If we were to have to make a choice as the too type of handmade jewellery we would like to own I am sure that most of us would like a unique semi-precious jewellery designs set with these lovely gems. These could have either gold or silver settings.
There are many lovely semi-precious stones in many forms that can be place in pieces of handmade semi-precious jewellery and here are 3 of the more popular ones that designers use for many reasons to create their unique designs, earrings beaded with Jade, bracelets crafted from lapis Lazuli and earrings set with stunning Garnets.
The stunning natural stone of Garnets will come to us in colours from purple to brown and they also come in shades of this colour. The deep rich dark red colour that is found in the stone is the rarest and most valued and is categorised as a precious gemstone although this mineral in its other colours and shades are quite common. The Garnet is a crystal and in its natural form comes as a 12 faceted crystal. This stone is one of the older gemstones known to man we have record of it being used in handmade jewellery making over 5,000 years ago. These natural stones are often cut as brilliants and set into pieces of semi-precious jewellery like rings and earrings with the larger of the stones being used in unique pendant design. The most precious of the Garnet stones is the beautiful star garnet and these stones are only found in small amounts from Australia.
Jade is another beautiful stone that nature has supplied us with. You will find two different types of stone that come under the CatID of Jade. These two stones are Nephrite Jade and Jadeite. Nephrite Jade is the most common of the two types and most of the world Nephrite Jade comes from China. This stone has been used from centuries by the Chinese to make pieces of handmade jewellery and also many ornamental pieces. You will find carved figures, bowls and other ornamental pieces of this jade as well as earrings, jewellery sets, bracelets and other ornamental accessories.
Pure Jade is white in colour and it is the impurities in the ground that give it its different shades and when most of us think of Jade we think about it being in some shade of green and the stones are opaque and have a lustre and sheen to them other than a brilliance and shine.
Jadeite is the rarer of the two types of Jade and this is found in Burma and this has become more priced in the making of semi-precious jewellery than Nephrite Jade.
The most priced of all Jades is the imperial Jade and this is transparent emerald green colour and it obtains this colour from the chromium in the ground. This is the jade that has been most revered by the Chinese as a holy stone, the quality of this natural stone is judged by the intensity and depth of the natural dark green colour and how cool the stone is to the touch.
The third semi-precious stone we will look at is Lapis Lazuli. This natural stone is formed from blue silicate lazurite that has different levels calcite and also pyrite that give the stone its gold flecks. This stunning stone is the deepest of blue in colour and it is evident why it is used constantly in the making of handmade jewellery and this stone has been used in the designing and making of semi-precious jewellery as far back as the Egyptians. This stone is considered as sacred by the Buddhists and this is one of the oldest stone on record evidence of it seen over 6,000 years ago. It can be seen set in bracelets, pendants, necklaces and earrings beaded from Lapis Lazuli beads.
These are just 3 of the many beautiful semi-precious stones that can be used to create unique and original pieces of handmade semi-precious jewellery.
There are many different natural stones that are used to make handmade jewellery from Garnet, Jade and Lapis Lazuli are just 3 of these stones. Earrings beaded from Jade, bracelets made from Lapis Lazuli and pendants crafted from Garnets are only a few of the designs you will find in collections of semi-precious jewellery designs
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