Handmade Jewellery With a Difference

Murano glass is a famous handmade glass product that originates from the island of Murano, where it has been handcrafted for years. Murano made its name as a commercial port just off the shore of Venice in Italy as far back as during the 7th century. Murano is regarded as an excellent tourist destination for lovers of fine art and handcrafted jewellery for good reason.

For centuries, the glassmakers in Murano held a monopoly on all quality glass and glassmaking. These master artisans refined a number of popular glassmaking technologies for the creation of handmade jewellery, including glass with threads of gold, milk glass, multi colored glass, and imitation gemstones crafted from glass. These age old techniques are still being employed as Murano glass handmade jewellery is crafted into stunning contemporary art.

Murano glass handmade jewellery was massively produced in the 50s and 60s for the purpose of exporting to other countries as gifts and for tourists. The processes used to create these stunning glass gifts is still being employed as the popularity for painstakingly crafted handmade jewellery continues to grow.

Because Murano glass handmade jewellery cannot be massively produced, but rather employs painstakingly complex glassmaking techniques, each piece of Murano glass jewellery is one of a kind and makes for an incredible gift. Anyone who appreciates the gift of handmade jewellery will appreciate what it means to own a handcrafted piece of stunning Murano art glass jewellery.

That is because no two pieces of art glass jewellery from the island of Murano are the same, and each piece is handcrafted using age old traditions that were cultivated and mastered by the finest glass artisans that the world had ever seen at the time that Murano art glass became such a sought after commodity. Anyone scouting for the best gifts to give for special occasions will be thrilled to find that there is a style of Murano glass handmade jewellery to suit all tastes and styles.

Murano art glass handmade jewellery is crafted using high quality glass and melting agents called flux. Glass is shaped and molded on rods over a flame or torch and slowly manipulated to create highly detailed and truly unique gifts in the form of pendants, beads and other jewellery elements. The colors, styles, materials and techniques used in Murano art glass handmade jewellery can vary significantly depending on what look the master glassmaker is hoping to create.

Popular styles for Murano glass handmade jewellery gifts include millefiori, filigree, enamel painted, engraved, lattimo, gold engraved, incalmo, ribbed glass and submersion glass. Each of these styles creates a completely different and unique piece of handmade jewellery, and because each is crafted by hand, no two could ever be created alike. If you are looking for the perfect gift for someone who seems to have everything, or just the perfect compliment to a favorite outfit, then Murano art glass handmade jewellery is an excellent avenue to explore. This stunning one of a kind handmade jewellery style makes an excellent idea for gifts, whether you are treating a friend or yourself.

Buying Tips For Men’s Designer Jewellery

Jewellery is a gift of choice for many because one cannot go wrong with giving away jewellery. Fine jewellery is made even more exquisite if it is bought as a gift. When thinking of buying men’s designer jewellery, there are some considerations to make to ensure that the valuable piece you buy will continue to impress even as the years go by. Here are some buying tips for you to get the most out of your money.

First thing to consider when buying jewellery is your personal taste. Since there are many available designs to choose from, you must be able to choose something that truly expresses your personality, style and individuality. homme rock has a splendid collection and display of traditional and modern men’s designer jewellery that will truly fit whatever type of personality you may have.

An important consideration when planning to buy jewellery is, of course, the budget that you have for one. Since fine jewellery will need you to spend a bit of cash, you have to control as to how much you are willing to spend. You have to keep in mind that various designs made out of the different materials will have varying prices attached to it. But you can always get great deals when buying jewellery at online stores like homme rock.

Other consideration to buying jewellery, especially ones with diamonds, is the diamond certification. To assure you get authentic and quality diamond jewellery, make sure your look for the AGS or GIA certification. Since jewellery is considered as an investment, you always have to make sure that you are getting the crème de la crème of jewellery. In relation to this, you also have to consider the diamond’s quality as to the cut, color, clarity and karat. The best diamond jewellery has the highest rating as to these four properties but make sure the choice you make fits your budget. At homme rock, most popular pieces are their men’s diamond earrings.

Also to consider is the quality of the material used. Commonly, gold is the metal of choice although there are several alternatives to gold that is now very much popular in the jewelry business. Pure gold is a very pliable material that it is usually mixed with another metal to increase its durability. Fine gold grades are those with a karat value of 18K and 24K, while the most common type of gold is at 14K. At homme rock, most of their jewelry is designed to incorporate gold into the other different materials such as titanium to create an even better and classy finish.

Buying men’s designer jewellery should not be a challenge to face. Instead, it should be an enjoyable experience for the buyer. Sure, there are many designs to choose from that might get you confused as to which one to buy, but certainly knowing what you want and how much you are willing to spend on one will narrow down your choices to the best possible choice that your money can buy.

Silver And Gold Make Your Own Jewellery Kits

Do you enjoy designing, making and wearing your own handcrafted jewelry?

Many of us get the jewellery-making bug as children after being given beads and jewelery making sets for Christmas or birthday presents. Of course as a child stringing brightly coloured beads was easy and fun, it gave beautiful results that the child could wear or offer as a gift for their Mother or Grandma.

In America a product has been developed which enables you to fashion precious metals into stunning and unique pieces of jewelery, it is called metal clay. Like the bead set, it is easy and fun to use and creates beautiful items of jewelery.

Metal clay comprises of fine metal (silver or gold) and an organic binder, which is non-toxic. The substance behaves like clay and it can be shaped, moulded, modelled, pressed and textured in the same way clay can. Specialised moulds and tools are available to assist in the creating items.

Once an amount of metal clay has been shaped, it has to be left to dry before firing. Drying times can be artificially accelerated, however drying only usually takes a couple of hours depending on the thickness of the finished piece.

To fire your jewelery you can use your kiln, however if you are making jewelery for fun you don't want to go to the expense of buying a kiln.

Metal clay can be fired with a blowtorch on a heat resistant surface or in the flames on a gas hob. During firing the organic binder is burnt away so all that remains is the gold or silver metal. So simple yet ingenious.

Once your piece has cooled different finishes can be applied to give the piece different looks i.e. - brushed metal, polished antique or enameled.

Your unique piece of artwork could be threaded to a chain, or piece of leather or ribbon. An array of backing can be brought to turn your item into a broach, earrings, cuff links or hair slides. Your own imagination is your limit.

Once you have tried out your first metal clay kit you will be getting the bug for it, because you will see how easy it is to achieve stunning results.

Indian Jewellery Are Set With Precious Stones

Indian jewellery dates back 5000 years ago with the use of natural materials found in abundance all over the country. These were in the form of seeds, feathers, leaves, berries, fruits, flowers. Even animal bones, claws, and teeth were used. Today, Indian jewellery are set with precious stones and gems alike in gold, silver, and platinum.

The jewelries although are designed in its original traditional form. Antique as it may look like, but the intricate detailing of the Indian jewellery is beauty in itself. What prompted the Hindus to take pride in this art form was the desire to adorn oneself, thereby beautifying one self. Since India is a gem-bearing country, the resources were endless. Because of this too, the country was beset by invaders from all around.

Transgressing through time and history, Indian jewellery has not remained just a craft, but evolved into an art - both in design and workmanship. For the rulers, jewels were a statement of power, prosperity and prestige. But for the Indian woman, jewellery was and is, even today in many parts considered as a security, the value of which will almost always accentuate, never depreciate.

One of the precious aspect about the Indian jewellery is the temple jewelry design. This Indian jewellery is commonly associated with dancers practicing the dance form of Bharatanatyam or Kuchipudi. This is characterized by some of the finest handwork, painfully crafted by skilled craftsmen and jewelers. From earrings to necklaces to pieces for adorning the hair, feet, hip and even the plait, the temple Indian jewellery that is custom-made, according to the measurements of the customer, is surely an enviable possession.

This Indian jewellery is made with uncut rubies (pucchakallu), emeralds, uncut diamonds (param), pearls, sapphire and other precious stones with the foundation in gold. Though due to the finesse required in crafting it, the time required to deliver the Indian jewellery may sometimes even go up to a year, depending on the number of pieces required. But one sight at the final product and most of customers will forget the agony of their wait. The price range too could be anywhere between Rs. 80,000 for a pair of jhumkas (earrings) to several lakhs for necklaces and other specialized items. A set for a dancer, meeting all her requirements for the perfect adornment could be between Rs. 8,00,000 to Rs. 15,00,000.

“The reason for the expensive nature of temple Indian jewellery is obviously the making charge, which itself is almost one-third of the total cost,” says Kirtilal’s manager Gunashekar.

Other Indian jewelries include the antique Indian jewellery and the Minakari jewellery. The former, antique Indian jewellery, in contrast to its name, it actually relates to the present trend and is in reality considered more of fancy jewellery. While the Minakari jewellery, or enamelling a unique combination of gems, enamel pigments, and precious stones was born as a result of Shah Jahan’s aesthetic vision that transformed enameling into a sophisticated art.

All in all, the trend set by the Hindus for over 5,000 years never ceased the interest of the people to beautify themselves.

Home-made Safety Pin Jewellery

Make a beautiful bracelet from safety pins and beads. No one will know what it's made of until they look really closely.

To make the bracelet you will need...
Roughly 85 silver safety pins of the same size, an assortment of small beads and some sheering elastic.

Decorate each safety pin by opening each pin and slipping on some beads. Make sure there are enough beads to fill that side of the safety pin once the pin is closed again. Close the pin and use a pair of plies to squeeze the head of the safety pin to hold the pin firmly closed.

Decorate each pin in this way, adding beads to pins in a random way.

The pins are now threaded together. You will notice that there is a hole in the pinhead and another hole at the other end of the safety pin where the metal is turned, creating a circle. These are the holes used when threading up the pins.

Two lines of elastic are used one at the top and one below with the pins threaded onto them like the rungs of a ladder. To begin, thread the top line through the head of the first pin and the bottom line and through the circle hole. With the second pin, thread the top line through the circle hole and the bottom line and through the head of the pin.

Continue adding pins to the lines in this way alternating which way you add each pin. Make sure when you add the safety pins that all the beads are visible on the same side.

When the last safety pin has been added tie the two ends of the top line together so that all the pins sit closely together. Then tie off the bottom line in a similar way.

To make your bracelet look extra special, put it in an jewellery box or a metallic gift box on a bed of tinsel.

Cheap Gold Jewellery

There are simple steps in maintaining the luster of your most loved jewellery. The ingredients you can use can also be found in your own kitchen.

Here are a few simple steps on how to keep your jewellery looking brand new:
• You can use a mild “dish washing” detergent. This can be purchased from your local grocery store. Avoid the use of solutions that contain harsh chemicals. These harsh solutions can do further damage to your jewellery and further cause some more problems. Common solutions used by many are tooth paste and baking soda. This is although baking soda is too abrasive and tooth paste has a tendency to diminish the natural colour of your gold item.

• Get a bowl and fill it with at least one cup of warm water. The warm water’s temperature should be maintained because, at this temperature, any filth that becomes impacted on the sides of your charms can be easily removed.

• Next, mix your mild “dish washing” detergent into the warm water.

• Thoroughly stir it in order to create a soapy solution.

• Place your jewellery item into the solution for around one to two minutes. Do not soak for more than 2 minutes because this can totally ruin the colour of your jewellery.

• After submerging the item, do a swirling motion onto the cup so as to make some current on the cup. This current will apply some pressure and the item can be totally washed.

• Clean the inner portion and small corners of your necklace, bracelet, ring, or earrings as well.

• After this, utilize an already used soft toothbrush to lightly scrub your item. This is best if you do it lightly so as to avoid doing further damage on your item. You might get one of your stones washed off because of intense brushing.

• Rinse this thoroughly with clear, warm water.

• Then, polish it gently with a soft 100% cotton cloth. Making sure the cloth is clean and free of debris. This way, it can bring back the sparkling feature of your item, just like when you had purchased it. Do not use tissue paper. This may contain some piece and particles that can scratch you gold’s surface, leaving leave behind some small chunks of tissue within the small crests of your item.

• Before storing it together with your other gems, make sure it lies flat. It needs to be air dried completely. Complete dryness can be attained through an overnight exposure of your gold item. If you store it while its hidden sides are still wet, it can promote fungal and bacterial growth, causing allergies, illness and may even influence your other jewellery. The rationale for this is that the moisture present can speed up the tarnishing process. Once your item is dry, it will look dull. This is why rubbing it gently with a polishing cloth can help you see it shine again.

• To avoid scratches, rub the polishing cloth in varying straight lines but never with a circular motion.

• In storing your item, you need to put it in individual cases or cloth bags because your jewelleries may scratch each other and can further cause damage.

• If your gold jewellery still looks dark and dirty, it needs aggressive and thorough machine cleaning. Many jewellers have a type of machine that does automatic cleaning. Aside from this, many types of mechanical apparatus such as a steam, ultrasonic or ionic cleaner can be appropriate for specific pieces of gold jewellery. If this is so, you can ask them to clean your gold for you. This request can entirely help you attain the original sparkle and shine of your item.

A beautiful piece of jewellery, whether it’s cheapest or the most expensive of all, needs cleaning and maintaining. Your sweat, oil excretions from your body, perfume, lotion and even your make- up can tarnish your jewellery. It can make it look dull and lacking in luster.

The Greatness Of Men's Silver Jewellery

Silver has been a popular choice of metal, aside from gold, in the manufacturing of jewellery. In fact, it has gain popularity over the years since silver is undeniably cheaper than gold. But even with its relatively affordable price, silver is very pretty to look at. That is why it is used to make different jewellery such as bracelets, earrings, necklaces and so much more. There is a wide range of men's silver jewellery to choose from especially in online shops like homme rock.

Silver has an exciting property in that it reflects 95% of the light that gets to its surface. It such a beauty to look at since it sparkles even with any type of light that falls on it. This reflective property of silver makes is one of the reasons why it is a popular metal to use for accessories. Another property of silver that is to the materials advantage is that it is one of the softest metals and is very malleable. Silver can be made into different shapes and have the property to be melted then cooled and reformed. It can also be pounded into very thin sheets that is even thinner than human hair. Silver has another interesting property which is called alloying. Alloying means that pure silver can be mixed with other metals for more durability, for example mixing silver and copper creates what is called as sterling silver.

Sterling silver is the silver that is used for men's silver jewellery. Because silver is soft, as mentioned, sterling being 92.5% silver is the best option to use for jewellery and silverware as it can withstand daily use. Even if sterling may not be pure silver, it is very strong yet workable. It is also known for its beauty that lasts a long time.

When buying men's silver jewellery, you have to look for the stamps of quality to ensure that you are getting authentic silver and not just some silver ripoff. Most silver jewellery comes with a quality mark which shows the metal content and the registered trademark of the manufacturer. Authentic silver jewellery can be identified with a lion or leopard mark if it is made in the United Kingdom. If the jewellery is made from any other country, it usually is marked with a .925 or the word sterling. Be sure to look for the fineness mark and the maker's mark on your jewellery to assure its quality.

Once you have bought your silver jewellery, it is important that you take care of it to maintain its beauty. In order to do so, you must store your jewellery in a cloth pouch and avoid cleaning it with household chemicals such as bleach and ammonia. Also avoid wearing jewellery when swimming in chlorinated water. Sometimes, silver tarnishes as a result of its reaction with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide but this can be remedied by using specially formulated polishes that removes the tarnish.

One best way to avoid tarnish is by wearing your silver jewellery regularly. It is the reason why you bought one in the first place anyway;to be able to wear it and show its beauty to the public.