Swarovski Austrian Crystal
Swarovski Crystal is not quartz crystal, it's not just cut glass. It is the finest full cut and polished crystal with a high lead content which accounts for its brilliance and refraction of light. Each piece is full cut, polished and assembled with the highest quality of standards. The lead oxide must be atleast 24%. It is this mixture that offers exceptional clarity and prismatic colors. The exclusive Swarovski formula is, of course, a closely guarded secret, as are the cutting and polishing techniques. In terms of there overall quality, full lead crystals are simply a cut above other glass crystals.
Sparkling Czech Glass Beads
Czech beads are renowned for their excellent craftsmanship dating back to the 11th Century. Made of quality glass, the vivid colours will not fade and are consistent throughout the line. Our creations and designs are made with Jablonex prime-quality, LEAD FREE traditional Czech glass beads. Jablonex is the name behind the well-known Czech seed beads and Czech fire-polished beads, with exceptional colour and size consistency. The beads are optically-polished for a scratch-free surface creating maximum brilliance.
Fresh Water Pearls
A pearl produced by a mollusk/mussel, not an oyster, that inhabits fresh water, such as a lake or a river, as opposed to sea water. The pearls are usually shaped like an uneven grain of rice and unlike the saltwater oyster, which normally produces only one or two pearls, each mussel can simultaneously produce many. Freshwater pearls are grown in many countries such as the United States, Japan, China and Ireland. Natural freshwater pearls are found in a variety of colors including blue,lavender, violet, rose and gray. They can also be dyed to enhance or change their color.
Glass Pearls
Glass pearls are excellent imitations of natural pearls. They have a core of glass with a lusterous pearl coat providing dazzling sophistication and elegance. The only con about glass pearls is they are surface coated and can chip or crack and expose the clear glass core underneath. Glass pearls are available in a variety of sizes and colors.
14Kt. Gold~fill Beads
They are a mixture of 14Kt gold and sterling silver, they are not gold plated. They are preferred over 14Kt Gold because 14Kt gold is softer metal and can scratch and dent when placed with sterling silver and crystal beads. A bonded layer of gold is mechanically applied to the surface of a base metal, (like brass or copper). This can be called, 14Kt Gold~fill if the amount of gold equals one~twentieth of the total weight of the piece. Gold Filled beads are made very durable and the gold layer will not wear off, as many plated products do. It will last a lifetime.
14kt. Gold Vermeil
Vermeil or vermeille (pronounced either ver-meel' or ver-MAY') Vermeil is a gold-plating process which was developed in France in the mid-1700s. In the 19th century, France banned production of vermeil because the process involved the use of mercury. Present-day vermeil refers to an overplating of gold onto silver using a safe electrolytic process. Early-day vermeil involved the use of mercury. Modern-day vermeil is produced by a safe electrolytic process. The inside core is sterling silver and the outside is a coating of gold. Gold plate adheres nicely to silver. Gold-plate will darken over time, and will eventually wear off. On highly decorated surfaces such as Bali beads, the irregular darkening adds an antique effect to the piece. When you mix vermeil and gold-filled pieces together, remember that the vermeil will darken over time, but the gold-filled will not.
Sterling Silver
One of the three "precious metals" along with gold and platnum which has been used to make jewelry for thousands of years. Jewelry findings which include silver beads, crimps, clasps, toggles and alphabet beads are made of 92.5% pure sterling silver, and considered the best type of silver for jewelry. Silver has a lustrous white color but needs polishing occasionally because silver reacts to sulfur in the air and becomes oxidized. It is harder than gold and much more plentiful, but still too soft in its natural state to be of much use as jewelry without being alloyed with a harder metal. The alloy is 92.5% pure silver, usually with some copper added for hardness, also to delay tarnishing. To bring back jewelry piece to original state (New or Shiney) polish with a impregnated silver polishing cloth and store in a plastic zip~lock bag.
Our letter block beads, used in the name bracelets, are made from sterling silver. Some of our competitors use cast pewter alphabet beads which are no comparison to pure sterling silver.
Bali Silver Beads
A specialized type of sterling silver bead, characterized by intricate flourishes and delicate, ornate bas~relief work. They are often handmade and are typically imported from Turkey, India, or Bali. Because these beads are individually crafted from sterling silver by numerous bead artisans, there may be a slight variation in size, form, hole size and oxidation.
Turquoise
One of the first gemstones to be mined over 3000 years ago. Turquoise has long been prized for its intense color, which varies from sky blue to green, depending on the quantities of iron and copper within it. Turquoise is commonly found in Iran, Tibet, Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico, Tanzania, Chile, Australia, Turkestan, England and Arizona. Turquoise has been thought to warn the wearer of danger or illness by changing color.
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LEAD FREE Pewter
There are many formulations used to make pewter beads, but all have a high tin content of between 85% and 95%. Pewter beads are made from this tin alloy, using added metals like copper for strength and durability.
Tin has a low melting point, so pewter beads are cast and manipulated into interesting shapes, block letters and beads for jewelry making with great ease. They are malleable and carve easily; allowing craftsmen to hand make much of their exterior decoration.
Lead previously had been used in some mixtures of pewter beads. Once the poisonous properties of lead became known, alternative metals are used to create pewter beads.
Sparkling Faceted Acrylic Beads
Not fake - they are REAL plastic,
made of a transparent polymer that dyes well. Available in an abundance of colors and cast, molded, pressed or extruded into wonderful shapes. Acrylics can appear as if they are crystal, glass, wood, even metal, have the appearance of being heavy yet be quite light weight. Some are polished and have a high shine that reflects light, much like crystal. Lead Free and safe.
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