What is net neutrality and why is it important?

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I know this is way overdue, but I just couldn’t seem to make myself acknowledge that Fall & Winter are coming this year. Winter in the far northeastern tip of the U.S. is harsh and lasts for far longer than it should. Summer however, is beautiful – both days. The last couple of winters have seemed particularly interminable to me and I believe I may be burnt out on Winter altogether. So, I did what any self respecting girl would do when faced with a reality she doesn’t want to face. I engaged in rampant denial. If I didn’t acknowledge that Fall was coming, then Winter wouldn’t come either – right? Wrong. The leaves here are starting to turn and August isn’t even over yet. I can no longer turn a blind eye to the fact that Fall is on our doorstep and it’s time to step up and take care of business. So, here is my list of gemstones that can be used to match the colors of Pantone®’s Fall/Winter 2014 Color Forecast.

This slightly brownish shade of gray makes for an interesting neutral. It can be shifted more toward either taupe or true gray depending on what colors are paired with it.

LABRADORITE

Labradorite is a Plagioclase Feldspar. What makes this stone so beautiful is the Schiller Effect or Labradorescence. When light hits the stone from various angles the stones displays a stunning array of metallic rainbow colors against the pale gray background.

SILVER PEARLS

Pearls represent timeless elegance. They are one of the few organic gemstones. Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, gets into the shell of a mollusk. The creature secretes a substance called Nacre which coats the irritant, forming a hard, smooth shell around it. Today, most pearls are intentionally created by inserting a bead inside the shells of mollusks in pearl farms. Pearls are often dyed to achieve a rainbow of colors. Gray or Silver pearls can occur naturally or be dyed to a specific shade.

GRAY MOONSTONE

Moonstone is an Orthoclase Feldspar. Due to the crystal structure, this stone exhibits a rolling glow in the light (an effect known as Adularescence). Gray Moonstone colors vary from very pale almost transparent gray to deeper more opaque gray, sometimes with a brownish undertone.

GRAY AGATE

Agate is a fairly common form of Chalcedony Quartz. Gray Agate has beautiful striations of varying shades of gray, white & black.

The more I look at this color, the more I fall in love with it. This pale gray with just enough of a hint of lavender to draw the eye. I think it would look lovely paired with Royal Blue, Cognac or even Sangria.

LAVENDER-GRAY PEARLS

The elegance of pearls is enduring throughout history. They are one of the few organic gemstones. Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, gets into the shell of a mollusk. The creature secretes a substance called Nacre which coats the irritant, forming a hard, smooth shell around it. Today, most pearls are intentionally created by inserting a bead inside the shells of mollusks in pearl farms. Pearls are often dyed to achieve a rainbow of colors. This subtle Lavender-Gray is one of my favorite colors for pearls.

LAVENDER-GRAY SPINEL

Spinel is a beautiful, hard stone with a high refractive index, which gives it lots of sparkle. It can occur in virtually any color and the crystals are commonly free of inclusions, making for wonderfully clear cut stones. It is one of the few gemstones that is rarely ever subjected to enhancements of any kind. Gray or Silver Spinels that have just a touch of lavender make a great match for Sea Fog.

STAR SAPPHIRE

Sapphires are the mineral Corundum, which comes in virtually all colors. All colors of Corundum with the exception of red are considered Sapphires. Red Corundum is considered Ruby. Star Sapphires exhibit an effect called Asterism. This effect is caused by tiny needle like inclusions of Rutile within the crystal structure of the stone. Only Rutile inclusions that intersect at very specific angles will produce a well defined star. Star Sapphires occur mostly in blue, pink, orange, yellow, green, lavender, gray and black. The subtle grayish-lavender ones are among my favorites.

FANCY JASPER

Jaspers are an opaque variety of Chalcedony (Quartz). They are a very commonly found gemstone and can occur in many beautiful colors and patterns. This grayish-lavender variety is a spot on match.

This beautiful Royal Blue manages to be elegant yet vivid at the same time. This lovely shade is one of the more eye-catching colors of the Fall Forecast.

LAPIS LAZULI

This beautiful, richly colored stone has been prized since antiquity. Ground Lapis Lazuli was the pigment used by the Old Masters to create their Ultramarine Blue paints. Lapis deposits usually form in crystalline marble. Pyrite inclusions give the appearance of metallic gold speckles through the rich blue background. Throughout history right up to today, the finest Lapis Lazuli has been mined in what is now the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan.

BLUE SAPPHIRE

Sapphires are the mineral Corundum, which comes in virtually all colors. All colors of Corundum with the exception of red are considered Sapphires. Red Corundum is considered Ruby. Blue Sapphires can occur in a wide ranges of blues from true blues to greenish, grayish or purplish blues.

KYANITE

Kyanite is a gemstone that occurs in a range of very rich blues, teals, greens and sometimes orange. The crystals form as long blades which can be difficult to cut due to their tendency to splinter. The stone can be opaque with a silvery chatoyant luster or clear & vividly rich in color.

SODALITE

This lovely stone is perhaps the best match for Pantone’s Royal Blue. Sodalite is often mistaken for Lapis Lazuli, although there are definite differences. Sodalite’s color is more Royal Blue than Ultramarine, it rarely contains Pyrite inclusions and it quite often contains white veining. This stone occurs not only in blue, but also in shades of gray, yellow, green or pink.

This gorgeous, saturated blue is almost the same color as Dazzling Blue, but ever so slightly more greenish and a bit less vivid. It is a beautiful, rich color that is a real attention grabber.

BLUE ZIRCON

This fiery gemstone occurs in an array of colors ranging the entire spectrum. It’s high refractive index gives it brilliant sparkle, so much so that colorless Zircon was often used as a Diamond substitute. Naturally occurring Blue Zircon is quite rare. Most of the Blue Zircon on the market is reddish-brown Zircon that has been heated to turn it blue.

HEMIMORPHITE

This Zinc Silicate mineral occurs in beautiful shades of blue ranging from pale ice blue through vivid peacock blue, pale pink and pale yellow. Quite often, it forms as a crystalline crust on other minerals and these deposits and is often cut as druzy cabochons.

SWISS BLUE TOPAZ

Topaz is a Fluorine Aluminum Silicate that occurs in many colors from colorless to green, blue, red, pink and many shades of yellows & browns. Natural Blue Topaz is quite rare, although the rarest color is Red Topaz. Almost all Blue Topaz on the market has been irradiated to produce the lovely blue shades of Sky Blue, Swiss Blue & London Blue. Swiss Blue is the intense medium blue shade that falls between the pale Sky Blue and the deep London Blue.

CHRYSOCOLLA

This lovely Copper Ore is often mistaken for Turquoise because of it’s color. Chrysocolla is often found mixed with related Copper bearing minerals such as Malachite and Azurite as well as Quartz. This mix of stones can often result in interesting and attractive patterns displaying varying hues of blue, green, white & black.

NEON BLUE APATITE

Apatite is a form of Calcium Phosphate, which is the same thing our teeth and bones are made of. It is the most commonly occurring source of Phosphorus in the world, but clear, gem quality stones are rare and this soft gemstone is difficult to cut. Apatite occurs in shades of aqua, blue, green & yellow, more rarely it can be found in violet of reddish colors. The vivid rich shade known a “Neon Blue” makes a beautiful match for Bright Cobalt.

This cool, vibrant red is just beautiful! I’m a big fan of cool toned reds, but you don’t seem to find them often in fashion. Seeing this one turn up for the fall season gives me all kinds of warm fuzzy feelings.

RED SPINEL

Spinel is a beautiful, hard stone with a high refractive index, which gives it lots of sparkle. It can occur in virtually any color and the crystals are commonly free of inclusions, making for wonderfully clear cut stones. It is one of the few gemstones that is rarely ever subjected to enhancements of any kind. Vivid Red Spinel is always a highly prized show-stopper.

RED ZIRCON

This fiery gemstone occurs in an array of colors ranging the entire spectrum. It’s high refractive index gives it brilliant sparkle, so much so that colorless Zircon was often used as a Diamond substitute. Deep Red Zircon is a truly lovely stone that can range in color from vivid deep red to a more muted brownish red.

ANDESINE

This lovely stone is Labradorite that has been diffusion treated with Copper to give it a vibrant red color. When this gemstone first hit the market, the geographic origin and the fact that it was a diffusion treated stone were not disclosed, causing quite a bit of controversy. Andesine often shows the metallic Schiller effect that Labradorite is known for, shimmering with green, red & sometimes yellow iridescence under strong light. It is also sold as “Red Labradorite” or “Andesine-Labradorite”.

SONGEA SAPPHIRE

Sapphires are the mineral Corundum, which comes in virtually all colors. All colors of Corundum with the exception of red are considered Sapphires. Red Corundum is considered Ruby. These gorgeous Sapphires come from the Songea mines in Tanzania. They occur in a wide array of vivid, saturated colors. Technically, the rich reds are Ruby, but they are mostly marketed as Sapphires.

RED BERYL (Bixbite)

Also known as “Red Emerald” or “Bixbite”, this variety of Beryl is extremely beautiful  and extremely rare. It has only ever been found in a couple of locations in the states of Utah & New Mexico. It rarely ever occurs in large crystals, so high carat sized stones are virtually unheard of. Excellent quality Red Beryl can sell for upwards of $10,000 a carat. This is truly a luxury gemstone.

This shade of Loden Green is soft, earthy and attractive. Although it’s not a shade everyone can wear successfully, when you’ve got the right skin tone for it, it looks great.

KORNERUPINE

This lovely gemstone is actually quite rare. When it is found, it is usually in the form of brown or yellow crystals. Kornerupine can occur naturally in shades of green, yellow, brown, pink or as a clear stone. Cat’s Eye and Star effects are sometimes found and this stone is somewhat pleochroic, meaning the color shifts in different lighting. The most highly prized color is vivid green.

NEPHRITE JADE

There are actually 2 different types of stones that fall under the heading of Jade, Nephrite & Jadeite. Nephrite has a more resinous luster to it and Jadeite is generally considered the more valuable stone due to it’s greater translucency. Olive green Canadian Nephrite is a beautiful choice for Cypress.

MOLDAVITE

Moldavite is a member of the Tektite group of stones, meaning it is a space rock. This natural glass was caused by a meteor impact and is only found in the Moldau River region in Czechoslavakia. Generally it is olive green to dull brownish green, but the most highly prized color is a vivid bottle green. There are many fakes out there and most of them are just remelted green bottle glass, so care must be exercised when buying this beautiful gemstone.

VESUVIANITE

Also known as “Idocrase”, this Silicate gemstone is named after Mt. Vesuvius, where it was first found. Vesuvianite naturally occurs in green, brown, yellow & blue. The olive green variety goes wonderfully with Pantone’s Cypress.

OLIVE GREEN TOURMALINE

The Tourmaline group of boron silicate gemstones encompasses a number of stones that are grouped by color. The most highly prized color being the neon Aqua of “Paraiba Tourmaline”. Traces of Iron and Titanium within the crystal structure can produce green hued stones.

I just LOVE rich, saturated jewel tones and this one is no exception. Sangria is a spectacular color and the gemstones to match it are equally spectacular.

ALEXANDRITE

Alexandrite is a variety of Chrysoberyl, the 3rd hardest frequently occurring natural gemstone. This stone is strongly Pleochroic, meaning the color changes under different lighting conditions. Colors generally appear to shift between green/bluish green in daylight and red/raspberry red under incandescent light. Fine quality Alexandrite is extremely rare. Approximately 90% of the Alexandrite on the market today was grown in a laboratory.

RED (Wine) FLUORITE

Because of it’s reputation as the most colorful mineral in the world, Fluorite is second in popularity only to Quartz with gem & mineral collectors. This member of the Halide group is composed of calcium fluoride and is strongly fluorescent. It will glow vividly under UV light.  This beautiful, versatile gemstone is fairly soft so it must be treated with care.

RHODOLITE GARNET

Garnets are a group of silicate minerals that possess similar physical properties & crystal structure but vary in chemical compositon. Until recently, it was believed that Garnet occured naturally in all colors except blue. However, the recent discovery of the pleochroic Color-Change Blue Garnet dispelled that myth. Rhodolite is a member of the Pyrope Garnet family. It typically varies from deep to vivid raspberry red.

RUBELLITE TOURMALINE

Rubellite is the intensely colored pink-red variety of Tourmaline. One of the defining hallmarks of Rubellite is that, unlike other Tourmalines, the color displays just as intensely in both daylight & artificial light with none of the brownish hue characteristic of more common pink Tourmaline. The most highly prized shade of Rubellite is vivid red.

Cognac is another cool toned version of what is usually a warm color. This mocha brown makes for a wonderful neutral.

SMOKEY QUARTZ

This member of the Quartz family occurs in a range of shades from transparent beige to opaque black. The rich medium to dark brown shades a simply stunning.

CHOCOLATE DIAMOND

Brown diamonds occur in a range of shades from the palest champagne to the deepest chocolate. The lovely cool brown color of these diamonds makes them a very good match for Cognac.

CHOCOLATE WELO OPAL

Welo Opal was discovered in Ethiopia in 2008. Unlike Australian Opal, Welo Opal is found in nodules rather than seams. The color play in this gorgeous stone often matches or exceeds that of Australian Opal. Darker background colors are more highly prized, but care should be exercised when purchasing Welo Opal. A lot of dealers are selling so called “Black Welo Opal” which has a charcoal black background. To date NO Black Welo Opal has been found. This stone is actually regular Welo Opal that has been soaked in black india ink to give it a dark background.

CHOCOLATE PEARLS

Pearls represent timeless elegance. They are one of the few organic gemstones. Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, gets into the shell of a mollusk. The creature secretes a substance called Nacre which coats the irritant, forming a hard, smooth shell around it. Today, most pearls are intentionally created by inserting a bead inside the shells of mollusks in pearl farms. Pearls are often dyed to achieve a rainbow of colors. Chocolate Pearls range in color from mocha to rich deep espresso.

BROWN (Smokey) TOPAZ

Topaz is a Fluorine Aluminum Silicate that occurs in many colors from colorless to green, blue, red, pink and many shades of yellows & browns. Natural Blue Topaz is quite rare, although the rarest color is Red Topaz. This rich brown Topaz is a naturally occurring color and usually requires no enhancements.

This warm, subtle pastel lilac is a bit of an unusual color. I think would pair beautifully with Cognac.

CAPE AMETHYST

Amethyst is the purple variety of Quartz. Lighter lilac varieties are often marketed under the name Cape Amethyst.

LEPIDOLITE

This pretty lilac stone is a lithium bearing variety of stones in the Mica group. “Lilac Stone” is another name that it is labeled with in the market. It has a subtle sparkle and somewhat pearly luster to it and can occur in shades of pink, lilac and grayish purple. Lepidolite is an extremely soft stone and must be impregnated with resin in order to be used for jewelry.

BERTRANDITE (Tiffany Stone)

This beautiful, unusual stone is also known as “Tiffany Stone”. It is an Opalized Fluorite and displays a gorgeous array of creams, purples, brownish reds and sometimes blues.

LAVENDER SPINEL

Spinel is a beautiful, hard stone with a high refractive index, which gives it lots of sparkle. It can occur in virtually any color and the crystals are commonly free of inclusions, making for wonderfully clear cut stones. It is one of the few gemstones that is rarely ever subjected to enhancements of any kind.

LAVENDER AGATE

Agates are a form of Chalcedony Quartz which typically display bands of varying colors and translucence. Some varieties have inclusions which resemble plant life or form fantastic patterns. Agates occur naturally in many colors and are also dyed vivid colors. This lovely variety of Lavender Agate comes from Mexico.

Much like Radiant Orchid, I just can’t seem to make myself like this color. I must admit, I was really surprised to see it in the Fashion Forecast lineup because, quite frankly, this bright ochre color is flattering to pretty much… umm… no one.

MOOKAITE

This colorful variety of Jasper hails predominantly from the Mooka Creek area of Australia. It occurs in shades red, yellow, brown & cream that are usually mixed together, forming interesting patterns. Since it is an opaque stone, it is normally sold as cabochons, beads or tumbled nuggets.

BUTTERSCOTCH AMBER

Like Pearls, Amber is an organic gemstone. It is the fossilized resin (not sap) of ancient conifer trees and is about 50 million years old. Baltic Amber and Dominican Blue Amber are two of the most highly prized varieties of Amber. The swirling creams & yellows of Butterscotch Amber has always been a particular favorite of mine.

YELLOW JASPER

The term ‘Jasper’ is used to refer to opaque varieties of Chalcedony Quartz. Jaspers occur in many colors and patterns all over the world. Ocher yellow Jasper is a great match for Misted Yellow.

YELLOW COMMON OPAL

Opals are a hydrated silica gemstone with a water content that can range fro 3-21%. Unlike Precious Opal, Common Opal dies not display any of the typical multicolored Opal ‘fire’ and can range in color from white to yellow, pink, green & blue. Common Yellow Opal of African origin is quite popular for gemstone beads & cabochons and makes a wonderful match for Misted Yellow.

SCAPOLITE

This rare, little known gemstone comes in a variety of colors with the most common being honey yellow. Scapolite is a soft stone best suited for use in pendants or earrings. Clear gem quality Scapolite is quite rare although I have seen quite a bit of brown Cat’s Eye Scapolite around lately.

YELLOW FIRE OPAL

This transparent to translucent variety of Opal ranges in color from colorless through all shades of Vivid yellow, orange & red. Fire Opal sometimes, but not always, displays fiery color play. The most common colors for fire in these opals is green & red, but high quality specimens will display fiery color across the entire spectrum. The highest quality Fire Opal comes from the Queretaro region in Mexico.

Well, there’s my list list of gemstones to match Pantone’s Fall 2014 Color Forecast. Once again, there are some I absolutely love and some that really just don’t grab me. What are your favorites from this forecast? I’d love to hear what other people think of these colors and these gemstones.

1. Your finished product is as good as the time &  patience you invest in creating it. If it’s worth making – It’s worth taking the extra time to make it right. It’s an old saying, but it’s very true and it can’t possibly be said enough. I LOVE jewelry & I spend a lot of time cruising the internet looking at jewelry. I see a lot of jewelry that I really love. Sometimes, a piece will catch my eye and I stop for a closer look. I see a beautiful design idea, great use of color, gorgeous stones & then I get to the focal stone & see a wrap like this…

It’s a deal breaker for me because the message that it sends is this: The artist that made me didn’t care enough about their creation to spend the extra 30 seconds it would take to make a neat wrap. Attention to detail matters – it REALLY REALLY does. It takes less than 30 seconds longer to make a neat wrap.

Neat wraps not only give your jewelry a more polished look, they are another way for you to brand your pieces with a signature design element you can use over & over. If you are going to expend the time, money & effort to create a piece of wearable art, you should give it the attention it deserves. Make your wraps neat – it really doesn’t take that much longer.

2. Dip your pliers in rubber tool dip the help minimize tool marks. If you do a lot of wire manipulation or chainmaille work then you know what I mean about tool marks. Tool dip is a liquid rubber that you dip the tips of your tools into. When it sets, it leaves a rubberized coating on the tips which is much kinder to wire, so it minimizes the amount of pinch marks you get. When it gets chewed up, you peel it off and dip them again. Tool dip is pretty widely available, so it’s fairly easy to get your hands on some. Another way to minimize tool marks is to train yourself not to grip the wire too tightly with your pliers. It’s harder to do than it sounds and definitely takes some practice.

3. Mark the tips of your pliers with a Sharpie. This goes hand in hand with making neater wraps. It is a small detail that makes a BIG impression. Marking the tips of your pliers allows you to quickly & easily make your loops a consistent size. Keeping your loop size consistent throughout your piece allows the eye to focus on the overall design, rather than getting tripped up on foundational inconsistencies.

4. Know your gemstones. You owe it to your customers to be honest with them about the materials used in the jewelry they’re buying from you. Those pretty pink Turquoise beads you bought on eBay… they’re not Turquoise. Mother Nature doesn’t make Turquoise in pink or red or orange or purple. It’s dyed Magnesite or Howlite. Just because an unscrupulous seller told you they were Turquoise doesn’t mean you should perpetuate the deception. For example, I once bought a strand of what was being called “Tourmaline” from a seller on Etsy. When the beads arrived, I took one look at them and knew they were dyed crackle quartz. I returned the beads because they were synthetic. The seller was new to selling gemstone beads and had relied on the word of the vendor she purchased them from. She was horrified because he had lied to her about what they were. She spent a lot of money for her inventory for her new shop and she got ripped off big time because she didn’t know her product. There are a lot of unscrupulous dealers out there. The gem market is a veritable mine field, and if you don’t know what you are buying, you stand to lose a lot of money. Even more importantly, you risk fraudulently representing the materials used in your own work and that is a very slippery slope. If you educate yourself about gemstones, you don’t need a bunch of fancy test equipment to be able to know what you’re looking at. All it takes is a bit of time spent learning about gemstones & developing your “eye”. It also helps to exercise a bit of common sense. If someone from China is selling a 40x50mm flawless, vivid deep purple Amethyst for $10, it’s a sure bet it’s synthetic. NO gem dealer would sell a gem of that quality that cheaply. So, learning about the stones you’re using, how to spot synthetics and always being honest with your customers will help build your reputation for integrity and establish a base of trust with your prospective buyers.

5. Some helpful tools and the need for improvisation… For most of us, making jewelry is a hobby or a sideline business, and we’re all on a tight budget. Which means we can’t afford all the big expensive toys. I do a lot of improvisation when it comes to needing a tool that I don’t have. I’m sure most of us do. I originally started out with a couple of tools and if I needed something I didn’t have – I improvised. Just because something  is usually done with a specific tool that you don’t have, doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Keep your mind open & look around. Chances are you’ll find something in your home that can be adapted to the task.

Before I get into tools, I need to preface it by making a very important point. If you are a beginner who is interested in making jewelry, there is a one vital question you need to ask yourself. Is this something I intend to devote years of my time and effort to or is it just a passing interest? It is really important that you know yourself and be honest when answering this question. If you are the kind of person who either dabbles in things or jumps into them all gung ho and then quickly loses interest, then it doesn’t make sense for you to invest a lot of money in tools. Low cost basic tools will work just fine.  On the other hand, if this is something you are truly passionate about and you really want to devote yourself to it, then you should invest in the best quality tools you can afford. I’m not saying that you can’t make beautiful jewelry with poor quality tools. Masterpieces have been created with the crudest of tools. It just takes a lot more time, patience and skill. ALL tools have flaws which you must learn to compensate for, but the flaws in high quality precision tools are fewer & less severe. Another factor to consider if you’re planning on investing in tools is resale value. Higher quality tools have a much better resale value if you should ever choose to sell them. Making jewelry is both enjoyable & rewarding, but if you’re considering doing it seriously, then it is also expensive and time consuming. I’ve been at it pretty hard core for 24 years now and I’m still constantly working to hone my skills and learn new techniques. Now, on to the tools.

I’ve bought lots of low budget tools and then had to spend time figuring out ways to work around their weaknesses. There is nothing wrong with that. It just takes time. There’s also nothing saying you have to spend huge amounts of money to buy something brand new. If you keep your eyes open you can pick up used or even brand new high quality tools on eBay, pawn shops, yard sales or in the Classifieds. I am by no means an expert on tools. I have however, amassed quite a collection over the years, some expensive and some not. These are a few core tools that really make a difference, at least for me.

Round Nose Pliers would be at the very top of the list. These are the pliers that a large amount of my work is done with and after using poor quality ones, I made the decision to go high-quality. The $5-10 round nose pliers for sale in Walmart & a lot of bead stores really seem to have a lot of issues. The tips are rarely the same size and most of them aren’t even round. They have flat spots that will show up in your loops as – well, flat spots – which makes your loops look uneven. I use a pair of Lindstrom Round Nose pliers with precision ground 1/2 millimeter tips so I can make my loops tiny & precise. They cost me 70 bucks and they are worth every penny.

Next on the list would be a good pair of Super Flush Cutters. Most of the less expensive Flush Cutters out there really don’t cut flush. The result is that you end up with sharp, jagged ends on your wires. I actually use 2 pairs, a pair that were made for doing fine electronics work that I use for small gauge wire and another that I use for larger gauges and I love them both. Erem makes very nice quality Super Flush Cutters and you usually can’t go wrong with Lindstrom or Swanstrom.

A pair of Flat Nose pliers is pretty essential as well, especially if you’re planning on doing work with chainmaille. I have 2 pairs, which have very narrow 1mm wide tips for doing fine chainmaille work. They are made by Beadsmith and pretty inexpensive.

Bent Chain Nose pliers are another tool that I use a lot. I’ve tried a number of different ones, but my favorites are an inexpensive pair made by Eurotool that have an angular bent nose rather than a rounded one. They’re great for bending angles and gripping in tight spots.

A Tumbler. You can score a rotary one for around 40 bucks on eBay. My choice of tumbler was definitely driven by expense. I went with a rotary tumbler from Harbor Freight rather than a vibratory one because it was less expensive and I’ve been very happy with it. When used with a combo of stainless steel shot & plastic beads, it will smooth minor tool marks & scratches and give your jewelry a gorgeous high polish.

A Dremel or Flex Shaft. For years and years I used a Dremel for grinding, polishing & finishing work. My only real beef with it is that the chucks wear out very quickly. 3M Radial Polishing Discs in various grits are about the best bits I’ve ever used. They’re quite expensive, but you can usually find them pretty inexpensively on eBay. Recently, I upgraded to a Foredom Flex Shaft and I’m loving how much easier the handpiece is to manipulate for fine detail work.

Some Nail Files. Not the metal ones, I mean the double sided ones that look like a big popsicle stick with the really fine grit. I guess they’re actually nail buffers for smoothing your nails. You can use these to gently file off tool marks or make a particular spot on your piece flat. They don’t last real long, but since you can pick up new ones for a few bucks at pretty much any grocery store, they’re handy to have.

A Wire Rounder is great for rounding off the ends of your wire so they’re not all pokey. You can usually find one for under $15 on eBay. Most come with 2 different size heads for 20 gauge and 18 gauge wire. They are indispensable if you make your own earwires or ear posts.

A Torch is essential if you plan to do any soldering. An oxy-acetylene torch is the preferred torch for hard core jewelers. But they are expensive. Lately, I’ve been using a Bernzomatic refillable Butane Micro-Torch and I’m pretty much lovin’ it. I tried a pretty large variety of inexpensive pencil and micro-torches before I got this one. None of them really seemed to fit the bill for me. All the flames seemed to be too highly oxygenated and large. This little Bernzomatic one is great. So far I haven’t encountered a soldering job it can’t handle. My boyfriend even used it to repair a burst water pipe. All for about $25.

Like I said – I’ve not revealed any deep dark secrets. But these are important points. I guess when looked at as a whole, they all fall under the heading “attention to detail”. When I was in Art School, my painting teacher once said, “The day you are satisfied with a piece of art you create is the day you cease to progress.” Those words have stayed with me all these years. Being an Artisan is a lifelong creative learning process. The constant striving to improve your work is a large part of what being an Artisan is all about. However, one of the most important lessons you will learn is this: It truly is all about attention to detail, because the detail is what will set your work apart and make it stand out.

Valentine’s Day has it’s roots in the ancient pagan Roman festival of Lupercalia which took place around February 13-15. Lupercalia was a fertility festival. During Lupercalia, naked men would use dog or goat skin whips to spank the backsides of young women to improve their fertility. They would also participate in a drawing of lots that would pair up young couples for the coming year.

So where does the ‘Valentine’ come in? Apparently, around 197 AD, Emperor Claudius of Rome decided that single men made better soldiers, so he outlawed marriage. A Christian named Valentine of Rome was accused of secretly performing marriages in direct violation of this law and was executed for his crime.

Around 496 AD, the church decided to do what it often did with pagan festivals that inconveniently refused to go away. It absorbed them into the Christian calendar and turned them into Christian holidays. Pope Gelasius I, declared February 14 to be the Feast of St. Valentine.

It was until 1382 that the ‘L’ word entered the picture. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote his poem Parlement of Foules to celebrate the engagement of Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia. Then, on Valentine’s Day in 1400 the High Court of Love was opened in Paris. This court dealt with matters of love such as: marriage contracts, divorces and infidelity.

The first Valentine love note is attributed to Charles, the Duke of Orleans. He wrote a Valentine’s note to his beloved while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

The commercialization of Valentine’s Day began in England in the 1700′s with the exchanging of love notes. In 1847, the first commercially produced Valentine’s Day cards were produced by a woman named Esther Howland in Worchester, Massachusetts. Then, in 1913, Hallmark began producing Valentine’s Day cards and the rest is history.

I was actually really surprised to find that the tradition of giving jewelry as a Valentine’s Day gift was far more recent than I expected. The big push to give jewelry was apparently started in the 1980′s by the Diamond industry. By 2009, the idea had caught fire to the tune of $14.7 billion in retail jewelry sales in the U.S.

Regardless of the origins of the tradition, the fact remains that giving a unique, thoughtfully chosen piece of jewelry as a Valentine’s Day gift is a wonderful gesture. To this day, my most cherished piece of jewelry is a Swiss Blue Topaz pendant given to me by my significant other upon his return from a trip to Alaska. He said he chose it for me because the stone was the same exact shade of blue as the glaciers. Let’s face it – women love jewelry – especially if it is thoughtfully chosen – myself included.

To view a selection of unique, handmade jewelry, click here.

It is cold. Every time I step out into the single & subzero temperatures, I find myself thinking hopeful thoughts of Spring. Among those thoughts are a swirl of ideas for new jewelry designs and the gemstones I would use for them. The selection of colors for the Pantone Spring 2014 Forecast reminds me of a palette from a tropical beach. Blues & greens from the sea, pale beige & gray sand and the vivid splash of tropical flowers. Some of the colors I really love. Others – not so much. The question in my mind was – what gemstones could be used for jewelry that would mimic these colors. So, after giving it some thought, I compiled a list of gemstones to match Pantone’s Spring 2014 Fashion Color Forecast.

This shade of blue is a pumped up version of Baby Blue. While still remaining a tranquil hue, it packs a bit more visual punch than its paler cousin.

Blue Calcite:  This lovely gemstone is relatively unknown in jewelry and in my opinion, woefully underused. I’m thinking I need to start using more of it. It is a near perfect match for Placid Blue.

Aquamarine:  This beautiful stone is the blue to greenish blue variety of Beryl. Shades range from palest blue or slightly greenish blue to deeper, richer shades of blue & greenish blue. The pale, true blue shades make a good match for Placid Blue.

Sky Blue Topaz: This rich light blue shade of Topaz is eye catching, yet subtle. It makes a pretty decent, but not perfect match for Placid Blue.

To view a selection of jewelry using Placid Blue stones, click here.

Periwinkle is one of my all time favorite colors, as you can tell by the color scheme throughout my website. This cool bluish lavender is flattering to just about everyone, but is usually difficult to find in clothing. I’m pretty jazzed by the thought it might show up more often this year.

Holly Blue Chalcedony:  Chalcedony, a variety of microcrystalline Quartz, occurs naturally in many lovely colors. There is also a lot of dyed Chalcedony out there in a rainbow of colors. The naturally occurring, rare shade known as “Holly Blue” makes a perfect match for Violet Tulip.

Angelite: Angelite is another name for Anhydrite. This gorgeous gemstone is gaining in popularity. It is a fairly soft stone that is best suited to pendants or earrings. The delicate,  slightly sparkly color makes it a wonderful choice for  this Pantone color.

Tanzanite: This beautiful gemstone is dichroic (it appears different colors in different lighting conditions) and is found only in Tanzania. Most often, it is brown when found in its natural state. The wonderful periwinkle color is achieved through heat treating.

To view a selection of jewelry using Violet Tulip stones, click here.

This calm, sophisticated shade of celadon green is so attractive. Some of my favorite gemstones to use in jewelry fall under the heading of Hemlock.

Variscite: Variscite is a variety of Aluminum Phosphate. Often, it is confused with Turquoise, but it has a much greener color. This gemstone is a rare one. There are many synthetics on the market claiming to be Variscite and they are poor imitations. Genuine Variscite is expensive due to it’s rarity, but it is well worth the price because it is a truly beautiful stone. This stone is my personal pick for the best Hemlock color match.

Green Fluorite: Fluorite is a type of Calcium Fluoride. It is a fluorescent stone and will exhibit a neon glow under ultraviolet light. This stone naturally occurs in many colors, but the pale sage green variety fits the Hemlock color beautifully.

Serpentine: The name Serpentine actually applies to an entire group of 20 different stones that have the same mineralogical composition, but vary in appearance. This particular variety of Serpentine is an attractive translucent celadon green. It is often marketed as “New Jade”.

Prasiolite: Also known as “Green Amethyst”, “Vermarine” or “Greened Amethyst”, this stone is a pale green variety of Quartz. Naturally occurring green Quartz is quite rare. Most of the earth-mined Prasiolite on the market is light colored Amethyst that has been heat treated to achieve the delicate pale celery color Prasiolite is known for.

Prehnite: Currently one of my favorite stones to work with, Prehnite is a translucent stone which occurs most commonly in shades that range from yellow to light green. Very rarely, other colors such as blue, white & orange have been found. The soft, pale green variety which is the most common is a beautiful match for Hemlock.

To view a selection of jewelry using Hemlock gemstones, click here.

This pale Pearl Gray is soft and elegant. It pairs beautifully with any of the other colors from the Forecast.

Gray Agate: Agate is a fairly common form of Chalcedony. Gray Agate has beautiful striations of varying shades of gray, white & black.

Gray Moonstone: Moonstone is an Orthoclase Feldspar. Due to the crystal structure, this stone exhibits a rolling glow in the light (an effect known as Adularescence). Gray Moonstone colors vary from very pale almost transparent gray to deeper more opaque gray.

Labradorite: Labradorite is a Plagioclase Feldspar. What makes this stone so beautiful is the Schiller Effect or Labradorescence. When light hits the stone from various angles the stones displays a stunning array of metallic rainbow colors against the pale gray background.

Spiderweb Jasper: Jaspers occur in many different varieties and colors. Jaspers are quite often dyed and used to imitate other gemstones. Spiderweb Jasper is characterized by black lines that crisscross the cream to pale gray background.

To view a selection of jewelry using Paloma Gray gemstones, click here.

Like Paloma, this lovely neutral pairs well with all the other colors in the Forecast.

Riverstone: This alluvial stone is a very common one. The name says it all. What makes it special is the soft delicate shades of gray and creamy beiges the stone occurs in.

Fossil Coral: Fossil Coral was formed when the silica in sea water replaced the calcium in dead coral, transforming it into a form of Agate. It is also known as “Agatized Coral”. The natural colors of this coral can vary considerably depending on what other minerals were present in the water. Most commonly, it occurs in gray, brown, black, yellow, white and sometimes, red. The buff and beige colored variety are an excellent match for Sand.

Champagne Zircon: This fiery gemstone occurs in an array of colors ranging the entire spectrum. It’s high refractive index gives it brilliant sparkle, so much so that colorless Zircon was often used as a Diamond substitute. Champagne Zircon is a beautiful rosy beige that makes a good match for Pantone’s Sand shade.

Caramel Diamond: Brown diamonds occur in a range of shades from the palest champagne to the deepest chocolate. The lovely caramel color of these diamonds makes them a very good match for the Spring Pantone Color Sand.

Fossil Ammonite: Ammonites were sea dwelling creatures similar to todays’s chambered nautilus. They went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous Period. Over time, the calcium in their intricate spiraled shells was replaced by silica in the sea water, hardening them and transforming some with beautiful iridescent colors.

Smokey Quartz: This member of the Quartz family occurs in a range of shades from transparent beige to opaque black. The pale yellowish beige variety also known as “Cairngorm” is a beautiful match for Sand.

To view a selection of jewelry using Sand Beige gemstones, click here.

This vivid Goldenrod Yellow is a show stopper. While I don’t wear any sort of yellow unless I want to look like an extra for The Walking Dead, I keep finding myself using yellow gemstones in the jewelry I make. This rich shade is guaranteed to get noticed.

Honey Jade: This stone is actually not Jade at all. It is a translucent type of Golden Jasper. The vivid marigold color of this stone makes it an excellent match for Freesia.

Yellow Calcite: Calcite is a mineral that occurs in a number of colors. Yellow Calcite exhibits a rich creamy shade of yellow that works beautifully as a Freesia stone.

Citrine: Citrine is a golden yellow variety of Quartz. Quite often, more common Amethyst is heat treated to change it to the beautiful golden color known as Citrine.

Songea Sapphire: Sapphires are the mineral Corundum, which comes in virtually all colors. All colors of Corundum with the exception of red are considered Sapphires. Red Corundum is considered Ruby. These gorgeous Sapphires come from the Songea mines in Tanzania. They occur in a wide array of vivid, saturated colors. The rich yellows are a spectacular match for Pantone’s Freesia shade.

Golden Fluorite: Fluorite is a fluorescent gemstone which will glow with neon intensity under ultraviolet light. It occurs naturally in a wide range of colors, including this rich golden yellow.

To view a selection of jewelry using Freesia gemstones, click here.

This muted red is actually a pretty interesting color. Some days I like it, others it looks to me like bloody pepto-bismol. It is one that is hard to match with gemstones, but I think I found some decent matches.

Rhodochrosite: This lovely gemstone is a Manganese Carbonate. Most of what is seen on the market is Banded Rhodochrosite, which has varying shades of pink & white bands. Although these specimens which are used mostly for beads and cabochons are beautiful in their own right, they are lower quality specimens which contain many impurities making the color more pale.  Pure gem quality Rhodochrosite is a deep, saturated translucent pinkish red that makes an excellent color match for the odd shade that is Pantone’s Cayenne.

Red Coral: Also known as “Precious Coral”, this organic gemstone has been used for jewelry since antiquity. What makes it special is the intensity of the color and the durability of this type of coral. It can be polished to a high gloss and the intense pinks and reds do not fade. The red variety of this coral is also a very good color match for Cayenne.

Red Jasper: Jaspers are an opaque variety of Chalcedony. They occur in many beautiful colors and patterns. Red Jasper gets it’s coloring from iron in the crystal structure. It is a little too orangey to be a real match for Cayenne, but it is pretty close.

Songea Sapphire: Sapphires are the mineral Corundum, which comes in virtually all colors. All colors of Corundum with the exception of red are considered Sapphires. Red Corundum is considered Ruby. These gorgeous Sapphires come from the Songea mines in Tanzania. They occur in a wide array of vivid, saturated colors. Technically, the rich reds are Ruby, but they are mostly marketed as Sapphires. Some red shades of this gorgeous Sapphire are a really great color match for Cayenne.

Red Beryl: Also known as “Red Emerald” or “Bixbite”, this variety of Beryl is extremely beautiful – and extremely rare. It has only ever been found in a couple of locations in the states of Utah & New Mexico. It rarely ever occurs in large crystals, so high carat sized stones are virtually unheard of. Excellent quality Red Beryl can sell for upwards of $10,000 a carat. Needless to say, unless I discover a deposit of Red Beryl in my backyard, I will not be working with this gorgeous gemstone anytime soon. A girl can dream…

To view a selection of jewelry using Cayenne gemstones, click here.

This eye-popping orange reminds me of Indian Paintbrush  and Hibiscus flowers.

Fire Opal: Fire Opal is the only variety of Opal that is strong enough to be faceted. The colors range from colorless “Girasol” or “Water Opal” through yellow & orange to deep cherry red. Most often Fire Opal doesn’t display the characteristic fire of precious Opals. But, sometimes it does, with the orange & red varieties showing a play of mostly green or red fire. Clear Fire Opals can show color play in a range that spans the entire spectrum. This is most often seen in Mexican Boulder Opals, also known as “Canterra Opals”. The bright, almost neon orange variety of Fire Opal is a perfect match for Celosia Orange.

Carnelian: This vivid orange variety of Chalcedony can span the range from light fiery orange to deep orangey red. It gets it’s distinctive color from iron oxides in the crystal structure. Carnelian is often heat treated to make the color more vivid.

Peach Aventurine: Aventurine is a silicon dioxide mineral. The most commonly seen color is green. One of the distinctive traits of this gemstone is the slight sparkle in the stone. Peach Aventurine can span the range of color from palest peach to vivid orange. The vivid orange versions of this stone are a beautiful match for Celosia Orange.

Sunstone: Like Labradorite, Sunstone is a Plagioclase Feldspar. It can be transparent to opaque and range from the palest hint of peach blush to vivid lava orange red and sometimes green. It’s name is derived from the fiery sparkle it exhibits when turned in the light. This Schiller effect is caused by tiny inclusions of Copper platelets embedded in the stone that catch and reflect light.

Crab Fire Agate: This lovely stone is not technically Agate. Most of what we see on the market is a Spiderweb Carnelian that has been heat treated to give it the crackled appearance and increase the intensity of the color. Quite often it is dyed in a wide range of colors. I have seen examples of this stone that were translucent and others that were opaque. The fiery orange translucent version of this stone makes a beautiful Celosia Orange.

Songea Sapphire: Sapphires are the mineral Corundum, which comes in virtually all colors. All colors of Corundum with the exception of red are considered Sapphires. Red Corundum is considered Ruby. These gorgeous Sapphires come from the Songea mines in Tanzania. They occur in a wide array of vivid, saturated colors. The rich orange hues of this beautiful Sapphire make a great match for Celosia.

To view a selection of jewelry using Celosia Orange gemstones, click here.

Ugh. It’s the color formerly known as Puce. Really???? It’s not just Puce. It’s Puce injected with a dose of neon ugly and imbued with the superpower to nauseate. It would be alright in very small doses – as accents, but an entire garment in this color? NOT. OK, gemstone matches, here goes…

Phosphosiderite: I don’t know a whole lot about this stone since I’ve never worked with it. Occasionally I consider buying some, but so far I haven’t because I can’t decide whether or not I like this color. Sometimes I do but mostly, it turns me off. This stone gets it’s name from the minerals that make up it’s composition – phosphorus and iron. This opaque stone occurs in shades of pink, lavender & purple and sometimes has yellow veining. It is a fairly soft stone, so jewelry made with it must be treated with some care. The orchid purple variety is a perfect match for Radiant Orchid.

Lilac Spinel: Spinel is a beautiful, hard stone with a high refractive index, which gives it lots of sparkle. It can occur in virtually any color and the crystals are commonly free of inclusions, making for wonderfully clear cut stones. It is one of the few gemstones that is rarely ever subjected to enhancements of any kind. The lilac color range makes an decent match for Radiant Orchid, however it lacks the strange pinkish undertone needed to really match.

Lepidolite: This pretty lilac stone is a lithium bearing variety of stones in the Mica group. “Lilac Stone” is another name that it is labeled with in the market.  It has a subtle sparkle and somewhat pearly luster to it and can occur in shades of pink, lilac and grayish purple. Lepidolite is an extremely soft stone and must be impregnated with resin in order to be used for jewelry. Once again, the shade is close, but a bit too lilac to be a perfect match for Radiant Orchid.

Lavender Fluorite:  Fluorite is a fluorescent gemstone which will glow with neon intensity under ultraviolet light. It occurs naturally in a wide range of colors. The lavender variety can be clear to translucent and range in color depth. This beautiful stone comes close to Radiant Orchid, but once again, lacks the strange pinkish undertone.

Cape Amethyst: Amethyst is the purple variety of Quartz. Lighter lilac varieties are often marketed under the name Cape Amethyst.

Lavender Jade: There are actually 2 different types of stones that fall under the heading of Jade, Nephrite & Jadeite. Nephrite has a more resinous luster to it and Jadeite is generally considered the more valuable stone due to it’s greater translucency. Jadeite occurs naturally in a wide range of colors such as green, white, yellow, blue & purple. True Lavender Jadeite is one of the rarest colors of Jadeite and is a truly beautiful stone, however, there are many imitations out there being sold as Lavender Jade.

Charoite: This stone is found only in the region of the Chary River in Russia. It occurs in shades of translucent lavender to purple. It has an unusual swirling, fibrous appearance, making it a stone that is easily identifiable in the rough.

Bertrandite: This beautiful, unusual stone is also known as “Tiffany Stone”. It is an Opalized Fluorite and displays a gorgeous array of creams, purples, brownish reds and sometimes blues.

To view a selection of jewelry using Radiant Orchid gemstones, click here.

This brilliant shade of Peacock Blue is, quite simply, spectacular. I am in L-U-V with this color.

Cavansite: This rare gemstone gets it’s name from the chemical composition – calcium vanadium silicate. It generally forms in blades or crystals that mostly are too small to cut as gemstones. Larger sizes are quite rare. For this reason, it is mostly cut as druzy cabochons or used as small balls of crystal clusters. This vivid gemstone is a perfect match for Pantone’s Dazzling Blue.

Indicolite: The Tourmaline group of gemstones encompasses a number of stones that are grouped by color. Blue Tourmaline, known as Indicolite,  is the rarest and one of the most desirable. Large, clean  crystals of Indicolite are rare and the larger they, the more of green undertone the blue has. The medium slightly greenish-blue shades of Indicolite make a beautiful match for Dazzling Blue.

Blue Agate: Agates are a banded form of Chalcedony. They typically exhibit bands of varying colors and opacities within the stone that create beautiful & interesting patterns. These stones are often dyed in various colors for sale. Peacock Blue Agate is a good match.

Hemimorphite: This Zinc Silicate mineral occurs in beautiful shades of blue ranging from pale ice blue through vivid peacock blue, pale pink and pale yellow. Quite often, it forms as a crystalline crust on other minerals and these deposits and often cut as druzy cabochons. The rich, vivid peacock blue shade of Hemimorphite that is called “Angel Blue” is a superb match for Dazzling Blue.

Blue Diamond: The hardness and high refractive index of Diamonds makes them highly desirable for jewelry. They occur naturally in a wide range of colors and lower quality stones are often treated to change the color and increase clarity. Blue Diamonds are more of a greenish blue than a true blue and the make a pretty decent match.

Blue Sapphire: Sapphires are the mineral Corundum, which comes in virtually all colors. All colors of Corundum with the exception of red are considered Sapphires. Red Corundum is considered Ruby. Blue Sapphires can occur in a wide ranges of blues from true blues to greenish, grayish or purplish blues. The greenish blue range would work pretty well.

Kyanite: Kyanite is a gemstone that occurs in a range of very rich blues, teals and greens. The crystal form as long blades which can be difficult to cut due to their tendency to splinter. The stone can be opaque with a silvery chatoyent luster or clear & vividly rich in color.

Blue Jade: There are actually 2 different types of stones that fall under the heading of Jade, Nephrite & Jadeite. Nephrite has a more resinous luster to it and Jadeite is generally considered the more valuable stone due to it’s greater translucency. Jadeite occurs naturally in a wide range of colors such as green, white, yellow, blue & purple. Blue Jadeite is a beautiful stone and California has some large deposits of great quality. Like other varieties of Jade, there are many imitations out there.

To view a selection of jewelry using Dazzling Blue gemstones, click here.

Well, for better or for worse, that’s my list of potential gemstones matches for Pantone’s Spring 2014 Color Forecast. My next post will most likely be a continuation of the “Is This Gemstone Real Or Synthetic?” thread followed by something about upcoming jewelry trends for Spring.

For the purpose of keeping these posts to a reasonable length, I’m going to break this topic up into several parts. With this first part I’m going to cover 2 stones which have steadily been gaining in popularity and are being marketed as genuine made-by-Mother-Nature gemstones when, in fact, they are totally synthetic. These two stones are Rainbow Calsilica and Aqua Terra Jasper.

Rainbow Calsilica:

Rainbow Calsilica

Rainbow Calsilica is an ornamental stone with vivid color banding that first began making appearances in the market around 2002. Vendors selling this stone vehemently insisted it was a natural gemstone being mined in Mexico, often producing a gemological test report and an external photo of the mine to back up their claim. Since that time a number of gemologists and researchers have made attempts to visit the mine only to be turned away. Now, 11 years later, this is still the ONLY existing photo documenting the existence of this mine.

Sole photo of Rainbow Calsilica mine

In 2003 the Swiss Gemological Institute purchased 2 specimens from a vendor at a gem show in France. These specimens were brought to their laboratories for testing. The tests proved that this supposedly naturally occurring stone was synthetic. It is composed of powdered calcium carbonate mixed with artificial pigments commonly found in art supplies and stabilized with resin. Gem cutters often comment that Rainbow Calsilica smells like burning plastic when it is being cut. Now, it has been announced that a large deposit of this stone has been found in China. No doubt, it is located right smack in the center of one of the manufacturing warehouses they use to produce all the fake gemstones they flood the market with.

There is no denying that Rainbow Calsilica is attractive. But, it should not be fraudulently marketed as something it isn’t.

Aqua Terra Jasper:

Aqua Terra Jasper is a stone that is flooding the market right now. It is also sold as ‘Impression Jasper’, ‘Sea Sediment Jasper’ and ‘Variscite’. There is no denying it is a very attractive stone. I freely admit that I bought some. But as soon as I got in my hands and got a good look at it, I knew it was synthetic. Once again we have a powdered stone, most likely marble, that has been dyed and mixed with resin. The webbed effect is the result of swirling the different colors together – like making a marble cake. I sacrificed one of these stones to figure out what it was. When I broke it, I ended up with 2 distinct textures, a resinous powder for the brown part and a harder glassy plastic type material for the translucent parts. Both will readily catch fire and release a strong odor of burning plastic. So, once again, I say if you are going to sell or use this lovely synthetic material – be honest about what you are selling. And don’t call it Variscite.

True Variscite is a lovely, rare Aluminum Phosphate mineral that is sometimes confused with Turquoise, although it is usually much greener than Turquoise. Due to its rarity, Variscite is an expensive stone. It is pretty easy to tell the difference between the synthetic material I discussed above and genuine Variscite.

None of these stones being sold as Variscite are the real deal -

Fake Variscite

These stones are genuine Variscite -

Genuine Variscite

So, although both Rainbow Calsilica & Aqua Terra Jasper are attractive material in their own right, they shouldn’t be sold as genuine gemstones when clearly they are not. Synthetic gemstones have their place in the market. I have seen a lot of lovely jewelry made from them. My issue lies in the fact that these stones are being marketed as something they are not. If you are going to sell synthetic stones or use them in your jewelry to sell – embrace the fact that they are synthetic and BE HONEST with your customers about what they are buying from you. ‘Nuff said.

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