Make a Statement with Beaded Gemstone Necklaces

Popular, trendy and artistic; the beaded gemstone necklace is a handcrafted thing of beauty which can be made to fit with many styles and color pallets. In fact, the beaded gemstone necklaces you will find here on this website are made from hand-selected semi-precious stones. Textures and colors are combined to create vibrant and fully expressive accessories.

Some of the exquisite stones include; African Opal, Amazonite, Apatite, Carnelian, Chalk Turquoise, Citrine, Garnet, Onyx, and Prehnite.

The practice of wearing beads and gems as jewelry can be traced back 70,000 years ago when the gems were discovered and admired for their beauty. Back then people didn’t have pockets to keep their possessions in so these gems were attached to leather straps and worn around the neck or wrist. Beads, gems and shells have all been used directly as currency for trade in the past as well.

You can find something to fit any style or taste. Use one of these signature pieces to complete your signature look.

Prehnite Amethyst Carnelian Necklace

Brilliant natural colors and a multi-textured design make this necklace a favorite of many. This tri-colored necklace is made from Prehnite, Amethyst, and Carnelian. Freshwater pearls help create the illusion of an underwater adventure.

Freshwater Pearl Onyx Necklace

Get swept away with this stunning Moss Green Freshwater Pearl and Onyx Necklace. Black Lava, hand-carved Onyx Flowers, Swarovski Crystals, and Fine Silver beads carry the natural theme to its fullest potential.

Pink Coral Garnet Necklace

Get into the “pink of things” with this princess-worthy beaded gemstone necklace. Garnet and Pink Coral Tear-drop beads clamor over each other, creating a string of alluring beauty. This necklace makes a perfect gift for those who dream in shades of pink. Just a small sampling of the amazing handcrafted necklaces shows you the potential this style holds. This type of jewelry lends itself well to nature inspired designs that can flatter any woman’s appearance.

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The Forefront of Today's Fashion - Gemstone Pendant Necklaces

One item that is making a huge comeback this spring is the pendant, which has been spotted in numerous American magazines already. Celebrities of all types are sporting these exquisite pieces of designer jewelry, which certainly are a fantastic way to complement anyone’s wardrobe. Richly jeweled designs are right at the forefront of today’s fashion world, and it seems like the larger the gemstone pendant is, the better. So, if you are searching for a new addition to your jewelry collection, one that will keep you in trend and in style, gemstone pendants are certainly the way to go.

Add A Flash of Color to Any Outfit with Gemstone Pendant Necklaces

Thanks to the creativity of professional jewelers around the globe, plus the extensive variety of gems found in nature, the range of gemstone pendant necklaces encrusted with these sparkling stones is simply amazing. These elegant designs are a great way to add a flash of color to your outfit no matter what clothes you are wearing. With a few purchases, you can have access to the full rainbow within your personal collection, allowing you to don a gemstone pendant regardless of whether you are going to the office, a restaurant or a nightclub. These items are just so versatile and are suitable for a number of outfits and settings.

 

Artisan Handmade Gemstone Pendant Necklaces

Of course, the base material also plays a big part in how a piece of jewelry looks, and also how much it will cost you. Fortunately, there are enough options so that anyone, regardless of their budgets, can get their hands on a pendant necklace of any size. Gold-filled designs will suit those with a bit more money to spend, while silver and bronze pendants are more affordable and will still look absolutely stunning, especially if purchased from a skilled artisan. Remember, as well, that the materials used will determine how durable the piece is and what you will have to do to take care of it.

Once you have purchased your gemstone pendant necklace, you will then be left to choose what to wear it with! The most important thing is that the gem’s colors have to match with the clothes that you put on. Big pendants will always be the center of your outfit, so you must make sure that nothing else competes for attention from those around you. Items such as bright gemstone jewelry will go well with simple clothes that are black, grey or white.  If you opt for a more subtle piece, you will need to brighten up your outfit to provide some balance.

So if you are the type of person who loves keeping up with the latest fashion trends, it is time that you went out and purchased a large gemstone pendant today. Join ranks with popular celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Molly Sims, Amy Adams and more, and strut your stuff knowing that you are looking in style and absolutely stunning with your newly-purchased designer pendant. This spring, being fashionable is as easy as choosing a handmade gemstone pendant to wear on your necklace while you are out and about.

Keishi Pearls - A Brief History

Pearls have been a prized element for jewelry for thousands of years. Although the most expensive pearls earn their price for their regular shape, even lustre and smooth surface many “inferior” pearl shapes are now becoming popular for their unique appearance and striking style that they can add to handmade jewelry. Pearls are produced by mollusks when a small irritant such as a grain of sand gets inside its shell. The mollusk feels this as an irritant and coats the particle with a lustrous substance known as "nacre". Pearls tend to take on the shape of the original particle, which is why perfectly round natural pearls are so rare and valuable.

Keishi pearls are formed when the mollusk rejects the irritant before the cultivating process is completed but still produces the nacre in a freeform shape. They can also be formed alongside a cultured pearl in the mollusk. Originally cultivated by Japanese pearl harvesters in the 1920s, keishi pearls were once considered a by-product or a "mistake" since the irritant was expelled before a round pearl could be produced. But there’s no mistaking the reasons why keishi pearls have become so popular in modern jewelry making. Since they are made entirely of nacre, they have a beautiful shimmer and luster and come in a variety of naturally organic shapes, colors and sizes.

"Cornflake" Keishi Pearls

Keishi pearls are also known as "cornflake" pearls because of their irregular shapes and "poppy seed" pearls since the word "keishi" means poppy seed in Japanese. They are generally small in size but are also available in elongated shapes known as stick pearls. Their unique, asymmetrical shapes make them a favorite choice for those searching for pearl jewelry with one-of-a-kind flair and natural beauty. Once considered to be useless and common, keishi pearls are now cultivated mostly in China, Japan and the South Seas and have become a favorite among handmade jewelry designers. John S. Brana offers stunningly beautiful necklaces among his collection made from iridescent cornflake keishi pearls in varied colors, and complemented by sea glass, Swarovski crystals and fine silver.

When you think of handmade gemstone jewelry, you may think of your weird aunt, still living in the 1960’s and her macramé beaded "creations."  Or, you may think of the junky trinkets sold at your local art and crafts fairs. But not to fear, there is another type of handmade jewelry that is neither tacky, “retro”, nor prone to falling to pieces after a few times of wear.

 

Modern, high-end jewelers create handmade gemstone jewelry that will stand the test of time and hold up against any piece you could find in any store. “Handmade” does not mean “homemade” – it means that it was crafted by a professional, a craftsman, and someone who cares about and takes pride in the work they do. There is nothing quirky or tasteless about it.

If you have seen the handmade creations of modern jewelers, you will see nothing like what you imagined. Handmade jewelry can be exquisite, intricate, and timeless. Take a look at women walking down any red carpet event and you will see them adorned with many different types of handmade pieces. Jewelry that appears to come from the larger jewelers may well be handmade creations, custom-made for just such occasions. In fact, in many cases, you can’t tell a quality piece of handmade jewelry from those of famous well-know jewelry designers.

 

When evaluating handmade gemstone jewelry, the first thing you must insist on is quality materials. Only the highest quality metals and gemstones should be used, and all settings and clasps must be the best available. Any reputable jeweler will allow you to see how and where he works, the materials he uses, and often the sources he utilizes to get his materials. A jeweler of character and distinction will want to design a piece of jewelry that you are proud of and one that will attract the attention you deserve.

Click Here To Find Distinctive Handmade Gemstone Jewelry

 

These are a few of the color combinations I am currently working on for my Spring 2007 additions to the Barbary Coast Collection.

The first necklace features Peridot nuggets, Champagne Quartz, Yellow and Lavender Jade, various colored Freshwater Pearls, Amber, and Ametrine nuggets accented with Vermeil beads. Ametrine, also known as trystine or by its trade name as bolivianite, is a naturally occurring variety of quartz. It is a mixture of Amethyst and Citrine with zones of purple and yellow or orange. Almost all commercially available Ametrine is mined in Bolivia, although there are deposits being exploited in Brazil and India. The color of the zones visible within Ametrine are due to differing oxidation states of iron within the crystal. The different oxidation states occur due to there being a temperature gradient across the crystal during its formation.

The second necklace features rare hand-carved Onyx, Freshwater Pearls, Lava, Stick Pearls, Faceted CZ Tear Drop beads, and is accented with Fine Silver Bali beads.