Rainbow dreams

Joopy Gems 3mm rainbow moonstone cabochons

It’s so hard to keep this material in stock. 3mm rainbow moonstone cabochons, clean quality. I also try not to run out of it, and re-order before it’s completely gone, but then someone comes along and buys up the entire stock, and we can’t find the rough and before I know where we are, I’m out for months! Anyway, this is the first of the 3mm and 4mm restock – plain cabochons, now $1.55 per stone. There’s so much of the cloudy, fractured material about, that when you see a clear stone with bright adularescence (or flash) it can take your breath away. In fact, a customer said to me just yesterday, having received her stones ‘is this real?’ Because the extreme, billowing flash can have an almost unreal appearance. It’s truly astonishing. (Answer, by the way, is yes, it is real. As far as I am aware, this is not synthesised at all). Harder and harder – and very expensive – to find in larger sizes, I can still just about put my hands on it for smaller sizes. Now, I’m not a fan of AAA etc grading systems as it is so subjective, and not standardised, but I do use it for moonstone as I carry such a wide range of qualities. This is AAA material, and for that you can expect clean stones with great adularescence. As for what to do with it, below is a lesson in perfect, understated elegance from one of my lovely customers. This sterling silver and rainbow moonstone ring from Brightsmith features a 3mm moonstone on a narrow, hammered silver band, $28.

Brightsmith 3mm Tiny Rainbow Moonstone Stacking Ring in Sterling Silver - Super Thin Micro Stacker with Smooth or Hammered Band

To shop 3mm AAA cabochons, click here; to shop all my AA and AAA rainbow moonstone, click here. To shop my entire range, click here.

www.joopygems.com

As brilliant as diamond

Joopy Gems Blue zircon octagon, 7x9mm

Zircon isn’t a very well-known gemstone and it’s a shame because it has a brilliance and fire that rivals diamonds, and which has for centuries caused confusion between the two. Now the confusion is more likely to stem from the similarity of its name to cubic zirconia, a synthetic diamond simulant, also very fiery but a very different beast. For those of you interested in such things, unlike diamond, zircon is doubly refractive; that is, when light enters the stone, it is refracted into two rays travelling in slightly different directions and at different speeds. The double refraction in zircon is so extreme that it is eye-visible in larger stones. This differentiates it from diamond which is singly refractive. You can see this effect in the picture above; the doubled facet edges through the stone, and in fact, can make the stones sometimes appear rather blurry.

Despite its relative obscurity now, zircon was popular in Victorian times, both as a diamond simulant and as a gemstone in its own right. It comes in a range of autumnal shades; reds, greens, yellows, browns and of course, white. However, the most popular and well-known colour – accounting according to the GIA for 80% of all zircon sales – is blue. From pale to deep blue, this unique shade of greenish-blue also commands the highest prices. It’s almost always heat-treated to attain its characteristic colour. I currently have in stock (from left to right above) a 7x9mm scissor cut octagon, a mixed cut 5mm round, a 7x5mm mixed cut oval, a brilliant cut 2.5mm round, and a 6x4mm mixed cut oval. To browse my zircon section, click here.

Zircon is a stone that seems to lend itself to a lot of classic zircon and diamond engagement settings, which are beautiful, but I’ve compiled a pinterest board full of more contemporary and funky blue zircon jewellery. I love this blue zircon and 18k gold engagement ring by lolide. Anyone who knows me knows that I love textured metal and this band sets off the deep blue of the zircon perfectly. I like the combo of the yellow and white gold and by the way, this is a unisex ring, and I can see that working.

lolide blue zircon and 18k gold engagement ring

Or how about Jewellery by Francine’s Sterling Silver and Blue Zircon necklace? I love the way that the shape of the round stone is echoed by the silver rings and this is a piece that is sleek and restrained, where every detail counts.

Jewelry by Francine Sterling Silver and Blue Zircon Necklace

Possibly because of its unfamiliarity, zircon is one of the hardest stones in which to find funky, contemporary designs. The zircon in this ring, below by Metamorphosis Jewelry, is kept company by a classic pairing of diamonds and set in white and rose gold, but its shape and form is out of this world.

Metamorphosis Jewelry white and rose gold ring with zircon and blue diamonds

Speaking of out of this world, Jacob Albee’s cuff bracelet is formed from Gibeon meteorite, and set with a single, 3.03 carat zircon. Peppered with diamonds and inlaid with gold, this is contemporary, stark and original, the gold echoing and highlighting the natural striations of the Widmansttatan pattern (didn’t that make me sound clever? Actually I just came across that term on Wikipedia 😉 ). Looking at it, I just want to touch it.

Jacob Albee cuff bracelet

I love these solid 18k gold maple leaf earrings, by Patrick Burt and not just because I’m married to a Canadian! It’s nice to see the zircon paired with gold, rather than silver, as it gives it a completely different feel. These leaves were individually moulded and cast and then set with the zircons that take on a warmer feel set against the gold.

18k maple leaf and zircon earrings

More gold; this is a-mazing, right?! My mum is freaked out by octopuses (octopi?). When my older daughter was young, she had a furry, squeaky octopus and I could make my mum shriek by playfully tossing the thing at her. Anyway, this is a ring of strange beauty; a 4.5mm blue zircon set in a swirling set of 14k gold tentacles, by Marty Magic. This is not a piece that would go un-noticed, nor I imagine, un-remarked upon. Love it. Love the texture, the undulating lines, the complexity, and, oh… I fear it *might* give me nightmares. But I still think it’s amazing.

Marty MagicOctopus Ring With Blue Zircon - 14k Gold

And finally, black gold is a ‘thing’ right? I keep seeing more and more of it and I’m not sure how I feel about it, but it certainly appears to make that zircon pop. This ring by David K Designs is made from rhodium plated white gold and set with a lab grown stone – sharp intake of breath, I know, but I guess you can make a case for lab-grown stones… They are chemically, physically and optically identical to natural ones, they’re just grown in a lab rather than dug out of the ground, and as long as the seller is upfront about what they are, I guess they have a place, but…I don’t sell them and yes, I do have the equipment and skills to tell the difference! This ring, accented with black diamonds, is supposed to be for men, but hmmm, I can’t see my old man sporting it! Anyway, something different, isn’t it?

Black gold and blue zircon ring

Look out for more ‘gemstone’ specials, or if you have a piece you’d like me to feature, please contact me. I’m going to be looking at tourmaline next.

joopygems.com

Carved flowers

I saw these and I had to buy them! So beautiful and unusual; carved flower beads in rock crystal and rose quartz. To me they are reminiscent of Art Nouveau with their curving, undulating shapes and elongated lines. I see them as earrings, with maybe silver beads at the centre of the flowers, but you will be far more creative than me in your ideas! For the time being I am selling them as singles, with the option to have them in sorta-kinda matched pairs (that is, they are all unique, but I can vaguely match in terms of size and visual similarity). However, if I get the demand, I can sell them in full strings. The rock crystal flowers are matte finish, which gives them a gorgeous, soft, frosted appearance and are $1.75 per flower. The rose quartz flowers are gloss, with a lovely petal-pink colour and are $1.40 per flower. Just the thing for the coming Spring months! Click here for rock crystal; click here for rose quartz and to browse all of my beads, click here.

www.joopygems.com

Serene Blue Chalcedony

Joopy Gems blue chalcedony rose cut 10mm round

Last week’s post focused on rose quartz; this week I am looking at the second of Pantone’s colours of the year: Serenity. Pantone see these two colours in balance; the warmth of the rose quartz contrasting with the cool beauty of pale icy blue, perfectly realised by blue chalcedony. With its billowing translucency, this stone often glows as if lit from within. There are lots of examples on my Pinterest board; below are just a few that have caught my eye.

FifthHeaven pale blue chalcedony ringPictured left is a pale blue chalcedony ring, set in solid sterling silver and oxidised to a dark, blackened finish. This is by Raphaela and Jenna of Fifth Heaven Designs, a team based in Brisbane, Australia, who love making interesting and quirky designs, and who  specialise in one-off custom designs, hand-forged from silver and gold-fill. I love the edgy, industrial feel this ring has, the stark metal a perfect contrast with the soft blue of the stone.

Ravena Earrings resizeDana Evans of Dana Evans Studio is an architect-turned jeweller, who remains inspired by architectural forms and details; incorporating a love of shape and pattern into her work. Her silver and blue chalcedony Ravena earrings are part of her Etruria collection, part homage to the ancient Etruscans, who were masters of the art of granulation. You can see this technique in these earrings, which blend an ancient and modern aesthetic into a perfect harmony. I love the bold shapes and the contrast between bright silver highlights and oxidised background. Dana incorporates cast and hard-forged pieces into her hand-made work.

Bridget Clark sterling silver and Peruvian chalcedony earringsBridget Clark takes her inspiration from primitive, industrial and organic forms which she simplifies into bold and striking pieces of wearable art. Pictured left are her sterling silver and Peruvian chalcedony long fob earrings; I love the matt silver finish and subtle elegance of these. Bridget states that she aims for a subtle asymmetry in her work, for interest and movement and I think this works perfectly, challenging the eye and the brain. Bridget makes all of her pieces herself and is constantly experimenting with shape and form.

Chris Ploof mokume gane blue chalcedony ringI absolutely love mokume gane, and you don’t see alot of it about. That is most likely because it is a challenging, technical and precise technique, but Chris Ploof Designs specialises in it. It involves the bonding of many metals which can then be bent, twisted, cut, rolled, ground down or shaped with punches and chisels. These are then rolled out, to reveal the intricate, curving patterns. This hollow construction silver, 14 carat gold and white gold ring with blue chalcedony takes my breath away, the white metal acting as a perfect complement to the cool, blue stone.

For more examples of amazing and inspiring blue chalcedony pieces, check out my Pinterest board, including, below from left to right, J Chapa Hernandez Ellensburg blue chalcedony ring set in 18 carat goldDior Gourmande Libellule ring in white gold and blue chalcedony, Bartosz Ciba’s ‘Wennonah’; sterling silver upcycled wire wrapped earrings with blue chalcedony and Leslie Zemeneck Jewelry’s ‘In a Blue Mood’ sterling silver and blue chalcedony pendant.

J Chapa Hernandez Ellensburg blue chalcedony ringDior GOURMANDE LIBELLULE RING IN 18K WHITE GOLD AND BLUE CHALCEDONYBartoszCiba silver and blue chalcedony earringsLeslie Zemeneck In a Blue Mood - Sterling Silver and Blue Chalcedony Pendant

Why not check out our range of blue chalcedony cabochons? We have a range of rose cuts, starting at $1.60 for a 4mm round. Pictured at top are our 10mm rose cut blue chalcedony round cabochons.

www.joopygems.com

Rose Quartz and Serenity

Quartz and chalcedony composite 2 sml.JPG

Pantone has for the first time this year chosen two shades to be their colours of the year; Rose quartz and Serenity. With this they are striving to demonstrate a balance between the warmth of pink and the cool celestial quality of pale blue reflecting the current preoccupation with mindfulness and well-being. These colours are perfectly represented by the gemstones rose quartz and blue chalcedony. This post is dedicated to the pale beauty of rose quartz; look out next week for blue chalcedony. I’ve been putting together a Pinterest board on this theme with a selection of jewellery that has caught my eye; the bold, the beautiful and the truly unique!

Nicole Scheetz rose quartz ring resizeNicole Scheetz is the inspiration behind Luxuring, based in Alberta, Canada. Specialising in rings, her pieces speak to a feminine, minimalist aesthetic. I love this delicate ring of 14 carat gold set with a rose cut rose quartz cabochon. Nicole uses recycled metals; solid silver and 14k gold in her work and hand-forges all of her pieces. Nicole is a customer of mine and it’s wonderful to see the many amazing ways in which all you talented designers incorporate my stones into your art.

Engelken rose quartz white gold ring resizeChris Engelken is a US designer based in Wisconsin who has been designing and making jewellery for over 20 years. Right is his amazing Rose Quartz White Gold ring. This setting really showcases the beauty of this unique sculpted piece of rose quartz. Rose quartz can be quite pale but this 30 carat chunk really demonstrates a superb density of colour, which with the cool, white gold setting is a match made in heaven!

Ben Proctor rose quartz necklace resizeBen Proctor of Benati jewellery is based in Israel. Inspired by nature and architectural forms, he blends old gold-smithing techniques and modern technology to create fine, individual pieces with an emphasis on quality and perfection. This approach is encapsulated in the rose quartz pendant pictured left; a combination of fine, delicate gold mesh-work and a classic bezel set rose quartz.

For more examples of exciting and inspiring rose quartz pieces, check out my Pinterest board, including, below from left to right, ‘French Kiss’ Lip necklace by cliffandb, Madagascar Rose Quartz and 14k gold earrings by Marie Wu Designs, Winged Rose Quartz ring by Agrigento Designs and Rose Gold and Rose Quartz Sun Necklace by Snowflake Designs

Cliff and B kiss necklacemariewu rose quartz earringsAgrigento winged quartz ringSnowflake Rose Gold & Rose Quartz Sun Necklace

Why not check out our range of rose quartz and blue chalcedony; we have cabochons and rose cuts in a range of sizes. Pictured top are 10mm rose cut rose quartz and blue chalcedony.

www.joopygems.com

 

Tourmaline cabochons 5mm

Joopy Gems tourmaline 5mm cabochon composite

…..AAAAnnnd finally the last of the tourmaline! 5mm  round cabochons now up for sale, and I’m very excited to announce a price drop from $12.50 USD per cabochon to $10! As I’ve said before, the price of tourmaline finally seems to be stabilising and this is the same or even slightly nicer quality tourmaline as I’ve had before. All colours are back in stock, with as always, more of the pinks and fewer of the greeny-blues. Also, I’ve reduced further the price of less popular colours across all sizes – which are the yellowy-greens and browns. For 5mm, that means that these colours are $8.50 per stone, and you can’t say fairer than that! To browse 5mm tourmaline cabochons, click here

www.joopygems.com

More fossilized wood!

You’ve loved the fossilized wood beads that I recently introduced; so fascinating, they appear exactly like wood with all the markings and cellulose type patterns, but feel like stone. That’s because they are stone; ancient wood that has been infiltrated with silicon heavy deposits over thousands of years, leading to petrification. And they have the same fantastic matt finish, that makes them feel smooth as silk. So I’ve got some more in different sizes. First up is a cube bead, smaller than the original ones, in a 11-12mm, at $42 per strand. Same fantastic and fascinating colours and finish, just smaller and lighter. I also have the same shape but slightly bigger, at 17-18mm; very impactful. These are $50 per strand. Finally I have an 11-12mm square rondelle, and these are priced at $42 per strand. You can shop the collection here.

www.joopygems.com

Tourmaline is back!

Joopy Gems tourmaline composite sml

Finally I am re-stocking tourmaline! I’ve been low on all sizes for a really long time, and that has reflected the way in which tourmaline has skyrocketed in price over the past few years. It went from affordable to eye-watering in what felt like the twinkle of an eye as the markets went crazy for its astonishing colour range and vibrant tones. In particular the Chinese market went mad for the deep pinks and reds and this drove prices up sharply and fast. Now it finally seems to be slowing and my long hunt for nice, reasonably priced material is temporarily over! I have just restocked 6mm in all colours, and will be following up with 3mm and 4mm over the next few weeks. This is nice quality material, with a few inclusions, but full of lustre and shine. As always, I have relatively few of the blues, blue-greens and chrome greens, so if you are after these, you might want to get in early! Plenty of pinks and grass greens. Price per cabochon has held at $18 per stone, and you can browse the selection here.

www.joopygems.com

All things greeny-blue

What’s the collective noun for beads? A bundle? A clutch? Or…maybe something a little more esoteric? A sweetshop? Well, whatever it is, I am listing it. So many different ones to choose from, many of Chrysoprase rough rondelle, matt finishthem in that fantastic and unusual silky matt finish. First up is all things greeny-blue. My personal favourites are these fantastic rough chrysoprase rondelles (right). And I mean rough; with bits of matrix, crevasses and druzy-filled gaps. They really are fantastic. With a matt finish that accentuates the patterning on the stone, I can see these looking great with some hammered silver spacers, so unusual and distincJoopy Gems Chrysoprase rondelle 7-8mm matt finishtive. These are quite large, around 12-17mm and the strings are vaguely graduated so that they are smaller at the ends and larger in the middle. Also in chrysoprase I have some smaller, slightly more regular rondelles, 7-8mm in both matt and gloss finish. These are $45 for the matt option and $30 for the gloss.

Moving into a slJoopy Gems Amazonite beads 13-14mm roundightly more aqua colour scheme I have amazonite round beads, again with a lovely silky matt finish. I can’t resist the sea-green shade of this stone, similar to turquoise, but with distinctive white markings. These are the most beautiful soft colour, highlighted by the matt finish, and I have them in a 7-8mm and a 13-14mm (pictured right), the smaller ones $25 per strand and the larger ones $45.

Turquoise Joopy gems Turquoise beads 9-10mm matt finishis always very popular and this is African material, speckled with dark matrix, again in the matt finish that highlights the patterns on the stone and gives a fantastic organic look and feel. I have these in a 7-8mm at $25 and a 9-10mm round at $30.

Finally I have some chrysocolla rondelles. Chrysocolla-in-chalcedony, to give it its full name takes its name from the mineral chrysocolla, and it is that that gives it its blue colour. The Joopy Gems Chrysocolla rondelle 7-8mm beads AB grade matt finishmaterial I have is opaque and looks as though it is mixed with other minerals. I have an AB grade at $37 per strand, which is broadly bluish-green and a B grade (pictured right) at $20 per strand, which, in my opinion is more beautiful still, with an array of different colours mottling the beads. I have both of these in a matt 7-8mm rondelle.

Look out for more beads over the next few days!

www.joopygems.com