#jewelrygram

Shelled mollusks produce a “pearl” when a microscopic irritant is trapped within its mantle folds. The mollusk creates a pearl sac to seal off the irritation. This is a part of the mollusk’s defense mechanism against a potentially threatening irritant such as a parasite inside the shell, or an attack from outside that injures the mantle tissue.
The mollusk’s mantle deposits layers of calcium carbonate in the form of the mineral aragonite or a mixture of aragonite and calcite that are held together by an organic horn-like compound called conchiolin. This combination is called nacre. Natural pearls are nearly 100% nacre (calcium carbonate and conchiolin). This secretion process is repeated many times, eventually producing a pearl.
Natural pearls are quite rare. This means that hundreds of pearl oysters or mussels must be gathered and opened just to find even one wild pearl. For this reason pearls were able to fetch extraordinary prices in the past. With the advent of cultured pearls there was a dip in the value of pearls as a reaction to the fact that they were now available to more than just the elite classes. In recent years there has been a steady increase in the value of natural pearls as buyers are drawn to the rarity of natural pearls once again.
“Gem” quality natural pearls are still very rare. Values are determined by size, shape, color, quality of surface, orient and luster.

*A pair of belle époque natural pearl and diamond pendent earrings, circa 1910
Sold by Bonhams in 2006.*

•Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl know for its dramatic color change from purplish-red under incandescent light to bluish-green in daylight or fluorescent light.
•Impurities of chromium cause alexandrite to transmit red and green light equally well.
•The stone is named after Czar Alexander II.
•The original mining location for alexandrite is Russia, however, gems have also been found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, India, and Burma.
•Alexandrite over 2 carats is considered large. Stones over 5 carats are extremely rare.
*The 17.08-carat Whitney Alexandrite is a raspberry color under incandescent light and a teal (green-blue) color under daylight. It is one of the finest known alexandrites from the Hematita Mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The stone was gifted to the Smithsonian in 2009 by Coralyn Wright Whitney and is on display at the National Museum of Natural History.*

•Feldspars are the most diverse and widespread minerals in the earth’s crust.
•Moonstone is the most familiar gem-quality member of the feldspar group.
•Moonstone is a part of the feldspar group, and is a variety of the species orthoclase within that group.
•Moonstone is a composite of two feldspar minerals, orthoclase and albite. After the orthoclase and albite have come together they cool and separate into alternating layers that are stacked on each other.
•Moonstone is known for having an ethereal misty glowing look. This phenomenon is called adularescence.

•Adurlarescence is occurs when light falls between the stacked layers of orthoclase and albite and scatters it.

•Rainbow moonstone has a multicolored adularescence over a light bodycolor. However it is not actually moonstone. It is a variety of labradorite (often from Madagascar) and rainbow moonstone is a trade misnomer.

*The necklace features moonstones and labradorite set in silver. It was made by Danish Designer Georg Jensen between 1915-1927 and currently resides at the Victoria & Albert Museum.*

•The hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) or Quahogs are an edible marine bivalve mollusk, also known as a round clam, or hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam.
• The clams are native to the Atlantic shores of North America from Canada to Georgia, especially on the coast of the New England states, and can also be found along California’s Pacific coast.
•Quahogs sometimes produce non-nacreous porcelain-like pearls.
•Quahog pearls occur in a variety of colors ranging from white to brown and from faint pinkish purple to dark purple.
•Like many other natural pearls, quahog pearls are rarely spherical. Button shapes with flat bases are the most common.
•It is estimated that only 1 in 100,000 Quahog clams actually produce a pearl of any kind.
Suite of 45 Quahog Pearls, from the Coastal waters of the North Atlantic. Sold at Bonhams in 2014

•Melo “pearls” are non nacreous calcareous concretion.
•They come from the Indian volute (melo melo snail). A very large sea snail (marine gastropod mollusc) native to Southeast Asia, from Burma, Thailand and Malaysia, to the South China Sea and the Philippines.
•This snail is used for food by local fishermen and the shells are also often used as decoration, or as scoops.
•The pearls have a range of colors, with the most prized being an intense orange.
•Like conch pearls high quality melo pearls exhibit a flame-like structure.
•Also similar to conch pearls melo pearls are rare and are prized among collectors.
Melo pearl and garnet earrings by Hemmerle

•Conch “pearls” are calcareous concretions produced by the Queen conch mollusk, Strombus gigas, which is found in various areas of the Caribbean.
•All Conch pearls are natural; attempts to culture them have failed.
•Conch pearls are one of the rarest pearls in the world.
•The odds of finding an acceptable pearl are one in every 10,000 – 20,000 shells collected.
•The most coveted color is a “flamingo pink”.
•The highest quality Conch pearls are characterised by a distinctive ‘flame structure’. This give the appearance of “a fire burning on the surface”.
Conch pearl and diamond ring created by Mikimoto. Sold at auction in 2012.

According to Hindu mythology, moonstone is made of solidified moonbeams.
Many legends say that moonstone brings good luck and some even believe that the stone allows you to that see the future if you hold a moonstone in your mouth during a full moon.
An Edwardian era diamond-set gold and moonstone brooch by Fabergé workmaster Alfred Thielemann, St Petersburg, ca. 1899-1903. Available from John Atzbach Antiques.

Currently crushing on this retro 1940s Boucheron diamond tassel brooch in platinum and 18k gold. Available from Kentshire Galleries.

This fun brooch by Marvin Katz features rubies, diamonds, and emeralds. It is available from Classic Collections Fine Jewelry.

I’ve had these Kunzite and ceramic earrings by Taffin dancing in my mind since I saw them yesterday. They just look like summer and happiness.

If you ever need a reason to drool Oscar Heyman is always there with drool worthy jewelry like this 20ct Sapphire Ring.

One of the first things that drew me to Hemmerle jewelry was their ability to make the ordinary extraordinary. Expert craftsmanship allows unconventional metals and stones mix easily with more traditional notions of luxury, creating sophistication and elegance that also has a sense of playfulness.
These aquamarine, aluminum, silver, and white gold were previewed at Tefaf Art Fair Maastricht 2017

This Art Deco brooch features natural emeralds and diamonds set in platinum. Available from EraGem.

This pair of 22 carat gold armills (gold bracelets) were commissioned from the Crown Jewelers, Garrard & Co. for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Elizabeth II is one of the few monarchs since the restoration to invest in the bracelets.
The exact historical purpose of the bracelets during the coronation is somewhat unclear, but the ceremony refers to the ‘bracelets of sincerity and wisdom’ and they are thought to relate to ancient symbols of knighthood and military leadership. They are also believed to be symbolic of the bond uniting the sovereign to the people of the kingdom.
The bracelets are chased on the outside, each bracelet has a hinge operated by a cast Tudor rose, and inside they have a red velvet lining. They are engraved: ‘Presented for the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by the Governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Ceylon and Southern Rhodesia’.

‘Carnation’ Brooch. Composed of gold, glass, enamel, opals. By René Lalique circa 1901.

❥ 4U // Shop the Look

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Rose quartz and opalite copper bracelet ✨new stylish accessories ready to be listed #copperbracelet #copperbracelets #coppercuffbracelet #coppercuff #rosequartz #crystalhealing #crystallover #stoneoflove #quartzcrystal #healingjewelry #opalitestone #opalite #opalitebracelet #rosequartzcrystal #handmadejewelry #sterlingsilverjewelry #silverjewellery #gemstonejewelry #wirewrapping #wirewrap #wireart #jewelrymaking #jewelrygram #jewelrytrends
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Another tree pendant currently watching a documentary on sustainability. It is so amazing how much farming land isn’t actually helping the planet, but rather hurting our chances for survival. I’d highly recommend giving Sustainable on Netflix a watch.
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#musthave #style #handmade #selfmade #designs #jewelrygram #etsy #etsyhandmade #etsyjewelry #etsyhunter #shopetsy #necklaceoftheday #crystals #minerals #stones #gemstones #hippie #spiritual #healing #boho #bohostyle #bohemian #wanderer #traveler #wanderlust #festival #wicca #blackcherryquartz #pinklaceagate #tree

I haven’t made jewelry in so long, and I got inspired to make something. It obviously had to be super complicated and now my fingers hurt but I am happy with the result!

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#musthave #style #handmade #selfmade #designs #jewelrygram #etsy #etsyhandmade #etsyjewelry #etsyhunter #shopetsy #necklaceoftheday #crystals #minerals #stones #gemstones #hippie #spiritual #healing #boho #bohostyle #bohemian #wanderer #traveler #wanderlust #festival #wicca #sesamejasper #labradorite #tree #earthdayinspired