The Gemstone Collection :

Gem is actually a mineral or an organic substance which is cut, polished and used as an ornament.  One can find many semi-precious and precious beads. Gemstones are available in different shapes, like round, oval, roundels, tubes and stars. Some of the most popular are oval- and bean-shaped gemstone, cube- and brick-shaped gemstone, nugget shaped, faceted cuts and button and roundel-shaped gemstones. Genuine gemstone beads include amazonite, amber, aquamarine and topaz, and are available at different prices. The prices of these beads vary in terms of the color, weight and clarity.  Unfortunately many bead vendors sale gemstone beads for their physical qualities and appearance and often do not provide an identification of the actual stone.   Keep in mind that with natural materials, slight variations between each bead/component is to be expected.

The Metal Collection:

Metal has been used in jewelry for thousands of years. Metal components run the gamut from precious metals such as gold and silver; base metals plated with gold and other metals including silver; bronze, iron pewter, brass and stainless steel.  Metals are often use to mold interesting shapes and images form abstracts to charms to accents.

The Sundry Collection:

Sundry (Various; miscellaneous) Collection consist of components made from materials that do not fit under one of the other featured collections.  Often these components’ comprising materials are unidentified and were chosen for their look, color, texture and potential to make striking cufflinks.

The Wood & Bone and Shell Collections (Natural Beads):

From rustic to regal, fabulous to funky...beads made from natural, organic materials run the entire gamut.  Natural beads tell a story, captivating all who see the designs that incorporate them.   Keep in mind that with natural materials, slight variations between each bead/component is to be expected.

·         Wood beads, whether carved, painted, or stained, exude earthy charm often made from olive, sandalwood, bamboo, bayong, ebony, ironwood, palm, apple, pear, and rose, to name but a few. All of these types of wood have been used for beads either because the grain of the wood is beautiful or because the wood is aromatic.

·         Bone and horn beads are some of humankind's first adornments. Bone was one of the first things early humans used for ornament.

·         Shell and Mother-of-Pearl evoke images of lush white sand beaches under tropical skies.    Items in The Shell Collection are comprised of natural shells from a variety of locales throughout the world. Some are in their true natural state while other have been carved or dyed.  Shells provide a delicate and striking addition to fashion of cufflinks.

The Glass Collection:

Glass beads come in a vibrant kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, finishes and types of glass beads covering the artistic spectrum from elegant to playful; glass beads are an unbeatable combination of beauty and value. Glass is a mixture of quartz sand and potash or soda, heated with lime.  It was invented by the ancient Egyptians and Romans, and later appeared in India.  Many cultures made glass.  Glass beads are formed in many different ways. Some of the most prominent today are:

·         Wound :  the bead is formed by the ancient technique of winding molten glass around a metal wire. The beads are then sliced and polished.

·         Lampwork :  a wound glass bead is formed by winding molten glass around copper wire heated over a lamp

·         Mosaic :  mosaic beads are very ornate, and are composed entirely of colorful fused segments of glass cane.  Glass cane is a long drawn rod of glass.

·         Millefiori :  these beads have layers of colorful glass fused in cross section and melted onto the surface of a bead.  The resulting surface can look like flowers, like faces, like an abstract pattern, or even a realistic scene.  One example of a glass cross section:  two layers of different-color glass, rolled up like a jelly roll, and then sliced.

·         Swarovski Crystal :  these are leaded (crystal) glass beads with a very high brilliance.  These are named for Daniel Swarovski who was born in Bohemia in 1862, and who invented a machine to cut glass.

·         Chevron:  a very popular bead, first made in the 1400's in Venice.  This bead is formed by drawn-out layered glass block sectioned into beads; their ends are cut or ground down to create a zigzag pattern, usually blue with white and red stripes.

·         Blown :  blown glass beads are formed as a craftsman blows into a glass tube that has a small piece of molten glass on the end.  The tube is turned over heat until the bead reaches the desired size.                      LAND OF ODDS