Leslie Brenner Fine Jewelry

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Leslie Brenner Jewelry

Leslie Brenner's fine jewelry is unique, with a one-of-a-kind style. This is handcrafted studio jewelry made from gold, sterling silver, precious and semiprecious gems.


World Class Squidoo

 

This lens was recently honored with this award by GypsyOwl, who features lenses she finds inspirational on her "Be In Your Flow" lens.

Thank you GypsyOwl!

Leslie's Jewelry Collection 

 

Gray Freshwater Pearl Earrings

Tiny gray freshwater pearls cascade over a large gray freshwater pearl. Individually wrapped pearls and handmade ear wires. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 1 3/4" long.

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Silver Bangles

These hand-hammered, hefty sterling silver bangles have countless surfaces to catch the light.

Dimensions: 1/8" wide; 1/16" thick, 2 1/8" diameter or about 7 1/2" around

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Ruby Necklace

Small faceted ruby rondelles and a 22K gold bead are individually linked together by hand. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 16" long

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Garnet & Amethyst Dangle Earrings

Faceted rhodolite garnet rondelles are joined to a 14k gold chain by handmade headpins, with a large dangling moss amethyst drop below. Handmade ear wires. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 2 1/8" Long

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Green Tourmaline and Lemon Quartz Earrings

Faceted green tourmaline rondelles dangle over a faceted teardrop of lemon quartz. Handmade ear wires and each bead is individually wrapped. 14k gold.

Dimensions: About 1" long

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Peridot Briolette Necklace

Faceted peridot teardrops dangle from a 22K gold bead. The delicate chain is 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 16" long

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Ruby and Apatite Earrings

Faceted blue apatite rondelles are individually linked to a gold chain, with a large ruby teardrop at the end. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 1 3/4" long

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Garnet & Smoky Quartz Necklace

Faceted smoky quartz briolettes and polished garnet pebbles make up this luscious necklace.

Dimensions: About 34" long

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Amethyst & Garnet Bracelet

Amethyst teardrops with faceted oval garnets. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 7 1/2" long

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Blue Bunch Earrings

Various stones, such as labradorite, sterling silver, quartz, peridot, chalcedony, aquamarine and apatite, are linked by hand to a 14K gold chain.

Dimensions: About 2 1/4" long

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Citrine & Chalcedony Bracelet

Citrine teardrops punctuated by one faceted chalcedony rondelle. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 7 1/2" long

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Tourmalinated Quartz Earrings

Faceted tourmalinated quartz teardrops dangle from a 14K gold chain.

Dimensions: About 1 3/4" long

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Garnet Drop Earrings

Faceted rhodolite garnet teardrop are attached to a gold chain. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 2" long

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Apatite Necklace

Smooth blue apatite round beads and a 22K gold bead are individually linked together. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 16" long

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Apatite & Pearl Earrings

Tiny white pearls are individually wrapped, with a teardrop of faceted blue apatite at the end. 14K gold.

Dimensions: About 2" long

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A Brief History of Jewelry 

The word jewelry is derived from the Latin word jocale, meaning "plaything," and the word jewel, which was anglicised in the 13th century from the Old French word jouel. "Jewelry" was first used in popular English literature sometime before 1550.

Before the word jewelry was ever invented, however, mankind has used certain materials and minerals, such as gold, to decorate the human form and protect the wearer from the world's ills. At some unknown point in the distant past, jewelry was used to proclaim the wearer's wealth and social status as well.

4.6 Billion Years BC 

Huge meteorites containing platinum, gold, palladium and other "iron-loving" elements bombard Earth. In other words, the gold in your jewelry probably came from outer space.

100,000 BC 

Pierced shell bead necklaces and bracelets become popular among early hominids.

7000 BC 

The earliest signs of metallurgy appear during the Chalcolithic period in Anatolia.

4500 BC to 3800 BC 

Tombs along the Nile valley contain the earliest known glazed stone beads, along with combs and small human figures of ivory.

3000 BC 


Otzi the Iceman has his ears pierced.

2500 BC 

The body of Queen Puabi of Ur is entombed in royal splendor, wrapped in a robe of gold beaded with silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate and chalcedony and adorned with amulets, diadems, necklaces, earrings and rings.

2300 BC 

Seaman Schepps' Swan Brooch [right].

In the Shu King, an ancient book, a Chinese scribe notes disdainfully that as tribute, a lesser king sent "strings of pearls not quite round."

1000 BC 

The Incas use platinum in their jewelry.

1066 to 1485 AD 

Sumptuary laws restrict who can wear jewelry and the amount of jewelry that can be worn, providing an immediate method of determining 'Who is Who.'

1626 

Dutch immigrant Peter Minuit purchases the island of Manhattan from Native Americans for a few strings of European glass beads.

1805 


Luigi Brugnatelli invents the process of electroplating silver and other metals.

1848 

Gold is discovered in California. Over 90% of the world's gold has been produced since the California gold rush.

1916 

Echoing Minuit's Manhattan purchase, Jacques Cartier trades two pearl necklaces for a parcel of land in Manhattan, where he opens his first store.

1922 

Howard Carter discovers the tomb of Tutankhamun (ca. 1336-1327 B.C.), filled with jewelry, a solid gold funeral mask and over five thousand objects for the afterlife.

1961 

Holly Golightly has Breakfast at Tiffany's in the Blake Edwards film.

Jewelry Metal Poll 

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Famous Jewelry Quote 

This is just my summer jewelry. You should see my winter stuff.

-- Mae West, She Done Him Wrong, 1933

Jewelry Trends 

Fashion Week: Spring 2008

Betsey Johnson rondelle necklace [right]

Spring and summer colors will be dominated by neutrals punctuated with flashes of bright color. Expect to see: freesia, spring crocus, cantaloupe, golden olive, rococco red, pink mist, croissant, daiquiri green and bright snorkel blue, according to fashion color expert Pantone. Also, silvery gray will be the new black!

Large, round beads are still popular from fall/winter, as are: multi-strand necklaces, stacked necklaces, large bangles, multiple chain necklaces of various lengths, long drop earrings, small to large chandelier earrings and large hoops.

Featured Jewelry Designer 

Cathy Waterman

Cathy Waterman's Feather Earrings at Barneys [right]

Waterman's jewelry is handmade or hand finished by master goldsmiths using classic techniques, with great attention to detail. Her jewelry is heavily influenced by her passion for Byzantine art and nature, evoking images of medieval castles and delicate flora. [I love it!] To learn more about Waterman, visit her website.

Although I've just started making jewelry, I hope to be this good someday!

Famous Jewelry Quote 

Diamonds are only chunks of coal,
That stuck to their jobs, you see.

-- Poor Richard's Anthology of Thoughts on Success, Christian F. Kleinknecht

Gem Stories 

Cleopatra's mines [right].

Most gemstones are naturally occurring minerals in crystalline form, which are then cut, polished and sometimes treated in some way to enhance color, clarity, etc. There are over 40 popular varieties and dozens more unusual collectibles.

Amethyst 

Violet amethyst is a form of quartz, coveted for thousands of years. Roman naturalist and author Pliny believed that amethyst could protect its wearer from snakebite. The 16th-century painter Hieronymus Bosch similarly believed that eagles placed amethyst in their nests to protect their eaglets from the same danger.

The best amethyst is found in Brazil, Uruguay, and Madagascar, and it has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale.

Apatite 


This aptly named stone is a form of calcium phosphate, which is found in 60% of the bones and teeth of all vertebrates such as humans. Crystalline deposits are typically found in clear to opaque shades of blue, green, yellow, reddish-brown, pink, violet, colorless and even multi-colored. The most valued color is a neon blue-green. However, apatite is rarely seen in jewelry stores and it's virtually unknown to the public.

In fact, apatite is commonly used in the manufacture of fertilizers, as a source of phosphorus for plants. While archeologists have found it invaluable: Because it has the ability to preserve soft-tissue fossils and to date artifacts and sites.

Apatite is soft, measuring 5 on the Mohs scale, compared to most gems that measure 7 to 9. Its fragility makes it unsuitable in rings, which may receive more wear and tear, but fine for earrings and necklaces. Apatite is found in Myanmar [Burma], Brazil, Sri Lanka, the Czech Republic, India, Mexico and the United States.

Aquamarine 

Latin for sea water, aquamarines were said to be treasured by mermaids and to keep sailors safe. Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family, which includes emeralds.

The most valuable aquamarine color is a rich, sky blue. The stone is pleochroic, meaning an aquamarine may display a greenish tint depending on your angle of view.

The primary source for aquamarine, which measures 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, is Brazil, followed by Russia, Madagascar, the US and recently Afghanistan.

Chrome Diopside 


With a name like chrome diopside, who would guess that this is a gorgeous emerald-green gemstone? While most attractive green gemstones are rare and expensive, chrome diopside is affordable.

The stone's vivid green color is usually found in small sizes. Because in stones above a few carats, diopside's green color can be so dark as to appear black.

Diopside measures 5.5 on the Mohs scale, making it too soft to wear in rings. But it's perfect for earrings and necklaces. The primary sources for diopside are Sakha and Siberia in Russia.

Citrine 

Just like amethyst, citrine is a form of quartz crystal, which can range in color from lemon yellow, gold, orange to reddish brown. There are few yellow gemstones found in nature, with the exception of expensive yellow diamonds, sapphires and golden topaz, plus the occasional greenish-yellow tourmalines or chrysoberyls.

Citrine was very rare until the middle of the 18th century. When it was discovered that "burning" amethyst and smoky quartz turned them yellow. Since then, heat-treated citrines have become common and only an expert can tell the difference. Although most natural citrine tends to be pale yellow to pale orange, while heat-treated citrine tends to have a more orange or reddish cast .

Natural citrine is found in the Ural Mountains, Russia, in France and Madagascar. However, most citrine comes from Brazil, where it is often heat-treated amethyst. Citrine is a 7.0 on the Mohs scale.

Dendritic Quartz 


Dendritic quartz takes its name from the Greek word dendron meaning tree. The stone has tree-like, fern shapes and branches, sometimes naturally arranged in landscape scenes. The shapes and patterns may appear to be fossilized plant material, but they're in fact inorganic manganese oxide stains. The manganese inclusions became trapped inside the quartz along with traces of moisture, which caused the manganese to oxidize or rust into the plant-like shapes.

No two dendritic quartzes are alike, which makes them collector's items as well as unusual gemstones. The primary sources for dendritic quartz are Brazil and Africa. It is a 7 on the Mohs scale.

Diamond 

Composed of carbon, diamonds are over 100 million years old, older than their surface host rock. Diamond crystals originate some 320 miles beneath the surface of the earth. They're transported to the surface via igneous rock formations that act as conduits ["pipes"] from the earth's mantle to the crust.

Diamonds are believed to have been first used in India some 6,000 years ago. The West didn't begin to use diamonds until the late Middle Ages.

Ultrahard diamonds, which measure 10 on the Mohs scale, are the hardest natural material known to humankind. Their colors range from yellow, brown, gray to colorless, and less often blue, green, black, translucent white, pink, violet, orange, purple and red. Almost 50% of the world's diamonds are from Central and South Africa. They're also mined in Canada, India, Russia, Brazil and Australia.

Drusy 

Drusy, druze, drusies, druse -- different spellings -- are tiny crystals that glitter like sugar. They form within or on the surface of many gemstones, such as: quartz, agate and chalcedony to name a few. The range of colors includes: whites and grays to electric blues, pinks and greens and more, most of which are natural.

Drusies used to be considered mineralogical collector's items. Within the last decade, however, they've begun to appear in jewelry.

The stones are often cut into odd shapes, in order to follow and reveal the drusy to its best advantage. Then the surface crystals are sanded and polished. Drusies measure about 7 on the Mohs scale, but they should be treated with care. Since they may be more fragile than a single crystal of the same gem. Quality drusies have an even matrix coverage, in addition to good clarity, color and cut.

Emerald 

Flawless emeralds may be more valuable than diamonds. Because it's unique for the tectonic, geological and chemical processes needed to create emeralds to come together in one place at one time. Therefore, emeralds probably shouldn't exist. Perhaps that's why the Incas and Aztecs regarded the intense green stone as holy.

Emeralds are members of the beryl family, with a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale. Other beryl gems include: aquamarine, pink morganite, golden heliodor and pale green beryl.

The best emeralds are found primarily in Colombia.

Garnet 

If you think garnets are only available in red, think again. Garnets can be found in a wide variety of colors: deep red, mandarin orange, lime green, pink, purple, silvery black and more.

The earliest known garnet jewelry dates back to ancient Egypt, circa 3100 BC. But legend has it that Noah used a garnet lantern to illuminate and navigate the Ark at night.

Garnets are found all over the world, including the United States. Garnets, which are hard enough to cut steel, measure about 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.

Iolite 

Iolite is known as the Vikings' compass. Because Viking mariners used thin slices of iolite as a polarizing filter. Peering through the iolite, they were able to determine the exact position of the sun and navigate the Atlantic ocean.

Iolite has a violet blue color, the richer the blue the better. It's mined in Sri Lanka, Myanmar [Burma], India, Madagascar and Brazil. It's readily available and very affordable, with a hardness of 7.5 on the Mohs scale.

Jade 

Jade has been used in jewelry, carvings and weapons for 7,000 years. It's found in a wide variety of colors ranging in shades of green, brown, yellow, white, red, lavender and black. It can appear translucent to opaque, the more translucent a stone is the more valuable it is.

The word jade is confusing, however, because it refers to two different gemstones that are similar in appearance. The rarest and most expensive jade or jadeite is called "Imperial jade," which should have an even emerald green color, few if any internal fractures and a high level of translucence. "Quality jadeite," which you're more likely to see than Imperial jade, will be apple green in color. The second form of jade is nephrite, which is more common and less valuable than jadeite. But nephrite is the true jade of ancient China, since jadeite was only imported into China from Burma in the 18th century.

Jade has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. The best known sources for jadeite are California, Myanmar, New Zealand and Guatemala. Nephrite is found in Taiwan, New Zealand, Russia and Alaska.

Kunzite 

Kunzite was discovered about 100 years ago in San Diego, California, by New York jeweller and gemstone specialist George Frederick Kunz, whom the stone was named for. This relatively young gemstone is known for its delicate pink color, but it's also found in shades of light to strong violet, light green or colorless. Kunzite is pleochroic, meaning the stone will appear multi-colored depending on your angle of observation.

Kunzite deposits are mainly found in Afghanistan, Madagascar, Brazil and the US. It has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. So it's good for most jewelry, the crystals can be found in fairly large sizes and they're affordable. Whether you prefer the pink or violet shades, look for good color and then clarity. Bear in mind, however, that intense, rich colors are rare and therefore more valuable.

Kyanite 

Gorgeous Kyanite is a silicate named after the Greek word "blue." Although it can be found in a range of colors including blue to colorless, blue-green and brown, the best kyanites appear in a blue color to rival sapphires.

Kyanites rank 7 on the Mohs scale in general, but they measure 4.5 along their axes. Therefore, they're fine for use in earrings and necklaces, but not recommended for rings. The primary sources for kyanite are Myanmar, Brazil, Kenya, Austria, Switzerland, Zimbabwe and the U.S.

Lapis Lazuli 

Valued since ancient times, Persian legend has it that the sky owes its blue color to a huge slab of lapis lazuli, upon which the earth rests. Egyptians used to use the stone to make cosmetics, before there was a "Bare Minerals." Centuries later, many Old Masters used lapis lazuli to achieve that rich ultramarine color in their paintings.

Unlike most semi-precious stones, however, lapis lazuli isn't a mineral. Many experts consider it to be a rock instead. Because it contains several minerals. Lapis' deep blue color comes from lazurite. The veining is caused by tiny crystals of white calcite and pyrite [fool's gold].

The best lapis lazuli have little to no veining and an even blue color. The stone is soft and can scratch and chip easily. It measures approximately 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale and its main source is Afghanistan.

Labradorite 

According to Eskimo legend the rocky Labrador coast imprisoned the Northern Lights. Until one day, a wandering warrior freed most of the lights with a powerful blow from his spear. The lights that remained trapped became known as labradorite.

A type of feldspar, labradorite may appear to be a lifeless gray color, until it catches the light. Then its colors, or iridescence, can range from blues, violets, greens, yellows and oranges--sometimes all at once. The play of light and color is created by inclusions within the stone reflecting light between the planes. In essence, one color light ray enters the stone, refracts and mixes with other light rays and then exits as another wavelength or color. The effect, which has been described as looking at butterfly wings, is called "labradorescence" or "shiller."

Labradorite, which is a 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, is primarily found in Madagascar, Finland and the Labrador Peninsula [Canada], for which the mineral was named. It can also be found in some meteorites.

Morganite 

Morganite is another member of the beryl family, which includes emeralds and aquamarine. But it's far less well known and less common than aquamarine or heliodor [another type of beryl].

The stone was discovered in California in the early twentieth century. It was named for John Pierpont Morgan, a banker, who had one of the most important gem collections in the US at the time.

The gem is usually found in shades of light pink. The more richly colored it is the more valuable it is. Although it's an uncommon mineral, specimens often vary from medium to large in size. Therefore, when choosing a morganite stone, choose one as large as possible with a high-quality cut to show off the stone's color.

Morganite may be visually confused with pink topaz, pink tourmaline and kunzite. But experts can usually identify morganite by its density. Morganite is mainly found in California, Brazil and Madagascar. It has a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale.

Opal 

Boulder matrix opal [right] from Australia

Opals became popular during the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s. Opals are a form of silica gel, containing about 2% to 6% water. So they can become brittle if stored in a very dry place, exposed to heat or sudden, dramatic swings in temperature [eg. traveling from a heated building to freezing winter cold]. Therefore, if you live in a dry climate, store your opals in a plastic bag with a damp piece of cloth or wear them frequently, exposing them to the humidity from your body and the air.

Opals come in a variety of colors, such as, translucent orangey red Mexican fire opals, which have no color play. Then there are the more familiar milky white and brilliant black opals.

Australia is the main source for opals, which measure 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale.

Pearl 


Legend has it Cleopatra wagered Marc Antony that she could give the most luxurious banquet in history. Removing her splendid pearl earrings, she crushed one of the pearls and tossed it into a goblet of wine, dissolving it. Then she drank the wine. Antony declined his pearl "dinner" and admitted Cleopatra had won.

Throughout much of written history, natural pearls were considered priceless treasures reserved for royalty and the rich. Because finding one quality pearl meant searching thousands of oysters. But since the Japanese invented cultured pearls in the early 1900s, pearls have become affordable.

Pearls measure about 2.5 to 4.5 on the Mohs scale for hardness. Their primary source is Japan and the South Pacific. China produces most of the cultured freshwater pearls -- using mussels instead of oysters.

Peridot 

The ancient Romans called peridot the "emerald of the evening." And Hawaiian legend has it that Pele, goddess of the volcano, wept tears of peridot.

Peridot has two other names: "chrysolite," Greek for 'gold stone,' and "olivine," the mineral form of peridot. The word "peridot" also has Greek origins, derived from the word "peridona," meaning "to give richness."

Peridot is one of the few gemstones to be found in one color -- green. Although its color can range from yellowish to brownish green. The richness of the limey green color depends on the amount of iron present.

The best peridot is from Central Asia, near Pakistan. It has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale.

Prehnite 

Prehnite was the first stone to be named after a person, Colonel Hendrik von Prehn, who discovered it at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, in the 18th century. Sometimes called Cape Emerald, prehnite is usually found in pastel shades of green, but yellow [right], gray, white and colorless varieties also occur.

Prehnite used to be considered a collector's item. But, since recent finds in Australia and China, prehnite is now finding its way into jewelry.

Reminiscent of jade, prehnite is usually found in association with volcanic rock. It measures about 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and its primary source is Australia.

Ruby 

In Sanskrit, rubies are called "ratnaraj," the "king of gemstones." Rubies are rare. Perfect, transparent rubies are rarer still. Because chrome, the element that gives rubies their gorgeous red color, is also responsible for causing fissures and cracks [inclusions] inside the crystals. Therefore, few ruby crystals ever grow to form perfect stones above a few carats in size.

Rubies are members of the multi-colored corundum family -- sapphires. But only the red stones have the right to call themselves rubies. All other corundums are mere sapphires. On the Mohs scale, rubies have a hardness of 9.

The best rubies are found in Myanmar [Burma].

Sapphire 

Sapphires come in almost every color of the rainbow. But everyone is probably most familiar with the luscious blue ones. Just like emeralds and rubies, sapphires are scarce and top-quality sapphires more so.

Sapphires are found in India, Myanmar, Ceylon, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, Brazil and Africa. On the Mohs scale, sapphires have a hardness of 9, second only to diamonds.

Spinel 

Throughout the centuries, spinels have been confused with rubies and sapphires. The Black Prince's "Ruby," for example, adorning the Imperial State Crown of England in the British Crown Jewels is an exquisite 170-carat red spinel.

Indeed, spinels and rubies or sapphires can occur in the same mineral deposits. But they're comprised of different elements and spinel is magnificent in its own right. Spinel is found in shades of red, orange, pink, lavender, purple, blue-green, plum red, grey-blue or black and very rarely in cobalt blue. In an ironic twist, fine red spinels are more rare than the rubies they were historically confused with.

Spinels are primarily found in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and Tajikistan. They're rated 8 on the Mohs scale.

Star Sapphire 

The most valuable star sapphires are an intense blue with a strong, sharp star. But star sapphires can also range in color from various tones of pink, orange, yellow, green, lavender, gray to black. The black and gray star sapphires are less valuable.

Genuine blue star sapphires are often heated to enhance their color and improve clarity. Diffusion, which uses a combination of heat and chemicals, can also be used to create the asterism or star. The stones are usually cut as cabochons in order to support the star effect.

Tanzanite 

Violet-blue tanzanite is found in only one place on earth -- northern Tanzania, in eastern Africa, near Kilimanjaro. It was discovered in 1967. Then it was promoted and distributed by the New York jewelry company Tiffany's, quickly becoming popular among designers and the public.

Often heat-treated, tanzanite is pleochroic, appearing violet blue or purplish from different angles. Smaller stones tend to be found in light shades of violet. The natural deep blue stones with just a tinge of purple are rare.

Tanzanite, which measures 6.5 on the Mohs scale, needs to be handled carefully. Its sensitivity to bumps and sudden changes in temperature can cause cleavages.

Topaz 

Topaz has been used in jewelry for at least two thousand years. Natural topaz commonly ranges in color from yellow to brown. Less frequently, red and intense pink topaz are found, and these stones are prized.

Popular blue topaz, however, is hardly ever found in nature. Colorless topaz has usually been irradiated to achieve that color. Similarly, much of the pink topaz you see on the market is, in fact, heat-treated yellow topaz.

Topaz is mined in Russia, Siberia, Brazil and elsewhere. It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale.

Tourmaline 

A slice of watermelon tourmaline [right].

According to an ancient Egyptian legend, tourmaline traveled along a rainbow on its journey up through the center of the earth. Because tourmalines are found in a broad range of colors, often with two or more colors in the same stone. Depending on how light reflects off them, their colors can also change and vary in intensity.

Tourmalines can carry an electrical charge when heated and then cooled, resulting in opposite polarity at either end of the stone. The Dutch used to take advantage of this: using heated tourmaline to draw up ash from their meerschaum pipes.

Major deposits of tourmaline are found in Brazil, Sri Lanka and Africa. They're 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.

Zircon 

The earliest use of zircon is unknown. But carved zircons have been found in ancient archeological sites.

A brilliant, natural gemstone, zircon shouldn't be confused with synthetic cubic zirconia. The name zircon may originate from the Persian word "zargun," which means "gold-colored," or from the Arabic word "zarkun" meaning "red." Although the stone is found in a wide variety of colors, including: brown, red, green, blue, yellow, orange and colorless.

Zircon is primarily found in igneous rock formations, in Thailand, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. The gem has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It is brittle and easily chipped.

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Caring for Handmade Jewelry 

Jewelry Care: Handle ALL handmade jewelry gently. Never crush, tug or drop in a tangle.

Cleaning Gemstones: The best method for cleaning gemstones is to use a cloth moistened with cool water. Because some gems, such as tourquoise, opals, pearls, corals and lapis, are too porous and may be damaged by cleaning solutions. If in doubt, take your jewelry to an expert.

Earrings: Store earrings in their original packaging or on an earring stand whenever possible to avoid tangles or bending.

Necklaces: To avoid tangles, as soon as you take your necklace off [never tug or yank a chain], hang it or store half of it in a closed bag and then place the entire necklace in a larger bag, pouch or box.

Jewelry Glossary 

Alloy: An alloy is a combination of two or more metals fused together, in order to harden the base metal, make it more workable or change its color.

Bezel: A stone setting with a strip of metal surrounding the gemstone.

Cabochon: A dome-shaped stone without facets and a flat base.

Carats: Carat refers to the weight of a gemstone. One carat weighs seven-thousandths of an ounce, 142 carats are needed to make a single ounce. A carat is divided into 100 points, so a quarter of a carat equals 25 points, a half of a carat equals 50 points.

Channel Setting: A row of stones of the same dimension, fitted into a metal channel.

Gold Filled*: Gold filled jewelry is made of a base metal, such as brass, with a thin gold overlay of various karats [10k to 22k] applied to it through heat- or pressure-bonding. It's tarnish-resistant. Gold-fill is more valuable than gold-plated because the base metal has an actual layer of karat gold, not a microscopic film.

Gold Plated*: Gold plated is similar to gold filled jewelry, except that the layer of gold applied to the base metal is a microscopic film.

The thin gold layer on both gold filled or gold plated jewelry may eventually wear off depending upon how often the jewelry is worn, exposing the base metal underneath.

*To help remember the difference between gold filled versus gold plated, I imagine gold filled jewelry as having been "double-dipped."

Inclusions: Inclusions may be fissures, cracks or foreign bodies, such as tiny crystals of other minerals, found in gemstones. They grew with the gemstone and may have been partially healed over. Inclusions tell the history and origins of a stone. They can often prove whether a stone is natural or synthetic.

Karats: 14k, 18k, etc., refers to the purity of` gold. "14k" means 58.3% pure gold; "18k" means 75% pure; 24k is 100% pure gold, which is too soft to make into jewelry. In a piece of 14k gold jewelry, 14 of its 24 parts are pure gold; the other 10 are alloy, which could be any number of different metals, added for strength and sometimes to change the color (to rose gold, white gold, etc.) The amount of gold in a piece of jewelry helps determine its value and selling price. But there are other factors such as, design, detailing, etc. that also affect value and price. For example: Custom pieces are usually 100% handwork. The more handwork there is, the higher the price. When you buy a piece of gold jewelry, you should always find out what the karatage is. Gold alloys are referred to as solid gold all the way down to 10K gold.

[Note: If you're allergic to nickel and other metals then choose a higher content gold, such as 18K or 22K.]

Platinum: Platinum is over 20 times rarer than gold. It takes about 10 tons of ore to produce one ounce of platinum. Whereas it takes 3 tons of ore to produce an ounce of gold. Platinum resists tarnishing and will never wear out.

Pleochroism: A crystal's ability to display different colors depending upon your angle of view.

Rose Gold: This is an alloy of gold mixed with copper, which has a reddish tint.

Sterling Silver: Pure silver is soft, although not as soft as pure gold. Therefore, sterling silver is an alloy of silver [92.5%] and copper [7.5%], and it's most often used to make large objects. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, too soft to be used for large objects. U.S. law states that all objects marked "sterling," "925" or "925/1000" MUST contain no less than 92.5% fine silver.

Vermeil: Silver gilt is referred to as vermeil. It's difficult to tell vermeil from solid gold, except for the price.

White Gold: This is an alloy of gold mixed with nickel, also sometimes palladium or zinc. White gold was developed in the early 20th century to mimic platinum.

Test Your Knowledge 

You can check your answer in the jewelry glossary [above] under "karat."

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You can check your answer in the jewelry glossary [above] under "sterling silver."

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My Favorite Jewelry Links 

These are a few of the places I like to visit for ideas, tips, classes and supplies, not necessarily in this order.
Rio Grande
Rio Grande is among the best for mail-order jewelry findings and gemstones, tools, supplies and equipment, plus packaging and display items.
Metalliferous
This NYC store is where I go to purchase all my silver supplies, jewelry equipment and more. They have everything!
Jewelry Arts Institute
This NYC school teaches classical jewelry techniques and gives its students lots of critical one-on-one attention.
Studio 174
Studio 174 is the workspace of Brooklyn based jewelry designers Caroline Glemann and Michael Fitzgerald. They offer a range of excellent jewelry classes in their well-equipped studio.
TWISTOnline: Designer Jewelry
TWIST features the designer jewelry of Cathy Waterman, Chrome Hearts, and over 200 other artists.
Allyson Smith
Smith's work inspired me to start making jewelry.
Metalcyberspace
This contemporary jewelry design site, by studio jeweler Susan Sarantos, is wonderful. Featured are jewelry designers, metal artists and metalsmithing.
MocoLoco
A web magazine dedicated to everything related to design.

Jewelry Reading List 

Great books about jewelry.

8

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PMC Technic: A Collection of Techniques for Precious Metal Clay by Tim McCreight / Various

PMC Technic: A Collection of Techniques for Precious Metal Clay by Tim McCreight / Various

In this book, ten leading artists teach their spec more...0 points

Jewelry Making Videos 

Learn how to make jewelry

These are YouTube recommended videos illustrating the art of jewelry-making.
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Featured Jewelry Lenses 

featured lens Jewelry Trends 2009 - 2010

This lens is a place to get together and discuss jewelry, retailing, trends, imports, and anything about jewels! What are the hottest trends for 2010? For starters, this year is NOT going to be like all the others. The economy is not just changing...

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If you have always wished for a jewellery boutique somewhere between Bond Street and Fifth Avenue with a short passage in Italy don't look further...Here are precious and semi-precious jewellery items from the world's most impressive jewellery design...

featured lens Designer & Costume Jewellery by International Designers at Farfallina.net

This is a Lens dedicated to Designer & costume Jewelry Fanatics, Jewellery Brands, Jewelry designers and for all of you that love your designer accessories! Farfallina.net in an Independent designer jewellery boutique that offers exquisitely designe...

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Life's a fashion show, so get on the runway. The Runway is the home of the world's greatest designer, YOU. Because who would know better than you what fashion and style will bring out your own personal beauty? Join us as we combine fashion and styl...

featured lens Flaming Ice- Mall on Squidoo Featured Gems & Jewelry

Our personal assistants have brought enormous expertise and help getting you the finest investment quality gems, jewelry and even rare collections! We have done our best to bring you the finest and most knowledgeable people  in the business.  ...

Leslie's Other Lenses 

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This may be the stuff of science fiction now. But, by this century's end, terraforming another planet may be technologically doable and necessary if we're to survive as a species.

featured lens How Tischke Invented the Bagel

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great Aunt Tischke Goldberg, the only Jewish Pilgrim at Plymouth Rock, invented the bagel. Here is her story, as told through my letters...

featured lens Cassini-Huygens

The sixth planet from the Sun, Saturn is a gas giant, comprised mostly of helium and hydrogen. Its complex system of rings, made up of rock and ice, extend hundreds of thousands of miles from the planet. Believed to be comprised of shattered moons, a...

featured lens Exposing Our Secretocracy

The real intent of the First Amendment was to prevent national suicide by making it difficult for the government to operate in secret, free from the scrutiny of the press. --I.F. Stone, October 3, 1966 "Reporters should be writing about the emerging...

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by LeslieBrenner

Leslie Brenner's jewelry is handcrafted in her New York City studio from gold, sterling silver and the highest quality precious and semi-precious gems... (more)

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