The ELGANCE COLLECTION - Ivoryite and Cloisonne !

Ivoryite barrels and rondels highlight the black and gold Cloisonne metal beads.

Crystals with brass heische beads and black glass diamond beads complete the necklace.

This 18 inch necklace with a 2 inch extender uses a gold plated S-hook clasp.

The matching earrings are gold plated French hook style, Ivorite rodels, Cloisonee and Crystal beads with a 2 1/4 inch drop.

Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects, but in recent centuries using vitreous enamels, and also inlays of cut gemstones, glass, and even linen. and other cloth materials, has become common place, especially in jewelry beads and pendants.

Ivoryite is a great substitute for ivory. It is a sedimentary precipitate of magnesium, calcium and silica. It is 5 to 5-1/2 on the Moh's scale, which makes it slightly harder than ivory. Ivoryite can be worked with metal tools, but cuts effortlessly with diamond tools. Polishes well with diamond, tin oxide, cerium oxide or white rouge. Excellent material for inlay, cabochons and small carvings. Do not confuse Ivoryite with Ivorite, whic is a black tektite material from Africa. The majority of Ivoryite currenly comes from the western United States, especially Colorado and California.

Czech Crystals and black Glass are also used in this set.

The AUTUMN COLLECTION - Moss Agate !

SOLD Moss Agate graduated coin beads overlap each other with Bronze speacers between each bead.


The sides of the necklace are then completed with Cloisonne beads, Ivoryite rondells and Bronze spacers.


This 18 inch necklace is then fitted with an antique gold plated square Toggle clasp.

The matching gold plate French Hook earrings of Cloisonne, Ivoryite and Bronze spacers dangle 1 7/8 inches.

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. Many different varieties and types of Agate occur naturally and all different kinds of names have been applied based on location found or the colors in the Agate. Moss Agate is one of some 130 plus names currently associated with specifically named Agates.

Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalework objects, but in recent centuries using vitreous enamels, and also inlays of cut gemstones, glass, and even linen. and other cloth materials, has become common place, especially in jewelry beads.

Ivoryite is a great substitute for ivory. It is a sedimentary precipitate of magnesium, calcium and silica. It is 5 to 5-1/2 on the Moh's scale, which makes it slightly harder than ivory. Ivoryite can be worked with metal tools, but cuts effortlessly with diamond tools. Polishes well with diamond, tin oxide, cerium oxide or white rouge. Excellent material for inlay, cabochons and small carvings. Do not confuse Ivoryite with Ivorite, whic is a black tektite material from Africa. The majority of Ivoryite currenly comes from the western United States, especially Colorado and California.

SOUTHWESTERN FLAIR - A Modern Look !

Keeping with the classic materials used in jewelry from the Southwestern United States, it can still be made to have a more modern look.

A pear shapped Turquoise Bead dangles as a pendant from this 20 inch necklace. Ivoryite barrels and Turquoise oval beads provide the bold dynamic look while black Agate (Onyx) chips are interspirsed between more Turquoise oval beads. All are highlighted with silver beads and the necklace is finished with a Hook Clasp.

Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium. It is rare and valuable in its finer grades and has been prized as a gemstone and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue. In recent times Turquoise, like most other opaque gems, has been devalued by the introduction of treatments, imitations, and synthetics onto the gemstone marketplace. The substance has been known by many names, but the word Turquoise was derived around the 16th century from the French language 'turquie', for a Central Asian material which was a very early imported through Turkey from Persia. Today, Persian and certain southwestern United States Turquoise, especially Sleeping Beauty, commend some of the highest prices paid for this gemstone. Many times on the edges of the Turquoise fields, other minerals and stones become interwined into the Turquoise or Turquoise pieces are encapsulated into the surrounding rock, thus creating unique and interesting patterns.

Ivoryite is a great substitute for ivory. It is a sedimentary precipitate of magnesium, calcium and silica. It is 5 to 5-1/2 on the Moh's scale, which makes it slightly harder than ivory. Ivoryite can be worked with metal tools, but cuts effortlessly with diamond tools. Polishes well with diamond, tin oxide, cerium oxide or white rouge. Excellent material for inlay, cabochons and small carvings. Do not confuse Ivoryite with Ivorite, whic is a black tektite material from Africa. The majority of Ivoryite currenly comes from the western United States, especially Colorado and California.

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.

Matching Turquoise oval dangle Leverback Earrings complete the set.

SOUTHWESTERN FLAIR - Bold Metalic Look !

SOLD This bold modern southwestern look necklace set has a dramatic 2 inch foiled dichroic glass teardrop pendant in copper and silver as the central piece. It is highlighted with charmed crystals, pipestone Jasper and Cat-eye beads. Large Turquoise colored Magnesite and Ivoryite stones are complemented by rondels of Ivoryite, Cats-eye and pepermint Jasper. The necklace with a silver Toggle Clasp is 21 inches with the 2 inch drop of the pendant.

Matching French Hook dangle earrings complete the set.

Magnesite occurs as veins in and an alteration product of ultramafic rocks like serpentinite, turquoise and other magnesium rich rock types in both contact and regional metamorphic terranes. These Magnesites often are cryptocrystalline and contain silica as opal or chert. Magnesite is also present within the regolith above ultramafic rocks as a secondary carbonate within soil and subsoil, where it is deposited as a consequence of dissolution of magnesium-bearing minerals by carbon dioxide within groundwaters. Some of the best Magnesite deposits that can produce gemstone quality material are co-located with Turquoise deposits in the southwestern United States. Magnesite like Howlite, can be died to look like actual Turquoise.

Dichroic glass is glass containing multiple micro-layers of metal oxides which give the glass dichroic optical properties. The invention of dichroic glass is often erroneously attributed to NASA and its contractors, who developed it for use in dichroic filters. However, Dichroic glass dates back to at least the 4th century AD as seen in the Lycurgus cup. Dichroic glass is an example of thin-film optics.

Ivoryite is a great substitute for ivory. It is a sedimentary precipitate of magnesium, calcium and silica. It is 5 to 5-1/2 on the Moh's scale, which makes it slightly harder than ivory. Ivoryite can be worked with metal tools, but cuts effortlessly with diamond tools. Polishes well with diamond, tin oxide, cerium oxide or white rouge. Excellent material for inlay, cabochons and small carvings. Do not confuse Ivoryite with Ivorite, whic is a black tektite material from Africa. The majority of Ivoryite currenly comes from the western United States, especially Colorado and California.

Jasper, a form of Chalcedony, is an opaque, impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow, brown or green in color; and rarely blue. This mineral breaks with a smooth surface, and is used for ornamentation or as a gemstone, especially in jewelry. It can be highly polished and is used for vases, seals, and at one time for snuff boxes. When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped or banded Jasper. Jaspilite is a banded iron formation rock that often has distinctive bands of Jasper. Jasper is basically Chert which owes its red color to iron inclusions. Peppermint Jasper is a named variety of brown, tan and white striped banded Jasper.

Crystals and cat-eye beads are also used in this set.

SOUTHWESTERN FLAIR -- Wild Horse Magnesite and Ivoryite !

From the deserts of the Southwesten United States comes a exciting gemstone called by many Wild Horse Turquoise. Although coming out of the same mines as Turquoise, its characteristic is a reddish-brown matrix surrounding a snow white background. This is a beautiful and very extraordinary combination. However, the correct identification of the material is Magnesite, not Turquoise since there is no cupric in it to give the blue, blue-green or green coloration that makes Turquoise so famous. But wheather called Wild Horse Magnesite or Wild Horse Turquoise, it is from the same locations and is extremely hard to find but make beautiful jewelry.

You are looking at true Southwest. The colors of the desert - tans and browns - are predominent in the Sterling Silver bezel set Wild Horse Magnesite triangular pendant. Magnesite barrels and Ivoryite rondels are interlaced with sterling silver and chain links to give this 19 inch necklace with 2 inch extender its fantastic look. Magnesite and Ivoryite are further paired in teh 1 inch long Leverback earrings that complete the set.

Magnesite occurs as veins in and an alteration product of ultramafic rocks like serpentinite, turquoise and other magnesium rich rock types in both contact and regional metamorphic terranes. These Magnesites often are cryptocrystalline and contain silica as opal or chert. Magnesite is also present within the regolith above ultramafic rocks as a secondary carbonate within soil and subsoil, where it is deposited as a consequence of dissolution of magnesium-bearing minerals by carbon dioxide within groundwaters. Some of the best Magnesite deposits that can produce gemstone quality material are co-located with Turquoise deposits in the southwestern United States.

Ivoryite is a great substitute for ivory. It is a sedimentary precipitate of magnesium, calcium and silica. It is 5 to 5-1/2 on the Moh's scale, which makes it slightly harder than ivory. Ivoryite can be worked with metal tools, but cuts effortlessly with diamond tools. Polishes well with diamond, tin oxide, cerium oxide or white rouge. Excellent material for inlay, cabochons and small carvings. Do not confuse Ivoryite with Ivorite, whic is a black tektite material from Africa. The majority of Ivoryite currenly comes from the western United States, especially Colorado and California.

GEMSTONE JEWELRY - An Old Favorite, Turquoise !

Turquoise use in jewelry goes back to the early Egyptain times and maybe earlier than that. The Native American's use of Turquoise in their jewelry, especially from the southwestern United States, where it is plentiful, is still a favority among men and women alike.

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This design incorporates southwestern stablizied Turquoise tear-drop shapped pendant hung on silver from a necklace of Turquoise oval and Ivority barrel beads with Black Agate (Onyx) chips, silver plated highlights and a silver hook and loop clasp. Silver leverback earrings with matching Turquoise ovals complete the set.

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Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium. It is rare and valuable in its finer grades and has been prized as a gemstone and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue. In recent times Turquoise, like most other opaque gems, has been devalued by the introduction of treatments, imitations, and synthetics onto the gemstone marketplace. The substance has been known by many names, but the word Turquoise was derived around the 16th century from the French language 'turquie', for a Central Asian material which was a very early imported through Turkey from Persia. Today, Persian and certain southwestern United States Turquoise, especially Sleeping Beauty, commend some of the highest prices paid for this gemstone.

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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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Ivoryite is a unique variety of an extremely fine grained mineral called Magnesite. It is a naturally occuring mineral and not man-made. It is found in Arizona and quarried by hand. Ivoryite has the creamy color, smooth texture, and satin luster of natural Ivory. It is slightly harder however than natural ivory.

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ADDITIONAL NEW DESIGNS !

The following new sets use combinations of Agate, Arizona Turquoise, Bronzite, Ceramic Beads, Czech Crystal, Arizona Magnesite (Wild Horse), Onyx and Tiger Iron in varying designs with silver and gold highlights and clasps. All the sets have matching Earrings.

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All these sets will be placed on the web-site over the next week.

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TURQUOISE !

In response to e-mails, yes got more and some different types of Turquoise at Tucson this year. Currently am busy creating some different designs and mixing the Turquoise with new and different types of gemstones, plus have found in many cases Copper looks much better than the old stand-by Silver for the accents and clasps.

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Here are some new designs that will soon appear on the Web-site.

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And here are the last containing Turquoise that are left from last year.
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Set GS184 --- Set GS177

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