Dee's Adornments » Materials

Materials: Stones

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:00:43 +0000

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.

Gemstones

There 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 Treatments

It 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 Standards

In 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.

Materials: Plated Metals

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:50:01 +0000

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 Basics

Gold 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 Plating

Traditional 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:

If the gold is 10kt, the gold alloy layer must be 1/10th the weight of the piece
If the gold is 12kt, the gold alloy layer must be 1/20th the weight of the piece
If the gold is 14kt, the gold alloy layer must be 1/30th the weight of the piece

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 Jewelry

There 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.

Metal Allergies

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:35:13 +0000

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 Basics

According to Rich Maloof, one and four women have some kind of metal allergy. He states that allergic reactions can take the form of:

Discoloration where the metal touched the skin
Itching where the metal touched the skin
Rashes or red patchy marks where the metal touched the skin
Oozing, pus, or bleeding in the case of piercings containing metals your body can’t tolerate

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:

Purchase a product that lets you spray a coating that will prevent your skin from contacting the metal (again, I have no experience with these, and I’d want to be careful that the product wouldn’t damage the jewelry in any way, especially any parts that aren’t metal)
Finding a local jewelry artist who can take the piece apart and rebuild it with metals that you can tolerate
Wear the piece only for short periods, with “short” being determined by how long it takes before you have a reaction

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.

Materials: Memory Wire

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:23:08 +0000

When I sold at my first craft fair, I enjoyed watching people examine my memory wire bracelets. While some are familiar with this material, many aren’t, so they were rather surprised when the bracelets turned out to be continuous coils that flexed to allow them to put it on and take it off.

What is Memory Wire?

Memory wire is steel-spring wire, which is a shape memory alloy that’s both lightweight and retains its shape over time. Anyone who’s worked with memory wire knows that it takes determination to get the wire to bend in a direction it wasn’t made to bend in, such as curling the ends in the opposite direction of the rest of the coil in order to make finishing loops.

While special memory wire cutters are available, the key is to use wire cutters that are made for tougher materials. Memory wire will quickly ruin cutters that are made for working with software wire.

Memory Wire in Jewelry

This material comes in a number of sizes and finishes. I primarily use 2 1/4″ coils of silver-colored stainless steel memory wire for making bracelets, where the measurements refer to the diameter of the coils. This diameter works well for most adult wrists. Smaller bracelet sizes exist for making children’s bracelets. There are also coil sizes for finger rings (and wine charms), toe rings, and necklaces.

Egyptian Night memory wire bracelet from Dee's Adornments.

Memory wire jewelry is finished in two different ways. Using one technique, you coil the ends in the opposite direction of the rest of the coil, and may or may not add a dangle to the end loops. The picture above demonstrates this method. With the other technique, you purchase half-drilled beads (which are only drilled halfway through, rather than all the way through) or other special finishing pieces. Add a dab of specialized glue to the end of the wire and then slide the end into the bead. Once the glue dries, you have a nicely-finished piece, as you can see in the picture below.

This Four Seasons memory wire bracelet from Dee's Adornments is finished using half-drilled memory wire cap beads.

Materials: Base Metals

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:03:29 +0000

When reading jewelry listings and discussion there’s a term that I frequently encounter: base metals. Understanding this term will help you better understand the materials that will or won’t be in a particular piece.

What is a Base Metal?

Base metals are non-precious metals such as:

Base Metals in Jewelry

You will generally have some base metal in any metal jewelry, as most pieces won’t be made with pure precious metals. They’re too soft or their shine isn’t very impressive on their own, and and so they’re typically alloyed with other metals for hardening and a nice sheen.

Base metal jewelry consists of:

Jewelry made without any precious metals at all
Jewelry made with a base metal plated with a precious metal

Are Base Metals in Jewelry Evil?

I’m not big on declaring a whole class of things as evil when it comes to jewelry. As long as the person who made the piece is honest about its components, you know what you’re buying and whether it suits your budget and needs. The more you know about jewelry terminology the more educated a decision you can make and then everyone’s happy.

There’s an excellent article on base metals in jewelry here that’s worth a read.

Material: Jasper

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:00:55 +0000

Jasper, like agate, is a form of chalcedony (a microcrystalline version of quartz) and is formed in a similar manner of minerals settling into pockets within sediment or ash. This is a silica-based opaque mineral that’s commonly found in red, yellow, brown, green, or (rarely) blue. Also like agate, jasper can be found with stripes or bands. When this is the case, the mineral is referred to as striped or banded jasper. When other materials are trapped within the jasper itself, fascinating patterns can appear.

This necklace from Dee's Adornments is made from dyed freshwater pearls and a rich green mottled jasper.

Like agate, there are many types of jasper and many terms used to name them. Some are based on where the mineral is found, some on how it looks, and others just on whatever inspired the people who found the material. For example, dalmatian jasper contains spots like the dog breed, and picture jasper has patterns that evoke images when cut.

Uses for Jasper

Jasper is considered a grounding, protective stone and helps stabilize the energies and vibrations of the body. As a stone that provides slow, steady energy it’s considered a good use for helping those who are gathering their energy to overcome addiction, compulsion, or dysfunction.

Material: Lapis Lazuli

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:00:15 +0000

Lapis lazuli, or just lapis, is a semi-precious stone adored for its at times intense blue color.

What is Lapis Lazuli?

While many of the stones I discuss for jewelry-making are minerals or crystals, lapis is neither. Technically it’s a rock composed of multiple minerals, the main one being lazurite at 25 – 40% of the stone. Lazurite itself is a deep blue to a greenish blue, falling on a 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale. In addition to lazurite, lapis lazuli also tends to contain:

Calcite – A white form of carbon.
Sodalite – A royal blue mineral also used as a gemstone
Pyrite – A metallic yellow mineral better known as Fool’s Gold.

A variety of other minerals may be found within as well.

This bracelet from Dee's Adornments alternates globes of lapis with golden Czech glass.

The best lapis lazuli is an intense blue with just tiny flecks of pyrite. The more calcite that’s found within the stone, the less its value. When lapis is pale, it’s often dyed to intensify the color. Lapis has been used as decoration in many forms, from jewelry to mosaics and even ground into a powder as a dye. The best lapis deposits in the world are in Afghanistan, and this stone has been mined there for milennia. Another high quality source is Chile.

The Stone’s Meaning

Lapis lazuli is associated with the sixth (brow) chakra. As such, it aids with clarity of mind, letting us see the big picture of things and raises our awareness in many contexts of the term.

Materials: Vermeil

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:43:16 +0000

Here’s a term that generates a lot of blank stares, and that includes me when I first encountered it while shopping for materials. Vermeil refers to sterling silver gilded (plated) with a minimum of 10 carat (42%), 2.5 micrometers of gold. The White House actually has an entire room dedicated to a collection of vermeil tableware. What can be labeled vermeil in a particular country is often specified in that country’s trade regulations. Anything plated with gold that doesn’t meet the stated regulations and standards is gold-plated, not vermeil.

Gold Vermeil in Jewelry

On small objects such as jewelry components, the gold is most often applied today through electroplating. This process is far more human- and environmentally-friendly than the original method (fire guilding), which involved mercury and caused many practitioners to go blind from the mercury vapors. Vermeil pieces are also safe for those with allergies to metal such as nickel, since any nickel plating beneath the gold would disqualify the piece from having the vermeil distinction.

The higher the price of gold, the more popular vermeil becomes.

This Shades Of Green memory wire bracelet from Dee's Adornments contains hand-carved vermeil beads.

Caring for Vermeil Pieces

In order to ensure that your vermeil pieces last you for a long, long time, avoid:

Bathing, showering, or swimming while wearing the piece
Polishing the piece using a machine
Cleaning the piece with anything but a soft, lint-free cloth

If you want to get a bit of extra shine, then cleaning the piece with glass cleaner is acceptable. Just be careful and make sure that there are no materials in the piece that would be damaged by glass cleaner.

Materials: Agate

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:04:51 +0000

One stone that you’ll find in many colors (sometimes natural, sometimes dyed) is agate.

What is Agate?

Agate is yet another form of quartz. Not only is it a microcrystalline type of quartz, where the individual crystals are so tiny that you need magnification to see them, agate is actually a cryptocrystalline version, where the crystals are so tiny they’re hard to see even in a microscope. This stone is hard and acid-resistant, making it popular for carving and decorative utility purposes like knife handles. Another reason it’s popular is that every agate is unique, which makes it unlike other gemstones, and even a single agate’s interior holds variation.

Most agate is a form of chalcedony, which is a form of cryptocrystalline quartz. Agates are typically characterized by bands of color formed as layer after layer was deposited. The shape of the banding is determined by the shape of the cavity where the agate formed.

There are thousands of types of agate, including:

Banded Agate, Riband Agate, and Striped Agate – Agate formed in cavities left within hardened lava, that consist of many lined layers when cut. The materials are often carried in by water seeping through.
Cyclops Agate – A type from Mexico that forms a single “eye,” which is what the markings can look like at times.
Dendritic or Moss Agate – Additional matter embedded in the agate forming fern-like patterns.
Turritella Agate – Formed from fossilized sea snails.
Petosky Stone or Agate – Formed from coral.
Greek Agate – Pale to light tan agate.
Brazilian Agate – Found in brown tones with white and gray, often in large geodes.
Rainbow Agate – Tends to occur in conjunction with opal, jasper, or crystalline quartz.
Lake Superior Agate – Found primarily in Minnessota.
Carnelian Agate – Typically the color of the aformentioned stone.
Botswana Agate – Purplish grey.
Ellensburg Blue Agate – A striking blue agate found only in the area of Ellensburg, WA.
Blue Lace Agate – A light blue agate with lacy or wavy patterns in it.
Plume Agates – Contains “fluffy”-looking bursts of color.
Tube Agate – Agates where mineral tubes formed within the cavity while the rest of the gem was forming. Leaves behind tube-like structures and markings that may or may not be the original mineral.
Fortification Agate – Agates where the stone was formed by deposits of mineral that create concentric rings inside, looking like the map of a fortress from above.
Fire Agate – A form of agate with iridescent coloring like opal.
Mexican Crazy Lace Agate/Rodeo Agate/Rosetta Stone Agate – Agate with fine, brightly-colored banded patterns that weave all over.

Due to how agate is formed, sometimes its layers can actually alternate with regular crystalline quartz or even amethyst, depending on what the water or other fluid passing through the empty chamber contains. When the inside is hollow, the crystals can form into a geode.

Since it’s porous, agate is often dyed.

This Egyptian Night memory wire bracelet from Dee's Adornments contains long pieces of dyed black agate.

Agate and Meaning

Agates are known for their grounding, protective, and healing qualities and are considered power stones.

Since agates come in such a variety of colors and types, these factors can influence its particular use. For example:

Moss Agate – Earth stone. Aids your appreciation of nature and is a favorite among gardeners.
Picture Agate – Aids meditation.
Blue Lace Agate – Patience and peace.
Mexican Lace Agate – Lifts depression.
Pink Lace Agate – Friendliness and happiness.
White Lace Agate – Attunes you to the Creator.
Crazy Lace Agate – Aids with energy flow.
Flame Agate – Clarity during periods of transition.

Material: Garnet

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:45:23 +0000

I am personally drawn to reds, especially deeper, richer ones. So I find myself drawn to garnets, and then I find myself surprised to learn that garnets come in a variety of colors and forms.

What Are Garnets?

Garnet is actually a group of minerals, rather than a single type of stone. It often takes an expert to tell the difference between:

Almandine – Deep red to purple garnet.
Pyrope – Always red aside from the variation chrome-pyrope, which is purple. Less common than other garnets.
Spessartine – Colors are typically violet-red or orange-yellow.
Andradite – There are three kinds of this version of garnet:
- Melanite – Black.
- Demantoid – Green. The most expensive and rare of the garnets.
- Topazolite – Yellow-green.
Grossular – This version is found in green, cinnamon brown, red, and yellow. A green sub-variation called tsavorite is highly sought after.
Uvarovite – Consistently a rich emerald green. Rare.

Almandine, Pyrope, and Spessartine actually change colors depending on the type of light you’re in, one color for daylight and another for incandescent light.

Meaning

Harvest Rain Earrings by Dee-Ann LeBlanc for Dee's Adornments, made with small chips of garnet.

Garnets are the birthstone for the month of January. Red garnets are also associated with the first (root) chakra, which exists at the base of your spine. As such, garnets are useful for grounding yourself, whether spiritually, physically, in your work life, in your home life, or in your head. They’re also associated with inspiration, creativity, passion, and relationships of many forms.