Jewelry making is an enjoyable way to showcase your creativity. And with a wide variety of stones like jasper, turquoise, and amethyst, the possibilities are endless. Here’s a list of tips for you to keep in mind when purchasing natural stones for jewelry making.
Know The Color Range
Check out mineral charts of stones you’re interested in to get a good idea of the range in color, as well as transparency and hardness. Every gemstone has its own characteristics and significance. Before buying, don’t forget to get a note of each one’s features.
Know Your Stone.
If you’re buying rough gemstones, determine if they’ve been treated by checking with the seller or expert jeweler, or consult with a jeweler who can help you understand the potential environmental and health hazards associated with certain treatments.
Know Your Seller.
If you’re buying raw, untreated natural stones for jewelry making, ask your seller if they’re familiar with the types of stones you’re interested in. You also need to check the authenticity and genuinity of the seller before dealing with them.
Know Your Stone’s Durability
Don’t be scared off by a stone’s hardness rating (on the Mohs Hardness Scale of 10); know that a soft stone can be durable when used correctly in jewelry making. Also look into stone treatments (such as oiling) that can help a stone maintain its luster and value. Durability is quite essential for jewelry. When you put efforts into your designs, you would also want them to last long.
Know The Purpose Of Your Jewelry
Knowing the properties of your stone can help you determine how it should be used. Natural stones are believed to have not only physical characteristics but also metaphysical and healing properties which are considered important throughout the world. For example, if you’re crafting the pieces for a custom work of art, you would want to use different gemstones.
Choose A Safe Stone
You can’t look at the color of a natural gemstone for jewelry making without thinking about its level of irradiation (the level to which it has been exposed to radiation), which is dependent on the country in which it was mined and the type of mining process used. Most jewelers will be able to help you understand how safe each stone is, as well as what treatment processes may be necessary before using the stone.
Get A Second Opinion
Sometimes, the color of a stone may not be what you were expecting. A second opinion is always a good idea before making your purchase. You can consult your friend who’s working in jewelry making as well or someone who has a knowledge of natural stones. Or you can always refer to a trusted seller or jeweler.
Take Care Of Your Gems
Be sure to use caution when cleaning natural stones for jewelry making with chemicals, like bleach, as these can damage the stone’s surface and/or color. Try soap and water, or rubbing alcohol instead. Also, keep in mind that some cleaners, like bleach can turn a stone a different color. So, it is important to know what to use and also about the properties of your stones.
Know Your Stone’s Limits
Once you have your piece crafted with your natural gemstones, be sure to wash off any glue residue immediately. This will help ensure your stone’s durability and value by avoiding surface damage. Also, it will give a cleaner and finer appearance to your piece and make it attractive and beautiful to wear.
Pay Attention To Details
Smaller, intricate pieces of jewelry are less forgiving when it comes to flaws in the natural stones that are used, so be sure to pay close attention to detail. There should not be any cracks or gaps in the stones. If you’re shopping for a piece that uses natural stone, check with the jeweler to see if samples of the stones are available and double check the genuinity of the stones as well as the seller.
Consider Your Options
Purchasing a natural gemstone for jewelry making can be an investment, so it’s a good idea to consider other options before purchasing. For example, you could purchase an imitation gemstone for less money, or opt for plastic (like colored acrylic) or synthetic-mineral stones (like cubic zirconia) that offer the same coloring and durability as their natural counterparts. But obviously, they’re not as good and satisfying as the natural stones.
Think About Color Enhancement
If you’re buying a gemstone as a piece of jewelry, color enhancement might not be your biggest concern. If this is the case, consider brightening your stone at home with a polishing kit. You can also try to mix-and-match the different gemstones of different colors that compliment each other to enhance the whole piece.
If you are also interested in buying natural stones for jewelry making, you can visit Dream of Stones’ online website. They offer a wide variety of gemstone beads as well as wooden beads. You can choose from a range of stones and sizes.
