Category: Jewelry

Native American jewelry has its roots in prehistory and has been remarkable in its ability to reflect tradition as it evolves into the highest forms of contemporary handmade jewelry. Although Native American jewelry began as crude inlaid shell work, the finest Native American jewelry of today exhibits highly unusual designs containing beautiful rare natural turquoise, coral and other gem stones set in gold, silver and palladium. Its appeal is worldwide.

Collectors of Native American jewelry are drawn by a number of factors. Turquoise itself has been viewed over the centuries as a source of power, healing and protection. With its variety of deep blues and greens, this unusual stone is, in fact, rarer than diamonds. Though many collectors of Native American jewelry love the deep blue stones with what is called spider web matrix, others are attracted to turquoise with deep green or lime green hues and flecks of gold host rock. So, often,the turquoise becomes a focal point around which the piece of Native American jewelry revolves.

Another important factor that attracts collectors is the artist who designs and makes the piece of Native American jewelry. In early years, individual artists did not sign their work. Many pieces, however, are recognizable in their design elements and use of techniques. Now, artists take great pride in their jewelry and are careful to sign each piece with a unique hallmark.The fame of individual artists make their pieces highly prized.

Then there is the value of the metals involved in Native American jewelry. As gold and silver continue to gain in value, the weight and use of these materials add to the appeal of Native American handmade jewelry. So, with the combination of tradition, beauty, uniqueness and intrinsic value, Native American jewelry has transcended time and become not only a reflection of the past, but a uniquely American symbol of the future of Native American artistry.

To assure one receives top quality Native American jewelry, it is important to deal with an established, ethical dealer. Turquoise Direct has been in business for nearly 40 years. They have a long history in dealing directly with the miners of rare naturalAmerican turquoise and the best Native American artists. Because of this, Turquoise Direct can offer the finest Native American jewelry at the most competitive prices.

Turquoise Direct issues a Certificate of Authenticity with each piece purchased. This certificate contains the name and tribal affiliation of the artist, the materials used and the retail value. Visit them on the web at www.turquoisedirect.com to see a beautiful array of contemporary and antique Native American jewelry.

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Jewelry is more than an accessory; it can be a promise, a remembrance, a statement or a frivolous decoration. Fine jewelry, Bridge jewelry and Costume Jewelry all contribute to the choices you make as you create your look. The terms Bridge jewelry and Artisan jewelry are sometimes used as if they are synonymous. This is a misconception.

Fine jewelry is generally thought of as jewelry that uses at least 14 kt. Gold or other precious metals and precious gems like diamonds, sapphires, rubies or emeralds. Fine jewelry can be mass-produced or artisan-made one-of-a-kind pieces or limited-edition.

Costume jewelry can also be artisan-made or mass produced. Materials used in the designs are base metals, glass, plastic and other synthetics. They also may use shell, wood and other organic materials.

Bridge jewelry is called that because it is the bridge between Fine jewelry and Costume jewelry. It may use vermeil, gold filled or silver as the metal and uses semi precious stones such as amethyst, citrine, turquoise, jade, topaz, fresh water pearls, garnet and others. Much Bridge jewelry is artisan-made, but it can also be mass produced.

Of course other combinations such as using precious metals like 14k gold with amethyst are used and not so easily classified. Price points are another way to define the three types of jewelry with Fine jewelry as the most expensive and Costume jewelry as an inexpensive alternative. Bridge jewelry falls between these two on price.

Bridge jewelry is a unique addition to your jewelry collection. You may see some familiar names in galleries or fine department stores and begin to recognize them as producers of Bridge jewelry. When you attend an art show, take a special look at the jewelry and you will recognize that much of it is fine artisan-made Bridge jewelry. It can provide you a good value because of the combination of quality materials; creativity and workmanship provided by the designers of these unique one-of-a-kind or limited edition pieces.

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As we all know, Jewelry from central Asia is most often silver, like agate, stone, coral, turquoise nozi – gardon five-element uzbek emerald, coral, silver. The birds in the central pendant represents happy and protection, and fish shapes hanging on behalf of male fertility. Now china jewelry supplies website will tell you some knowledge of ancient silver tribal jewelry in central Asia.

Central Asian jewelry is so striking that the elaborate stone-inlaid items, stamped and engraved with graceful designs, might seem to be purely for the sake of adornment; in reality, almost all are amuletic in intent. In societies where superstition is prevalent, those most in need of protection (usually women, children, and sometimes livestock) are given specific amulets to wear.Except for Tajiks, who speak a form of Persian and are descended from the earliest Indo-European settlers in the region, most Central Asian tribes were nomads of Turco-Mongolian heritage. Since their wandering ways have brought them to Iran, China, Tibet, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Iraq, and elsewhere, there are Kazakhs living in Turkmenistan and Turkmen in Tajikistan, and there is often a mingled influence of cultures in jewelry design and function.

Women traditionally wore forehead and chest decoration, earrings, bracelet, beads, and pendants for bottom of braids, which are worn down the back. Todays woman in Uzbekistan is rarely seen without earrings, bracelet, rings, or beads in her attire. The Uzbekis we encounter are well dressed, although the average per capita income is under $700 U.S. (and Uzbekistan is better off financially than other countries in the region.)

In museums in Tashkent and Samarkand, Eve and I see variations of jewelry we already own. Beautiful pieces are for sale in the museum gift shops and in the bazaar. Wanting to contribute to the economy, not to mention our collections, we buy, but only after obtaining proper customs receipts and assurance of help should any problems arise when we are leaving for home. (We imagine help may involve wiring our loved ones, advising them that our vacation has been extended for an undetermined length.)In Kazakhstan, the metalsmiths craft flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries, using an inventory of swage block, files, vices, pincers, chisels, draw-plates, punches, scissors, hammers, and only a few other tools. Master silversmiths, whose names are still honored today by Kazakhs, melted down Russian, Chinese, and Polish coins for silver. Unlike Uzbek and Tajik ornaments, Kazakh pieces are austere and large, though not as massive as those of the Turkmen.

Kazakh jewelry is easily distinguished from other Central Asian styles. Using such stones as topaz, pearls, rough and faceted diamonds, rubies, crystal, carnelian, turquoise, mother-of-pearl, and coral, Kazakh artisans employ diverse methods, sometimes depending on what part of the country they come from. Most often seen is an item with a raised bezel with ruby-colored glass behind a filigree vitrine like a magnificent miniature stained glass window. Engraving, openwork, applied and grain filigree, and niello techniques are also common. For engraving, a surface is filed clean and a design is engraved with a chisel, after which sheet gold is pressed into the outline. Filigree work, once executed only for wealthier clientele, is now more widespread. In openwork filigree, the elements of the pattern are soldered together; in applied and grain filigree, the finished design is soldered onto the metal. Several methods of niello work came into play some time in the 19th century. Granular work is traditional in southwestern Kazakhstan, while in western Kazakhstan, silver articles were often gilded, and differ markedly from the other ornaments in appearance and decoration techniques.

While some Turkic invaders of the region settled in and took up agriculture, others practiced pastoral nomadism until the beginning of the 20th century, raising sheep and, especially, horses. Some of the most beautiful baubles are, in fact, horse trappings, since the Turkmen (and Kazakhs, as well), revere their horses as friends, a source of livelihood, a mode of transportation, a form of currency, and a measure of wealth. To see some truly spiffy horse gewgaws, check out Kalters The Arts and Crafts of Turkestan.

Ancestor worship is common to Central Asians. In the mythological consciousness of the Turkoman, positive magic power is attributed to the decorative details crafted into their jewelry. Water signs, mountain motifs, tree-of-life, ancestral symbols, horn representations, leaf and blossom designs, are paired, much as in the Chinese concept of yin and yang, into male-female, east-west, sun-moon, bright-dark, etc., in a bid to preserve the balance of order in their environment. These designs emanate from early animist traditions largely unchanged despite Muslim influence. Many customs combining shamanistic ritual and Islamic practices involve using amulets and talismans to destroy malevolent forces. For an in-depth discussion of these symbols, consult Schletzers Old Silver Jewellery of the Turkoman.

Silver wire is cut into tiny sections and heated on a perforated plate. When molten, the silver falls through into a bowl filled with cold water and hardens; the resulting granules are soldered onto the jewelry base. To decorate, gilding is used to accentuate and define incised lines. Fretwork is used on borders of larger elements. Solid gold is never found as the primary metal of old Turkmen jewelry, and is often avoided by some Muslims. Gold jewelry is inexpensive,claims a Kyrgyzstan Web site, because Kyrgyzstan takes the seventh position in the world gold stocks rating, and further mentions, Kyrgyzstani women prefer silver to gold because it protects against misfortune.

Among the Turkmen, young girls of marriageable age and women who havent yet had children wear amulets and talismans specifically intended to exert a magical power on men and on their own fertility. In their hostile environment, where infant mortality was not long ago 60 percent, the very survival of their race relies on somehow tempering the capricious forces of life. Turkmen children are protected by triangular cloth talismans called doga (an example of which hangs from the top of the headdress shown on page 20, another of my Internet purchases).

Upon reaching puberty, a Turkmen girl wears her hair in four braids, usually two in front, hanging down the chest, and two down the back. Married women wear two braids down the back. The distinctive heart-shaped asyk, a wedding gift from the grooms family, is a braid adornment for the bottom of the brides plaits, usually hidden by veils or scarves. This is probably the most universally recognized Turkmen ornament. Its myriad manifestations combinations of two and three of the shapes, variously embellished with chased and impressed patterns could, in themselves, comprise a magnificent collection, were a jewelry connoisseur to concentrate on that item alone. They also make nifty necklace pendants.

Another distinctive ornament is the dagdan, or tree-of-life symbol, named for the Dagdan tree, from which potent wooden amulets are fashioned. The prevalent rams horn motif in Central Asian jewelry is associated with many childbearing rituals. (When in doubt, you can usually be safe in guessing that the desired effect of an amulet is something involving fertility.)

The carnelian, usually set in raised round or oval bezels, is considered Allahs favorite stone by many Muslims. Some Turkmen claim it protects the eyes from disease; other sources claim the Turkmen believe it gives general protection from death and illness and brings the wearer good luck and peace. In some cases, another substance stands in for carnelian most commonly, red glass. The Yomud tribe uses other colors of stone or glass, and Yomud jewelry is further distinguished by its use of thin gilded silver repouss plaques soldered on top of a plain silver base, according to Fitz Gibbon.

And, indeed, the over 30 different tribal groups have distinctive styles. The jewelry we see most are from the Yomud, Ersari, and Tekke tribes. It helps to remember these three if you really want to turn heads when you show off your jewelry. Saying Turkoman is not nearly as impressive as saying Tekke Turkoman and being right. We really impressed our tour group with our spouting off; before long, they were consulting us on potential purchases.

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Asian countries are well-known for great population. Natural resources and craftswork are also in high level with many people living. There are four main jewellry center countries in Asia, Japan, Korea, Thailand and China. Every fashion jewellry center has its own special features which differ from another greatly. In the following paragraphs, I will introduce them one by one.

Firstly, Japan. During 80’s, Japan jewelry was most popular among the whole world. However, when stepping into the 90’s century, Japan jewellry industry began to slide down and step into another low-consuming time period. The demand for fashion jewelry was declining. Accordingly, many fashion jewelry factories began to break down. The emprior of Japan jewelry has ended. Japan jewelry is famous for delicated styles and beautiful outer appearances. However, Japan jewelry looks very small and not suit European and American people very well.

Secondly, Korea. The rise up of Korea jewelry is closely related to the increasing popularity of triples. As everybody knows that most Korea triples are about romantic love, so many Korea jewelry is made with sweet styles and dedicate designs. The design elements used to be added into the Korea jewelry are always beautiful flowers, four leaves grass, drop water, cute animals.

Third, Thailand. Thailand is famous for Thailand silver. The Thailand jewelry among the current jewellry market are silver ones. Thailand looks a little obsolescence. Actually speaking, it was produced in aim. It suits people’s pursuit and taste for ancient styles. Also Thailand jewelry looks mysterios.

At last, Chinese fashion jewelry. China is the country with longest history around the world. Hua xia civilization has a very long long story. In responce, Chinese jewelry history is also very long and various.

Many people pretend to wholesale jewelry from China. The biggest reason is cheap wholesale prices. For cheaper raw materials, fashion jewelry from China are all very cheap and with high quality at the same time. Many people think that made in China products must be with very bad quality. This is a mistaken understanding. There is an old saying that I have always believe in, “Nothing for nothing and every little for a halfpenny.” You pay one dollar so you get one dollar goods. You can never imgazine to buy a 999 gold necklace which is worth 1000USD only with one usd. No people are fools.

To learn more news and information about wholesale jewelry here.

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Organic seeds in jewelry. The idea struck me as odd when I first heard of it, but then I remembered teaching classes of school children how to string dried beans to make necklaces and bracelets. The beans were not organic seed, and the string was mere cotton twine, so the results were rough and un-wearable. Nevertheless, mothers did wear them out of love for their children, and the children had fun making them.

Using organic seeds in jewelry crafting is now an art, with a few artisans learning to incorporate organic seeds into jewelry with beads and other materials.

Beans are Great Organic Seeds for Jewelry

Most of the organic seeds used in jewelry are beans. There are several reasons for this.

1. Beans naturally have beautiful patterns and colors.
2. Beans dry naturally, and retain their shape when dried.
3. Beans will not shrivel up in use.
4. Bean jewelry will last indefinitely, with proper care.

Bean Varieties

Black beans are great organic seeds to use in jewelry. Although their names include the word “black” as in Black Nightfall, black beans are not entirely jet black. These beans exhibit shades of black, gray, brown, and ivory. The swirls of color seem to shimmer when the beans are separated by small glass beads or silver metal.

Red beans are another good organic seed choice for use in making jewelry. Those with red and scarlet in the name may be predominantly deep reddish brown, or they may be half beige, half deep red, like the Red Calypso bean. The Red Calypso makes intriguing organic seed jewelry, since its even division of color becomes wavy lines in a necklace or bracelet.

Paint Dry beans are a good choice or organic seeds for summer jewelry. The light tan and off-white coloration appears cool, and would complement light summer colors and fabrics.

Green Flagolet beans are another good summer choice. The green in these organic seeds is pale and cool-looking. When set off with glass beads of deeper greens, the organic seeds look almost like ivory beans.

For organic seeds that look like polished stones in jewelry, the Tiger Eye bean is a good choice. It looks very like a tiger eye rock.

Other Organic Seeds

While beans are the most common of the organic seeds used in jewelry, some artisans use dried corn as well. Red, gold, orange, green, and gray hues appear in dried corn. Interspersed with gleaming metals and glass beads, these pieces often have a harvest glow.

Other organic seeds that might be used successfully include watermelon seed, squash seed, pumpkin seed, and other large vegetable seeds.

Use Your Own Organic Seeds in Jewelry

If you decide to use organic seeds in making jewelry, you will need to prepare your seeds following these steps.

1. Wash the seeds thoroughly, and let them dry.
2. Buff each seed with a soft cloth.
3. Make holes in the seeds, taking care not to break them.
4. Apply a clear, protective coating inside and out to preserve the seeds.

Once you have prepared your seeds, use them as you would use any bead in making jewelry. In fact, if you teach school, why not make truly wearable jewelry with your students by using prepared organic seeds?

Advantages of Using Organic Seeds in Jewelry

My research reveals only one advantage of using organic seeds to make jewelry, and that is the “green” factor. Organic seeds incorporated into jewelry can be presented as an “eco-friendly” gift.

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