Agatized Fossil Corals !

Fossil Coral is a natural stone primarily found in Indonesian water that is formed when ancient Coral is gradually replaced with Agate. The proper name for this material is "agatized coral" or "agatized fossil coral". The fossilized coral typically appears as small flower-like patterns in the stone.

Agatized fossil coral can exhibit a wide range of natural colors, ranging from white and pink to brown, gray, black, yellow and red. Corals may vary widely within a single stone depending on weathering and oxidation and the original mineral content.

Corals are among the most colorful animals in the sea. Most corals live in warm, shallow, tropical seas and feed on plankton. The oldest fossil corals are from the Ordovican period, over 450 million years ago. Corals are marine animals with a sac-like body, mouth, tentacles and skeleton. It is the skeleton that survives in the fossil record. Corals may be solitary or found in large colonies.

These corals were buried in sediment as the land surface was affected by crustal plate movements or the oceans rose and fell. Temperature and pressure from compaction during burial resulted in those deposits becoming rock and part of the present day geological record.

Under unique geological conditions, prehistoric corals and mollusks can fossilize by being replaced with agate from silica-rich ground water percolating through limestone. Of the varieties of fossilized corals found throughout the world exquisitely detailed specimens from the mountains of Indonesia are among the most unique. In Indonesia, entire coral heads are often completely preserved and appear just as they did 20 million years ago, although their density is much changed by replacement with silica, iron, manganese and other minerals. There are fern corals, brain corals, hex corals, honeycomb corals and many more.

Florida and Georgia in the USA are also import sources of fossil coral. In fact Florida has declared fossil coral to be the Florida State Rock.

Fossil coral pieces are sought by gemstone and fossil collectors around the world. as well as being used in beads and other jewelry. Since agate is fairly hard and very durable, fossil coral is suitable for all kinds of jewelry.

Polyhedral Agate - An Unusual Form of Agate !

A very unusual form of Agate comes from Minas Gerais, Brazil. It is known as a Polyhedral Agate and is formed by silica replacing the normal calcite resulting in a highly angular form within the rocks instead of the usual sub-spherical forms as normally seen.
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These polyhedral quartz pseudomorphs without calcite were mined during the 1970’s and have since then become increasingly uncommon in today's market, with most examples appearing as thin slabs, normally polished front and back to show off the natural beauty of the agate. It's sharp polyhedral form is entirely natural in origin.

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Many of the beautiful Agates coming from Minas Gerais today, like the one seen here, will have some slightly pointed sections to their designs, indicating that there is still some silica within the calcite in the Agate itself.

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Collectors scramble to obtain samples of a Polyhedral Agate, especially one that still is made up of most of the host rock as seen at the left in this collection piece from Australia.
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ONYX or BLACK AGATE ?

Black Agate (Onyx) which is truely a died black Agate, is more common and perhaps the most famous variety, but not as common as natural Onyx. Onyx is a crypyocrystalline form of Quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (save some shades, such as purple or blue). A picture of a true Black Onyx specimum is seen below. True specimens of Onyx contain bands of colors of white, tan, and brown. As stated, the pure black form which most people know as Onyx, is not a naturally occuring variety. Black Agate or poorly colored Onyx is heated and dyed black to come up with the pure black form so well liked within the jewelry industry.

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Striped Onyx is a cryptocrystalline form of Quartz. Striped Onyx is a redundant statement since true Onyx will have color bands that range from white to almost every color (save some shades, such as purple or blue). Commonly, specimens of Onyx that are seen in the market place contain bands of colors of white, tan, and brown. Pure black Onyx is actually Dyed Agate or poor grades of Onyx where the stripes, as seen below, have been dyed to black.

Agate is a microcrystalline variety of quartz, chiefly Chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks but can be common in certain metamorphic rocks. White Agate or probably better known as Greek Agate, is a name given to pale white to tan colored Agate originally found in Sicily back to 400 B.C. The Greeks used it for making jewelry and beads. Today almost any agate of this white color is called Greek agate. Yet the stone had been around centuries before that and was known to both the Sumerians and the Egyptians, who used the gem for decoration and religious ceremony. True White Greek Agate comes only from Sicily, once a Greek Colony.

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SUMMER SENSATIONS - Delicate Purples and Greens !

Float through Summer with this colorful necklace. A 2 inch long wire wrapped purple Agate oval pendant is the main stone in this piece. The Agate is complimented with two sizes of Russian Charoite, Amethyst chips and rounds, Fluorite pebbles and a mix of crystals for a bit of sparkle. Silver Pewter accent pieces highlight this 20 inch long necklace, with a silver plated Toggle clasp. Amethyst and Fluorite dangle from the matching French Hook earrings.

SOLD Agate is a microcrystalline variety of silica, chiefly Chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although Agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks and can be common in certain metamorphic rocks. Colorful Agates and other Chalcedonies were obtained over 3,000 years ago from the Achates River, now called Dirillo, in Sicily. Most Agates occur as nodules in volcanic rocks or ancient lavas where they represent cavities originally produced by the disengagement of volatiles in the molten mass which were then filled, wholly or partially, by siliceous matter deposited in regular layers upon the walls. Such Agates, when cut transversely, exhibit a succession of parallel lines, often of extreme tenuity, giving a banded appearance to the section. Some Agates are found to be translucent when cut thin enough.

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz often used in jewelry and decorative statues and lapidary displays. Amethyst is composed of an irregular superposition of alternate lamellae of right-handed and left-handed quartz. It has been shown that this structure may be due to mechanical stresses. Because it has a hardness of seven on the Mohs scale, Amethyst is suitable for use in jewelry. Amethyst occurs in primary hues from a light pinkish violet to a deep purple. Amethyst may exhibit one or both secondary hues, red and blue. Green quartz is sometimes incorrectly called green Amethyst, which is an actual misnomer and not an acceptable name for the material, the proper terminology being Prasiolite.

Charoite is a rare mineral, first fully described in 1978 and named for the Chara River. It has been reported only from the Sakha Republic, Yakutia, Siberia, Russia. It is found where a syenite, the Murunskii Massif, has intruded into and altered limestone deposits producing a potassium feldspar metasomatite. Charoite is translucent lavender to purple in color with a pearly lustre. However, it is a discrete mineral rather than a rock. Charoite is strictly massive in nature, and fractures are conchoidal. It has an unusual swirling, fibrous appearance, sometimes chatoyant, and that, along with its intense color, can lead many to believe at first that it is synthetic or enhanced artificially. Though reportedly discovered in the 1940s, it was not known to the world outside Russia until its description was published in 1978.

Fluorite (also called fluorspar) is a halide mineral composed of calcium fluoride. It is an isometric mineral with a cubic habit, though octahedral and more complex isometric forms are not uncommon. Crystal twinning is common and adds complexity to the observed crystal habits. Fluorite is a widely occurring mineral which is found in large deposits in many areas. Notable deposits occur in China, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Norway, Mexico, and both the Province of Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. Large deposits also occur in Kenya in the Kerio Valley area within the Great Rift Valley. In the United States, deposits are found in Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Ohio, New Hampshire, New York, Alaska, and Texas. Fluorite has been the state mineral of Illinois since 1965. At that time, Illinois was the largest producer of Fluorite in the United States, but the last fluorite mine in Illinois was closed in 1995. Green and purple Flourite are the most commonly found, but all colors of the rainbow exist depending on impurities.

Crystals are also used in this set.

Wire-Wrapped Agate Necklace and Earring Set !

While walking around in a field or climbing a mountain side, finding a great chunk of Agate or a piece of Jasper is a thrill for any rockhound, but being able to identify exactly what it is that has been found is quite a headache for the beginner. These headaches can be relieved very easily though with just a little bit of knowledge about the different Quartz group of stones. Agate and Jasper are actually Chalcedony, which in turn is cryptocrystalline Quartz. When you pick up a stone you can rule out that it is a piece of regular massive Quartz quite quickly just by looking to see if you can see grains within the stone. If you can see grains, you do not have an Agate or a Jasper. Most likely, what you have then is massive Quartz or some other type of stone. Many new rockhounds will mistake massive Quartz for a piece of Agate, so don't feel bad if you do. It's a very frequent mistake.

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Jasper and Agate will appear to be made of wax. If the rock is just plain clear to white translucent with no markings or patterns, it is considered Chalcedony. If it is opaque, that is, if you cannot see into or through it, it is Jasper. Jasper is most frequently earth tones or red but you can find jasper in just about any color or color combination and it can contain some very lively patterns. One well known form of Jasper is called 'Picture Jasper', and just as the name suggests, the lines and markings look just like a scenic picture of mountains and valleys or forests and so on. Geometric patterns are also common in Jasper stones.

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If a stone is an Agate, it will be translucent as is Chalcedony, but an Agate will have patterns. Most commonly, Agates have bands, and are appropriately called 'Banded Agate'. Sometimes the bands are also translucent, sometimes some are opaque. There are many Agates named to describe how they look, such as plume, orbicular, or flower and many that are named for the place they are found, such as Dryhead or Lake Superior.

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This design incorporates a very interesting piece of Agate, which is striped but also is considered partially a Fire Agate and a Druzy Agate and has been enclosed in a silver wire wrapped holder and bail. The necklace then contains puff oval Citrine beads and faceted round Sunstone beads with their "shiller" effect and highlighted with silver beads and finished with a Toggle Clasp. Matching silver French Hook earrings containing a faceted Sunstone bead completes the set.

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AGATE is a microcrystalline variety of quartz, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although Agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks but can be common in certain metamorphic rocks. No gemstone is more creatively striped by Nature than Agate, the chalcedony quartz that forms in concentric layers in a wide variety of colours and textures. Each individual Agate forms by filling a cavity in host rock. As a result, Agate is often found as a round nodule, with concentric bands like the rings of a tree trunk. The bands sometimes look like eyes, fanciful scallops, or even a landscape with trees.

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CITRINE is any quartz crystal or cluster that is yellow or orange in color. Although often cut as a gemstone, Citrine is actually somewhat rare in nature. Most Citrines on the market have been heat treated. Specimens of low grade, inexpensive Amethyst or Smoky Quartz are often cooked at high temperatures to produce the more profitable orange yellow Citrine. Citrines whose colors have been produced by artificial means tend to have much more of an orange or reddish caste than those found in nature, which are usually a pale yellow. Much of the natural Citrine may have started out as Amethyst but heat from nearby magmatic bodies may have caused the change to Citrine. Citrine made by heating Amethyst may be returned to a purple color by bombarding it with beta radiation.
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SUNSTONE is a plagioclase feldspar, which when viewed from certain directions exhibits a spangeled appearance; this has led to its use as a gemstone. It has been found in Southern Norway, and in some United States localities. It is the official gemstone of Oregon. The optical effect appears to be due to reflections from enclosures of red hematite, in the form of minute scales, which are hexagonal, rhombic or irregular in shape, and are disposed parallel to the principal clevage-plane. These enclosures give the stone an appearance something like that of Aventurine, whence sunstone is known also as "aventurine-feldspar." The optical effect called "shiller" and the color in Oregon Sunstone is due to copper. In the middle part of this crystal, it sparks a lot, and usually has a dark color in the middle, and the color becomes lighter as it becomes the outer part.

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GEMSTONE JEWELRY - new design using Sonoran Leaves !

We are returning to the Glass, Crystals and Gemstones combination. Not a combination one would automatically think of, but when the glass is cut or formed correctly, and the crystals and gemstones have been cut and polished also, you have a unique combination for the “discerning” jewelry wearer. Come and see this design and others at the Deep in the Arts of Texas Show at the Live Oak Civic Center, Sat Oct 9th, 9 to 5

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This unique design incorporates reddish Sonoran Glass leaves in two sizes. Twelve large Agate nuggets and four feceted rondels combine with Carnelian beads to complete the necklace. Crystals are interspirsed as accents. A silver plated hook and loop clasp completes the necklace. Matching Carnelian and clear crystals dange from French Hook earrings to complete the set.

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Sonoran Leaves are a specially fired glass that is made into the shape of leaves in different sizes for use in pendants and earrings. Boro glass is a particular type of glass, better known under the brand name of Pyrex. It was first developed in the late 19th century and was used primarily for scientific glass due to its strength and durability. Artists have started to use boro glass for bead making even though it is a very hard glass and requires high heat to form a bead. Boro glass has a very distinctive range of colors from varions other minerals or impurities, often much more vibrant than the softer European glass. Sonoran Leaf pieces are made one at a time, in a flame. Because they are made by hand there may be slight variations in color from one batch to another. Do not confuse these Sonoran Leaves with other types of poured or fused glass leaves made in bulk and sold at craft stores and shows.

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Agate - No gemstone is more creatively striped by nature than agate. This distinct and dramatically banded variety of Quartz comes in layers. Agate composition varies greatly and can be of many colors. Each individual Agate forms by filling a cavity in a host rock. As a result, Agate often is found as a round nodule with concentric bands like the rings of a tree trunk. It is said to be named for the place it first was found along the River Achates (now called the River Drillo) in Sicily.
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Carnelian is an A-grade Agate. What a lot of people call "true carnelian" is the fiery red/orange color, and in theory, Carnelian is naturally that color. However, most of that fiery red/orange "true" Carnelian is heat-treated in secret before it reaches the gemstone-cutting factory. This apparently has been a secret for thousands of years; each part of the world thought everyone else's Carnelian was naturally red, but they were heating theirs, too. When held against the light, the color-treated Carnelian shows its color in stripes, while natural Carnelian shows a cloudy distribution of color. The name Carnelian is said to be derived from the Latin word 'carnis' ("flesh") due to its color. Deposits of Carnelian are found in Brazil, India, Australia, Russia, Madagascar, South Africa, Uruguay and the U.S.A.

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GEMSTONE JEWELRY - Basic Black and White !

Sometimees the return to basics becomes a great idea, likewise returning to basic black and white in jewelry can be called a real "Return to Basics".

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In this "return to basics" design, two old gemstones are also used. White Agate, sometimes called Greek Agate, flat nuggets are combines with two sizes of Black Agate (Onyx) round beads and pewter accents with silver plated hammered chain and a lobster clasp to complete the necklace. Matching Black Agate (Onyx) round beads and pewter accents on French Hook earrings complete the set.

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Black Agate (Onyx) which is truely a died black Agate, is more common and perhaps the most famous variety, but not as common as natural Onyx. Onyx is a crypyocrystalline form of Quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (save some shades, such as purple or blue). A picture of a true Black Onyx specimum is seen at the left. True specimens of Onyx contain bands of colors of white, tan, and brown. As stated, the pure black form which most people know as Onyx, is not a naturally occuring variety. Black Agate or poorly colored Onyx is heated and dyed black to come up with the pure black form so well liked within the jewelry industry.

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Agate is a microcrystalline variety of quartz, chiefly Chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks but can be common in certain metamorphic rocks. White Agate or probably better known as Greek agate, is a name given to pale white to tan colored Agate originally found in Sicily back to 400 B.C. The Greeks used it for making jewelry and beads. Today almost any agate of this white color is called Greek agate. Yet the stone had been around centuries before that and was known to both the Sumerians and the Egyptians, who used the gem for decoration and religious ceremony. True White Greek Agate comes only from Sicily, once a Greek Colony.

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Pewter is a metaln alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 percent tinn, with the remainder consisting of 1-4 percent copper, acting as a hardener, with the addition of lead for the lower grades of pewter and a bluish tint. Traditionally, there were three grades of pewter: fine, for eatingware, with 96-99 percent tin, and 1-4 percent copper; trifle, also for eating and drinking utensils but duller in appearance, with 92 percent tin, 1-6 percent copper, and up to 4 percent lead; and lay or ley metal, not for eating or drinking utensils, which could contain up to 15 percent lead. Modern pewter mixes the tin with copper, antimony and/or bismuth as opposed to lead. Physically, pewter is a bright, shiny metal that is very similar in appearance to silver. Like silver, pewter will also oxidize to a dull gray over time if left untreated. Pewter is a very malleable alloy, being soft enough to work with hand tools, and it also takes good impressions from punches or presses. Because of this inherent softness and malleability, however, pewter cannot be used to make tools itself. Some types of pewter pieces, such as candlesticks, would be turned on a metal lathe. Pieces produced through this technique are sometimes referred to as "holloware." Pewter has a low melting point of around 225-240°C (437-464°F) depending on the exact mixture of metals. Duplication by casting will give excellent results especially in jewelry making. Pewter is many times the base metal for Silver or Gold plating.

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GEMSTONE JEWELRY - Lapidary Time, Back to the Workbench !

There are times that in an attempt to obtain some interesting pendants for new necklace designs, one finds that you have to go the the Lapidary route, find the rocks that look the best, slice them open to see if gemstone grade material and then spend the time cutting and polishing them up to fit the design working on or what the person designing the jewelry wants for their pieces.

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Here are some interesting slabs that have been obtained, now to hope for good pieces out of them for the pendants or cabochons.

Territella Agate from Wyoming

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Wild Horse Magnesite from Arizona

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Bronzite from Montana
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Llanite from Texas

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Blue Crazy Lace Agate from Mexico

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Once the slabs have been cut and formed and finally polished, the pendants and cabochones look like the following.

Territella Agate Pendants

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Wild Horse Magnesite Cabochones mounted in Silver

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Bronzite Pendants

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Llanite Pendants

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Blue Craze Lace Agate Pendant and Mounted Pendant

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GEMSTONE JEWELRY - Agate & Jasper or Agate or Jasper ! !

Sometimes we have an Agate, sometimes we have a Jasper, sometimes we have a name and not sure which exact gemstone we have. Many times we try to find an "easy answer" where there isn't one. The basic difference between Agate and Jasper is a structural one - at the microscopic level. It has nothing to do with the color or pattern. Agate is composed of microscopic 'fibers' of crystalline quartz. Jasper is composed of microscopic 'grains' of crystalline quartz. Jasper has less-regular patterns and is less defined than the Agates. Another subtle difference between the two is that Agates tend to be translucent (or at least contain translucent bands), while Jaspers are generally opaque.

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This is a warm and comfortable design that incorporates Autumn colors - orange brown, red and rust. By using a colorful Agate/Jasper pendant, Breciated Jasper carved twists, Carnelian rounds and Antique Brass beads with crystal highlights, we make a smooth transition from the warmth of Summer to the coolness of Autumn. Matching French Hook earrings complete the set.

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Agate - No gemstone is more creatively striped by nature than agate. This distinct and dramatically banded variety of Quartz comes in layers. Agate composition varies greatly and can be of many colors. Each individual Agate forms by filling a cavity in a host rock. As a result, Agate often is found as a round nodule with concentric bands like the rings of a tree trunk. It is said to be named for the place it first was found along the River Achates (now called the River Drillo) in Sicily.

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Jasper coming from Greek origin, "iaspis", means "spotted stone." This form of semiprecious microcrystalline Quartz is usually red, brown or green. Its patterns are much less regular and defined than those of its sister variety, Agate. Although the term Jasper is often applied to unidentified stones, true Jaspers are metamorphic rocks. Jasper derives its colorful patterns from other minerals present, and is often named according to its pattern. It has a dull luster but takes a fine polish, and its hardness and other physical properties are those of Quartz. Jasper is often sealed with petroleum products. Its polish might wash away in water, so clean with a soft, dry cloth.

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Carnelian is an A-grade Agate. What a lot of people call "true carnelian" is the fiery red/orange color, and in theory, Carnelian is naturally that color. However, most of that fiery red/orange "true" Carnelian is heat-treated in secret before it reaches the gemstone-cutting factory. This apparently has been a secret for thousands of years; each part of the world thought everyone else's Carnelian was naturally red, but they were heating theirs, too. When held against the light, the color-treated Carnelian shows its color in stripes, while natural Carnelian shows a cloudy distribution of color. The name Carnelian is said to be derived from the Latin word 'carnis' ("flesh") due to its color. Deposits of Carnelian are found in Brazil, India, Australia, Russia, Madagascar, South Africa, Uruguay and the U.S.A.

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GEMSTONE JEWELRY - Black and Blue !

Very simple and little discussion needed when it comes to this Black and Blue design.
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This very simple design uses only Turquoise, Howlite, Black Agate (Onyx) and Silver beads to obtain a total look. Turquoise colored Howlite free form mini-slabs highlight this necklace that has several sizes of Black Agate (Onyx) rounds, stabilized Turquoise rounds and silver plated barrels. French hook earrings containing stabilized Turquoise, Black Agate (Onyx) rounds and silver round beads complete the set.
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Howlite, named for its discoverer Henry How is one of those minerals that is more famous for imitating another mineral than being used for itself. In most cases the other mineral is Turquoise, a phosphate gemstone. Although natural Howlite is always white or gray, it can accept dyes fairly easily and be dyed a turquoise blue. The look of turquoise is so good that dishonest dealers have been unfortunately successful at this hoax. In more honest circumstances, dyed howlite is an affordable substitute for turquoise carvings, beads, polished stones and cabochons. It accepts a nice polish and its porcelaneous luster is attractive and enhances even undyed beads and carvings. Unfortunately it has low hardness, but it still has a distinct toughness. California is the source for most all of the howlite trade where nodules of up to one hundred pounds have been found. In addition to the famous turquoise colored Howlite is dyed, it also can become a very bright red color to mimic red coral, or any other color in the rainbow.
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Stabilized turquoise - Turquoise that is soft or normally referred to as "chalk" Turquoise is infused with a clear epoxy resin. This resin, under pressure, is absorbed into the rock, which permanently hardens the rock and deepens the color. Unlike the collectible natural Turquoise which deepens in color over time by gradually absorbing oils from the skin as it is worn, the colors in stabilized Turquoise are permanent. Most of the Turquoise on the market today is stabilized and should not cost as much as natural Turquoise. Stabilized turquoise can be very beautiful, and is a good buy. Because of it's hardness and consistant color, stabilized Turquoise wears much better in Jewelry.

Black Agate (Onyx) which is truely a died black Agate, is more common and perhaps the most famous variety, but not as common as natural Onyx. Onyx is a crypyocrystalline form of Quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (save some shades, such as purple or blue). A picture of a true Black Onyx specimum is seen at the left. True specimens of Onyx contain bands of colors of white, tan, and brown. As stated, the pure black form which most people know as Onyx, is not a naturally occuring variety. Black Agate or poorly colored Onyx is heated and dyed black to come up with the pure black form so well liked within the jewelry industry.
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GEMSTONE JEWELRY - A Crazy Stone !

In this case not a 'crazy stone' but the name applied to one of the more colorful stones in the Agate family. Agates come in all colors and designs within the stones, but one of the most popular is called "Crazy Lace Agate", coming out of the Sierra Santa Lucia and Durango areas of Mexico.

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In this design, we actually used two gemstones to highlight the piece. Three of the five puff oval Stabilized Arizona Turquoise beads make up the pendant with two more inbetween the four squares of Mexican Crazy Lace Agate. Additional stabilized Turquoise rounds and barrels and an extender with a Lobster clasp complete the necklace. Matching dangle leverback earrings finish the set.

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Crazy Lace Agate, also known as Mexican Agate, is an attractive, white, opaque stone, patterned like a beautiful, multicolored paisley cloth. It is a cryptocrystalline quartz, found in Mexico. It is almost always found composed of multicoloured twisting and turning bands and thus fits into the microcrystalline quartz family. It can range in color from brown, through the reds and yellows, to purples and even blues. Many time it is named based on its color, ie., Blue Lace Agate.

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Stabilized turquoise - Turquoise that is soft or normally referred to as "chalk" Turquoise is infused with a clear epoxy resin. This resin, under pressure, is absorbed into the rock, which permanently hardens the rock and deepens the color. Unlike the collectible natural Turquoise which deepens in color over time by gradually absorbing oils from the skin as it is worn, the colors in stabilized Turquoise are permanent. Most of the Turquoise on the market today is stabilized and should not cost as much as natural Turquoise. Stabilized turquoise can be very beautiful, and is a good buy. Because of it's hardness and consistant color, stabilized Turquoise wears much better in Jewelry.

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GEMSTONE JEWELRY - From the Sea !

"From the Sea, From the Sea, From the Beautiful Sea" or however that song goes and depending on where one travels, it is possible to find jewelry that comes totally from the sea. Most is faily inexpensive, but designs that contailn items such as Black Coral can run hundreds, even thousandss of dollars.
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In this design, shells from the sea that have been cut into large 30mm rounds highlight a necklace of Poppy Jasper ovals, Black Agate (Onyx) barrels and heishi shell beads. A copper lobster clasp can connect to a copper chain to allow for varying necklace lengths. Two styles of French Hook dangle earrings complete the set.
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Seashell - Jewelry made from seashellsd are absolutely stunning, and so calming. Seashell jewelry continues to grow in popularity, especially since no two shells are alike, so each piece is as unique as you are! There are millions out there to choose from, so getting some to even match a little bit can be an exciting discovery and bit time consuming.Seashell necklaces and Mother of Pearl (MOP) are quite the favorites, along with some pretty Sand Dollars. Shell jewelry tells everyone you love nature.
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Black Agate (Onyx) which is truely a died black Agate, is more common and perhaps the most famous variety, but not as common as natural Onyx. Onyx is a crypyocrystalline form of Quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (save some shades, such as purple or blue). A picture of a true Black Onyx specimum is seen at the left. True specimens of Onyx contain bands of colors of white, tan, and brown. As stated, the pure black form which most people know as Onyx, is not a naturally occuring variety. Black Agate or poorly colored Onyx is heated and dyed black to come up with the pure black form so well liked within the jewelry industry.
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Poppy Jasper is found in two places - Spain and the Morgan Hill area of California. Poppy Jasper exhibits stones of brick red mingling with shades of brown or black. These beautiful gemstones also often show shades of golden yellows, cream, or white in a single bead. Poppy Jasper is a famous, but increasingly rare orbicular jasper with red and yellow dots of "poppy flowers". It is a brecciated jasper, meaning it probably came from sun-dried and oxidized iron-rich clay. The cracks were filled in by other substances. Jasper, a form of Chalcedony, is an opaque impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow, brown or green in color. Blue is rare. This mineral breaks with a smooth surface, and is used for ornamentation or as a gemstone. It can be highly polished and is used for vases, seals, jewelry and at one time for snuff boxes. When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped or banded jasper. When the colors are in circles or long tubes it is called plume jasper. Jasper is basically chert which owes its red color to iron inclusions.
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Heishi - The literal meaning of heishi is "shell" and specifically refers to pieces of shell which have been drilled and ground into beads and then strung into necklaces. More and more frequently, however, heishi (pronounced hee-shee) has come to refer to hand-made tiny beads made of any natural material. The origin of heishi is fascinating indeed, and is inescapably linked to the ancient history of the people most proficient in its making, the Santo Domingo and San Felipe Pueblo Indians. It is safe to say that this is the oldest form of jewelry in New Mexico (and perhaps in North America), pre-dating the introduction of metals. Centuries ago, the shells used by the Pueblo Indians to make beads were obtained in trade from the Gulf of California. When one looks at a string of heishi, the first reaction is frequently "how on earth can a person do that?" or "to be so perfect, it must be done by machines." The truth is, if it seems exquisitely perfect, it was most likely made by the hands of a highly-skilled, extremely patient craftsperson. Knowing the steps involved in the creation of a good string of heishi can help a potential buyer distinguish—and appreciate the difference— between excellent hand-made jewelry and imitations. First, the raw materials are chosen. The most commonly used are seashells of all kinds—dark and light olive shells, spiney oysters, mother-of-pearl, melon shell. Coral and stones such as lapis, turquoise, jet, pipestone and serpentine are also used to create exquisite contemporary heishi necklaces.
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GEMSTONE JEWELRY - a man-made Gemstone !

Not all gemstones seen on the market are from Mother Nature. There are a few, that are called gemstones despite the fact they are not, they are creations of man. A few of these are quite beautiful and very pretty when combined and used in jewelry.

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It so happens that this jewelry set is constructed out of one of these man-made stones - Goldstone. Flat Goldstone discs form the center and highlight the sides of this necklace. Round Blue Goldstone combined with black Agate (Onyx) are used to complete the necklace along with a copper toggle clap. French hook dangle earrings with matching Blue Goldstone and Onyx finish the set.

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Goldstone is a type of glittering glass made in a low-oxygen reducing atmosphere. The finished product can take a smooth polish and can be carved into beads, pendants, figurines or other artifacts suitable for a semiprecious stone, and in fact Goldstone is often mistaken for or misrepresented as a natural material. The most common form of Goldstone is reddish-brown, containing tiny crystals of metallic copper that require special conditions to form properly. The initial batch is melted together from silica, copper oxide, and other metal oxides to chemically reduce the copper ions to elemental copper. The vat is then sealed off from the air and maintained within a narrow temperature range, keeping the glass hot enough to remain liquid while allowing metallic crystals to precipitate from solution without melting or oxidizing. After a suitable crystallization period, the entire batch is cooled to a single solid mass. The best material is near the center or "heart" of the mass, ideally with large, bright metal crystals suspended in a semitransparent glass matrix. Goldstone also exists in other color variants based on other elements. Cobalt and manganese can be substituted for copper; the resulting crystals have a more blue or silvery appearance and are suspended in a strongly-colored matrix of the corresponding ionic color, resulting in Blue Goldstone or Purple Goldstone respectively. Green Goldstone forms its reflective particles from chromium oxides rather than the elemental metals, but is otherwise fairly similar.

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Black Agate (Onyx) which is truely a died black Agate, is more common and perhaps the most famous variety, but not as common as natural Onyx. Onyx is a crypyocrystalline form of Quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (save some shades, such as purple or blue). Specimens of Onyx contain bands of colors of white, tan, and brown. As stated, the pure black form which most people know as Onyx, is not a naturally occuring variety. Black Agate or poorly colored Onyx is heated and dyed black to come up with the pure black form so well liked within the jewelry industry.

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