Pretty Good Jewelry

Copper chain maille neckace with crackled crystal accents + earrings

The weave used for this chain is the Byzantine.  The rings I used to form the weave are made from 20 gauge copper wire.  I made accent links with 4mm cubes crackled rock crystal (quartz which has been heated and then quickly cooled), and I finished with a copper hook & eye clasp.

I made this necklace in stages, so there are a couple of sections that are darker than the rest (and a couple of sections that are a little longer where I miscounted a bit), but the patina should even out over time.  The necklace is roughly 5mm in diameter and about 17.5 inches long, with a weight of 0.8 oz.

The matching earrings weigh about 0.2 oz, and the matching dangles are about 1.5 inches long.  The French hooks are copper.

Price: $33 (shipping is free)

SOLD

White howlite flat oval bead-link necklace + earrings

Howlite is another one of my favorite stones.  It is often dyed and used as a substitute for turquoise or lapis lazuli, but I like it best in its undyed state.  The white stone with the soft gray veins reminds me of marble.

The stones in this necklace are flat ovals, measuring 18x13mm.  I linked them with sterling silver wire, and then finished with a Bali silver s-clasp.

The necklace is just over 21 inches long (you can shorten it by clasping the hook between two beads as shown), with a weight of 1.7 oz.

I made simple earrings to match, using these fabulous sterling silver French hooks with little domes attached.  The earrings weigh about 0.2 oz.

Price: $34 (shipping is free)

Sodalite 8mm rondelle necklace

These sodalite rondelles were my last purchase in Albuquerque.  I was kicking myself for leaving the shop without buying them, so on our way out of town we made a special detour back to the shop, and I think they were well worth it.  The color is marvelous--blues ranging from almost a dark midnight through a luscious medium to a light faded denim, marked with white tendrils and clouds.  (I have a sodalite pendant for sale here, and other sodalite necklaces here and here.)

The silver rondelles are more of the 99% pure silver beads that I bought from a supplier in Thailand.  I finished with a sterling silver stylized hook & eye clasp (and the small silver beads on the end are sterling silver rounds alternated with sterling silver crimps + covers).  The necklace is 18.75 inches long, and weighs 1.4 oz.

Price: $58.50 (shipping is free)

Mahogany obsidian nugget bead-link necklace

Mahogany obsidian is named for its deep reddish brown color, which provides the background for its mottled black splotches.  Obsidian is actually form of volcanic glass, and I've used other forms of obsidian in earlier necklaces (see here, here, here, and here).

These particular nuggets vary in length from 12 to 19mm.  I linked each nugget with gold-filled wire, finishing with a vermeil hook & eye clasp.

The necklace is 22.5 inches long (can be shortened by hooking the clasp between two beads as shown), and weighs 2.4 oz.

Price: $30.50 (shipping is free)

Red jasper baby nugget necklace

These tiny red jasper nuggets aren't uniformly red: they have interesting black, gray, and creamy blotches, which I think gives them character.  They range in size from 6 to 8mm in diameter, and from 6 to 10mm in length.  The little corrugated beads are gold-filled and 3mm in diameter.  I finished with a vermeil s-clasp.

The necklace is 19 inches long and weighs 1.3 oz.

Price: $19 (shipping is free)

SOLD

Kyanite necklace with silver charms + earrings

This is very good kyanite: it's streaked with rich, dark blues, and there are hardly any brown spots.  I've been told that the darker the blues, the "gemmier" the kyanite is.  (I do have a green kyanite necklace posted here, though, and another blue one here.)

The silver charms and the small faceted silver beads came to me from Thailand.  They are 99% pure silver, and look fabulous!  The small faceted silver beads are 3mm in diameter, and the flowers measure roughly 11mm across.  The round kyanite beads are 6mm.

The necklace is finished with a sterling silver lobster clasp, measuring just under 18 inches long and weighing 1.3 oz.

I used sterling silver French hooks and sterling silver wire to make the matching earrings.  The dangles are about 1.5 inches long, and the earrings weigh 0.2 oz.

Price: $90 (shipping is free)

SOLD

Turquoise flat polygonal nugget bead-link necklace + earrings

I picked up this wonderful turquoise in Albuquerque.  I tend to go for the blue shades over the green (most of my other turquoise necklaces are blue: see here,  here, here, here, here, and here), but I couldn't resist the rich green in addition to the cute irregular polygonal shapes.

I joined each flat nugget with sterling silver wire, finishing with a Bali silver s-clasp.  The necklace is about 22.5 inches long, and weighs 0.8 oz.

I used a couple of Bali silver beads for the matching earrings.  The French hooks are sterling silver, and the dangles are about an inch long.  The earrings weigh 0.2 oz.

Price: $81 (shipping is free)

Bloodstone nugget bead-link necklace

The first picture was taken in indirect natural lighting, the 2nd is with a flash, and the 3rd is in direct sunlight.  I think you can see why I avoid using the flash.

Anyway, the beads used in this necklace are tumbled bloodstone nuggets, measuring from 17 to 21 mm long by 13 to 18 mm in diameter.  I joined them with sterling silver wire, finishing with a Bali sterling silver hook & eye clasp.

The necklace is about 22.75 inches long (can be worn shorter by hooking the clasp between two beads as shown), and weighs a hefty 4.5 oz.

Price: $26 (shipping is free)

SOLD

Fancy jasper twisted oval bead-link necklace

From what I can tell, fancy jasper is a variety in which the stones are strongly and differently colored, usually with reds and greens, with creams, mauves, browns, yellows, and so forth also sometimes appearing. 

I bought these particular beads on my Albuquerque trip.  The twisted ovals measure about 20x15mm, and I linked them with sterling silver wire, finishing with a Bali silver s-clasp.

The necklace is about 21.5 inches long (you can shorten it by hooking the clasp between two beads as shown), with a weight of 1.6 oz.

Price: $35 (shipping is free)

Green aventurine 8mm necklace

Aventurine is a form of quartz which is both beautiful and relatively inexpensive (my other aventurine necklaces may be found here, here, and here)  For this necklace, I used 8mm round green aventurine beads with Bali vermeil roundels, finishing with a Bali vermeil s-clasp.  The finished length is just under 17.5 inches, with a weight of 1.3 oz.

Price: $22 (shipping is free)

SOLD