Seraphinite

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I like baking. I like taking different ingredients, especially chocolate, mixing them all together, subjecting it to heat and coming up with something wonderful in the end. Rocks are a lot like baking, and often a lot more interesting than people give them credit for. I love the idea of taking several different minerals, mixing them together, applying water, heat or pressure (sometimes all three) and coming up with something entirely different.

This week we’re mixing Magnesium, Iron, Aluminum and Silicon, subjecting them to some heated water, and coming up with Clinochlore which is more commonly known as Seraphinite (suh-raff-en-ite).

Seraphinite cabochon by Darryl Heiden; wire wrapped in sterling silver by Delores Heiden

About Seraphinite

Seraphinite is a beautiful green stone interspersed with chatoyant threads of mica reminiscent of wings. Seraphinite has a vitreous, or glass-like, luster with basal cleavage and is part of the Chlorite group of minerals. The Chlorite group consists of mostly green minerals with seraphinite being one of its only stars; the other is the bright lavender Kaemmererite.

Seraphinite gets its name from the reference in the book of Isaiah in the Bible with mentions of Seraphs or Seraphim, six-winged fiery beings sometimes thought of as snake- or dragon-like, surrounding the throne of God. If you look at a cut piece of Seraphinite, you can almost see wings in the pattern of the stone.

Shawnea Hardesty created this seraphinite pendant using gun metal enameled wire and a green seraphinite cabochon with a dramatic crystal structure.

How Seraphinite was Discovered

Seraphinite, or Clinochlore, was first identified in 1851 in West Chester Pennsylvania, though Russian mineralogist Nikolay Koksharov is often given credit for actually discovering the stone. Seraphinite is usually forest green to gray in color and has a hardness of 2-3 on the Mohs scale. Since the stone is so soft, usually only beads or small cabochons are used in jewelry settings. If you do use a larger piece of Seraphinite in a setting, use a bezel or similar setting to protect the stone from breaking if it’s bumped or dropped.

Barbara Preston wrapped this seraphinite cabochon in sterling silver wire, for a pendant measuring 3″x 1.25″

Metaphysical Seraphinite Properties

Because of the wing-like inclusions, seraphinite is a healing stone, helping detoxify and strengthen the body. It also aids in weight loss by stimulating the metabolism and can help relieve muscle tension. In addition to physical healing, seraphinite can help release emotional pain and bring enlightenment and balance to the psyche. Placed in the south or southeast areas of a home or room, seraphinite can bring health, financial prosperity, vitality and supports new beginnings in life.

Joan Madouse wire wrapped this seraphinite pendant in silver-plated wire.

Where is Seraphinite Found?

Road Trip! Though most of the seraphinite on the market today comes to us from the Lake Baikal region of Russia, it has some notable locales in the United States. One of the first recorded finds of seraphinite was in Britton’s Quarry West Chester Pennsylvania. The quarry was originally opened in 1730 with the stones from the quarry used as building material for the many farm houses in the area and several buildings at the University of Pennsylvania among other areas. There are currently no mining operations within the quarry, because two of the three holes are filled with water. The third hole has been opened at times for rock-hounding, but check locally before heading to the quarry to make sure it’s open.

Joan Madouse wrapped this freeform seraphinite cabochon in gold-plated wire

There are some wonderful sights around the West Chester area. Marsh Creek State Park offers up sailing lessons, camping and outdoor adventure for the family, and Philadelphia breathes the birth of our nation with beautiful buildings steeped in history.

Other areas where Seraphinite has been found in North America are the Diablo Mountains of California; Trumbull, Connecticut and the Jeffrey Mine in Quebec, Canada. Though none of these areas offers public access to my knowledge, I’m pretty sure there are plenty of activities and places to visit in the surrounding areas and who knows, maybe you’ll find discover some beautiful Seraphinite in some little obscure rock shop while adventuring on your own road trip!

Seraphinite pendant in gold-plated wire wrapped by Joan Madouse

Well, we’ve talked about one rock named for its resemblance to fiery, winged, possibly serpent-like beings, which reminded me of another rock named for its resemblance to serpents that we’ll explore next week.

Have you made wire jewelry with serpentine before? Send us pictures at tips@wire-sculpture.com and they could be featured!

Resources & Recommended Reading

• Clinochlore
• Marsh Creek Lake
• The American Mineralogist: Minerals of Brinton’s Quarry, Chester County, PA (348KB download)
• Seraphinite on CrystalVaults
• Seraphinite on Wikipedia
• Seraphinite on GemDat.org

Gem Profile by Layna Palmer

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Jewelry Resource for
May 15, 2013

How is Wire Made?

The term "wire wrapping" is a bit like "suntan."

When you get a suntan (soon, people!), you show off your bronzed skin — it’s all about the tan. As for the sun’s role? Well, it’s there somewhere.

So it is with wire wrapping. Who, really, thinks about the wire? (OK, except for you home metallurgists getting ready to email me.) When someone admires your beautifully wrapped pendent, they’re not thinking: "Where did that wire come from?"

It seems that wire, like the sun, is taken for granted. So, we wanted to correct that oversight, give appreciation where it’s due.

After a bit of research, I’ve gained more respect for the lowly paper clip, and particularly for the fine wire we carry here at Wire-Sculpture. I’ve also learned that I can make (someday!) my own wire — yep, I didn’t know that was even possible.

How Wire was Made – In the Beginning

OK, a little bit of mandatory history. Wire was made as early as Egypt’s 2nd Dynasty, about 2600 BC. Its purpose? Jewelry and chains, of course. The ancient Egyptians pounded metal into sheets, then sliced it into strips. These strips were twisted or rolled, producing what is, effectively, wire with a seam. The Etruscans, a culture absorbed by ancient Romans, created short lengths of wire with anvil, fire, and hammer.

Draw Plates Changed the Game

These two methods of wire-making were the most advanced technology until medieval times, when an English craftsman came up with idea of physically pulling metal through a small hole in a die, called a drawplate. This method, called wire drawing, is the process still used today. Unlike ancient Egyptians, medieval people used wire for practical things, like brushes for carding wool. It wasn’t until the Victorian era that wire started to appear again in frivolities like brooches or necklaces.

Now Wire Mills are Highly Mechanized

Wire-making, like everything, has evolved into a highly mechanized industry. However, other than the fact that electricity has replaced sheet brute strength, wire making still follows the basic steps it did centuries ago. Strips of metal are pounded or rolled into shape, then pulled through a hole — like a funnel — in a cast-iron or diamond drawplate. The diameter of the wire is reduced, at the same time it is elongated. By continuing to pull the wire through increasingly smaller openings in the drawplate, the wire becomes thinner and thinner.

While round is the most common shape, wire mills have specialty draw plates that shape the wire into half-round and square shapes, too. The wire is reduced in increments of about 1/10th of a millimeter. The final hole size determines the diameter, or gauge, of the wire.

To get the wire into the die in the first place, its end is filed or pounded to a point. Pincers of some kind are attached to the wire, which is pulled through using a winch or tension pulley. Here’s where the brute strength came in: Before Thomas Edison, grunting and sweating laborers cranked and pulled, effectively compressing the metal by force alone as it funneled through the die. This is still repeated in many home metal shops. And yes, I am talking about the grunting and sweating.

Wire Hardness

As you know, working with metal hardens it. You’ve probably taken a hammer to your jewelry so it doesn’t bend out of shape. But here’s what is interesting: The temper of the wire is directly related to this drawing process. Wire hardness is measured using a scale of 0 to 4. Historically, the softest wire, a number 0, was pulled through the die one time. A hardness of 2, two times. Each time it was pulled through the drawplate, it would become stiffer.  Wire at hardness 4 would have been pulled through the die five or more times.

Today, those numbers don’t correspond with the number of times the wire is drawn through a drawplate. Instead, jewelry wire is sold as dead soft, half-hard, or full hard. Dead soft wire is manufactured with a hardness of 0, half-hard has a hardness of 2, and fully hardened wire is 4. Now, I understand more clearly what those numbers mean.

Copper wire, like the jewelry wire we sell, goes through as many as 10 or more sets of drawplates. Every few sets, the copper has to be annealed, or heated, to soften it before it continues its process through successively smaller dies. Telephone wire is drawn up to 20 times — but it goes in hot.

These centuries-old steps are carried out today in the workshops of individual artisans, who use primarily silver and gold. Here’s a link to a fascinating step-by-step look at one craftsman’s wire making.

And now that I have a greater appreciation for wire, it’s time to go outside and get a suntan!

Bonus Video: How Electrical Wire’s Made

Check out this video we found – it’s about electrical wire, but the basic process is the same for making jewelry wire up until the stranding machine. Too neat!

Resources & Futher Reading

• Jewelry Wire Gauge
• Wire
• Wire Drawing
• About Jewelry Wire

Have a Wire Jewelry Idea you’d like to share? Click Here to submit your idea. You could be featured on our Blog!

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Tool of the Week for May 13, 2013

This week’s tool: Knotter Tool, #BDK-400.00

Video courtesy of Beadalon

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by Layna Palmer, Wire-Sculpture.com

All About Larimar

Shop New Bead Selection | Shop for a Larimar Cabochon| Shop All Cabochons

I’ve often wondered if I love volcanoes because of the beautiful rocks that come from the process, or just for the simple reason that they explode — it’s kind of a toss-up. I’m leaning more toward the fact that volcanoes, through their incredible power, create spectacular and fascinating rocks. One of the most beautiful and rare among the rocks created from the volcanic process is Larimar. When I first saw a picture of Larimar it reminded me of the scene in a movie where the star is running from an exploding building, and the camera goes to slow motion as the explosion slowly fill the screen. When you look at a piece of Larimar, you see clouds of steam billowing up from a volcano, the finger-like projections of superheated groundwater mixing with the earth to form sodium calcium silicate hydroxide — an explosion frozen in time.

Judy Copeland wrapped this larimar pendant in gold-filled wire with a focal freshwater pearl surrounded in twisted gold-filled filigree.

The actual chemical term for Larimar is pectolite, which is found worldwide under various names, one of which we’ve talked about previously: sugilite. Larimar is classified as a blue pectolate with cobalt replacing some of the calcium in the chemical formula NaCa₂Si₃O₈(OH). While blue pectolite has been found in other areas of the world like the U.S. and Canada, only the pectolite from 1 square kilometer in the Dominican Republic can be classified as Larimar. So far it’s the only one with the unique chemical composition and color.

Pale blue larimar pendant by Karen McCoun – see the beautiful translucence and patterning?

How Larimar was Discovered

Larimar was officially discovered in 1974 by Peace Corps member Norman Rilling and a Dominican man named Miguel Mendez. The two became intrigued by the beautiful blue stones they found along the seashore and found the source of the stone by following the Bahoruco River to a remote area in the mountains. Mendez was given the honor of naming the stone Larimar after his daughter Larissa and mar which is “sea” in Spanish. Although 1974 was the “official” discovery, native Dominicans have known about the stone for generations.

Silver-wrapped larimar pendant by Karen McCoun

Mining Larimar is very difficult and dangerous. The mines are located in a heavily forested, 1/2-mile-square area of the Dominican mountains. Flooding and rains keep the mines closed up to five months a year, especially during the hurricane season when entire mountainsides can become rivers of mud. Larimar is formed in finger-like veins. Once a shaft is found, the nearby villagers, who have excavated Larimar mines for most of their lives, will dig by hand through the rock hundreds of feet into the dormant volcano to extract the stone. This type of mining, though dangerous, helps to preserve the pristine nature of the rainforest but makes mining and transporting the mined material difficult.

Rebecca House made these Argentium silver Ear Climbers from larimar beads and sterling silver bead accents.

Larimar Properties

Larimar is also known as Atlantis Stone from a prediction by psychic Edgar Cayce (1877-1945) that a blue stone would be found in the Caribbean possessing incredible healing powers. Many believe Larimar is the stone Cayce spoke about. Hispaniola, the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, is also believed by some to be a remnant of the fabled sunken city of Atlantis, giving Larimar even more numinous metaphysical power. Larimar brings the wearer peace, balance between head and heart, and protection from negative energy. The stone is also reputed to attract not only success, but one’s “soul mate.”

Delores Heiden wrapped this larimar cabochon in Argentium silver wire; cabochon by Darryl Heiden

Larimar is a 4.5-5 on the Mohs hardness scale and should be treated with care. Pendants and earrings are the best settings for Larimar. If you decide you just have to have a ring, make a protective setting for the stone. Wire jewelry artist Judy Copeland, whose piece is at the top of this article, forwarded these instructions she received from a purchase of Larimar: “Don’t expose the stone to too much sun or light as the color can fade. If this does happen, you can soak the stone in plain water for 24 hours to restore the color.” Judy said she followed these instructions, and the color was enhanced and even more beautiful than before.

Linda Pope created these Larimar earrings using 12mm Larimar beads, Opalite drops and crystals, crystal spacers, and Sterling Silver wire.

There is not a grading system for Larimar as the color is really a personal preference, but it comes in colors that range from the most familiar sea blue to a deeper greenish blue and even white. I have seen several stones online that are said to be Larimar but are obvious fakes — they don’t have the translucent quality, chromatic graining, and depth that natural Larimar stones have.

Jane Duke wire wrapped this larimar cabochon, forming a wire bracelet adorned with pearls

Road trip: Larimar Mines

Road trip! Okay, so we are going to the Dominican Republic — pack your swimsuit and some sunscreen! Oh, and don’t forget hiking boots if you want to visit the mines. We’ll start at the Larimar Museum in the country’s capitol of Santo Domingo. The first floor is a gift shop with a small factory where workers make jewelry from Larimar and amber (amber is another stone found in the Dominican Republic). The second floor of the building is a self-guided tour of Larimar’s history, starting from a beautiful mahogany staircase with Larimar inlays.

Linda Barton created her “Sail Away” pendant, wrapping two Larimar stones in sterling silver wire. Measures 3″x2″.

Plan a day for the trip to the mines. Start out in Barahona and travel about 14 kilometers south by four-wheel-drive to Las Filipinas village. You’ll leave the main road, then bounce over a dusty road for about 15 more kilometers until you come to the village of Las Cupaderos near the mines. The scenery is spectacular, and the villagers are friendly. You can purchase Larimar from the miners in either dry rough or rough in jars of water to show the color.

Another pale, translucent larimar pendant by Karen McCoun in silver.

There are several local companies that will even take you there and provide a day-trip and lunch. We’ve visited the mine, purchased some gorgeous stone, and absorbed the natural wonder of a rainforest. I guess the only thing left is to take a dip in ocean waves the same color as Larimar and watch the sun set on another beautiful day spent exploring an amazingly rare gem.

Delores Heiden wrapped this larimar cabochon in 14kt gold-filled wire; Darryl Heiden cabbed the stone for the pendant.

Speaking of heavenly stones, next week we’ll introduce you to Seraphinite, whose feathered swirls are as soft and delicate as angels’ wing. Have you wire wrapped Seraphinite beads or cabochons? Send pictures of your Seraphinite jewelry to tips@wire-sculpture.com and they could be featured in our next Gem Profile.

Resources & Recommended Reading

• The Larimar Museum
• More about Larimar
• Larimar’s metaphysical properties
• Larimar’s chemical characteristics
• Traveling to Larimar mines
• Larronde, S. Romancing the Stone. Americas (serial online). July 2007: 59(4):5. Available from: Literary Reference Center, Ipswich, MA.

Gem Profile by Layna Palmer

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Jewelry Resource for
May 8, 2013

Do you have an online gallery or portfolio?

There are nearly 200 instructors lined up to teach at this June’s Bead and Button Show – the annual shopping and workshop extravaganza that takes place over 13 days in Milwaukee. I took some time to browse through the instructors’ bios, clicking over to their personal websites to check out their specialty or gallery.

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What types of websites do jewelry instructors have?

Some of these instructors’ websites are simple blogs, with the jewelry maker carrying on a conversation about their craft. Others are full-fledged business fronts, offering merchandise through a sophisticated shopping cart program. And few sites, I was amused to see, look like they’d been designed by my seventh-grade son. However, all were doorways of a sort, allowing me to window shop and dream.

One trend was clear: Almost all of these jewelry designers and artisans had their own websites – except for just a handful. Those lacking an online presence left me feeling a bit empty, like I’d ordered cake and it arrived without frosting.

A good website is more important than a good business card

I’m old enough to remember when the business card connected buyers and sellers. And if the card was tossed into the garbage can, too bad.

The next wave of business communication was the email address – we all had to have one.

However, I’m learning that before long, if you want to sell your jewelry creations beyond local farmers markets and craft shows, a website will be as necessary as a cell phone. (How did we ever function without GPSs and tiny digital calendars? Sorry, FranklinCovey!)

As the internet grows into our primary means of sharing information, more and more customers will be asking for your website address, and expecting it to be on your business card.

To me, it’s not about building your brand or increasing your exposure – whatever the marketers call it. What seems much more important is the accessibility. A website can lend credibility to your creativity. It’s a nonthreatening way for potential customers to “check you out,” to see that you’re walking the walk, not merely talking the talk. And your “open sign” is out 24 hours a day.

Basics for having your jewelry portfolio on the web

After browsing through dozens of websites of jewelry creators, this is what I learned:

Size doesn’t matter: If you’re small, go small. Showcase a few jewelry pieces. List the shows you’re showing in (keep it current). Provide an email link. That’s all.

Names are easy: Clever website names turn out to not be all that important. Most of the jewelry artisans have web addresses reflecting their own name – such as www.janellehyatt.com or, as an option, www.jewelrybyjanelle.com (I just made those up! They don’t really exist). Plus, your name is easy to remember.

It doesn’t have to be expensive: Many of the websites I browsed took advantage of free blogging sites such as Blogger, WordPress, or Tumblr.  If you’re not tech-savvy, WordPress.com will allow you to have an immediate – and cheap – presence on the web. You will, however, still have to take your own photos.  (That’s a whole other subject!)

You don’t need a storefront: I was bewildered by the many jewelry crafters who had shopping carts – but only a few items to sell. A much easier and efficient way, I found, is for jewelry makers to link directly to their Etsy store.

You can maintain your privacy: A lot of us fear showing off on the internet because of the stories we hear about shadowy lurkers. Many jewelry makers solve this by divulging little about how to physically contact them.  Most have a simple contact form or a link from their email address. You don’t have to list your telephone number, although you may decide to. But, at the very least, readers like me will want to know what state you’re in!

You can choose a blog or a website, or both if you’re ambitious: Your choice depends on how much time you’re willing to spend. A static webpage allows you to get your information out there without a lot of follow-up maintenance. A blog (web log) is, by definition, an ongoing conversation about your artistic quirks, projects, and struggles. I love blogs, but you will have to decide if you’re unafraid of some exposure and able to tame the blog beast that will devour all your time.

But, for readers’ sake, don’t start a blog unless you actually plan on writing updates. One of the instructor’s last entries was 2007. We know you’re busy being creative, but come on!

Your turn

Do you have a website, an Etsy store, or both? What do you love about them, and how have they helped your customers connect with you? Let us know in the comments below!

Have a Wire Jewelry Idea you’d like to share? Click Here to submit your idea. You could be featured on our Blog!

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Tool of the Week for May 6, 2013

This week’s tool: Magnesia Soldering Block, #SOL-455.00

Video by Kate, JewelryTools.com

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by Layna Palmer, Wire-Sculpture.com

All About Apatite

Shop New Bead Selection | Shop Apatite beads| Shop All Cabochons

We’ve all played the game “One of these things is not like the other …” OK, here goes: fertilizer, bones, teeth. But, in this case, all of these things are made of the same stuff. What is this material, you ask? Well, it’s one of the most common phosphate minerals, or calcium phosphate. This mineral is used in fertilizer, it’s what our teeth and bones are made of, and in the gem world, it goes by the name apatite (pronounced just like “appetite”).

Jane Duke created this necklace and earring set using 14kt gold-filled wire and aquamarine, prehnite, and apatite beads.

There are actually three different types of apatite. Although all are classified as the same material, they differ just a bit in their chemical structure. Calcium phosphate is called hydroxlapatite and is most common in tooth enamel and bones. Fluorapatite is most familiar as the fluoride we have in toothpaste and fluoridated water. Chlorapatite is the primary source of phosphate for plants, which is why we use it in fertilizer. Since all of them are basically the same material, we just use the mineral’s name, apatite, to describe the bunch.

These blue apatite beads from Dakota Stones are among Wire-Sculpture’s new bead selection.

This stone is a softie

Apatite can be found in all types of rock, but usually only in small fragmented crystals. In some types of metamorphic rocks, large crystals of apatite have been found. The main reason apatite is not a popular gemstone is mostly due to the small size of the crystals and the softness of the stone. Apatite, a 5 on the Mohs hardness scale, is fairly soft and difficult to facet, which is why we don’t see a lot of it on the market for gemstones. Apatite really should only be used in earrings, pendants, and as accent stones. If used in a ring, be careful not to be too rough, and set the gem in a protected setting. Clean apatite only with a soft cloth, and avoid any type of chemical cleaners.

Magan Weid created this multi-media dragonfly choker from a copper-dipped ceramic bead, with solid, copper wire, and a tail made of faceted apatite beads.

The word apatite comes to us from the Greek “apatein,” which means misleading or deceit. Interesting way to name a stone, don’t you think? The next question you may ask is: What is so deceiving about apatite? Well, it can be mistaken for other stones like beryl, peridot, and tourmaline. Apatite comes in a variety of colors — yellow, pink, purple, green, and blue. The most recognizable color is the natural blue-green color from Madagascar that was first introduced to the market in the mid-1990s. This stone was an answer to the more expensive Paraiba tourmaline that sells for thousands of dollars per carat.

Terri McMahon wire wrappped this 30x20mm apatite cabochon in sterling silver wire.

To attain a more desirable color, the stone was heat-treated to deepen and brighten the hues, creating neon apatite in teal, green, and a bright Paraiba-like blue. The stones can be clear and faceted or chatoyant and cabbed for a cat’s eye effect.

This apatite bracelet is made from Argentium silver wire, with matching earrings, made by Jane Duke.

Apatite’s Value: Promotes peace and harmony

Apatite is a Gemini zodiac stone that helps the wearer remain focused. It also stimulates thoughts and ideas in addition to encouraging communication and intellect. It is useful in promoting inner peace and harmony, and thus helps to clear confusion and dissipate negative emotions. It also helps with bone and cartilage health and relieves arthritis and joint pain. On a diet? Apatite also raises the metabolic rate while decreasing appetite. It is a stone, they say, of manifestation, learning, health, and harmony.

Not only is apatite found readily on the earth, it’s also been found on the moon — Apollo astronauts brought back rocks that have been shown to contain apatite with enough water in the form of hydroxyl (calcium hydroxide) to cover the moon’s surface in approximately 1 meter of liquid if you were able to extract it all.

Apatite for a road trip!

Road Trip! (You thought I’d forgotten!) The most recognizable apatite comes from Madagascar. It would be fun to travel there, but if you’re like me and on a budget, just rent the movie and laugh at the penguins.

Other apatite-rich deposits are in Mexico, Brazil, and the United States. Maine brings us some beautiful purple apatite from Apatite Mountain, which consists of old quarries now managed by the City of Auburn. There is public access to poke around and try your hand at rock hounding. You may find some purple apatite, lepidolite, smoky quartz, and tourmaline. Please only use hand tools and make sure you prepare for a day of dirt, digging and no facilities.

To get to this Maine apatite site, drive from Auburn on Route 11/121 where you will be able to turn off between Hatch and Garfield roads. Parking is available on the road and you may want to check in with the National Guard Armory to use their facilities before going on to the quarries.

Jane Duke created this horseshoe link bracelet using Apatite chip beads and sterling silver wire.

For those of us in the Western U.S., a fun-filled trip to the Oceanview Mine in southern California is in order. For a fee, you can spend the day digging for a variety of gems, including apatite, quartz, and tourmaline. The mine is located near Pala in San Diego County. Since it’s a working mine, it’s open to the public only a few days per week. Bring water, sunscreen, lunch, and a good pair of gloves — the mine provides everything else. You get to keep what you find at no additional charge and can even take a 5-gallon bucket of screened gravel home with you if you like.

Well, I don’t know about you, but all this talk about apatite has made me hungry for some beautiful blue stones to incorporate into my next project! Speaking of blue stones — next week we’ll introduce you to Larimar from the Dominican Republic.

Have you wire wrapped larimar beads or cabochons? Send pictures of your larimar jewelry to tips@wire-sculpture.com and it could be featured.

Resources & Recommended Reading

• Apatite
• Apatite on the moon
• Apatite metaphysical properties
• Mineral hunting in Maine
• Oceanview Mine

Gem Profile by Layna Palmer

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Jewelry Resource for
May 1, 2013

These gems are HOT!

I’m learning so much as I get to know our new line of gemstone beads — studying up on such semi-precious gemstones as seraphinite and bronzite, and trying to figure out how the Dog Teeth Amethyst earned its name.

Dog Tooth Amethyst Beads

(It has nothing to do with canine incisors, I discovered, but everything to do with the Dog Tooth Violet, a wildflower in the eastern U.S. It’s evidently not actually a violet; it’s more like a tulip, and it gets its name from its “dog tooth” shaped bulbs. Now, that’s more than you ever wanted to know, isn’t it?)

Heating Stones is just Part of the Gem Business

Most all the gemstone beads in Wire-Sculpture’s new line are natural stone in their natural state, but a few — onyx and sardonyx, for instance — are described as “heated” natural stone. I started worrying about that. Could I wear my onyx earrings to the beach? And what if I accidentally left my new bead bracelet in, well, the oven?

Sardonyx Rectangle Beads

Rose also mentioned to me that she has received questions in the past about the advisability of adding beads to metal clay items that will be cooked in a kiln.

This question led me on a discovery tour of “heated” stone. En route, I gained a new appreciation for this method which has been used since ancient times to enhance the color of stone; that is, make it deeper, darker, or clearer. First thing I learned is that the vast majority of the sapphires you see are heated; otherwise, you’d see a lot of murky blue.

Onyx, too, is a gemstone that you rarely see, well, I’ll call it cold. The onyx in three of our new beads — onyx, matte onyx and sardonyx — is like most onyx, in that it originated as plain agate.

Matte Onyx beads

These Beads are Cooked – Permanently

Don’t worry about your bracelet falling into the oven. When gem producers say words like “heated”, they don’t mean “baked”; what they really mean is downright “scorched.”  The stones are subjected to temperatures of between 500 and 1,600 degrees Celsius in large, computer-controlled furnaces.

The goal of this heat treatment is to rearrange the structure of the atoms — often dissolving microscopic bubbles and specks to improve the clarity of the stone by eliminating cloudiness. Other times, as with a ruby, temps are high enough to nearly melt the stone, transforming the aluminum oxide into a new crystal structure and producing a brilliant red.

Rocks aren’t Strangers to Heat

This heat process, we’re assured, it’s not anything the stone hasn’t gone through before. When you think about it, heating a stone to enhance its color is merely continuing the process that began in, say, the lava flow; if left in the earth, it would continue this process on its own.

However, there does seem to be something hammy in taking millions of years and compressing it into the length of a football game.

Heating is just one of several common treatments

A couple of other stones in our new bead selection have been treated. Our smoky quartz beads have been irradiated to produce their dark-brown color. This treatment is almost as common as heating the stone. The flamboyant blue and purple crazy lace agate has been dyed. The only beads that are not actual gemstones are the cherry quartz & goldstone, which are actually beautified glass.

Smoky Quartz beads

Even the early Romans heat-treated stones to transform boring into brilliant, just as our modern gemologists do. That’s because there would be very few colorful — yet affordable — gemstones on the market, as it’s very rare for gems to naturally occur in the rainbow hues we love.

Affordable is the key word here. Robert James FGA, GG, gives this example: A rare 3-carat sapphire that comes out of the earth a brilliant blue could cost you upwards of $20,000; compare that with $1,500 for the same-sized sapphire that earned its color through heat treatment.

Some gemstones we use wouldn’t even exist without heat treatment. I’m thinking particularly of citrine, which is heat-treated amethyst. And purplish-blue tanzanite begins it gem life as a dull, reddish brown.

Heated to Last

So, how will this process affect your jewelry? It won’t. Heat treatments produce a permanent change, so wearing your stones even daily won’t affect them. However, as with most gemstones, onyx and sardonyx should be kept away from exposure to extremes of heat and household chemicals that can damage the stone.

As for firing stone beads in a kiln — that’s pretty complicated. Here is a wonderful chart (36.2KB PDF download), though, that will give you some guidance. Interestingly, it recommends against firing any quartz, from agate to amethyst. Cubic Zirconia stones, however, will stand up to extreme heat – neat!

Know what you’re Getting

To safeguard against any falsities related to colored gems, always buy your gems and beads from a reputable distributor. These dealers will most often know if a gem is heat treated, and are legally bound to pass that information along to you; however, some may not know the origins of the gem if it’s imported. Most vendors are honest and forthcoming, but remember that it’s your responsibility to ask.

That’s one of the primary factors in Wire-Sculpture’s decision to go with a reliable U.S. distributor for our new bead line. You can trust that the bead you see on the web page is the bead you’ll receive.

So, don’t worry, be happy, and delight in all the bright colors you want!

Resources & Futher Reading

• Gentle Heat Treatment
• Complete Heat Treatment for Tanzanite
• Heat Treatment Consumer Information by Robert James, FGA, GG

Have a Wire Jewelry Idea you’d like to share? Click Here to submit your idea. You could be featured on our Blog!

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Tool of the Week for April 29, 2013

This week’s tool: Chrome 2 Sided Mirror, #MIR-107.03

Video by Kate, JewelryTools.com

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Gem Profile Contest for
April 26, 2013

You know the deal: it’s time to identify 8 rocks from recent gem profiles for the chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Wire-Sculpture.com. The first 5 people to correctly identify them will be the winners!

How well have you been paying attention during the gem profiles? Click here to review our Gem Profiles.

Gem Profile Contest: Name that Rock!

It’s pretty simple: Below are 8 pictures or descriptions from Gem Profiles that we’ve published on the Blog. Simply leave a comment below identifying each stone in order – be specific today – and you could win!

The first 5 comments with the correct answers will each win a $10 gift certificate to Wire-Sculpture! Winners will be notified via email later today.

UPDATE: We have our winners! Congrats to Suzanne B., Michelle, Suzanne G., Christine, and Deborah, and thanks to EVERYONE for participating!

Stone #1:

Rusty-red and sometimes called sard, this member of the chalcedony family was used in Roman times for stamping seals in wax, because wax doesn’t stick to this stone. It’s an alternative birthstone for July.

Stone #2:

Stone #3:

Stone #4:

Herkimer diamonds aren’t judged by the 4 C’s – that’s because they’re not diamond, but what material?

Stone #5:

The gem form of an olive-colored mineral, this stone is the birthstone of August.

Stone #6:

Stone #7:

You can see inclusions of this stone in #6′s picture. This shiny, metallic mineral forms in distinctive cubes.

Stone #8:

An altered form of granite, this pink and green stone is named for the US mountains where it was discovered.

Think you know them all? Leave a comment listing what stone is pictured or described, in the order shown, and you could win a $10 gift certificate!

Next week we’ll be talking about apatite! Have you wire wrapped apatite beads or cabochons? Send pictures of your apatite jewelry to tips@wire-sculpture.com and it could be featured.

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