C is for Carnelian, Chalcedony, Connemara Marble.....

So we are (still) on the letter C in my ABC blog series (a not-so-comprehensive guide to jewellery materials and tools I use, care of your jewellery etc.) Deserving a blog post of its own, I recently separated out the subject of Crimping, a technique for finishing beaded strings. Part 2 looks at Carnelian, Chalcedony, jewellery Cleaning, Chasing hammers, Connemara marble, Cork Red marble, Copper and more. 

blue chalcedony earrings

Chalcedony is a family of quartz stones. Here comes the brief science bit so look away now if it's not your thing... Chalcedony mineral is a cryptocrystaline form of silica and is waxy in appearance. (That wasn't too painful, was it?!) This group of quartz includes Carnelian, blue chalcedony, onyx, agate and some other less common varieties such as aventurine and chyroprase.

Chalcedony has been used for decorative and practical purposes as far back as the bronze age. It was the initiation stone for Egyptian High Priests while Renaissance magicians believed it had protective qualities and, curiously, designated it their stone for health & safety. This gem is the symbol for creativity, calm, peace, well-being and banishing fear.

  

Carnelian is a variety of chalcedony very popular for jewellery. It is reddish brown in colour and semi transparent in appearance. Known as the warrior stone, historically, it was incorporated into the armour of Roman soldiers. This fiery stone is associated with successful careers, passion, stamina and sporting acumen. Natural healers believe it to be a cure for nose bleeds. Carnelian is also one of the birthstones for October.

close up of a piece of Connemara marble. Own photo

The best known, local gemstone is Connemara  marble. This 600 million-year-old stone is found only in the West of Ireland. It is a very rare marble and comes in a range of greens from a white washed grey-green to darkest sage with every shade of lime and leaf in between. Many specimens are heavily variegated with several tones in one small piece. The 'serpentine streaks' are what make it so special.  I am very proud to use Irish Connemara marble and also Cork red marble in my work. I have previously posted the following articles on these indigenous Irish stones if you wish to know more:

A Snippet about Connemara Marble

Bright Connemara Marble

Up Close and Personal with Connemara Marble

A little about Cork Red Marble

Connemara marble and copper pendant

Connemara marble happens to go very well with another traditional Irish material, Copper. This pliable metal has been mined in Ireland for millennia. It is a durable, reddish brown metal that lends a warm look to jewellery. Copper is the symbolic gift for the 7th wedding  anniversary. Said to help with inflammatory conditions, copper bracelets have long been worn by sufferers of arthritis

Turquoise jasper and pre-oxidised copper pendant

This beautiful metal is stunning when new and shiny but I love the rustic patina copper takes on with time.

          

C is also for Cleaning! If you don't like the oxidised patina you can brighten natural copper with a solution of water, lemon juice and salt. A few drops of the citric juice and a few shakes of salt in a breakfast bowl half full of water is enough to brighten it up in seconds. Note: not recommended for gemstones or pearls wrapped in copper. Sea glass and other glasses are safe. 

To brighten the copper wiring on the Connemara marble piece above,  I would slide a sheet of plastic or kitchen shrink wrap under the wiring then dip a cotton bud into the salty lemon solution, or even just ketchup, and very carefully clean the wire. Then I would dry it with kitchen paper and dunk the whole piece into a bowl of water for a quick wash, before drying very thoroughly.

For more tips on cleaning and care of your bling please visit the Jewelry Care section of my blog.

  

One of my most prized jewellery tools is a Chasing hammer. This type of hammer is used with a steel block or an anvil for flattening and hardening craft wire but also for creating texture.  I use a hammer on my wire charms and my own hook and eye clasps etc. Notice the bevelled texture on this silver spiral, achieved by using the smaller rounded side of the hammer head and tapping it along the wire.

 

Did you know C is for Fabulous...well it is when it's a fabulous Cotton Crochet Chain made by HuggleKnits - just perfect for my sea pottery and beach glass pendants. I love love love this hypoallergenic alternative to a rubber or ribbon choker as it is durable, washable, comfortable and so easy to throw on as it closes with a button. Don't you agree the dazzling blue really lifts the sea pottery pendant??

 

This is where I park the letter C, with a link back to posts about Clear Crystal quartz and November birthstone, Spanish Citrine. Back soon with the letter D, which I suspect will be much shorter.....

CLICK HERE FOR ALL POSTS IN THIS SERIES

C is for Crimping. How to Finish a Beaded Necklace

The letter C in my ABC series brings me to the subject of crimping and a whole lot more: Connemara marble, Cork red marble, copper, chalcedony, carnelian, chasing hammers... So much in fact, that I decided to separate out the technique of crimping into a blog post of its own.

Crimping is a secure and professional way to finish off beaded jewellery in lieu of knotting. Personally, I would use a knot only if beading with elastic for a stretchy bracelet, but with  tigertail (nylon coated steel beading wire) for me, it's crimping all the way. 

Crimps are tiny metal beads which you thread onto the ends of a beaded string and crush flat to hold the beads in place. They cling to wire holding it fast. I prefer this method over knotting as it is durable and quite simply, I'm better at it and more able to get in really close to the last bead for a smooth finish. It also eliminates any possible need for using glue. Glue and me often come to a sticky end. You can get a special crimping tool to help but I use the traditional flat nose pliers for crushing and employ crimp covers for a neat finish.

beaded eyeglass chain finished with crimps & wire guards

Crimp covers are fold-over metal beads that give a sleeker, safer finish. Crimp covers come in a range of metals, precious included. For extra durability I often double crimp, especially in a big or heavier necklace and for bracelets, which can get rougher treatment as the wearer goes about their daily business. 

Double crimping is unusual, but it is one of the features of my hand work that makes it extra special. Here is how I finished this big statement necklace for a custom order:

 

For a heavy necklace like this I also use two strands of tigertail for extra strength. I began by making the beaded link to the clasp, then looped the string onto it. Next I threaded on the first crimp about 1mm from the end and crushed it flat. You have to be careful not to let the wires cross over inside the bead or it will be weak.

The next stage is to grip a suitably sized  crimp cover and place the crushed crimp into its 'mouth' then gently fold it closed with the pliers. Sterling silver covers are quite soft and easy to squish out of shape so this is a delicate operation. 

Very light tapping and squeezing gets the cover properly lined up and sealed smoothly. Most beaders do not double crimp but I like to as the second crimp takes some of the weight off the first one. I usually separate out the crimps with a bead that matches the piece, so making them part of the design. 

The stones and beads go on next and the trickiest part is finishing the strand. Bead your crimp(s) on but don't crush yet. For this heavy necklace I used two lengths of tigertail and both strands would be doubled back to pass through the crimps again, so extra wide crimps were required.

Loop the tigertail onto the clasp (wire guards may be used if desired. See photo of blue eyeglass leash at top of article). Double back to thread through the crimps and the first 2 or 3 beads. Make sure to trim the wire to such a length that it will hide inside a bead. I've done this bit super loosely just for the photo before pulling it tight.

Once the wire is tucked away and beads are in position, only then are the crimps crushed and covered.

Onyx & oxidised silver necklace (custom OOAK order)

See how the covered crimps are now part of the design? The double string and double crimping makes this big necklace extra strong.

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Watch this space for part 2 of the letter C 

Click HERE to see all posts in the ABC series