Springtime Jewelry Fashion Suggestions

Why not consider buying heart-shaped springtime jewelry for yourself, or for your special someone? After all, "In spring, the young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love." But it's not just young men, surely! When spring rolls around, thoughts of l'amour murmur within every one of us. Heart-shaped accessories and gifts are certainly popular.

Spring is often thought of as the Valentine season, since it's what's in store for everyone by the time February 14 rolls around. On this day of hearts, treat your special girl to a necklace, a brooch or a pair of earrings that says just how much you love her. Though the heart shape is extremely popular, it doesn't have to be common or tacky: a heart-shaped brooch made of tiny diamonds, for example, speaks of sophistication and a fine eye. Neither does it have to be expensive: heart-shaped earrings or silver heart outline pendants could fit reasonably in one's budget. A thin silver band with hearts etched all around it would be affordable, and would make an especially fine gift in the bargain.

And even if you're shopping for a special guy, heart-shaped jewelry need not be corny - in fact, your man may find it quirky and unique! Cufflinks with a heart design, for example, could come in many colors, and go tastefully with your man's power suit. If you have a party guy in tow, bright red heart cufflinks would make him the envy of every Casanova in the house!

But if you're not into the heart shape, don't fret: springtime jewelry isn't confined to that. Jewelry could come in other springtime motifs, like daisies and butterflies, favorites of children and young people everywhere. If you're shopping for something cute to go with your new spring outfit, try a fun butterfly brooch or jeweled hairclip.

In springtime, young people just love to frolic in the cool outdoors. For this reason, picnics and nature trips are especially popular in the spring. With flowers in full bloom and a temperate breeze blowing, the days spent with loved ones outdoors seem almost perfect. To make the most of these casual excursions, people like to wear unobtrusive clothing, in the process discarding apparel that in the winter had been bulky and concealing. We see the lovely spring dresses, sleeveless or frilled, with the low-cut collars that show off the formerly hidden beauty of a young woman's neckline. When these comfortable dresses come out, so do the comfortable jewelry.

When wearing a spring dress with a dipping neckline, consider matching it with cascading earrings, or a simple necklace with a small pendant resting on your collarbone. Either would accentuate the grace of your neck and shoulders. Consider the colors of the jewelry you wear, too: colorful beads and wire jewelry would definitely suit any spring ensemble, and certainly drive away the gloom of winter while welcoming in the seasons of fun and sun! But springtime jewelry that comes in soft colors are a favorite, especially among people with delicate features. It brings out the wearer's youthfulness and inspires a relaxed look.

Jewelery Making Supplies - Gemstones Explained

The inclusion of gemstones in jewelery making has been part of the craft for thousands of years. Precious gemstones are of course the most highly prized, but the myriad of semi precious gemstones means that even those new to the craft can add a bit of color to their work for a reasonable price. The choice is vast and which gemstones you choose to include in your work is down to the individual and how adventurous you're feeling!

Most people start jewelery making by working in silver, which is far cheaper than gold and readily available through all good jewelery making suppliers. A silver setting can compliment almost any gemstone perfectly, and certain stones lend themselves to silver in a way that would be impossible with gold. One of the most common semi precious gemstones used in jewelery making is turquoise - a vibrant blue semi precious stone that works beautifully with silver. Although it may not have the sparkle of a sapphire, turquoise has its own depth and warmth and is particularly good in broaches, earrings and rings. Turquoise also has a lot of spiritual connections and has been used in many ancient cultures as a symbol of water, so if you want to add an extra dimension to your jewelery and a hidden meaning behind the inclusion of this stone, turquoise is a perfect choice. If you prefer a deeper hue, lapis lazuli is one of the most highly prized of all blue semi precious gemstones. Its cobalt blue surface (often shot through with iron pyrites or 'fools gold') makes this stone sparkle, bringing it to life. Again, it complements a silver finding perfectly and is ideal for wearing with a more formal outfit.

Emerald is a very special stone particularly to those born in May as it is the birthstone of Taurus the bull - and birthstones are another good way of choosing which gemstones to include in your work. Although the best stones are still expensive, lower quality emeralds can be much cheaper than you think, but if your budget doesn't stretch to a precious gemstone then there are cheaper alternatives such as peridot. This semi precious gemstone is paler in color than emerald, but is very popular and works particularly well in more modern designs. Most peridot are quite small, so are perfect for multiple settings such as broaches or pendants, but it may be difficult to use in a larger, single setting such as a ring because of the stone's size.

If you're looking for a more golden tone in your jewelery making, the warm, orange of amber works particularly well with silver jewelery. Although not technically a gemstone, amber has been prized for centuries - the Russian Tsars even decorated an entire room in amber! It can be a little tricky to work with as it is quite soft and easily damaged, but the results are well worth the extra effort. Amber's translucency gives it a depth and richness that can enhance any design, whether traditional or modern. Baltic amber is the most highly prized, but Middle Eastern amber ranges in color from a deep honey gold to blood red.

There are thousands of precious and semi precious gemstones to choose from and plenty of suppliers online who carry a wide range of stones - from cut and faceted precious gemstones to uncut semi precious stones like turquoise and opals, at prices to suit all budgets. The only thing that limits you is your imagination, so including gemstones in your jewelery making is cheap, easy and can add a whole new dimension to your work.

Eco Friendly Jewelry Makes a Real Difference

Have you ever wondered where your jewelry comes from? Where does the gold come from and how is it mined? How are the diamonds extracted from the earth and how are they sold? How does the harvesting of the pearls affect the environment? Unfortunately, the jewelry industry has a long and ugly history of environmental destruction, human rights abuse, and issues with fair trade. In general, there is nothing eco-friendly about it.

That's why it's so important to understand that you can make a big difference in the world by supporting businesses that deal in eco friendly jewelry, which is manufactured using socially and environmentally responsible methods. More and more jewelry companies are discovering that yes, they can make money by selling eco friendly necklaces, earrings, and wedding rings. They are realizing that more and more people are supporting environmentally responsible businesses - they are putting their money where their ideals are.

Precious Metals

The gold mining industry has a poor track record when it comes to labor practices, safety standards, and respect for indigenous peoples, in addition to environmental destruction. It takes a tremendous amount of destructive force to tear open the earth and extract the precious metals and gemstones found below. Gold mining is particularly harmful because of the mercury and cyanide used in the gold mining process, which contaminates groundwater sources and destroys the health of the mine workers, people in nearby communities, and local wildlife.

By choosing to buy jewelry made from eco friendly gold, you can help to reduce the environmental and social damage caused by conventional gold-mining. One of the most practical ways to do this is to select jewelry made from recycled gold. By simply buying recycled gold that has already been mined, you reduce the destructive impact of such practices by eliminating your financial support.

Conflict-Free Diamonds

Conflict diamonds, also known as "blood diamonds", are so named because their sale provides funding for devastating wars and violence in Africa. They are responsible for the direct loss of millions of lives. On top of the loss of human life, blood diamonds are linked to human rights abuses such as worker exploitation and violence. Even worse, they are mined using methods that cause tremendous environmental damage. Eco friendly jewelry can never be made by using conflict diamonds.

It is difficult to find a conflict free diamonds because it's hard to guarantee that they are mined in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. However there are sources, such as in Canada, where eco friendly diamonds are mined in accordance with strict environmental regulations, and free of the problems of human rights abuse and violence.

Eco Friendly Pearls

The production of conventional pearls does not fare much better than that of diamonds or gold when it comes to ecological damage. Many current techniques employed on pearl farms results in environmental havoc, depletion of species, and destruction of ecosystems by the use of high-powered hoses to clean the oysters. It is also common practice to cultivate pearls by using mussel nuclei, thereby depleting native mussel populations.

Environmental damage is reduced or eliminated by using eco friendly pearl farming techniques. Kamoka pearl farms in Tahiti, for example, clean their pearls naturally by using different species of native tropical fish. Using natural methods such as this are both labor and cost effective. It also helps to protect the environment by encouraging support of native fish populations.

Different categories of jewellery at www.made-from-india.com consists of Artificial & Imitation Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry, Beads, Corals & Coral Jewelry, Costume Jewelry, Diamond Jewelry, Fashion Jewelry, Fine Jewelry, Gemstone Jewelry, Gold Jewelry, Handmade Jewelry, Jewelry Tools & Equipment, Metal Jewelry, Pearls & Pearl Jewelry, Platinum Jewelry, Precious & Semi-Precious Stones, Silver Jewelry and Synthetic Gemstones. Gemstones from india are the best to be bought.

All About Gemstones and Jewelry

Gemstones are used for a variety of purposes. semi-precious stone beads come in different shapes, sizes, color, and clarity. The stones are classified into different groups. Semi precious stones if properly cut and polished become into beautiful gems and are used by artisans in jewelry and other adornments. There are also decorative and healing semi precious stones that can make excellent gifts. Buy your jewelry by considering the mystical property of the gemstone or by your loved ones birthstone and have the perfect gift.

What is a Gemstone?
A gemstone (also referred to as a precious or semi-precious stone) is an attractive mineral. When the gemstone is cut and polished, it can be used by artisans to make jewelry and other adornments.

Today, the pride of possessing a rare and beautiful gemstone is as great as ever. Generally, a gemstone is a stone that is beautiful, rare, and durable. A gemstone is a precious or semi-precious stone used for jewelry.

The difference between a Precious stone and a Semi- precious stone is that a precious gemstone is brilliant, beautiful, durable, and rare. A semi-precious gemstone has only part of these qualities.

A gemstone highly graded for its great beauty so appearance is most important, especially for those used in the Jewelry Fashion. Properties that determine the value and beauty of a gemstone are Color, Clarity, luster cut, fire and rarity. The clarity of a gemstone is graded by how large, where, and how many inclusions are in it.

An important factor when considering purchasing any gemstone for jewelry is the cutting. Cutting style means the way in which a gemstone is cut or faceted. If the gemstone is cut well, the beauty and value of the gemstone and the jewelry itself is increased. The way a gemstone is cut affects the color of the stone, the clarity and brilliance of it.

Gemstones can be used in their crystal form or the way which they are found in Nature. Many of them however, are cut and polished for other purposes such as the usage in jewelry. The gemstones can be cut smooth, shaped as dome. This is called cabochon. The stones can also be cut by hand or by a faceting machine. A facet cut is polishing the gemstones into flat "windows" in regular or irregular intervals but with exact angles. We think that Gemstones which are transparent should be faceted, as this method shows the best properties of the stone's interior.

Real Gems versus Synthetic Gemstones
A gemstone can be natural or synthetic. The gemstone is a natural mineral or stone formed and found in nature without human intervention. The natural form will not go into any treatment process other than cutting and polishing. These will improve the appearance of the gemstone and make it enhanced. Gemstones can also be manufactured in order to imitate natural gemstones. These may look like the real stones, with the exact color but they do not have the chemical or physical properties.

Some gemstones are created inside the Laboratory and are not called imitations. For example, diamonds and Rubies can be manufactured inside the laboratories and have the same chemical or physical properties as the natural stones.

Buying and Caring Tips for Emerald Jewelry

Buying Tips

Emeralds are beautiful gemstones that are greatly prized for their lush green hue. Shopping and judging the quality of emeralds becomes much easier once one has general awareness and knowledge about the basic attributes of this gem.

Color

How good is the color of an emerald, can easily be determined on the basis of three main criteria.

i. Intensity (or saturation) - It refers to the brightness or vividness of the color. A gemstone that displays more brightness is considered more valuable.

ii. Tone - How much gray, black, white or brown is present in the crystal, defines its tone. The closer the color of emerald would be to green without any other tints, the better is the quality of the gem.

iii. Distribution - Refers to the even or uneven distribution of color.

Clarity

Clarity is also another principal factor that determines the quality of a gem. Emeralds are so often found with inclusions in their crystal structure that even the finest of these gems are found with some inclusions. These inclusions are like the finger prints of nature which nature imprints on the crystals of these gems.

Cut

Cut refers to the proportioning and the finish of a stone. How a stone is cut greatly affects depth of the color and the liveliness projected by the gem. A well cut gem would any day command greater price over a not so well cut gem of the same quality.

Carat

Carat or weight is definitely last, but not the least factor that determines the value of a gemstone. A heavier emerald would be prized more than the one that weighs less.

These four factors are also popularly known as the 4C's, the four factors that determine the value of a gem.

Caring Tips for your Emerald Jewelry

- Always store your emerald jewelry in a separate box, so that your emeralds do not get scratched.
- Avoid wearing your jewelry when doing any intensive physical work. A hard blow might crack the stone.
- The best way to clean your emerald jewelry at home is with luke warm water, mild detergent and soft tooth brush. But do not clean your emerald jewelry any more than few times a year.
- Never get your emerald jewelry cleaned by ultrasonic cleaners. Emeralds are often given fracture filling treatments, cleaning it with an ultra sonic might cause the filling to come out.
- Have your jewelry professionally cleaned at least once a year. The settings many a times tend to become loose, professional jewelers can take care of this as well.
- Never use steam cleaner to clean your emerald jewelry.

Emeralds are one the most beautiful gemstones. Given you take proper care of your emerald jewelry, it will stay as beautiful forever.

www.made-from-india.com maintains an authentic directory for manufacturers, suppliers, exporters and wholesalers of different types of jewelry. Different categories of jewellery at www.made-from-india.com consists of Artificial & Imitation Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry, Beads, Corals & Coral Jewelry, Costume Jewelry, Diamond Jewelry, Fashion Jewelry, Fine Jewelry, Gemstone Jewelry, Gold Jewelry, Handmade Jewelry, Jewelry Tools & Equipment, Metal Jewelry, Pearls & Pearl Jewelry, Platinum Jewelry, Precious & Semi-Precious Stones, Silver Jewelry and Synthetic Gemstones. Gemstones from india are the best to be bought.

How to Get Started Making Jewelry

Jewelry making is one of the most popular crafts around and it's enjoyed by millions of people of all ages. Its fun, rewarding and you get to wear the one-of-a-kind jewelry around once you've made it. One of the great things about jewelry making is that you can make most anything that you can imagine. If you're new to the craft, here are a few tips that can help you get started.

It's always best to start out simple until you get the hang of it. This way you won't end up being disappointed if your jewelry doesn't turn out perfect the first time. This is something that you need to practice and work at if you want to become good at it and starting out with something easy and working your way up will make it easier. Starting out this way will also build your confidence as you see your creations improving.

The first step is to gather together all of your supplies. The easiest way to get started is by using a jewelry making kit. These come with all the things you'll need to make necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more. Most all kits come with beads because you can make so many different designs using them and they are the easiest to work with. Still, there are a number of different materials that can be used when making jewelry even when you purchase a kit.

Some of your options include cords, hemp thread, wire, beading elastic and chains. These are the easiest to work with and they can be cut any length you need. Beads come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and a variety of colors to choose from for mixing and matching together.

Polymer clay is a fairly new material that is used for making jewelry. It's an excellent product that leaves room for a lot of creativity. You may not want to start out using polymer clay but once you get the basics down and you're ready to try something more detailed, this would be an excellent option. You can also work with wood, glass, shells and metal to create all types of jewelry when you're ready to try more complicated designs.

After you have perfected your jewelry making technique you can even make items for your friends and family for birthdays and Christmas gifts. Most people enjoy getting something handmade because it shows you put more time and thought into the present and this means a lot to them. Plus, it's a lot of fun making all types of jewelry to share.

www.made-from-india.com maintains an authentic directory for manufacturers, suppliers, exporters and wholesalers of different types of jewelry. Different categories of jewellery at www.made-from-india.com consists of Artificial & Imitation Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry, Beads, Corals & Coral Jewelry, Costume Jewelry, Diamond Jewelry, Fashion Jewelry, Fine Jewelry, Gemstone Jewelry, Gold Jewelry, Handmade Jewelry, Jewelry Tools & Equipment, Metal Jewelry, Pearls & Pearl Jewelry, Platinum Jewelry, Precious & Semi-Precious Stones, Silver Jewelry and Synthetic Gemstones. Gemstones from india are the best to be bought.

Gemstone Jewelry Secrets Revealed

The mystery and magic of colored gemstones has been an integral aspect or the "Lore" of most cultures for many centuries. Here is what noted gemstone experts Antoinette L. Matlins and A.C. Bonanno have to say on the matter.

"The fascination with colored gemstones dates back to the very beginning of civilization. For our ancestors, the blue of sapphire produced visions of the heavens; the red of ruby was a reminder of the very essence of life. By Roman times, rings containing colored gems were prized symbols of power-and the most powerful wore rings on every joint of every finger!

Since ancient times, colored stones have been thought to possess innate magical powers and the ability to endow the wearer with certain attributes. According to legend, emeralds are good for the eyes; yellow stones cure jaundice; red stones stop the flow of blood. At one time it was believed that a ruby worn by a man indicated command, nobility, lordship, and vengeance; worn by a woman, however, it indicated pride, obstinacy, haughtiness. A blue sapphire worn by a man indicated wisdom, and high and magnanimous thoughts; on a woman, jealousy in love, politeness, and vigilance. The emerald signified for a man joyousness, transitory hope, and the decline of friendship; for woman, unfounded ambition, childish delight, and change.

Colored gems, because of the magical powers associated with them, achieved extensive use as talismans and amulets; as predictors of the future; as therapeutic aids; and as essential elements to many religious practices-pagan, Hebrew, and Christian."

Gemstones 101

Natural gemstones are found in nature. Laboratory-created stones, as the name implies, are made in the laboratory. These stones, which also are referred to as laboratory-grown, {name of manufacturer} - created, or synthetic, have essentially the same chemical, physical and visual properties as natural gemstones. Laboratory-created stones do not have the rarity of naturally colored stones and they are less expensive than naturally mined stones. By contrast, imitation stones look like natural stones in appearance only, and may be glass, plastic, or less costly stones. Laboratory-created and imitation stones should be clearly identified as such.

Gemstones may be measured by weight, size, or both. The basic unit for weighing gemstones is the carat, which is equal to one-fifth 91/5th) of a gram. Carats are divided into 100 units called points. For example, a half-carat gemstone would weigh .50 carats or 50 points. When gemstones are measured by dimensions, the size is expressed in millimeters (for example, 7x5 millimeters).

Gemstone treatments or enhancements refer to the way some gems are treated to improve their appearance or durability, or even change their color. Many gemstones are treated in some way. The effects of some treatments may lessen or change over time and some treated stones may require special care. Some enhancements also affect the value of a stone, when measured against a comparable untreated stone.

Jewelers should tell you whether the gemstone you're considering has been treated when: the treatment is not permanent; the treated stone requires special care; or the treatment significantly affects the value of the gemstone.

Some common treatments that you may be told about and their effects include:

* Heating can lighten, darken or change the color of some gems, or improve a gemstone's clarity.

* Irradiation can add more color to colored diamonds, certain other gemstones and pearls.

* Impregnating some gems with colorless oils, wax or resins makes a variety of imperfections less visible and can improve the gemstones' clarity and appearance.

* Fracture filling hides cracks or fractures in gems by injecting colorless plastic or glass into the cracks and improves the gemstones' appearance and durability.

* Diffusion treatment adds color to the surface of colorless gems; the center of the stone remains colorless.

* Dyeing adds color and improves color uniformity in some gemstones and pearls.

* Bleaching lightens and whitens dome gems, Including jade and pearls.

In this day and age, gemstones are generally worn for their natural beauty or as a fashion statement, but there are many that "buy-in" to the mythical and mystical symbolisms of gems as well. Whatever a persons reason, the world of gems today offers an almost endless choice. Many new gems have been discovered and are widely available in reds, blues, greens and many unusual shades as well. Enjoy!

For more information or to browse our selection of beautiful jewelry and gemstones besure to visit http://www.made-from-india.com/Categories/Jewelry_Gemstones/