Jewelry Material: Gemstone

What is marcasite? And why is its price tag higher than other gemstones? To answer this important question, a little gemology and fashion history is in order.

This chic jewelry set featuring lapis lazuli half-moon beads and trendy tassels will sweep you off your feet with its stylish design.

Elegant jasper and silk stone beads are paired with antique silver-plated brass in this alluring necklace and earring set. The delicate filigree adorning the flower focals adds a touch of timeless femininity to the overall design.

Make a bold statement with this stunning necklace and earring set that exudes earthy elegance. This showstopper features beads of dyed African "turquoise," antiqued copper and faceted red jasper, creating a truly captivating ensemble.

Amber and golden horn beads hang like drops of "Honey in the Comb" in Sandy Mikel's striking necklace.

Crafted with captivating shimmer, these exquisite earrings boast an elegant teardrop shape enhanced by the brilliance of Crystal Passions® light rose and amethyst faceted beads.

With icy whites and greens as cool as frost, these cultured pearl and natural green aventurine earrings make a striking and contemporary statement.

This breathtaking multi-strand bracelet is full of dreamy colors and fascinating textures. Deep-purple and lavender amethysts put on a regal show alongside prehnite, emerald and apatite's soothing hues.

Secure your eyeglasses in style with this eyeglass holder, featuring exquisite gemstone beads and sparkling Crystal Passions® flat backs, elegantly accented by metallic beads.

This enchanting little star delights with its radiant gold-finished brass and sparkling cubic zirconia embellishments. The faceted ball chain adds a celestial touch, providing an ideal complement to the star's sweet charm.

Turquoise, copper and sterling silver mingle in this stylish bracelet featuring the ever-popular December birthstone. Turquoise looks fantastic with silver or copper—and even more fabulous when it's all three together.

Refine your look with our sterling silver triple rope necklace chain, adorned with a captivating Celtic-designed naja and hand-cut mystic topaz beads for a touch of elegance.

Capture the elusive interplay of sunlight and shadow with these mesmerizing earrings. The elongated rectangles, embellished with delicate pearls and green apatite beads, will shimmer with a captivating and evocative glow.

Promo beads can make your wallet and your customers happy. Read on to discover how these gemstone beads can enhance your jewelry designs as well.

This silver-strung lariat-style necklace and earring set features striking tigereye accents for style that reflects both simplicity and elegance.

The royal hues of amethyst combine with the sparkles of tiny marcasite stones set in large sterling silver beads. This vintage style, so popular in the 1920s, is back on-trend for another decade of 2020's.

Revitalize your look with this stunning sterling silver drop necklace, adorned with radiant cubic zirconia in August's Peridot, December's Blue Topaz, and February's Amethyst. The elegant pendants hang delicately from a sterling silver chain, complemented by refined sterling silver accents and a secure jump ring for a touch of sophistication.

Revitalize your style with these stunning drop earrings crafted with hand-cut dyed garnet oval beads, natural round amethyst beads, and hand-cut flat oval peridot beads, all delicately accented with sterling silver for a touch of sophistication and charm.

Wide spacer bars and gemstone beads warm up the cool silvery tones of this bold bracelet design, while the toggle clasp gives it a secure finish.

Beautifully dyed selenite gemstone beads evoke blue skies in this romantic necklace and earring set that reminds us of summer days spent together.

Stretch your fashion sense with a moukaite jasper stretch bracelet that’s sure to be a bestseller.

Opal is an uncommon gemstone with an equally uncommon beauty and a sadly common fragility--leading it to be recreated in the laboratory as a stronger composite that withstands the stresses the natural opal cannot.

Delve into the rich history and cultural significance of jade, highlighting its revered status in Chinese culture, its exceptional toughness, and its various forms, including jadeite and nephrite, as well as its widespread use in jewelry and carvings, with an emphasis on the importance of color, translucency, and texture in determining jade quality.

Learn all about knapping, an ancient technique for creating gemstone tools or personal adornment. You'll be amazed how much effort goes into these creations!

Adorn yourself in the captivating hues of crazy lace agate with our exquisite bracelet, earrings, and necklace set, featuring stunning beads ranging from light to dark blue, accented with the warmth of copper.

Enhance your look with our exquisite necklace and earring set, showcasing beautiful lapis lazuli teardrops and intricate sterling silver accents, for a truly captivating ensemble.

Bezel setting connectors have made creating gemstone cabochon jewelry a breeze. Create a sophisticated Western-inspired style with this turquoise set.

Q: I am wondering how to drill small holes in certain pieces to accommodate certain designs. How would I drill holes in sterling silver or brass components? Also, how would I drill an extra hole in a pendant made of howlite? HELP!

Elevate your style with our exquisite earrings and bracelet featuring stunning lilac stone and yellow calcite beads, accented with silver-plated brass for a touch of elegance.

Transform your outfit with this captivating necklace and earring set, adorned with amethyst beads elegantly hung from sterling silver rabbit ear bails.

Q: What is the difference between "heated" and "dyed" colored stones?

Q: I recently came upon and purchased several pieces of natural quartz in various sizes. Mostly spear or column shaped. I know most times these are wire wrapped for wearing, but I was wondering about drilling a hole to string them that way. Would that be possible? If so what kind of drill bit should I use? Should I do anything to prepare the quartz before that? Thanks.

Q: Are dyed, heated or stabilized gemstones less valuable than the natural ones? And what is the difference between them?

Q: When I buy beads in bulk, they often have a white powdery substance in the bead hole. I am using a small file or a fine drill bit to clean out some of them, but there must be an easier way to do this.

Q: What do I use to drill a hole in a cabochon? I can't find anything to go through.

Q: I bought some lovely white agate nugget beads. However, many of them look like their edges are dirty. Can you tell me the best way to clean these beads?

Q: Several cabochon gemstones and paua shells do not exactly fit the settings I purchased for their size. How do I shave down the edges to make them fit?

Stay fashion-fresh with amazonite! This necklace, earring and bracelet set is designed around the contrast between the warm golden tones of the findings and the cool minty blue-green of the gemstone.

Q: Is there a simple way that I can increase the polished look of the commercial grade stone beads like the sodalite?

Q: How do I drill a hole in a gemstone already polished.

These heishi drop earrings are sure to add a touch of boho style to any fashion.

Designer Marlene Rydzewski, creates a sophisticated necklace and earring set using sapphire beads, cultured freshwater pearls and sterling silver wire.

Clusters of sparkling red rubies and lustrous freshwater pearls hang daintily from gold-filled chain on this elegant necklace

The gemstones in these delicate earrings infuse this design with the essence of early morning rain. Follow our free tutorial to make your own pair.

One is a beautiful number. One sterling silver drop with peg + one half-drilled "opal" bead + one bail + one chain = one timelessly elegant pendant necklace.

Learn how to make a custom bezel setting for any cabochon using bezel strips. Clear images demonstrate every step in this how-to.

Celestial jewelry is always a stylish choice and these wire-wrapped quartz moons are radiant.

Ukrainian artist Elena Golovchenko blended purples and lavenders from gemstone, Czech fire-polished glass and seed beads to create this bib necklace. Follow Elena Golovchenko’s intricate design with Fashion Magazine’s instructions.

Follow the steps below to create a timeless and fashionable "Y" necklace. Your necklace is sure to get "oohs and aahs" from all who see it.

Bezelite settings take all the mystery and headache out of stone setting. Even a beginner can get great results in seconds! They are made for faceted stones and most cabochons.

A stunning memory wire bracelet adorned with a harmonious blend of natural wood, captivating gemstones, and elegant sterling silver charms and beads.

With an incredibly storied past, bloodstone was called "the Stone of Babylon," then later "the stone of martyrs," thought to have drops of Jesus' blood and believed to make rain.

Jasper was popular in the ancient world for its medicinal and spiritual values, and has been used for centuries by cultures around the world for its unique properties.

Chrysoprase is a birthstone for May, which has traditionally symbolized happiness, enterprise and prudence. It is a powerful gemstone that brings good fortune and prosperity.

Coral is a highly prized substance believed to be endowed with mysterious sacred properties. Coral has been called the "garden of the sea" because it was once believed to be a plant.

Though not a stone--or gold!--goldstone is still a beautiful "gemstone" material. Its creation is shrouded in urban legend, including the result of alchemy or on accident by Italian monks.

Looking for the perfect gemstone to help you concentrate? Fluorite, the stone of discernment and aptitude, may be just what your next handmade jewelry design needs.

Dalmatian jasper, better known as Dalmatian stone, is an opaque, white spotted gemstone with brown and black will make people turn around and look back at jewelry featuring it.

When you see someone wearing flower jasper, it's like unexpectedly seeing a bouquet of warm, sunny colors. Flower jasper is thought to lift spirits and bring joy; perfect for jewelry!

Jasper is an opaque chalcedony that comes in a wide variety of colors. Fancy jasper is known for its scrumptious color palette of mauves, lilacs, creams and greens all mixed together.

Cat's eye quartz is thought to bring good fortune--sounds like a great reason to use it in jewelry! There are more reasons cat's eye quartz is ideal for jewelry, too, especially men's designs.

A relatively young stone found exclusively in Northern Mexico, crazy lacy agate is known not only for its stunning banded patterns, but its powerful healing energies.

Agate gemstones, especially fossil agate with its visible ties to the past in the form of fossilized life inside, have a deep connection to the Earth.

The most royal of agates, Botswana agate is famed for its extra-fine banding of white, black, shades of grey and occasional touches of pink or salmon hues.

While garnet is mostly known as a rich, red stone, garnet is actually a larger group of minerals. Hessonite garnet is a specific grossularite form known for warm, yellow to reddish tones.

According to modern healers who use gemstones, green agate increases compassion, generosity and mental as well as emotional flexibility.

As the West views diamond, the East views jade. Jade became the preferred material for objects d'art in China, with the value of certain varieties exceeding their weight in silver and gold.

This very shiny, metallic grey man-made material is exactly what its name says it is: Hemalyke™, a "look alike" for natural hematite, but without the cost.

Tawny, supple, sinuous, graceful--all words associated with the leopard and with the way your customers can feel when they wear your jewelry that features leopardskin jasper.

Cauliflower isn't typically associated with gems, but howlite grows in cauliflower-like masses. The stone is incredibly versatile--often used as an inexpensive alternative to turquoise.

Unearth the beauty and legend of labradorite. Discover the history of this stone, where it's commonly found, metaphysical properties and ideas for incorporating it into jewelry.

Did you know lemon quartz is created by heating amethyst, yellow quartz and iron together at extremely high temperatures? What else will you learn about this brilliant, yellow gemstone?

Obsidian's naturally dark, glossy color makes it fashionable for men and women's jewelry. It can be easily incorporated into vintage, gothic, Celtic and other designs from classic to modern.

A popular gemstone choice for men's jewelry, moukaite jasper colors cover a wide range of warm earthtones that can include brick red, cream, brown, gold and mauve.

Iolite is known as the water sapphire, Viking's compass and stone of clear vision. An intruing stone with a unique history, iolite is pleochroic--another fun reason to include it in jewelry.

Named for its sheen, moonstone is the most well-known feldspar. This moonstone is a mix of warm oranges, neutral whites and cool greys--making it an ideal gemstone for all seasons.

This gemstone may resemble jade in some aspects, but Malaysia "jade" is a trade name used for translucent quartz that has been expertly dyed and available in a myriad of colors.

Metallic, shiny marcasite is said to be a gemstone used for powerful meditation, which aids in introspection and tends to resonate more strongly with higher, more spiritual chakras.

It's no surprise that moss agate's plant-like filaments affect the perceived metaphysical properties of the stone. Moss agate is said to encourage tranquility and emotional balance.

Ametrine is actually a combination of amethyst and citrine, which can occur completely naturally. It stands to reason ametrine is said to be a stone of balance and connection.

Natural mother-of-pearl shell for jewelry refers to the nacre itself, which coats the inside layer of the mollusk shell that forms pearls--hence, it's the mother of the pearl.

Part of jewelry designers' fascination with Picasso jasper is the artistic tension: the boldness of black, the passive quietness of grey and the exciting energy of red all swept together.

Picture jasper is most reminiscent of the dusty Old West's vast sandy expanse with golden brown and red stone "mountains" rising like ancient castles from it. Perfect for men's jewelry!

Amazonite has been a stone treasured since the time of the ancient Egyptians. There are even stories of ancient Amazonian women warriors using amazonite to adorn their shields.

Just because rhodonite is a pink stone, doesn't mean it's off limits for men's jewelry. The warm hue still has a masculine appearance, especially with its black dendritic inclusions.

While some may think pink gems are for women's jewelry, the warm red undertones of rhodochrosite will change your mind. And the metaphysical properties can help with that change!

The ancient fossilizing qualities of aragonite are especially interesting. The perceived metaphysical properties are no less interesting, fostering truth, understanding and nurturing.

Since "sun" is in the name, it's no surprise sunstone is associated with the radiance of the sun. This brilliant stone has a number of other metaphysical properties you may want to consider when designing jewelry.

Learn about red jasper, from its physical properties to its place in legend and history.

Once thought to be eternal ice sent by the gods and fossilized ice, quartz crystal is actually a mineral that is prized for the belief in its magical, mystical and metaphysical healing powers.

One of the four precious stones, ruby has been treasured for centuries. Those born in July are lucky to have ruby as their birthstone and ruby is also the 40th wedding anniversary stone.

Apatite was named from the Greek word apate, meaning "to deceive" because people were confusing it with more expensive gemstones. But it's not the gemstone's fault!

Peridot jasper is like rich cream with a hint of cool mint blended into it. These creamy, gleaming beads combine the best of both worlds: peridot's delicate beauty with jasper's low cost.

Peridot, the evening emerald, is unique for a number of reasons. It has a unique green hue, it has been mined for almost 4000 years, and can be found inside meteorites to name a few reasons!

When life has you down, design with rainbow jasper. Rainbow jasper is called a "sustaining stone" in metaphysical beliefs and thought to be helpful in times of emotional fatigue or stress.

Unearth the beauty of rainbow moonstone and learn its history, geological properties, design uses and proper care in this Gem Note.