Jade is an ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals. Nephrite jade consists of the calcium- and magnesium-rich amphibole mineral actinolite. The rock called jadeitite consists almost entirely of jadeite, a sodium- and aluminium-rich pyroxene. The trade name Jadite is sometimes applied to translucent/opaque green glass.
The English word ‘jade’ is derived from the Spanish term piedra de ijada or ‘loin stone’, from its reputed efficacy in curing ailments of the loins and kidneys. ‘Nephrite’ is derived from lapis nephriticus, the Latin version of the Spanish piedra de ijada.
Jade pendants and jewelry are among the most popular examples of accessories out there.
Even though people usually associate jewelry with women, men today wear jewelry as well, and a lot more often than in past times. Jewelry is meant to add to one’s personality and display your own style and character therefore we all choose jewelry carefully to match our wardrobe, but mostly to complete our look.
Unique handcrafted jewelry has always been appreciated because everything is done by hand and not by a machine, therefore more thought goes into the making and setting as well as the details.
I was browsing the net to find a fashionable amber necklace to match my recently purchased dress. Finding this site was exciting because of the huge variety of jewelries from handmade jewelries, chic murano sets to elegant silver jewelries, I’ve never seen as many choices as the ones I found here.
What is more fun is that I get to buy not just the necklace that I was looking for, but also other kinds of jewelries to match my other pieces of clothing because of the affordability of these products.
This site has the best selection of handcrafted silver jewelry by far. I’ve browsed a lot of online stores but I haven’t seen as unique and high-quality as the ones in this catalog. For me, nothing beats stylish class and affordability and having both, it would be just a waste of time looking somewhere else.
Even my friends that I’ve recommended this site with were all thrilled with what they saw and can’t seem to stop from shopping. Now they also can’t wait to tell about this amazing site to their other friends as well!
Part of proper care for your jewelry is to store them correctly. Nice jewelry is typically unique and one-of-a-kind, so you don’t want to damage your Brazilian jewelry if it’s irreplaceable. There are some fairly easy ways around this, though. Here are some quick tips on jewelry storage.• Isolate each jewel from one another; an easy and effective solution is to wrap each piece in layers of acid-free tissue paper, untreated cotton, or raw silk. If you sew, you might try creating individual, acid-free bags for this purpose, which you can also purchase.
• Getting a jewelry box or jewel safe is imperative. Separating your pieces will ensure that necklaces won’t get tangled up and you can avoid each item scratching one another.
• Avoid storing in acidic materials, including some types of wood, most cardboard, and paper. Acidity can tarnish metal and cause pitting on both metal and stones. Plywood and particle board can also cause adverse reactions over time, due to acids in both the wood and the binder.
As a precious metal, caring for your silver is an easy, but meticulous process. At the same time, however, you don’t want to leave your jewelry to hands of time, only to have them tarnish and rust with age. Simple care will avoid the hassles of attempting to restore jewelry that’s so far damaged that it is beyond repair, which would save you the pain of having to throw away unique handcrafted jewelry.• If there is no tarnish on your silver, use a phosphate-free detergent to clean it after use. Silver that is used then gently washed and dried immediately, will require seldom tarnish removal.
• When first noticed, tarnish is easily removed. It becomes increasingly difficult to remove as it eventually turns to black. Frequent light cleanings, (washing the object with a phosphate-free detergent), then drying with a soft cloth is better than waiting until the tarnish gets so difficult to remove that more abrasive polishes would be needed.
• When polishing or drying always use a clean, soft cotton cloth. Certain items may require a clean soft cotton ball.
• Rub the object in a straight, back-an-forth manner so to maintain a uniform appearance. Avoid rubbing in a circular motion.
• With the smallest amount of polish possible, use a large cotton ball and turn the surface being cleaned - avoid touching the non-silver portion, gemstone, or hollow part of the item with the polish. Wood, amber, precious stones, gems, and ivory insulators can easily be damaged.
• After cleaning, if you notice a purplish stain after cleaning your silver, do not attempt to remove it. This stain, (oxidized copper), is called firestain and is commonly found on many colonial through nineteenth century pieces. The stain develops in sterling silver when oxygen penetrates the outer surface during brazing, oxidizing the copper. Fine silver is left on the surface when acid chemically removes the oxidized copper. These pieces will show this stain after many years of polishing.
In the Spring and Autumn Period, Bian Heh in the Chu state got a rough jade on Mount Chu. He decided to present the valuable jade to the emperor to show his official loyalty to his sovereign, Chuli. Unluckily, the jade was judged as a common stone by the court jadders, which made Emperor Chuli very angry, and had Bian Heh’s left foot cut down cruelly.
After the enthronement of the new emperor Chuwu, Bian Heh decided to submit the jade to Chuwu to clarify matters. Emperor Chuwu also had it checked by the jadders in the court. And the conclusion resulted in the same fact that Bian Heh lost the other foot.
After the death of Emperor Chuwu, the prince Chuwen was enthroned, that gave the poor Bian Heh a gleam of light of proving his clear conscience. However, the moment he thought of what he had incurred, he couldn’t help crying beside a hill. He could not stop crying for several days and nights; he almost wept his heart out and even blood was dropping from his eyes. And it happened to be heard by the emperor in the court. He ordered his men to find out why he was so sad. Bian Heh sobbed out “Call a spade a spade. Why was a real jade mistaken as a plain stone again and again? Why was a loyal man thought faithless time and time?” Emperor Chuwen was touched by Bian Heh’s deep grief and ordered the jadders to open the jade to have a close look. To their astonishment, in the rough coat, the pure content was sparkling and translucent. Then it was carefully cut and polished fine and at last the jade became a rare treasure of the state of Chu. In memory of the faithful man Bian Heh, the emperor named the jade by Bian Heh. And so the term “Bian’s Jade” came into being.
People usually describe something extremely precious, like jade pendants, in its value with Bian’s Jade.
Murano’s reputation as a centre for glassmaking was born when the
Murano’s glassmakers were soon the island’s most prominent citizens. By the 14th century, glassmakers were allowed to wear swords, enjoyed immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state and found their daughters married into
Murano’s glassmakers held a monopoly on quality glassmaking for centuries, developing or refining many technologies including crystalline glass, enamelled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multicoloured glass (millefiori), glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made of glass. Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these century-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass jewellery to Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers.
Today, Murano is home to the Museo Vetrario or
This bracelet features eleven tumbled Amethyst semi-precious gemstones which are native to Brazil and ten high quality 925 silver links. This memory wire bracelet can be adjusted to fit any wrist and always retains its shape, much like a slinky toy. It also eliminates the need for a clasp making it a boon for arthritis sufferers.
Amethyst has long been viewed as the stone to bring increased spiritual awarenes and is often associated with nobility and royalty, perhaps because of its purple color. It is said to offer protection from negative energies in one’s environment; it is also believed to enhance psychic abilities and aid in healing.