Pearl Industry News

If you've always been in love with pearls but not so much in love with the price tag on a typical strand of perfect pink-and-cream akoyas, you're in luck. The pearl has been through a major transition over the past decade; Chinese producers have begun culturing and marketing a whole new segment of freshwater pearls that are beautiful, colorful and best of all, affordable.

Freshwaters, as their name suggests, are grown in freshwater lakes as opposed to saltwater, where traditional akoyas are cultured, mainly in Japanese waters. This change in pearl farming has meant profound differences in the variety of pearls available on the market. Chinese freshwaters offer greater choice, higher quality and lower prices.

Once considered a white gem, like diamonds, the cultured pearl is now being positioned by many dealers as a colored stone, with almost as many hues as sapphire or tourmaline. Mauve, brown or orange pearls from China now seem more common than the classic white akoya pearls from Japan. The vast majority - probably 95% - of pearls produced today come from the fresh waters of China, most of which are natural white, peach and lilac. Many farmers expand the range of color by dyeing freshwater pearls, but if they are white, mauve or peach, the color is usually natural. Plenty of white pearls now come from China, too, and they're grown in freshwater lakes, not saltwater bays, using mussels rather than oysters, where traditional akoya pearls come from.

The emergence of China as the world's leading pearl producer has brought unprecedented pearl diversity. Ask your jewelry retailer about Chinese freshwater pearls the next time you are in the market for that string of "white lovelies".

Provided by the resident Gemologist; artial reprint from Firstnews England.

Classy Sunstone Designs

Sunstone is a very classy, timeless stone; the perfect fleck striations crystals are what gives it that perfect look. These two designs use Sunstone in different ways; the first is as a highlight along with freshwater pearls, brown wire links and Swarovski crystals. The second is a little more causal, simple and very long; using Sunstone nuggets, Carnelian and glass Pearl beads among copper.

Available for purchase with other custom designs on the website.

Started as One Became Another

This design started out with the black Agates, Turquoise nuggets and pendant. It just never really ‘spoke’ or had that ‘pop’ as the designs usually did, it just kinda rubbed against the grain, so to speak. So, I took it apart, dug through the beads and came up with this.

Designs in freshwater Pearls, between silvertone star spacers, black Agates that are almost translucent with white/cream banding through some, and highlighted by a nice mother-of-pearl pendant; nice thing about the pendant is that it is smooth on one side and the blister pearls have been left on the other, gives it a ‘two-in-one’ piece.

Look for more designs available on the website.

Denim Lapis Red Coral

A stone from nature that is lighter than Lapis Lazuli is Denim Lapis. Much lighter than the deep blues of lapis lazuli, denim lapis is lighter in color and has ‘floating’ shades of cream or white. It is just as pretty as the blues sometimes appear to be ‘flecks’ of blue surrounding the white clouds.

This new design from the studio is from Denim Lapis, with beige ceramic beads and a ‘pop’ hint of red Coral, scattered Sterling Silver beads and pewter end caps. A smart design that says ‘sassy, flirty, classy’ all in one flattering piece!

This is many others of nature’s creations available on the website.

Natural Stone Pendants Wired

Pendants are all the lure this season…wear them as a focal to a necklace or individually on cords, chains or ribbon necklaces. Browse the selection for purchase on the website.

(Left) Purple Agate wired in Silver

Button Ammonite wired in Brass (Right)

Ocos Agate wired in Brass (Right)

(Left) Sodalite wired in Silver with Mother-of-Pearl Necklace

16th Annual San Antonio Christmas Extravaganza

We have added one very last show of the 2009 year; designs will only be available to purchase via the websites after this show!! Combined with Jewelry by CnC, mark your calendars for next weekend and come on down to the Live Oak Civic Center for some last minute shopping!!






16th Annual San Antonio Christmas Extravaganza
Live Oak Civic Center
December 5th – 6th
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00am – 5:00pm (both days)
Booth is thru the doors, turn left and go all the way to the back left corner

Timeless Designs will have
-A few glass pendant & earrings sets
-Several new fossil and natural stone single pendants and a few with earrings
-A selection of wired custom jewelry in some of nature’s beauties….Stones, Ocos Agates and Fossils

Jewelry by CnC will have
-Stock of unmounted pendants, wide selection of cuts to choose from
-New jewelry set designs, including some for men
-Select lapidary slabs and a small selection of faceted gemstones, cabochons, both mounted and unmounted.

So grab that list, mark your calendar and come join us for that last minute shopping, giving gifts of nature handcrafted and customized for every individual.