Amethyst & Moonstone Tassel Earrings

The tassel earring is one of my favourite designs, I particularly like the way small briolettes look when there are lots and lots of them together - it's the added texture that does it for me.




Here is a pair of tassels combining pale Lavender Amethyst, Moss Amethyst (these are shot through with dark 'needles', which I find quite captivating) and Moonstone. I've bathed them in oxidising fluid to darken the silver and create extra depth in the colours. Pretty in daytime, mesmerising at night.

Lavender Amethyst Dormeuses

I confess to having indulged in a little bit of alchemy lately, having discovered how to turn silver charcoal-black. I love the contrast between black silver and pale translucent gemstones, such as this pair of lovely Lavender Amethysts which really sparkle against their dark matte setting.

Vanessa Paradis - Coco, l'Esprit de Chanel

One of my all-time favourite ads, I love Vanessa Paradis as the exotic bird in a guilded cage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGtmjZ9Yuj0&feature=related

Champagne Citrine Dormeuses

Nothing is like a pair of sparkling "dormeuses" to liven up a plain outfit on a boring day. These are made from faceted pear briolettes of Champagne Citrine encased in gold-fill wire and suspended from gold-fill hooks. Like a drop of honey falling from each earlobe...

Chalcedony

Chalcedony is cryptocrystalline quartz with a wax-like lustre which occurs in almost any colour of the rainbow. Should be protected from scratches, sharp blows, harsh chemicals and extreme temperatures.

The Romans prized chalcedony carved into seals, and the Victorians wore finely carved cameos and intaglios. Chalcedony was used in Renaissance magic for health and safety.

Chalcedony is found in many parts of the world, but the most prized Chalcedony are from India, Madagascar, Burma, Brazil, Mexico & USA.

Friday indulgence

Friday afternoons are mine, entirely mine to do whatever I like... Time to indulge in a few aural memories, found on YouTube, such as this: "Une Femme Avec Toi" sung by the silky-voiced Nicole Croisille. Gorgeous...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-65kjpU1Qfw

Chalcedonie

Chalcedony... such an uninviting name for a gemstone, so hard to know how to pronounce... And yet, such a pretty stone, so malleable (it is frequently dyed into the lushest colours) and accessible too, so it is no wonder that this semi-precious gemstone has become more prominent in fashion jewellery lately.

Here is a pair of slightly baroque briolettes of gel-blue chalcedony in a very simple setting swinging from sterling silver lever-back earwires. I have treated these to an oxidising bath, which blackens the silver and creates a lovely contrast to the luminous colour of the stones.

I have been having a lot of fun oxidising silver lately, so more black silver will follow.