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I’m excited to announce that my sterling silver bracelets are currently being carried by Stock Home Design, a store in downtown Squamish, BC that specializes in vintage meets contemporary style. This is my first placement in a physical, brick and mortar store and I love the shop, so it’s a pretty good day around here.
I’m in the process of reworking this site, so if you drop by and everything is ugly, it’s just my construction dust. This Saturday, June 26, I’ll have a booth at Art in the Vines, a day of wine, food, and art at Township 7 Vineyards & Winery in Langley, BC. There’s live music, a charity BBQ, a children’s “Fun Area,” wine tasting, demonstrations, and more. Hope to see you there!  Join me at Art in the Vines at the Township 7 Vineyard & Winery in Langley Soapstar, a Canadian creator of handmade soaps, did a lovely blog feature for Buddha’s birthday where she explains the holiday and a bit about Buddhism for those who might be familiar with the term but not really with the belief system itself. She also touches on the chakra points throughout our bodies and I feel honored that she talked about my chakra thumblets as part of that. At some point I need to make up a nice set of cards on what the thumblets are and what they’re for. Essentially they’re for chakra energy work. You loop the thumblet around your thumb to help you focus, which the stones for each thumblet chosen to resonate with a particular chakra. Some of my favorite writings on this topic are by Anodea Judith. Here are some of her works that you might find interesting:
I’ve moved my Dee’s Adornments jewelry site and blog and am still in the process of prettying it up. Please pardon my construction dust! Note: Updates completed on April 28 to correct misconceptions I had when writing this piece. When it comes to stones, lots of terms get thrown around. Many stones can have dozens of different names depending on where they’re found, and to make things even more confusing, many manufacturers have started naming non-stone products with names including the term, including products such as goldstone, which is man-made glass. So it’s no wonder that so many people are so confused regarding the stones used in jewelry. I’m very much in the learning stages myself and have to constantly watch out for sources that seem like they should know what they’re talking about but in fact are full of it. What follows is my attempt to consolidate my understanding and thoughts and share as I learn. GemstonesThere are stones, and then there are gemstones. Gemstone is actually a loose term referring to a mineral, rock, or organic material (such as amber) that is attractive and is cut to be used in jewelry. When referring to gemstones, people often use those fun precious and semi-precious categories I mentioned earlier. I’m going to list which stones are in which category for informational purposes, but it’s my understanding that the industry is trying to do away with the terms all together. References to precious stones typically refer to diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Everything else is a semi-precious stone. However, there are many stones that are far more rare than those in the old precious category. And which stones are most valuable varies widely from culture to culture. Consider precious and semi-precious to be marketing terms only. Stone TreatmentsIt can be difficult to find stones that haven’t been treated in some way. Many stone treatments enhance the look, hardness, or some other quality of the stone. Sometimes these treatments are disclosed or even used to create pieces that aren’t found in nature (which means an educated buyer knows by default that the stones were treated). At other times the treatments are used to fool a buyer into thinking a stone is higher quality than it is. Some treatments are permanent. Some are even undetectable, or almost so unless you have the right equipment. Others are temporary and can fade or rub off over time. As someone who makes jewelry I’ve started on my long journey of trying to learn as much as I can about the types of treatments, which to avoid, and how to spot a vendor who isn’t being entirely honest. Sometimes doing so is more a factor of knowing what price certain stones of certain quality should sell for, and being suspicious of deals that sound far too good to be true. As I learn I’ll do my best to disclose everything about the materials I use, and to find trustworthy suppliers that I know will give me accurate information. Treatment StandardsIn happy news, a collective sigh of relief was heard around the world when the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA), the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) and the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) agreed on a global standard method for disclosing gemstone treatments. While these treatment codes are meant for people in the industry, not for the consumer, having a standard means that the people you buy your jewelry from will have an easier time identifying what treatments were applied to their materials. While standards don’t take care of all of the other issues facing those wanting to make sure they’re getting exactly what they paid for, at least this move takes care of one area that can be controlled. As this agreement was finalized in March, 2010, the documentation laying out the new standard isn’t yet ready. From my work in the tech world, I know that standards can take time to gain traction, but as I said, it’s a start. Not that I want a lot of competition here, but the House of Gems is holding a contest to give away a $1000 shopping spree from their jewelry-making supply site. There are a number of things you have to do to enter, but all in all I figured what the heck. If you make jewelry, $1000 worth of supplies really does go a long way. Check out their Flickr group for more. I talked about this topic a bit in my post on vermeil, but I thought I’d go into it in broader detail separately. In jewelry, we often think of plated metals in terms of making a piece less expensive, especially when the price of precious metals is climbing. There are other purposes for plating, but I will stay with the context of jewelry for this post. What’s Plating?Typically plated jewelry involves coating another metal with either silver or gold. If the metal is being deposited on something non-metallic, then the term is metallizing, as in metallized plastic beads where the base bead is plastic and it’s just coated in a metallic substance. Most jewelry will fall somewhere in the middle. Two major families of techniques are used for this type of plating: electroplating, and chemical plating. In the first, the underlying metal is put in a solution containing components of the desired plating metal. Then, electricity is passed through the solution, causing the plating metal to form on the surface of the object. The second option is similar except that the reaction is entirely chemical and doesn’t involve electricity. Most nickel plating is done using chemical plating. Plating is done using various techniques and at various thicknesses. At one extreme, someone might take a sheet of gold or silver and hammer and heat it until it’s fully adhered to an object. As you might guess, this technique is used for larger items. At the other extreme, the layer applied may be so thin that it actually qualifies as nanotechnology. Plating BasicsGold is typically plated onto copper or silver, though in jewelry it’s also often plated onto brass. For this reason, when I’m ordering plated materials I have to be careful to watch for the terms “lead-safe brass” or “this product may contain lead,” as I don’t want lead in my products even if it’s underneath the plating. If the gold is plated onto copper, there’s often a layer of nickel on top of the copper and beneath the gold, which keeps the copper from seeping up into and tarnishing the gold. Since it’s possible for plating to flake off, this technique risks that the nickel will be exposed (or even the copper beneath) eventually. Such exposure can pose problems to the large number of people allergic to nickel. Other Forms of PlatingTraditional methods of gold plating such as hammering on thin sheets are referred to as gilding. There is another type of gold covering that isn’t plated but isn’t fully a gold alloy either. This type is gold-filled, which refers to pieces where gold was heated and pressed onto another metal such as brass. Like vermeil, what can be labeled with this term is regulated, but there’s a sliding scale depending on what karat gold is included:
Gold-filled items that match these criteria are stamped with the karat and “GF.” These pieces can stand the test of time well if handled and stored carefully. Items labeled with “Double-clad GF” have half of the layer on one side and half on the other. The related term rolled gold (or rolled gold plate) refers to thinner layers. For example, 12kt RGP has a gold alloy later that’s 1/60th the weight of the item. Watch out for terms such as gold-colored or silver-colored, as these mean that the item doesn’t get its color from the actual metals. When it comes to silver, there’s little difference between silver and gold plating once it’s on your jewelry. Just like gold, silver is often plated onto copper, nickel, silver, or brass. Caring For Your Plated JewelryThere are a number of issues when it comes to caring for plated jewelry. The thinner the plating, the faster it wears off, and the depth of plating isn’t regulated so the amount of precious metal used can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. For this reason, a general rule is to clean and treat your plated jewelry gently so the plating lasts. Also, remember that your jewelry may not just be made of metal. If there are freshwater pearls or other materials, you have to keep their care needs in mind as well before cleaning a piece. Allergic reactions can take many forms, and none of them are particularly pleasant. As a jewelry-maker, knowing more about metal allergies can help me to make pieces that more people can wear, or to answer questions for those who have an odd reaction to something. For jewelry buyers, knowing if you have metal allergies can help you to choose pieces that won’t cause you problems. Metal Allergy BasicsAccording to Rich Maloof, one and four women have some kind of metal allergy. He states that allergic reactions can take the form of:
Which Metals?The most common metal allergy is nickel, and according to Maloof this allergy affects more women than men, which is a little ironic since it’s women who wear the most jewelry. Unfortunately, most of the gold and silver used in jewelry is alloyed rather than pure, and often the alloys contain nickel. Pure yellow gold (24kt), titanium, and platinum in jewelry don’t typically cause allergic reactions (see, you have an excuse to buy fine jewelry as it won’t cause allergic reactions). White gold is an alloy and so may contain nickel. Sterling silver is 92.5% silver and the rest is another metal to harden it. While the second metal is typically copper, it is possible that there could be nickel. And speaking of copper, this metal is usually used in a pure form for copper jewelry and so should be safe. In the case of plated pieces, you might not react to the plating, but as it wears off you might react to the base metals beneath it once they’re exposed. So What Do You Do?Metal allergies can make buying jewelry a frustrating experience. As a jewelry designer, crafter, and seller, it can be frustrating from my side of the transaction as well. The last thing I want to do is sell someone something that will make them sick or hurt them, but often suppliers don’t give me any idea if there’s nickel in a component. So far when this issue has come up I had the luxury of it being with a local friend. I told her if she bought the earrings and the earwires gave her problems, I would order guaranteed hypoallergenic ones and swap out the wires. Fortunately, she had no trouble so now I know that those earwires should be safe. I won’t tell potential buyers that they’re guaranteed safe as people will have different levels of sensitivity. Some people simply decide not to buy any jewelry with metal in it. Instead, they buy stretch bracelets, pieces made with ribbon, leather, or hemp, or other items that they can be sure won’t cause them trouble. In the case of finer jewelry that isn’t typically worn for long stretches, some just grin and bear it as they don’t get a reaction unless they’ve been wearing a piece for many hours or even days. Titanium is the metal most recommended for those with metal allergies. Given that this material also holds up well over time, it’s a good choice in general. Believe it or not, surgical (stainless) steel can contain nickel, but not everyone with nickel allergies has a reaction to this metal. For example, the earwires my friend tested are silver-plated surgical steel and yet they didn’t cause her a problem (even though the plating could contain nickel too). You can purchase kits that will test for nickel in a piece, though I have no personal experience with these, I’d love to hear from people who do. If you find a piece that you love but just can’t wear, try one of the following:
Do you have metal allergies? I’d love to hear some stories from people who do, and how they deal with the issue. From my point of view, I do want to try to use as much hypoallergenic material as possible. Or at least have a hypoallergenic alternative if someone needs one. I just wish suppliers would hold up their end of things and be clearer about the contents of their products. Hint: One friend says that she’s often read that if you’re allergic to metal, paint the back of your watch with clear nail polish to coat it and protect your skin. Again, be careful doing this with jewelry if you let the nail polish touch non-metal pieces. Recommended ReadingHere’s some additional reading materials I’ve found on the topic, I’ll come back and add more as I find them: |
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Why I often order supplies online
Subtitle: Or why supply shops should do better with labeling and receipts.
Typically I’m a fan of instant gratification. I’d rather buy things in person so I can have them right now. However, when it comes to jewelry-making materials I’ve discovered that I much prefer to buy online.
It’s not that I’m content to wait for my supplies to arrive in the mail. I hate that part. The reason I prefer buying online is that I often get much more information about the product from an online source, and not just before making my purchase. I get a nicely detailed accounting of exactly what I got, and can easily cross-reference it later back to the site if I’m not sure on something.
And there’s a lot to be unsure of when buying in person. I’ve come to realize that I need to take extensive notes when buying in local shops, as the receipts have hardly any information on them, making it hard to price out my work as I’m not sure what I made for each individual component. I’m sure they’d really love me if I took pictures to shore up my awful memory. There’s also the issue of materials. When I buy online, often I’m told, for example, if a stone was dyed, heated, or received some other kind of color-enhancing treatment. I’d have to ask at a local place. Mind you, in this example both places could be completely lying, which is a whole other kettle of fish. There are times that the more I learn about buying stones, the less I wish I knew!
I honestly wish there were more local shops to buy supplies from. But they’re all in serious danger outside of last minute “need” purchases if they don’t start labeling their products and their customers’ purchases better, at least when dealing with those of us who are making jewelry as a business. Don’t make me spend 30 minutes having to interrogate someone at the store about what various items are made from. (Is it plated or sterling? Plated? What’s it plated on top of? Brass? Does the brass have lead in it?) Those sessions aren’t fun for me or for your employees. Don’t give me a random bag of supplies I bought there with a receipt that just lists how many items I bought at what prices with no other information. I’ll be cursing you for an hour while I try to reverse engineer what I paid for what so I can price my products.
Ultimately it comes down to customer service. Don’t let the online vendors win. Make sure yours is better.
Because right now, for many brick and mortar supply stores, it just isn’t.