Gemstone jewelry information and helpful advice about the accessory industry http://www.stonesandfindings.com Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:02:16 -0500 Occurring naturally and available in countless varieties, gemstones have been used by humans for ornament since the dawn of civilization… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=1 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Jewelry is made unique and eye-catching by the creative use of gems, stones, beads, and all manner of precious materials… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=12 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Derived from the Greek word krystallos, which has been translated as 'clear ice,' crystal refers to some of the most impressive and bizarre mineral outgrowths found in nature… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=11 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Well known for their unique shine and smooth texture, Pearls have been the world's favourite oceanic jewel since they were hunted by divers in the 19th century… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=10 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Discovered in 1803 by English chemist William Hyde Wollaston, Rhodium was named by its finder after the Greek word rhodon, meaning 'rose'... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=9 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Chains can be used to dramatically suspend gems, stones, jewellery beads, and all manner of precious materials… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=8 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 The garnet family of gemstones has been used as an abrasive and for decoration since thousands of years before the Common Era… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=7 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 In Ovid's canonized tale of Perseus' quest to slay Medusa, the mythical Greek hero is not only credited with defeating the most heinous of Gorgons, but also with discovering coral… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=6 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Chalcedony is an umbrella term that refers to all microcrystalline varieties of quartz… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=5 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Aventurine is a form of quartz that is given visual distinction by its unique, shimmering surface… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=4 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 According to Brazilian lore, riverside-dwelling Amazonian tribes offered green stones as gifts to visitors… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=3 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Despite its fairly common availability and affordable market value, agate holds a fascinating and remarkable place in human history… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=2 2007-04-18 00:00:00-0500 Jasper is one of the most varied and visually diverse gemstones available, and can be seen in virtually any combination of brick reds, honey yellows, avocado greens, gunmetal greys, and sky blues… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=15 2007-04-19 00:00:00-0500 Even today jade is frequently associated with the Chinese Dynasties, and still conveys its legacy as the official Imperial Jewel… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=14 2007-04-19 00:00:00-0500 In the modern world, glass has an interesting multiple personality… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=13 2007-04-19 00:00:00-0500 The word 'opal' comes from the Sanskrit upala, meaning 'precious' or 'valuable stone'... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=16 2007-04-20 00:00:00-0500 Unless one considers water a mineral, it can be safely said that quartz is the world's number one most common mineral… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=17 2007-04-20 00:00:00-0500 In the Ancient Roman Empire, sardonyx was an especially treasured gemstone… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=18 2007-04-20 00:00:00-0500 …and what it all means for the accessory industry http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=19 2007-04-24 00:00:00-0500 One of the first gems ever mined, turquoise delighted traders on the Silk Road… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=20 2007-04-24 00:00:00-0500 Possessing a wonderfully organic exoticism, shells used in jewelry connote tropical lands and vibrant underwater seascapes… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=22 2007-04-25 00:00:00-0500 Have you ever thought about the wonderfully shiny sterling silver piece that adorns your neck, ears, or wrists? http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=21 2007-04-25 00:00:00-0500 Handy reference guides can be a jewellery designer's best friend… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=23 2007-04-27 00:00:00-0500 The accessory industry is an ever changing landscape of competition. See where you fit in, and how to compete with the rest… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=24 2007-05-02 00:00:00-0500 Helpful advice on designing, managing, and selling your jewellery. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=25 2007-05-04 00:00:00-0500 Stones and Findings wants to hear from YOU! http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=26 2007-05-07 12:00:00-0500 Follow this easy 4-step guide to make a simple set of wire-wrapped gemstone earrings in no time! http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=27 2007-05-11 00:00:00-0500 Ask Professor Pearl: May 11th, 2007 http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=28 2007-05-11 00:00:00-0500 When you make the transition from selling homemade jewelry yourself to having it sold in stores, you need to consider what kind of contract you will arrange with them… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=29 2007-05-14 12:00:00-0500 Cubic zirconia is most commonly thought of as a diamond substitute, and rightfully so. What shouldn't be overlooked, however, is… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=47 2007-05-19 00:00:00-0500 Follow this 7-step guide to make your own matching earrings and necklace set! http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=30 2007-05-25 00:00:00-0500 The following guide to running an effective small or midsize jewellery company hopes to provide useful advice on improving productivity, sales, costs, and competition... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=44 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 The Leather Wire Wrap End is the combination of leather working and wire wrap techniques, and is also among the more difficult ways to finish the end of an accessory. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=43 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 Finishing a leather necklace or bracelet with a knotted end is quite simple, but it produces a rustic and natural aesthetic that can be just what your accessory calls for. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=42 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 The crimp is an important technique that comes in handy when making connections to finish the ends of necklaces, bracelets, and other accessories. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=41 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 Soft Flex is an excellent medium for making beaded jewellery, and also one of the easiest to work with. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=39 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 Lobster claws, once attached, are among the easiest of clasps to use on a necklace, and they also cooperate very nicely with clam shells. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=38 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 The clam shell is a great kind of clasp, and is easy to attach. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=37 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 When a gemstone or jewellery bead has been drilled through the centre, and a one-sided connection with another jewellery bead, chain, or finding is desired, it's time to perform a Centre Drill Single End Wire Wrap! http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=31 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 When a gemstone or bead has been drilled through the centre, and a two-sided connection with other beads, chains, or findings is desired, it's time to perform a Centre Drill Double End Wire Wrap! http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=32 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 When a gemstone or bead has been drilled once through the side and a single-sided connection to another bead, chain, or finding is desired, it's time to perform a Side Drill Single End Wire Wrap! http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=33 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 When a gemstone or bead has been drilled twice, through both sides, and a connection on both sides to other beads, chains, or findings is desired, it's time to perform a Side Drill Double End Wire Wrap! http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=34 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 You'll find it surprisingly easy to form an earring hoop, the foundation for classic bangles and other earring styles. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=35 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 You'll find it surprisingly easy to form a beading hoop, the foundation for a multitude of classic earring styles. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=36 2007-06-01 00:00:00-0500 If you can perform the Crimp, you can fix a bead tip to a leather necklace, bracelet, or anklet. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=40 2007-06-01 12:00:00-0500 Gold-filled jewellery differs from gold vermeil in both the quantity of gold involved and the process which bonds it to the base metal… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=45 2007-06-13 00:00:00-0500 Gold vermeil (pronounced 'vermay') refers to metal that has been plated with a thin layer of gold… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=46 2007-06-13 00:00:00-0500 Ask Professor Pearl: July 5th, 2007 http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=48 2007-06-17 00:00:00-0500 Possessing the unearthly radiance of the moon, this stone is known worldwide as an absolute delight… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=53 2007-06-18 00:00:00-0500 Sunstone, known to the scientific community as aventurine feldspar, is famous for its spangled golden brilliance… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=52 2007-06-18 00:00:00-0500 Tourmaline is one of the most chemically complicated gemstones around, and it shows in the unmatched variety of available colour schemes… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=51 2007-06-18 00:00:00-0500 Beryl, the family of minerals to which both aquamarine and its upscale cousin emerald belong, is naturally colourless in its pure form… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=50 2007-06-18 00:00:00-0500 Legend has it that as Aphrodite, goddess of love, lay in majestic slumber on the bank of the Indus River, a playful Eros (Cupid) decided to give her an impromptu manicure with one of his trademark arrowheads… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=49 2007-06-18 00:00:00-0500 Gold is an incredibly soft and malleable metal, and therefore requires care and sensitivity in handling… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=54 2007-06-23 00:00:00-0500 Once upon a time the strikingly unique gemstone Tiger Eye (also known as Tiger's Eye) was worn by Roman soldiers… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=55 2007-07-06 00:00:00-0500 Prehnite takes its name from Colonol Hendrik Von Prehn, who discovered it in 1774… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=56 2007-07-06 00:00:00-0500 Cleaning gemstones is somewhat like cleaning gold vermeil… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=57 2007-07-20 00:00:00-0500 People are allergic to metals for 2 main reasons; nickel and, less often, from salts leaching out of copper… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=58 2007-09-04 00:00:00-0500 A sales agent, also known as sales representative (sales rep, for short), can be a powerful business building partner if there is a good fit between the agent and the need of the designer/manufacturer… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=59 2007-09-05 12:00:00-0500 In your jewellery making career at some point you will be tempted to go abroad on a jewellery component buying trip. How do you know it is time? http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=60 2007-11-08 12:00:00-0500 In deciding whether or not to make the move from jewellery designing as a hobby to a jewellery design business, there are a number of factors to consider and there are some steps to take to help ensure a successful transition. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=65 2008-08-08 00:00:00-0500 A number of my friends in the industry have done jewellery trunk shows and practices vary. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=64 2008-08-08 00:00:00-0500 I've just returned from the jewellery trunk trunk show hosted by a long time customer of mine… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=63 2008-08-08 00:00:00-0500 There are many secrets to success to a jewellery trunk show. Although they do not guarantee success or failure, some of them are very important to keep in mind… http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=62 2008-08-08 00:00:00-0500 A trunk show is a retail event at which the jewellery designer and or jewellery manufacturer brings in designs that are new or not otherwise available at the boutique. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=61 2008-08-08 00:00:00-0500 The word Finding is strange and I'm not sure where it comes from. However, it really means Component. Jewellery Findings really mean Jewellery Components... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=66 2009-02-21 15:48:55-0500 If you are in the market to buy Sterling Silver Chains, Sterling Silver Wire, Steling Silver Earring Components, Sterling Silver Clasps, Sterling Silver Headpins, Sterling Silver Jumprings, Sterling Silver Charms, Sterling Silver Clay and Sterling Silver http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=67 2009-02-26 17:35:20-0500 Sterling Silver Chains have recently become a very important aspect of Jewellery Designs http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=68 2009-03-02 11:32:17-0500 If you want to darken the surface of your sterling silver jewellery components or jewellery designs quickly you can use a few different methods... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=69 2009-03-04 10:56:31-0500 There are limitless possible earring designs. However, popular Earrings have certain Jewellery Components in common. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=70 2009-03-06 11:36:24-0500 Sterling Silver Beads allow for great accents to Jewellery Making. They come in all shapes, sizes and forms... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=71 2009-03-12 16:52:10-0500 Sterling Silver Wire is generally available in 4 grades of hardness: hard, half hard, soft, dead soft. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=72 2009-03-17 11:35:43-0500 In Jewellery Making, Silver Wire can be used to weave, connect components, thread beads, tie and frame, and embellish beads. Silver Wire... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=115 2009-03-23 11:04:42-0500 Sterling Silver chains are quite versatile, and unlike plated brass chains, they can be oxidized and brushed... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=73 2009-03-27 14:10:11-0500 Silver is a precious metal, and it is important when using sterling silver chains, to be cost effective in your designs. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=74 2009-04-02 15:25:34-0500 One of the most interesting and timeless closures is the sterling silver toggle. Since the beginning of time... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=75 2009-05-21 10:35:45-0500 There are many different textures of sterling silver findings that are popular in North American jewellery designs. The main categories are: high polish, brushed, hammered, antique, and blackened.... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=76 2009-05-23 13:47:22-0500 Italian factories are known to be the best producers of chains. In fact, the best quality machine made sterling silver chains are made in Italy.... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=77 2009-05-28 14:08:22-0500 Every good sterling silver necklace deserves a great sterling silver clasp. Not only should it be durable and well made, it should work well with... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=78 2009-05-30 11:06:06-0500 Search engine optimization or SEO for short is the process whereby one can improve the quality and volume of traffic to the specific website. For a business,... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=79 2009-06-04 14:08:05-0500 There are many Canadian Jewellery Component Suppliers. All major Canadian cities have a large supplier of jewellery components. Many of them are located in... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=80 2009-06-06 11:55:57-0500 There are three standard jewellery pins; head pins, ball pins and... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=81 2009-06-09 10:45:33-0500 Recently, I've been asked by a number of customers about how our sales have been at Stones and Findings. They've wondered if the economic downturn has affected the sales of our jewellery components... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=82 2009-06-13 11:08:55-0500 Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short is the process whereby one can improve the quality and volume of traffic to the specific website. For a business, this is desirable for a variety of reasons... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=83 2009-06-18 14:31:23-0500 Sterling silver bead caps greatly help add interest to beads, pearls and crystals alike... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=84 2009-06-20 16:31:34-0500 Throughout the year, there are a number of Toronto Bead Shows, run by different organizers and at various venues... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=85 2009-07-04 15:57:01-0500 There is a fine line between art and mass production, and this is no different in the jewellery industry... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=86 2009-07-07 14:33:44-0500 Creating your own hammered finish on sterling silver, gold filled or gold vermeille components is easy... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=87 2009-07-09 10:55:48-0500 There are a few basic finishes, that you can create and or mix them together for a truly one of a kind piece... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=89 2009-07-11 15:07:20-0500 Below, you will find some tips on how to safely and gently clean, polish and take care of your freshwater pearl jewelry, to ensure durability and ... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=90 2009-07-22 12:59:57-0500 There are many things to consider when buying sterling silver chains , or any chains for that matter: unit cost, estimated possible uses, conduciveness to either short or long designs, my total budget... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=91 2009-07-23 10:30:23-0500 Lava beads refer to beads that are made from volcanic material, cut and faceted into a variety of shapes and sizes. Lava beads are very lightweight, and most tend to float since they are made of hardened magma and... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=92 2009-07-29 13:24:29-0500 Abalone refers to the small to medium sized sea mollusks and snails, that have low and open spiral shells. The shells of abalone are ... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=93 2009-07-31 17:28:16-0500 Sterling silver charms transcend age and culture. And one of the most iconic sterling silver charms is the star... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=94 2009-08-14 17:16:50-0500 There are two different categories of organization: physical organization and informational ... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=95 2009-08-27 10:10:23-0500 The high polish finish is often a standard finish, the reasoning is, is that this finish can be done a few different ways. A high polish finish can be... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=96 2009-09-01 17:06:41-0500 The third is very similar to the satin finish , however you will use more aggressive means to obtain your new look. To create the brushed look... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=97 2009-09-01 17:22:28-0500 Simply take your existing component, and then you will be creating a lightly scratched surface. You can do this a couple of ways... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=98 2009-09-02 10:28:20-0500 There are two different categories of organization: physical organization, and informational organization... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=99 2009-09-11 14:56:58-0500 There is the science and discipline of jewellery making, even jewellery designing... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=100 2009-09-12 13:35:31-0500 This trunk show, as with many other forms of trunk shows, provides a unique opportunity for the designer to showcase his or her range of designs, many pieces of ... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=101 2009-09-26 12:19:58-0500 I am a sterling silver findings designer, and we're happily married with 2 small and beautiful children, but you never know how it will turn out... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=102 2009-09-26 12:27:52-0500 I read in the newspaper recently that the average Canadian divorce costs about $20,000 when lawyers are involved. I am sure this is an underestimated, but even at this amount, as a humble maker of sterling silver findings, ... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=103 2009-09-28 12:59:48-0500 I work full time in designing sterling silver jewellery components and making jewellery. I also have 2 small children.... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=104 2009-10-03 11:13:57-0500 Toronto bead stores are many. They are dotted throughout Toronto and the surrounding suburbs... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=105 2009-10-17 16:59:55-0500 I wanted to buy a safe to house our sterling silver chains. We have a lot of finished chains that we keep in 16" and 18" lengths ... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=106 2009-10-17 17:05:51-0500 When I am not sketching out sterling silver component designs, I read newspapers and parenting magazines. The news of Jaycee Dugard, who was abducted and kept in captivity for the last 19 years ... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=107 2009-10-24 11:58:06-0500 Parents should teach their children to be alert of dangers without robbing them of their childhood and happiness. Aside from letting my kids sketch alongside me... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=109 2009-10-24 12:10:32-0500 There are a number of Vancouver Bead Stores. They are also all of fairly high calibre, compared to the bead stores of other major Canadian cities... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=110 2009-11-20 11:31:24-0500 Sterling silver findings from China vary a great deal in terms of price and quality... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=111 2009-11-20 11:39:46-0500 Jewellery making , and to a finer point, sterling silver components is often thought of as superfluous. The world of fashion is rather superficial, and I often wonder what evolutionary purpose does adorning oneself really serve? http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=112 2009-12-15 13:37:40-0500 It wasn't until recently that I received some confirmation of the benefits of beads from authority that I highly respect. http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=113 2009-12-17 10:16:55-0500 You want to have a jewellery display that displays your jewellery in the best way possible... http://www.stonesandfindings.com/articles.php?articleID=114 2009-12-22 17:57:21-0500