About the Beads

Just a little bit of info about the materials and beads that I use....

Silver

Most of my jewellery is made with sterling silver.  I also like to use Bali and Karen Hill Tribe Silver from Thailand.  This type of silver is 99.5% pure silver as compared to sterling silver, which is 92.5% pure.  Even better, Karen Hill Tribe silver is fair trade!

Gold

The gold I use is not pure gold as the cost is prohibitive.  However, I use the next best thing, which is gold filled.  This should last the life time of your piece, unlike vermeil which can rub off over time.  Vermeil is either 24k or 22k gold, plated onto sterling silver.  Gold filled is gold bonded with heat onto another metal, such as brass, thus making it far more durable.

Lampwork Beads

Many of the beads I use are lampwork beads.  They have been individually handmade by melting hot glass, with the aid of a blow torch, around a metal mandrel.  Various layers of glass will produce differing and interesting effects.  The beads are then placed in a kiln and left overnight to anneal.  This makes the beads much more durable and hard wearing.  Most massed produced beads are not kiln annealed, making them far more prone to breakage.

Semi-precious Gemstones

I think these speak for themselves – lots of sparkle and colour!  I usually use high quality gems, anything from A to AAA grade.

Murano Glass Beads

I love these beads - so many colours, shapes and sizes.  They are all genuine beads from the island of Murano and I purchase all of mine from a licensed supplier.

Czech Glass Beads

Again, these are good quality beads from the Czech Republic.