Hand Trades

Handcrafted Sterling Silver Rings – Special Promotion


Save an additional
15% on all gemstone rings. At
check out, simply enter coupon code  RRNG15.
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BONUS: Save an additional  25% on all rings with a purchase of $75 or
more.At check out, simply enter coupon code RRNG25.
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All of them are handcrafted with .925 sterling silver.
Available for a limited time and while supplies last. Not available with any
other offer. Your cost just $15-$24 for a retail savings of $45 and
more! 1,200 designs available for your selection.
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Shop by Size:
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
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Shop by Popular
Gemstones:
royal purple amethyst, greeny turquoise, faceted quartz, color changing mystic topaz, deep rich garnet
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Article: How to Determine Your Ring Size
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We have been selling a lot of different types of pearl jewelries, and many people have asked us “Are Freshwater Pearls worth buying? ” Most of the times I answered “yes”, and here is why:

Freshwater pearls have more nacre than their saltwater cousins. When the freshwater pearl is drilled, the mantle tissue used to nucleate the pearl is either dissolved or drilled out — you are left with a solid pearl that will last a lifetime! This is unlike the various saltwater pearl varieties that still contain the nucleus in the finished product. Also, for the same grade/quality of pearls, freshwater pearls are a lot more affordable than saltwater pearls.

Why, then, is the freshwater pearl so much inexpensive than all the others, one might ask. There are a couple of reasons, but none of which affects the quality.

One of the main differences between freshwater and their saltwater cousins are their bearer. While Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls are cultured in Saltwater oysters (e.g. Akoya /pinctada Fucata, Black-Lipped Oyster/pinctada Margaritifera, Golden-lipped Oyster/pinctada Maxima etc.), freshwater pearls are most commonly cultured in freshwater mollusks such as the Triangle Shell. Most of the oysters can only produce one or two pearls at a time, while it’s possible to harvest up to 50 pearls in a single freshwater mollusk. Therefore freshwater pearls are more cost efficient to grow.

Another reason freshwater pearls have a lower price is their abundance. 15 years ago freshwater pearls were nearly exclusive to lake Biwa (lies very near Kyoto) in Japan. But a decade ago nearly all pearl farms were shuttered due to pollution. Japan has never recovered its freshwater pearl industry until recently, with lake Kasumigaura boasting a small harvest of quality freshwater pearls. Luckily lake Kasumigaura has been protected because of environmentalism and the fact that they need to protect the freshwater eel habitat that is native to this lake and important for the economy.However Kasumigaura freshwater pearls usually cost a fortune. Most of the affordable freshwater cultured pearls now originate in the freshwater lakes and rivers of China. Since pearl-bearing mussels are very sensitive to pollution, we usually buy high quality Chinese freshwater pearls from remote lakes of China, where the labor is abundant and low cost.

That being said, freshwater pearls are definitely worth buying, unless you really want to get a strand of natural black color pearls, then you might want to consider Tahitian pearls. Although you can get many beautiful black freshwater pearls but they are dyed, the only natural black pearls are Tahitian pearls. Unfortunately, contrary to their brand-world advertising, Tahitians are indeed often color treated but not necessarily dyed although some diffusion dying does occur.

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Lapis Lazuli comes from the Latin word lapis, meaning, ‘stone’, and the Arabic word ‘azul’, which means blue. Because of it’s incredible color Lapis Lazuli is has been used and admired by royalties of different countries for thousands of years. It measures about 5.5 in hardness and 2.7 in density. The blue comes from Lazurite, Hauynite, Sodalite, and Noselite. Other constituents are Pyrite, Diopside, Feldspar, and Mica. The major source for highest quality of Lapis in the past and now is Afghanistan, where the ancient mines are located in the rugged mountains of the Hindu Kush. The Afghanistan Lapis has been likened to the night sky bedecked with stars. Lapis Lazuli from Badakhshan, Afghanistan was used in the palace of king Darius 1 (522-486 B.C.) during the Achamenid period. Lapis Lazuli was also a material favored by the pharaohs of Egypt, the leaders of Babylon, and the rulers and nobility of Greece and Rome. The ancient Egyptians regarded the stone as a symbol of heavens and it was thought to bestow wisdom and promote truth. Lapis was also believed to promote the connection between the physical plane and the celestial kingdom. It represents the forces of initiation into wisdom and the mystical realm. Lapis is also believed to assist one in the organization of life and day-to-day activities.

LAPIS LAZULI JEWELRY FROM AFGHANISTAN
As Lapis Lazuli is one of the most common stones found in Afghanistan it has been used for making jewelry and incorporated in various Afghan architectures. Traditional Afghan jewelry and ornaments were made using various precious metals such as Silver and Gold but the nomads of Afghanistan have also used a non-precious metal called ‘Gillit’ by the Afghans for making inexpensive jewelry for personal use and for trade. Gillit is a coin based alloy metal, which is made up of several different kinds of metals. Jewelry made with Gillit metal is easy to clean and care for. If you prefer your ethnic jewelry to be shiny rather than ‘antique looking’, you can simply wash it using a soft brush and mild soap. Cleaning the jewelry with rubbing alcohol adds shine to the surface but you have to make sure to avoid the surface of the stones as this may cause the polish to be damaged. After washing dry the jewelry thoroughly using a towel then polish it with a silver cleaning cloth and the jewelry will become bright and shiny.

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SOFT toothbrush, an artists paint brush, a cotton-flannel cloth, & a polishing cloth. I have also started using Q-Tips in place ofthe artist’s paintbrush–they work quite well on delicate items!

•Cover the drain, in case you drop your jewelry.
•Run luke-warm water at a gentle stream.
•Rub soap on the stone with your fingers or soft artist paint brush, I do NOT recommend brushing gems unless you know they are hard and can tolerate brushing…many stones can NOT be brushed.
• Use the artists paintbrush (or Qtip) on the entire piece of jewelry if it has fine gauge wire or has delicate designs or stones—to avoid bending, scratching, or damaging the wire or gemstone.
•Use the toothbrush or paintbrush to brush soap on GENTLY on the wire, taking care not to catch the bristles between the wires. Moving the brush perpendicular to the direction of the wires helps avoid snagging bristles between them.
•Rinse thoroughly with water and pat dry with paper towel or a non-snagging cotton cloth.
•Once the jewelry has thoroughly dried, you can buff it gently with a polishing cloth.
•HINT- If tarnish is stubborn, I brush the soap on, let it sit for 5-10 minutes and rinse with water.
•HINT- I DO NOT RECOMMEND TOOTHPASTE! IT IS ABRASIVE AND DIFFICULT TO CLEAN OFF WIRE WRAPPED JEWELRY!

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There are several factors typically used to grade the stone, with color and patterning being the primary ones:
1.Color – the deeper, “volcanic” blues are considered to be “best”.
2.Patterning – the richer, more interesting, the better.
3.Luster – is it glossy?
4.Luminosity – does it seem to “glow” or have an inner light?
5.Clarity – is it free of obvious defects? (Pits, cracks, carbon deposits, etc.)
6.Translucence – can light pass thru a portion of the stone?
7.Chatoyance – a luminous band with a silky luster (like that typical of cat’s-eye).
There is no one particular factor that determines the grade; it is a combination of factors. The depth of color alone may not “make or break” the grade; the pattern and luminosity may bring up the grade of a stone whose color may not be as deep as others.

With larimar, perhaps more than with any other gemstone, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some prefer the very light blues of larimar, others prefer larimar stones that tend towards the green, and while others prefer larimar with mineral spots, some prefer larimar with no patterning at all.

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Green amethyst jewelry, whether in the form of necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets or rings has been a favourite of women for centuries. Amethysts are one of the most fascinating gemstones. The word amethyst actually comes from the Greek word for “not drunk” as it was believed that the stone could protect its holder from drunkenness as well as other ailments brought about by intoxication. Leonardo Da Vinci once wrote that the purple gemstone was able to dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence.

Amethyst is associated with the month of February and is also the birthstone for the zodiac sign of Aquarius. This makes amethyst earrings, necklaces, pendants or rings the perfect gift for anybody born in this month and under this sign. Amethyst jewellery is also the appropriate for fourth and sixth year anniversary gifts. Given its mesmerizing purple hue, amethyst earrings and necklaces are perfect for dark-coloured hair. Any type of amethyst jewellery would also match perfectly with a purple dress or gown.

Part of the appeal of the purple stone is because of the wide variety of amethyst. In fact, amethyst is not only found in Brazil but also found in Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and across South America, as well as in Zambia, Namibia and other African countries. South American amethyst tends to be larger in size and lighter in colour than African amethyst stones. Australia also boasts very dark amethysts that tend to be much smaller in size, but this is not always the case.

Amethysts will sometimes have some kind of heat treatment to enhance their colour. However, extreme heat or light can turn amethyst stones into yellow so it is important to store them away from any strong heat or light sources.

Amethyst is classified as quartz and is the most highly valued variety of quartz available. It has always been a highly prized gemstone and figured prominently in the crowns, sceptres and various artefacts of royalty throughout history. The ancient Egyptians and Greeks thought it possessed everlasting properties and could even extend the reign of a ruler. It was also a favourite of the legendary Russian Empress Catherine the Great and figures as a centrepiece of the British Crown Jewels. Therefore, because purple is the colour of royalty, wearing an amethyst ring or broche shows that you are special.

Today, because of its plentiful supply, amethysts have become an affordable gemstone that is available in a wide variety of colours and sizes as rings, necklaces, pendants, earrings, brooches and other accessories. The relative abundance of the stone however hasn’t made it any less attractive to gift shoppers as amethyst remains one of the most popular gemstones today with an ever increasing demand for all types of amethyst jewellery.

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The gemstone jewelry options like ruby rings, diamond pendants, emerald bracelets and sapphire necklaces among many other options have become very popular among women. Not only are they perfect to be given out as gifts but they are also very popular to be worn casually.

If you plan to go ahead and design some gemstone jewelry options for a special woman in your life, then here are some tips to help you do so:

• The first thing you will need is a good jeweler or seller who deals in customized gemstone jewelry. Usually, this way you will get your hands on a range of unique jewelry options. These customized jewelry options include different gemstones and a whole range of settings.

• If you decide to design the jewelry on your own then you should decide on the total gemstones that are required in that particular jewelry option. The traditional choice usually includes a single gemstone that acts as the centerpiece. Also the jewelry items that boast of three-stones are very popular because they offer a whole range of appearances to choose from. Both of the styles can be chosen as they both are very elegant in their own unique way.

• After deciding on the total number of gemstones you have to choose the right gemstones. Do not simply make the choice based on the size, but you should also choose according to overall quality of the gemstones. Go through all the options and make the right choice regarding the gemstones that suit those particular jewelry options.

• Next, you have to decide from the various for your jewelry. It is extremely important when you are trying to design the various multi-stone jewelry options. There are two types of orientation in which you can lay down the gemstone; the horizontal and the vertical orientations. Each orientation looks different hence it lends the jewelry with a different appearance. Though the orientation is not a major problem, but it helps to decide on it in advance.

• Next, you have to decide on the overall metal setting of the jewelry. This can easily help to decide on a particular look for your jewelry. You may have to choose the settings according to the shape of the gemstones jewel, the number of prongs as well as the type of metal that is to be used in a particular type of jewelry. The three popular metal settings are made of white gold, yellow gold and platinum.

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Sterling silver is definitely slowly but surely finding its way back into fashion, a large amount of jewelry savvy buyers understand, this affordable jewelry is making a comeback on the cost of the more traditional silver jewelry.

If you’re not familiar with sterling silver jewelry you should know that it has been around for years, ths issue is that sterling silver is not really as robust as gold and does not get through time as effectively as gold. Sterling silver jewelry is ideal for the ‘now’ and it really is certainly making its appearance well observed by everyone.

Modern times require a lighter weight and classy material to accompany the richer tones used nowadays by the fashion business, the sterling silver characterizes these kinds of shades wonderfully and is also one of the most inexpensive metals on the market.

It’s well known that silver is among the most common of all the precious metals, sterling silver is ideal for use in the jewelry industry because it is strong enough to work with.

Sterling silver jewelry is made of a mix of silver and copper, almost all the metal utilised is not surprisingly the sterling silver. The dissimilarities concerning the metals have made sterling silver amount to a smaller amount rather than gold and for that reason be described as a one on one competitor for shoppers hearts, while the older generation normally favors the traditional gold, young adults and fashion informed customers have a tendency to go for the sterling silver and appreciate a cheaper price for a beautiful peice of sterling jewelry.

One trouble with the sterling silver can be cleaning, sterling silver is long lasting and has an awesome glowing potential, nevertheless it needs cleaning, seasoned sterling silver jewelry have figure out how to separate between an everyday, typical cleaning and a more complete professional cleaning. Relative to today’s life style sterling silver jewelry is for men and women away from home, and it must be preserved and put on in a certain way. By reason of its inclination to get filthy it is strongly recommended to dab cosmetics prior to wearing your jewelry, however these smaller safety measure actions are practically nothing when compared to glamour of a distinctly designed item.

When you are looking for sterling silver bracelets be advised that it sometimes is called simply Sterling or ‘.925′. Due to its comparative friendliness, sterling silver is usually refined and produced in many ways, providing customers to experience a good number of sterling silver jewelry, rings, earrings, bracelets and many more sorts of jewelry are created by jewelers all over the world in order to handle the growing demand of the public to the sterling silver jewelry.

Don’t let yourself be deterred because of the need to clean up the sterling silver, it is actually just like almost every other metals and at its best while cleansed and serviced well, however sterling silver jewelry keeps shining when you take fine care of it. Sterling silver jewelry has grown to be the sensible option for us, shoppers who don’t want to spend a lot of dough on necklaces and nevertheless wish to be fashionably updated. Sterling silver is developing a lot of popularity as a result of its features, and it seems like it’s likely to take time for sterling silver to diminish back into the background.

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The latest craze is to have jewelry made of various types of beads in different sizes, textures and colors. The more beaded the jewelry the better it is as your outfits look gets changed to causal.

Craft beads may be plastic pony beads, fabric beads, paper beads, pearl, glass to swarovski crystals and any other thing. Shops which sell beads generally have a large collection of thousands of various types and sizes of beads.

As with any craft you have to get proper tools. You may buy them individually or in sets. If you are unsure whether you will like to continue making things with beads and are reluctant to invest in beginning. The alternate is you may take special training class at the bead store. They will provide you tools to work with and if you get interested you can than buy your own tools for your new hobby.

You might have doubts whether you are talented enough to make your own jewelry or home décor items with craft beads, but you can know only if you try to join a class and start with small items. As your skills improve you can try more complicated projects.

Before you are aware, you will be making your own jewelry and home décor items and everyone will be asking where you have purchased your jewelry from. And you might start your own business of making jewelry for other people to purchase. The opportunities are endless and the limit is only your imagination for using craft beads. You can set up our own jewelry making business and it may turn out to be profitable venture. Since, you are well aware that there is a great demand for handmade products in United States of America.

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Artisan jewelry is classed as being jewelry that has being hand crafted by a creative and unique artist, this jewelry contains mainly one-of-a kind items which are made using high quality stones and findings. Each piece of handcrafted artisan jewelry should have a difference in its design as they will not just be the usual stone in one of the usual settings. The hours of time and concentration given to creating pieces of handcrafted artisan jewelry that are beautiful, unique and special.

This type of jewelry is very fashionable at the moment, people are always striving for something new and different, they like to won things that are unique and they can treasure as just their own. Handmade artisan jewelry is a perfect item for people to have as their own, give as a gift or collect as part of a set to pass down to loved ones and family members.

As well as how the making of this type of jewelry results in there being differences in every piece, the gemstones are often distinctive in themselves. There are so many different stones to choose from The stones will generally contain their own imperfections and unique characteristics which occur naturally and allow their shape, size, color and density to make them one-of-a kind materials, rather than mass produced and usual.

Handcrafted artisan jewelry has been popular for many centuries and some cultures, such as the ancient Egyptians, were particularly known for their excellent metal work and jewellery designs. In today’s society we are able to purchase ready made findings, metals and equipment to create beautiful articles of jewelry, all the modern day artisan needs to do is to compile all the pieces together to create a unique and attractive piece of jewelry. In the past, the artisans would also need to prepare the metals through heating, bending and shaping as well as creating the gem shape and design from scratch as well as creating the jewelry.

Jewelry is made using a variety of different findings, these include bead caps, spacer beads, chains, clasps and bails. As well as being able to choose from a variety of different metals, such as gold, silver, copper and wire, that can be used to hold jewelry together, the patterns and designs on the metal all vary which add another element of diversity, individuality and uniqueness to each piece of jewelry.

Handcrafted jewelry has always been a perfect give to a special someone. Finding a unique item that has been made personally and lovingly by someone, their own design and effort going in to its creation, makes this a lovely gift for anyone on any occasion. Having a rare and exquisite piece of jewelry that has been made or chosen specifically for you is a touching and memorable gift to receive, and to treasure for many years to come.

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