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I have always collected information about the materials I use. For me, it is a matter of being interested in where they are found, how they are made, the properties they display, and what makes them special. Also, I have learned a lot just asking my sources about the things I am buying. The information I have listed below comes from several sources, prominently:
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MetalsThere are many metals available for use in quality jewelry. Several factors are involved in deciding what materials to use such as color, ease of use, durability and cost. Designers should be knowledgeable about the materials they use in any given piece and should be able to share that information with you.Sterling silver is very popular for many reasons: its non-reactive nature (it does not tend to turn your skin colors with wear and does not cause alergic reactions), it also has a lovely brightness, a color that goes with almost anything, is malleable and easy to use, and relatively inexpensive. Most jewelry that is made with sterling silver is marked .925 for its purity (compared to fine silver, which is .999 pure, but much softer and less durable). It can also be plated with gold, which is called vermeil, to achieve the warm color of gold without the expense. Silver comes in many forms. Sterling is made into sheet, wire, and any number of findings. Silver beads are also made in other parts of the world, notably Southeast Asia, and imported here. Hill Tribes and Bali Silver, the most well-known examples, have a purity slightly greater than sterling. Gold, another popular metal for jewelry, is a wonderful metal, not only because of its color, but because it is very unreactive and even people with metal sensitivity can wear it comfortably. It is, however, expensive (see current prices, per ounce). Less expensive metals include copper and brass. In my jewelry I have been known to use copper and brass, both because I enjoy their color and their price makes them affordable media. They are also easier to find since they are available in hardware stores in a variety of gauges (wire thickness), and are easier to keep on hand.  Images courtesy of Rio Grande ©2007 GlassThe links above will talk a little more about the properties
of glass than I will cover here, but there are a few important
technical points that are important in lampworking and glass fusing.
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Gemstones images courtesy of Rings&Things ©2007 Gemstones come in many varieties: precious (Diamonds), semi-precious (Turquoise), natural (from the ground and untreated), man-made/synthetic (from a lab), organic (Coral), dyed or heat-treated, to name a few. Like with metals, the choice of gemstone depends on several factors such as availability, color, durability, and cost. Some people are purists when it comes to gemstones - natural only with no treatments. Certainly this is a worthy ideal, however - Autochthonous Evolved - not everything needs to stay exactly the way it is found, indeed there are some materials that benefit from intervention. For example, a great deal of turquoise is heat treated to set the color and make the stone more durable. In fact, because of the commonality of this practice, it is often not noted by vendors. Another interesting consideration is that many people believe that particular gemstones and minerals have healing powers. Whether you believe this or not, I have included a link above to a well-researched resource outlining the properties attributed to a wide variety of gemstones for your information and interest. As a buyer, I am careful about what I buy. For example, sugilite is a lovely purple mineral that, more recently, is becoming overwhelmed by ersatz (poor imitation) products in the marketplace. eBay is a good place to see what I mean (Sugilite on eBay). That's not to say that we should give up on sugilite (or that eBay is a bad place to get gemstones); one just needs to be careful and do my research and ask questions: Where does genuine sugilite come from? Mainly Japan (where it was discovered) and South Africa. Not, Brazil, or Russia, which is the stated origin of some eBay "sugilite." They may be pretty stones, but why would you need to piggyback on the popularity of sugilite and not say what the stones really are unless there was something questionable about the bead? If it truly is sugilite, where is the background information on this new-found deposit and explinations for why it looks so different?  CIA 2003 World Map In my research I found one vendor that was very good about providing information about her stones. This example for rhodochrosite [a streaky pink mineral] has many good pictures, and information about the deposit the stones come from, both matching independent sources of geological information. The information on sugilite does not list the origin, but does state that it is natural sugilite, talks about how flower sugilite is different, and also provides gemological information on the mineral.  Sugilite I mage courtesy of theimage.com ©2007 What does it look like and is there much variation? Online mineral guides are a good resource, like some of those linked above. Sugilite is usually a mix of opaque (sometimes with translucent "gel" patches) with streaks or small crystaline formations of slightly varied purple hues. Another eBay example of "sugilite" is a set of beads that looks very purple, but is translucent without occlusions, more like dyed jade than anything sugilite, but without research you wouldn't know. What should it cost? You need to do diligent research and eBay is a good place to do that. It is definately possible to get good deals and expensive does not always mean better quality, however, if something is really inexpensive you need to ask yourself why.
Are there adjectives or qualifiers in the eBay header? "Flower sugilite", for example, is actually lepidolite and looks like a very pale stone with purple streaks. "Kiwi jasper sugilite" is kiwi jasper dyed purple and has larger crystal formations within the stone than actual sugilite. Above all, I want to purchase items that look wonderful and are what they are purported to be, if for no other reason than, if I know I'm buying sugilite and not something else, I know its properties and how to properly care for that stone, as well as what I shoud be paying for that item. Also, I want you to love what I make and for you to enjoy the jewelry for a lifetime. Other than that, if my pearls are dyed (because oysters don't make hot pink pearls), but I want a pearlescent sheen with a particular color, then I'll buy a dyed pearl - a better option than a glass pearl which may be perfectly round but is more easily damaged and can peel, especially with vintage versions. Jade is another stone that, with light, poor quality versions, is often dyed. As long as you know what you're getting (and that the stones often need to be cleaned when you get them because they tend to stick together and have a filmy coating), they are a great inexpensive option for spacer beads in a wide variety of colors. Dyed stones, particularly if they are heat treated, have color that is just as durable as naturally colored stones. So, if you have questions about any of the gemstones in my jewelry, please ask or do your own research. Whatever your own standards, I believe that there are appealing aspects to beads of all kinds, but given the variety of materials on the market, will always select the prettiest, most durable options I can. |
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