Using Gemstones in Handcrafted Jewelry

Faceted gemstones are not the only gems that can be used in jewelry.

Many people only know of a few gemstones in bead form; turquois and tiger eye chief among them. Fewer people, unless they are really looking, know that precious gemstones such as sapphire, ruby, emerald, and even diamond come in either a chip or bead form.

It is nice to be able to create a piece of jewelry for an individual with their birthstone, and or stones of their favorite color, and still make them affordable due to how the stone is cut. When a gemstone is in bead form, there is actually more that can be accomplished, and more beauty to the stone this way. If it is a faceted cut bead, you have 360 degrees of sparkle and flash. Beads come in many shapes and sizes, from 2mm up to 12mm for round beads, and many flat geometrically shaped beads can be over 20mm.

Because gemstones come in such a vast array of colors and patterns, one can usually find what they are looking for when making a piece of jewelry. Some have such unique patterns, that they just cannot be imitated by man because their uniqueness is totally a product of nature.

As well as some being considered birthstones, many gemstones have different attributes such as healing or calming effects on people. It is one of my goals to introduce as many people as possible to the vast world of the gemstone.