Below are some of the latest jewellery pieces I’ve made, they’re all available in my shop. As you can see I like using more unusual gemstones or gems from locations you don’t really see in the mainstream. All of them have been completely made by hand, and the gemstones are all natural (I polished them myself from their raw state – they were even on the original host rock they came from) Above: A while ago I sourced in some beautiful rocks from Norway, and found that they had traces of ruby running through them (the Kleggåsen Quarry it came from is well known for having tiny amounts of ruby in ..read more

What is amazonite? Amazonite gemstone is a member of the feldspar family, a group of rock-forming minerals that make up over half of the Earth’s crust (other varieties of feldspar include labradorite, moonstone and sunstone). It’s glamorous name evokes visions of a beautiful tropical Amazon river expanse, yet strangely enough amazonite isn’t actually found near there at all (though it is found in other parts of Brazil), and the origins of its name have been lost in the midst of time.  Amazonite’s beautiful blue to blue green colours have made it a desirable decorative stone for thousands ..read more

What is alexandrite? Often referred to as “emerald by day, ruby by night”, alexandrite is a rare gemstone discovered in Russia in 1830*. Alexandrite belongs to the chrysoberyl family of gemstones and is best known for its remarkable colour-changing properties; it appears greenish-blue or green in daylight but changes to a purplish-red or raspberry-red in incandescent light. Whilst generally quite transparent (usually with noticeable inclusions), there is a rare type of more opaque alexandrite which shows chatoyancy or a cat’s eye effect** where a narrow band of ..read more

What is agate? Agate is a type of silica mineral that is a form of chalcedony, which itself is a type of quartz. It is generally characterized by some translucency and a distinctive banded or layered appearance, and is composed of microscopic crystals of quartz that are usually arranged in parallel bands or layers.  Agate has a chemical composition of SiO2.  Family: Quartz Varieties: Many types, including crazy lace agate and blue lace agate. Some distinctive types, such as Lake Superior agate or Botswana agate, are named after the location they are found in. There is som ..read more

What is alexandrite? Often referred to as “emerald by day, ruby by night”, alexandrite is a rare gemstone discovered in Russia in 1830*. Alexandrite belongs to the chrysoberyl family of gemstones and is best known for its remarkable colour-changing properties; it appears greenish-blue or green in daylight but changes to a purplish-red or raspberry-red in incandescent light. Whilst generally quite transparent (usually with noticeable inclusions), there is a rare type of more opaque alexandrite which shows chatoyancy or a cat’s eye effect** where a narrow band of ..read more

What is agate? Agate is a type of silica mineral that is a form of chalcedony, which itself is a type of quartz. It is generally characterized by some translucency and a distinctive banded or layered appearance, and is composed of microscopic crystals of quartz that are usually arranged in parallel bands or layers.  Agate has a chemical composition of SiO2.  Family: Quartz Varieties: Many types, including crazy lace agate and blue lace agate. Some distinctive types, such as Lake Superior agate or Botswana agate, are named after the location they are found in. There is som ..read more

In the jewellery world, treating gemstones to change their colour or appearance is an extremely common part of the industry. Treating gemstones to alter their appearance dates back thousands of years; Pliny discussed many gemstone treatments in his work, and treated carnelian was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb. Gemstone treatments aren’t ‘bad’ and in fact can be very useful. They make unstable gems safe to wear, and rescue gemstones which have unsightly blemishes in them from being needlessly disposed of. Treatments can also be helpful in meeting the demands of customer tastes; for example, most ..read more

Gemstone Treatment Index Codes & Letter Abbreviation Meanings Treating gemstones is a common part of the gemstone industry. The following are commonly used treatments given to gemstones, their codes, and a basic guide to what each treatment does. (B)    Bleached:  a chemical whitening/ lightening process. Used to remove unsightly natural stains, or whiten/ brighten a gemstone, eg, freshwater cultured pearls are often bleached to brighten their white colour. Freshwater cultured pearls are often bleached to remove any natural stains or discoloration that’s occurred. (C ..read more

The online shop is undergoing a bit of a refurb at the moment, but I’ve still managed to do some beading and these gorgeous genuine gemstone necklaces are now available in the shop. If you click on the pictures it will take you to the items for sale – all shipping is free, and I deliver to the USA, UK, Canada and Japan. Handmade gemstone necklace, made from black agate, large freshwater cultured pearls, and eye catching aquamarine, all knotted on pure silk. Check it out here.Statement necklace, made with teal blue apatite beads, and aqua blue Peruvian opal beads, in a stunning long graduated s ..read more

Beautiful vintage costume jewelry that was made in the old West Germany comes in a stunning variety of styles and designs. You can recognize this type of jewelry, as it is stamped “West Germany” on the back of the jewelry piece. Items were usually made from glass beads, plastic beads or glass stones, which were set into base metals. The following photos show some different types of signed ‘West Germany’ jewelry – I love how varied and beautiful it was ..   The back of a necklace clasp, which has been signed “W. Germany”. Sometimes jewelry pieces were signed Western Germany, or West German ..read more