Pages

July 29, 2010

Beauty of Gold Chains

Since the origin of human race, body adornment had been prevalent amongst men and women. In early times, naturally available material such as shells, wood, bones, stones etc. are used for making ornaments. However, later on, as a result of constant innovations more and more precious stones and metals such as beads, copper, silver and gold were used to make jewelry. Gold is one of the most precious and expensive metals for making accessories such as crowns, necklaces, chains, anklets, bangles, earrings, etc.
The onset of use of gold for jewelry making is marked around 2500 B.C. in Iraq. It is believed that Egyptians were one of the first people to wear chains made of gold metal. Gold chains are made in three different types of gold, namely, white gold, rose gold and yellow gold. Yellow gold is one of the most commonly available in market as compared to white and rose gold.
It was believed that wearing gold chains with religious pendants or charms can ward off evil souls. Later on, these chains started to be worn as fashion accessories and adornment purposes. These chains are considered to be a symbol of wealth and prosperity as gold is a very expensive metal and only rich people can afford it. Throughout the history gold has symbolized power, opulence and affluence. Many wars were fought to gain possession of this precious metal.
Today, gold chain are very easily available in the market, however, they can still burn a hole in your pocket. These chains come in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs. The price range usually varies depending upon the weight of the chain and complication of design. One can find a wide range of designs in these chains ranging from light weight with flimsy links to heavy multi-linked solid chains. Also, these chains can be found in all sorts of gold, such as yellow, white, rose and sometimes a combination of all three.
Gold chains can be worn with or without pendants depending upon an individual’s taste and preference. Unlike earlier time when these chains were only used to adorn the neck, these days, people wear them on ankles, writs and even waist in order to make an exclusive style statement. These are now used as a fashion accessory rather than a religious charm to evade any evil situations.
Gold’s purity is measured in carats. The 24 carat gold is considered to be the purest form of gold with 99.9 percent purity. However, this level of purity makes the gold very soft and fragile. Generally, gold is mixed with other hard metals such as copper, silver, nickel, etc.
Both men and women sport gold chains as a fashion accessory. These chains add elegance, beauty and grace to any outfit they are worn with. The future of gold chains is bright and shinning and in the years to come we can see a lot of more designs hitting the market on a frequent basis to give customers ample amount of options to choose from.
Bookmark and Share

July 17, 2010

Things to Keep in Mind while Shopping for Silver Jewelry

Silver bead jewelry/ sterling silver jewelry are currently in vogue. There is a plethora of silver jewelry and silver accessories that blend well with any kind of outwear – casual or formal. If you have a habit of adding sterling silver jewelry such as earrings, brooches, pendants rings and chains, there are many authentic online and retail shops. However, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind while shopping for silver beads or silver jewelry.

The first and foremost thing is to find a reliable source. Whether you are buying silver beads or silver jewelry gather information about the company that you plan to buy the jewelry from.


If you are planning to purchase a handmade silver jewelry, ensure that you get the piece of jewel that you always dreamt off. You can ask the jeweler to customize the sterling silver jewelry for you. If the silver jewelry on the shelf did not appeal to you, you can always go for customized or personalized jewelry. The jeweler may take a few days to deliver the jewel but it would be worth it. Only ensure to give correct measurements, clear and detailed instructions regarding the size and design of your jewelry.

The lengths of the silver chain, the quality of the semi-precious/precious stones used in the pendants, earrings and finger rings can be personalized or customized. Ensure that the jeweler is ready to follow your instructions before placing the order for the silver jewel.

There are many online jewelry sites from where you can order silver beads or silver jewelry. If you are ordering a necklace or a pendant with precious stones, it is wise to know about the quality of the stones used. You can enquire whether the color of the stones is natural or whether they were improved. If it is a reputed shop, they would share the information willingly.

It is also crucial to know more about the gems used in the silver jewelry that you plan to purchase. For instance you can ask the artisan whether the gems absorb liquids or how to clean them.

Last but not the least in mind to check the quality of silver beads or silver jewelry. If you are buying sterling silver it will have the figure .925 embossed on it. Remember buying silver jewelry is also an investment that can be passed on to the future generations. The jewelry would be treasured as a legacy.
Bookmark and Share

July 16, 2010

Exclusiveness of Glass Bead Jewelry

Beads compliment a piece of jewelry in a way that none other accessory can. The kind of beads a person wears tells a lot about his personality and attitude. Beads come in all shapes and sizes. Depending upon the kind of jewelry and individual preference, one can pick the type of beads that are best suitable for his/her requirements. One of the most popular types of beads is the glass bead. The jewelry made of these beads is not only exquisite but also possess a distinct quality.


Glass beads have been manufactured since a long time. Various methods are used to create different types of glass beads, however, the most popular process is by winding in which glass is heated at a very high temperature till it starts melting and thereafter wound around a wire made of steel and given shape using graphite or wood.

There are many typed of accessories that are made of glass beads such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings, anklets and pendants. Glass bead bracelets can be found in several shapes, sizes and colors. Mostly crystal, semi-precious and vintage glass beads are used to make bracelets. One can also opt for customized bracelets based on his/her personal taste.

Glass beads are widely used in making stunning necklaces. As everyone must agree that necklaces are one of the most artistic ornaments used for the purpose of body adornment, the use of glass beads adds to their beauty and appearance. Glass beads necklaces are affordable, elegant and available in a wide range of colors. Different sizes of glass beads can be used to make exclusive necklaces to suit a buyer’s preference and requirement.

Pendant made of glass beads are also greatly popular amongst people, especially, the modern day women. These pendants can go with any outfit and occasion. Women of all age love to wear glass bead pendants in order to accentuate their beauty and grace. Glass bead pendants are available in many shapes, sizes and colors to suit a person’s choice.

Due to high availability and great affordability the glass beads can be worn by anyone. One can choose the jewelry made of these beads as offered by the jeweler or can also get it made by providing his/her own design. There are many manufacturing techniques used these days that make this task of making customizes glass bead jewelry extremely easy.

Before buying any piece of glass bead jewelry, one must understand his/her requirement very well in order to pick the right piece. Also, one must check the jewelry for any manufacturing defects such as cracks or broken glass of the beads because due to the fragile nature of glass there could be cases of defects in the piece of jewelry.

Before zeroing on a jewelry dealer to purchase your special glass bead jewelry, a buyer must first perform a thorough research on the credibility and history of the dealer in order to avoid any mischievous acts of fraud by the seller. One all the things have been taken care of you can sport your glass bead jewelry on every special occasion and stand out in the crowd.
Bookmark and Share

July 10, 2010

An Overview of Venetian Glass Beads

As Glass beads are one of the most ancient forms of human art and technology, they are considered to be anthropologically significant. They fall in to many categories depending upon the methods employed in the manipulation of glass. Venetian Beads that originated in Venice in the late 1800s are one of the most reputed types of glass beads. Even today, handcrafted beads of Venice are sold under the name of “Venetian Beads.”

There is a historical story connected with the origin of Venetian beads in Italy. Marco Polo, the most reputed merchant from the Venetian Republic brought gemstone beads from his travels. The glass workers of Venice found those gemstone beads to be astonishingly beautiful and came up with an idea of creating glass beads that gained so much of popularity and become popular across the world as “Venetian Beads.”

Ornamental beads of Venice are believed to manipulate the highest level of craftsmanship. People often say that, “If you love beads go to Venice.” There is no other place in the world that has a huge collection of a great variety of beads as that found in Venice. However, modern day people have the habit of ordering Venetian beads online, as they find internet shopping to be economical and time saving.

Venetian glass beads are known for their beauty, awesome colours and spectacular designs. They are artistically handcrafted to give a unique floral appearance. Glass bead making in Venice dates back to 1400s when prized beads were used as trading currencies in Africa and Europe. For the first time in history, they used a mandrel to fabricate the bead.

The most popular types of Venetian beads are Seed beads (Conterie), Rosetta or Chevron and Lampwork or Wound Beads or Perle a Lume Venetian Beads.

Venetian beads of very small sizes are referred to as seed beads. They created hollow tubes, which are then chopped and refined to make them smooth and colourful. Seed bead production was popular in Murano only in the early 1900s and the art in not existent today.

Canes known as Rosetta are used to make the so called Rosetta beads. They started manufacturing these types of beads in the 14th century. The production method involved the use of a hollow cane and six different coloured layers of glass that are then ground to get patterns of five concentric stars having twelve points. As they used to chop the cane, they got large quantities of beads for sale. Rosetta beads are the predecessors of today’s Murano Millefiori beads.

The artisans in Venice made the core of the Lume bead by wounding melting glass over a thin ferrous mandrel covered with silicon and clay mix. Sudden cooling caused the glass to contract slightly, making it easier for the bead to slide off the mandrel. As the heated glass is wound over the mandrel, they are also known as wound beads.

Glass bead making is an ancient form of art. Venetian beads are the well known type of glass beads that are known for their unique style, beauty, craftsmanship and intricate designs. Add Venetian beads to any of beaded piece and see how adorable the ornament looks.
Bookmark and Share

June 22, 2010

Golden Glow - The Return of Yellow Gold

Jewelry has remained an integral part of fashion and that explains the craze among the fashion conscious to team their outfits with the right accessories, mainly gold jewelry. Although, jewelry is available in silver, platinum, copper and brass, gold remains the eternal favorite. 
Winning Trends in Gold Jewelry
Big and bold pieces in jewelry have been rated as the hot favorites for the year. Apart from that, unusual necklaces, multi-strand neck pieces, pearls and Swarovski crystals in gold chains have been rated as the top trends in jewelry too. For earrings, dangling, long and preferably encrusted with stones is what you should be wearing. Chandelier style earrings have been popular for a while now and continue to remain popular apart from drops.

It seems that yellow gold has made a sudden comeback, enticing youngsters and elders alike. Gold jewelry has returned runways in New York, London, Paris and Milan. Yellow gold adds warmth and matches gemstones of any size and shape perfectly. Luxurious, multi-row gold necklaces are the hot favorites and it seems that the trend is here to stay.
Gold has continued to arouse its instinctive response, years after it was first discovered and used in jewelry. Today, our relationship with gold has been strengthened and clearly reflected the in usage of gold jewelry including, chains, rings, bracelets, and earrings.

If you think you cannot afford solid gold, fret not. You can choose to create fashionable pieces of jewelry in 14k and 18k gold too. When teamed with gemstones of your choice, these pieces will surely glow as bright as solid gold jewelry. As designers continue to design newer and trendier pieces of jewelry, the choice grows. Today, you can login to the internet and choose to get in touch with the latest fashion trends in jewelry and even buy the perfect piece of jewelry.
Bookmark and Share

June 15, 2010

Ruby From Burma

Burma rubies or the Burmese rubies are the most revered type of rubies, their bright color being the main draw. However, differences between the various types of rubies are hard to identify and mostly requires an expert’s help. The rich red hues of the Burmese rubies have enchanted many and contrary to popular belief, they are not found in Burma alone. However, Burma remains the most famous ruby-producing area. The history of the ruby dates back to the Stoneware and Bronze Age. The legendary Valley of Rubies, Mogok is situated in Burma and it is believed that the first humans who settled in this area found rubies and spinels in the rivers and streams around the place.

To determine a natural Burma ruby stone or ruby beads, you need to consider the following factors:

• The color of the ruby is the best means to determine if the ruby is an authentic Burmese ruby or a regular ruby. Burmese rubies have a deep, blood-red, unmistakable hue, with a slight blue tinge.

• Beware of too much clarity. At times, rubies are heat-treated to enhance their color and in the process end up looking slightly transparent. Although clarity is important, an absolutely transparent ruby might not be a Burmese ruby.

• The size and the cost of the ruby can help determine the authenticity of a Burmese ruby too. They are never more than a few carats and are highly-priced. If someone tries to sell a Burmese ruby for a reasonable price, you can be quite certain that it is not genuine.

• If possible, consult a trustworthy gemologist. Only a trained eye can tell with certainty if the ruby is indeed a Burmese ruby.

If you have been fortunate enough to have received the Burmese ruby as a gift, you can choose to make Rings, Bands, Pendant, Bracelet, Necklace, Earrings, Chains etc using sterling silver, 18k gold or even Platinum. If you plan to purchase a Burmese ruby online, you will find a number of websites online, which claim to sell the real thing. Take some time to research the authenticity, check the website for credibility and customer testimonials before you buy the Burmese ruby.
Bookmark and Share

June 6, 2010

Beauty That Endures Through The Ages

Gold has been synonymous with jewelry since time immemorial. Each and every woman feels lost without some pieces of gold jewelry in her collection. Although in recent years the prices of gold jewelry have gone up there is nothing to beat its enduring beauty. This enchanting metal has withstood the test of time very gracefully and stands out as a thing of beauty forever.

Gold Jewelry Has Been a Favorite through the Ages

In history one comes across gold coins and gold jewelry. At that time gold was abundant and people used to prefer it because of its luster and easy to mold features. We find mention of gold jewelry in Indian, Egyptian, Mayan and Roman civilizations. At that time silver was sparingly used except for making coins. Other metals that are used for jewelry nowadays, such as platinum, were not commonly used during early times. So gold was preferred by all and used in abundance by both men and women. As the price of gold increased people started using it sparingly and soon gold became a sign of opulence.

The Versatility of Gold

Even in the early days people used gold for making jewelry. The trend exists even today and has not faded with the years. This is owing to the many attributes of gold as a metal. Gold is not corrosive and does not give in easily to oxidation. This makes pieces of jewelry made of gold long lasting and shining even after years of use. Also gold is a very malleable metal making it easy for artisans to carve intricately beautiful designs with gold. Being a highly conductive metal, gold responds to designing by relatively easier means. The color of gold goes well with all kinds of clothing and can be worn by with all kinds of clothing styles. Gold jewelry suits people of all age and can be worn for any occasion.

Types of Gold Jewelry Available

In early times gold was used for making clasps and cloth pins or as hair adornments. Thick ankles and bangles were also common along with plain gold neck pieces. The designs and types of gold jewelry have changed over the ages. Gold is measured in carats and 24 carat gold is gold at its purest form. Due to designing difficulties of pure gold, gold of 22 carat, 18carat, 14carat and 9 carat are used more commonly. This gold is used to make necklaces, pendants, chains, bracelets, bangles, amulets, rings for the ears, nose and fingers and even anklets. There is a wide variety of design available in gold.

Gold still remains as classy and versatile as it was ages ago. People still have a penchant or wearing gold next to the skin. Nowadays gold is used in association with silver and platinum in various intertwined designs. Gold plated jewelry is also being made to compensate for the high price of gold. Gold jewelry is still a favorite and will remain so in the days to come.
Bookmark and Share