and convience of shopping from home or office via the internet. Buyers will continue to purchase from the same artist because of craftsmanship, fair pricing, and unique designs. For these reasons, keep these things in mind when selling your jewelry online:

*Make sure you have quality craftsmanship; check all findings, settings and fittings to make sure they are all tight.
*Price your jewelry accordingly; we all want a fair price for our works of art. However, be fair and price jewelry pieces according to the market and consumer you are targeting.
*Retain your own personal style and let it be reflected in your jewelry making. Don’t be afraid to try different techniques and styles, even beyond your tastes. Never know when it might catch the eye of a potential buyer!

Above all be unique and unusual; offering what others may not and you will keep the buyers coming back. Handcrafted jewelry is coming back in, especially if designs reflect the personality of the individual that no one else can!

Black Onyx Re-Design

Sometimes a design just doesn’t work and I take the time to redesign it. This particular set looked like the first picture, a nice design with small links in different shapes.

In discussing this necklace with someone, she noted that it needed a ‘chunkier and black’ look. So, after spending time working through different necklace designs, this is the new design with Black Onyx. The new design still has the Dichroic pendant as a focal point, then accented with black Onyx gemstones, brass non-tarnish wire links in heavy 16g wire and Swarvoski crystals. I also expanded the necklace from it's original length of 19.5" to 24.5"

Let me know what you think, it is available for purchase in my Etsy shop along with many other designs!

Spiked Mother-of-Pearl

Brand new from the design board and studio! This lovely bold piece is made from natural creamy white spiked Mother-of-Pearl, mixed between greenish/black glass seed beads and highlighted by two brass wire caged Prehnite gemstones. At the bottom of the necklace are several non-tarnish brass wire spikes, as a mimic to the mother-of-pearl. Inspired by the ocean and nature, it is available in my Etsy shop along with many other of nature’s delights!