tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25149530567402055312024-03-05T15:26:43.201-08:00BeadShopUKA blog about beads and beading from BeadShopUK.comBeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514953056740205531.post-40917203157428155622014-09-11T05:56:00.002-07:002014-09-11T05:56:52.864-07:00Frequently Asked Questions about Bead Hole Sizes<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXxe1wpfdpUFfqlFhnmqGu7NaK4K7A1qbu1iDMzZtLAarEX1TLRNpL8KOBombfy5D_7X0TuyswXSRl6LZn8S-XgPlyZQZrBYTgvyIC2oiedo_TZFhUNuR6Km2HfiKWmvssg8l6B2msPyv/s1600/10mm-bead-holes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXxe1wpfdpUFfqlFhnmqGu7NaK4K7A1qbu1iDMzZtLAarEX1TLRNpL8KOBombfy5D_7X0TuyswXSRl6LZn8S-XgPlyZQZrBYTgvyIC2oiedo_TZFhUNuR6Km2HfiKWmvssg8l6B2msPyv/s1600/10mm-bead-holes.png" height="320" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10mm round beads and their holes, which range from 1.1 - 1.9 mm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At BeadShopUK one of the most common questions we get
asked is regarding the size of the holes on our beads, so we put together this
helpful FAQ to help you understand some of the problems you may encounter when
working with semi-precious, gemstone and freshwater pearl beads.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What sizes are the
holes on your beads?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately there is no simple answer. In general, bead hole sizes can range from
0.5mm on a 4mm round bead to a 1mm hole on a 10mm round bead, but they can get
up to 1.5mm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do beading
holes vary in size?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s all to do with the extensive range of semi-precious
stone beads and how the material varies in its hardness. As a general rule, the
harder the stone the smaller the beading hole will be. This applies even on
large stones. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why are freshwater
pearl beads holes so small?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hole sizes of freshwater pearls beads are much
smaller compared to stone beads. Their hole sizes typically range from 0.5 – 0.6
mm. Traditionally pearls were threaded using knotted silk which may explain the
small holes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Why are the hole sizes
important?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main reason beaders need to know the beading hole
size is to match with their stringing material – with the increased use of
cord, rattail, leather and elastic being used in designs a larger beading hole
is required. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdJ6bVfvi7CrDHruV-_B-V27WcFj312zhoJGlC2wZsWVF8p96GkNw27TlLHX4x7mBtrHsxal5bPJ6FjgxNmAiSQCRPU-bt7-lvH1mW0e7EI06RQqtVvVojUjlo-mYFXNBdd_ek8CunRT0/s1600/pearl-holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdJ6bVfvi7CrDHruV-_B-V27WcFj312zhoJGlC2wZsWVF8p96GkNw27TlLHX4x7mBtrHsxal5bPJ6FjgxNmAiSQCRPU-bt7-lvH1mW0e7EI06RQqtVvVojUjlo-mYFXNBdd_ek8CunRT0/s1600/pearl-holes.jpg" height="136" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holes on pearls can be quite small</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secondly, for security of your chosen design, the correct
gauge beading thread should be used. For example if you are using a large hole
bead on fine thread there will be a lot of movement which could cause abrasion
and breakage. The most desirable
combination is to use the largest diameter thread that will pass through the
smallest bead hole in your design. For
this you need to know the size of the beading hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do you measure
the size of the bead holes? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You do not need expensive tools or callipers to find this
out. We measure holes with a range of calibrated drill bits. You can actually
buy them in sets for use with a Dremel. They range from 0.3 mm to 2 mm in
width. You can insert these drill bits into the bead hole and measure its size.
Easy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can I enlarge
the size of my beading holes? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most professional beaders have a Bead Reamer in their
armoury of tools. This handy tool has a
selection of diamond coated tips which allows you to grind yourself a bigger
hole. A Bead Reamer works really well for enlarging holes and for smoothing the
edges of holes in gemstone and glass beads. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A good trick to remember is to use your reamer under
water. Not only does this prolong the life of the diamond coasting but it also
removes the risk of you inhaling any dust. Don’t force the reamer, but take
your time and work slowly from one side of the bead and then the other. If you
are too heavy handed you risk chipping the bead or even breaking it into two. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZbZCKl6MRAOi4x1jDHOBacaR9ErQC5BuXLyAX7WZMJaS8Xm6g9iolXdZUxXE1E-jxz0YRfTU_2n8_rvgKuN8RpEA_MYDZDNBS3_8WvSB6M4coNkvd1oFEle5HBe_69tdJovcU4jcsAbK/s1600/bead+holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZbZCKl6MRAOi4x1jDHOBacaR9ErQC5BuXLyAX7WZMJaS8Xm6g9iolXdZUxXE1E-jxz0YRfTU_2n8_rvgKuN8RpEA_MYDZDNBS3_8WvSB6M4coNkvd1oFEle5HBe_69tdJovcU4jcsAbK/s1600/bead+holes.jpg" height="121" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Example of hole sizes on Carnelian round beads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we make our Worry Beads, we have to enlarge the hole
sizes of our 10mm beads to 2mm as they need to be very loose on a strong
cord. To do this by hand would take too
long, so we use our diamond bits with an electric pendant drill. We use the same technique as for the hand
reamer but much more care is required (water and electricity don’t mix!) and we
<b><i>always</i></b>
wear safety glasses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do I enlarge
the hole size of my freshwater pearl beads?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you wish to enlarge the holes of pearls, then the best
tool to use is a pearl reamer – similar to the bead reamer but built specifically
for pearls. It has a fine corkscrew like
tip which is much finer. This is used
“dry” (unlike the bead reamer). However,
the nacreous dust can be harmful and it would always be recommended that take
precautions against inhaling or ingesting this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We hope you found this helpful, but here are a couple
more tips worth thinking about:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">If the beading hole size is important to your
design it is always worth checking with your supplier before purchasing.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">It’s also worth remembering that hole sizes can
vary from each batch of beads, so those beads you ordered last year might have
had really big holes compared to the ones you bought a couple of days ago. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
BeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514953056740205531.post-5997192131279842132014-08-22T07:22:00.000-07:002014-08-23T01:58:05.879-07:00Buying semi-precious beads – a guide to size and shape<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’re new to working with semi-precious gemstone beads
and you want to start buying them you should bear in mind a couple of things
regarding their size and shape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does size matter?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdxyv1bVxtbrGYyoXXsHKNzxwRB9ycC4tbnJKs0pggb31IlPIGfpPhCNWNUdAkZVZultxXzKIS7VH8MjmlWvIaUEKMq7zC0COgyh-wyaB4hS1keUEJnC2UTbWvdp7pB1r_SHsbuOm-iYG/s1600/bead-sizes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdxyv1bVxtbrGYyoXXsHKNzxwRB9ycC4tbnJKs0pggb31IlPIGfpPhCNWNUdAkZVZultxXzKIS7VH8MjmlWvIaUEKMq7zC0COgyh-wyaB4hS1keUEJnC2UTbWvdp7pB1r_SHsbuOm-iYG/s1600/bead-sizes.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common sizes for round beads.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gemstone beads are measured in millimetres. Round beads are
measured by their diameter (the widest part of the bead), so you will often see
items listed as 4mm or 10mm. Easy enough, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It gets more complicated because it’s common to expect a tolerance
of up to half a millimetre plus or minus on your beads. It means those 4mm beads
could actually be 3.5mm. Anyone familiar with buying semi-precious beads will
no doubt have encountered this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cutting and shaping stones is notoriously difficult – some stones
are softer than others and therefore easier to shape while others are much
harder to cut, so the finished product does vary. But do you need to worry
about this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most beaders are aware of the tolerance and can work around
it. But you might get stuck when you try to string a small 4mm round with a
large 4mm and discover an entire millimetre difference. So if size is critical
to your design you should check with your supplier first.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Temporarily strung or
loose beads?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You will often see beads for sale individually, in packs or
on strings. What’s the difference?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Typically semi-precious beads are cut, polished and then put
on a temporary string by the factory before being sold on. The standard length
of these strands ranges from 38 – 40 cm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some retailers will break these strands up and sell the
beads individually, while others (like BeadShopUK) will sell them by strand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Generally speaking, it’s cheaper to buy your items on a
temporary string rather than individually. It’s the same principle of buying
bulk that you encounter whenever you go to the supermarket. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can calculate how many beads you can expect based on the
diameter of the bead and the length of the strand. For example, a 40cm strand
of 10mm beads will have 40 beads (just divide the strand length by the diameter
of the beads)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, because beads do vary in size, and the strand length can vary, you should use this calculation as an
estimate. If you need an exact number of beads for your deign it’s best once
again to check with your supplier.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Tip:</b></i> To quickly measure the size of your beads, count ten beads and hold them against a ruler - 10 x 4mm = 4cm, 10 x 6mm = 6cm etc.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBEFnGiGBt5mnbOKMi780dkyoxKmlVyjseyOHybUA5vTRx-m_OZK6imu10qei1eIzgUOYDFqastCQvxP_z5OMbSkhgwlNCux3YeiVtVA8M72nVYnxuHxlvkzeg93Od6vdAlxeHFHHoGxv/s1600/measuring+beads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBEFnGiGBt5mnbOKMi780dkyoxKmlVyjseyOHybUA5vTRx-m_OZK6imu10qei1eIzgUOYDFqastCQvxP_z5OMbSkhgwlNCux3YeiVtVA8M72nVYnxuHxlvkzeg93Od6vdAlxeHFHHoGxv/s1600/measuring+beads.jpg" height="123" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10 x 8mm Carnelian Beads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shapes or rounds?<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are all kinds of shapes on the market. Do you want round
beads as spacers, or maybe some cubes, rectangles or ovals?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-e6bqlCG_xBgmZAeGAHdgEtZSLHHKVsBIrbbZmTPcmdu8FP_hn1yf02JZ-9wOcLgdVRtRtJohlGyAGvWgG3sagd0hxMQJ1V8v5J1E84gxN3e_2J3uEuf6aq3_iXv330JC5wbEvhPouHo/s1600/range-of-shapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-e6bqlCG_xBgmZAeGAHdgEtZSLHHKVsBIrbbZmTPcmdu8FP_hn1yf02JZ-9wOcLgdVRtRtJohlGyAGvWgG3sagd0hxMQJ1V8v5J1E84gxN3e_2J3uEuf6aq3_iXv330JC5wbEvhPouHo/s1600/range-of-shapes.jpg" height="320" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A variety of semi-precious stones and shapes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shaped beads are becoming increasingly popular with jewellery
designers and the availability of shaped gemstone beads is increasing. Shapes
can add individuality to a design but you should bear in mind that you will
have to use spacer beads so that the shaped bead hangs properly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s where the fun comes in – will you use small round
spacers of the same type of stone? Or are you going to find a contrasting
colour from another variety? The designs are endless!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the end of the day it’s all about experimentation, so
find the size and shape that works for you and have fun trying out your
designs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hopefully this brief article will give you an overview of
what you can expect when buying semi-precious gemstone beads, but if you have
any questions or comments, please feel free to get in contact.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
BeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514953056740205531.post-83657435673584097782014-08-11T09:55:00.001-07:002014-08-11T11:17:07.866-07:00Grading Gemstone and Semi-Precious Beads. What does it all mean?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’ve ever bought semi-precious or gemstone beads you might have noticed that there are all kinds of grading systems in use. One shop might grade from A-D and sell Amethyst beads as A grade, another might grade from AAA-B and sell them as AAA or even A+. So, which is the best? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />At BeadShopUK we often get asked about grading gemstones, so hopefully this article will clarify a few things.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HYYwsSh0xnCZmy0MkTNRLY5G6lrV6PtGRZaSouSuZdzrY0e18LYPj9vQ0o4awfqsuj9s2Sx6kn7rYzsPuluGpfvjve2LIvmlMNPcgGu3Vm5yp0LUeDDxXNNv2osSgCP9007HYJKFh3T6/s1600/amethyst-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HYYwsSh0xnCZmy0MkTNRLY5G6lrV6PtGRZaSouSuZdzrY0e18LYPj9vQ0o4awfqsuj9s2Sx6kn7rYzsPuluGpfvjve2LIvmlMNPcgGu3Vm5yp0LUeDDxXNNv2osSgCP9007HYJKFh3T6/s1600/amethyst-a.jpg" height="200" title="Grade A Amethyst Beads" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Grade Amethyst beads?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />The first point to bear in mind is this: when it comes to semi-precious stones there is no standard, internationally recognised system for grading as there are for precious stones such as diamonds, which are graded according to cut, colour, clarity and carat.<br /><br />Effectively it’s up to the factories and retailers to grade their own products, and they all use different grading systems. If you’ve ever been confused by this then you’re certainly not alone!<br /><br />The second point to remember is that one shop’s A Grade Amethyst might be described as B or even C grade by another shop. Same quality, different grading system.<br /><br />The sad fact is that people want to sell you their items and it sounds great if the stone is A Grade, or even better AAA grade. So, try to find a reputable supplier with whom you can build a relationship and who will answer your questions on what grading system they use. <br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grading starts with the rough material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The highest grades are usually reserved for
cutting individual faceted stones and it is the C and D grade material (sometimes
referred to as “bead” grade) which is used for cabochons and beads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes you will see beads which are
classed as “facet grade” – these would be of the highest quality and the price
would reflect this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the other
beads on the market would be cut from the C and D grade material.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, the key to understanding grading is to ask lots questions, read up about how gemstones are formed and how they are manufactured because it’s up to you to decide what’s the best quality for your needs.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0njUkHvZEbL2TgCc-sZyjtHAhAcnaCSoUsQ6myhDF9qFaDd0Q5XA0IOFC6Syw-ttnG2px4tNLKgIGaq9q0hNOhP5LbIMPwe-W7fhLVqfKxrHDAC1pTcjiL82S-TIKaIronNu3vdALxSOF/s1600/amethyst-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0njUkHvZEbL2TgCc-sZyjtHAhAcnaCSoUsQ6myhDF9qFaDd0Q5XA0IOFC6Syw-ttnG2px4tNLKgIGaq9q0hNOhP5LbIMPwe-W7fhLVqfKxrHDAC1pTcjiL82S-TIKaIronNu3vdALxSOF/s1600/amethyst-b.jpg" height="200" title="B Grade Amethyst Beads" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">B Grade Amethyst beads?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Anyway, you shouldn’t be put off by a lesser grade. Some stones may have inclusions in them, meaning they don’t grade highly, but those inclusions are what give the beads their colour and texture and can look absolutely stunning in a piece of jewellery. The key is to find what works for you.<br /><br />As a supplier of semi-precious beads, we at BeadShopUK.com know it can be a minefield when describing stones. After all, one man’s A grade is another’s B grade. So we don’t subscribe to a formal system of grading. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6aG48GpS0mz0RvQ8YPHYK6gi0APqai3c9AGUqg4bmSqyuvdsbYvPrtzF9QTxnQ1c5kF3MQehR5NLqsRaQ_z9OG8XaTyscGoJ9k0EVmj5DFW17gWE62EMQhjPmYJ64M3goQazSgFB9WL-/s1600/facet-grade-amethyst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6aG48GpS0mz0RvQ8YPHYK6gi0APqai3c9AGUqg4bmSqyuvdsbYvPrtzF9QTxnQ1c5kF3MQehR5NLqsRaQ_z9OG8XaTyscGoJ9k0EVmj5DFW17gWE62EMQhjPmYJ64M3goQazSgFB9WL-/s1600/facet-grade-amethyst.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faceted Amethyst Gem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />Instead we aim to sell only very good quality beads and let the customer know exactly what they are buying by taking clear photographs. <br /><br />When we do have the same stones of different quality we mark the better ones A Grade and the lesser quality as B Grade. <br /><br />In some instances when we have received some very bad quality stones we won’t bother selling them online at all because we don't want to disappoint our customers we only want to ship excellent quality items. Instead we sell them in our pound box when we go to a bead fair.<br /></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can go to our website and see how we sell our <a href="http://www.beadshopuk.com/semi-precious-beads/amethyst.html" target="_blank">Amethyst Beads</a>.</span></div>
BeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514953056740205531.post-50983660850864795262014-08-05T11:22:00.000-07:002014-08-05T11:38:11.081-07:00Common treatments for colouring gemstone beads. Should you be worried?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These days it’s common for natural gemstone beads to be colour
enhanced. This is nothing new. In fact the practice goes back thousands of
years. But is this something you should be worried about? Should you avoid enhanced beads or embrace them?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To answer this question you should first be aware of how stones are colour enhanced.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Perhaps the two most common ways are by dying and by heat
treatment, and many gemstone beads on the market will have been treated in
these ways. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4wVxwfh4XwBVwfF-ZnfuanlpoE4-bxiDXjMkVcygJSf0lmAluc0yHSmB9Mql6oguVxyuD-pFMVmKPhQGwKyocj7-qUCg5B0t8or-milwkYlv7CjgW1IHLBuhvp-Edk511oiWXCcvLdgB/s1600/natural-carnelian-beads-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4wVxwfh4XwBVwfF-ZnfuanlpoE4-bxiDXjMkVcygJSf0lmAluc0yHSmB9Mql6oguVxyuD-pFMVmKPhQGwKyocj7-qUCg5B0t8or-milwkYlv7CjgW1IHLBuhvp-Edk511oiWXCcvLdgB/s1600/natural-carnelian-beads-8.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beadshopuk.com/semi-precious-beads/carnelian-natural-beads/carnelian-natural-8mm-round-beads.html" target="_blank">Natural colour Carnelian</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stones, such as agate, are soaked in a dye that enters
through the porous structure and leaves a colour change. Sometimes the dye can’t
enter the more dense structure which leaves intermittent bands of dye and
natural colour. This is most clearly seen in various dyed agates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dyed agates are actually quite easy to detect as the
colours used are unnaturally bright. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, should you care if your stones have been dyed?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Firstly you should take care when purchasing dyed beads as the colour can sometimes run. And nothing ruins your day faster than a customer complaining that her favourite blouse has been ruined by the beads she bought off you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also beware that some dyes are not permanent and will actually fade when exposed to sunlight over a period of
time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJclZjA5POAEuqGg85KucWHlGWhUsPe4_qqPetbeMLNEDoUIcKyYpnr_nqdFjZk7LL7CknLeMEUYHEhgF5LsoOZmaFmvZpcEooDvFC_4_-ef6c3ybRunYTozaCnWrmCRVboWlzQNT0BfL/s1600/carnelian-8mm-beads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJclZjA5POAEuqGg85KucWHlGWhUsPe4_qqPetbeMLNEDoUIcKyYpnr_nqdFjZk7LL7CknLeMEUYHEhgF5LsoOZmaFmvZpcEooDvFC_4_-ef6c3ybRunYTozaCnWrmCRVboWlzQNT0BfL/s1600/carnelian-8mm-beads.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beadshopuk.com/semi-precious-beads/carnelian/carnelian-8mm-round-beads.html" target="_blank">Heat Treated Carnelian</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A simple way to test if your beads have been dyed is to
lick your fingers and then run them over the stones. Any residue dye will come
off on your fingers. A better way is to rub nail polish remover over the
beads to see if the dye comes off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At BeadShopUK we actually make sure any dyed beads do not
run once worn by soaking them in hot soapy water, and then soaking them in Acetone. Thankfully we've had no complaints so far (touching wood!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The second most common treatment is exposure to heat.
Certain stones can undergo drastic colour change when heated to a high
temperature. The result can be a brighter colour or a deeper shade. Have a look at the Carnelian beads as an example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Heat treatment is relatively stable and the colour change
will last a long time. It’s also not possible to detect whether the stone has
been treated with heat by nail polish remover. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Other modern methods for the treatment of gemstones
include:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bleaching
</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">–
which is almost impossible to detect</span></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Surface
Coating</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – used mainly in the Gemstone industry on faceted stones</span></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fracture
or Cavity filling</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – used mainly on precious stones (diamond,
ruby, emerald) to improve clarity.</span></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">HPHT
Treatment</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – High Pressure High Temperature, used on Diamonds</span></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Impregnation</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> -
the surface of a porous gemstone is permeated with a polymer, wax or plastic to
give it greater durability and improve its appearance. This is a common
treatment for Turquoise beads, as without it the stone would naturally disintegrate
with day to day use.</span></li>
<li><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Irradiation</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> -
exposure of a gem to an artificial source of radiation to change its colour.</span></li>
</ul>
<b>CONCLUSION</b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All good bead and gemstones suppliers should always
disclose if the beads have been treated, but in reality many don’t. Sometimes
it’s simply because they don’t know how the stone has been treated. Other times
they prefer not to tell their customers. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">In the end however it's a matter of choice. Some customers prefer only natural colours and will avoid dyed stones like the </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">plague</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">. Others will be attracted to the variety of colours on offer and don't care that they have been treated. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
BeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514953056740205531.post-41698214893854555362014-07-25T07:31:00.000-07:002014-07-25T07:32:46.799-07:00History of treating and enhancing gemstones<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJACei9wImYn1BJ1BrFiZZTlCFnkTZdmLiLe4l6CnTtjHfYDAFMHN7omW9l3nmn_7FeE6uZ1gytzi2kTmX7X-oeIj_7ioDPhm_-JtYdDrpLrUpXBgq2hBdrlsPntk7rbxSiYPAnFbrV-y/s1600/Hippo,_ca._1938-1539_B.C.E.,_35.1276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJACei9wImYn1BJ1BrFiZZTlCFnkTZdmLiLe4l6CnTtjHfYDAFMHN7omW9l3nmn_7FeE6uZ1gytzi2kTmX7X-oeIj_7ioDPhm_-JtYdDrpLrUpXBgq2hBdrlsPntk7rbxSiYPAnFbrV-y/s1600/Hippo,_ca._1938-1539_B.C.E.,_35.1276.jpg" height="234" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egyptian Hippo made from imitation Turquoise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gemstone
enhancement is not a new thing. Gems have been ‘improved’ through various
methods for thousands of years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
ancient Egyptians were the first at it. They were producing an imitation Turquoise
called Faience before the pyramids were even built. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pliny
the Elder, who was a witness to the destruction of Pompeii two thousand years
ago, noted that: “the Indians have discovered a means of counterfeiting gemstones,
especially beryls, by colouring rock crystal.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Meanwhile,
the Stockholm Papyrus, written circa 300 AD, contains many recipes for dying
gemstones and includes information on creating fakes and enhancing genuine
gems. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX0OxPccxM5UOGg0vPn1oGwdrJZF2ia77JQRfJPxrF5QdGx7Humnu9fjvPy3Ax1g4ypq8SwGKIuGDbWmCDb-EaFV4U_JP9lW6fz51nvKNysaRULARfmwQNtdjGmz6Rnv0FCv6B8vIWIMj/s1600/dyed-banded-agate-beads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiX0OxPccxM5UOGg0vPn1oGwdrJZF2ia77JQRfJPxrF5QdGx7Humnu9fjvPy3Ax1g4ypq8SwGKIuGDbWmCDb-EaFV4U_JP9lW6fz51nvKNysaRULARfmwQNtdjGmz6Rnv0FCv6B8vIWIMj/s1600/dyed-banded-agate-beads.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern dyed agate beads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
ancient recipe to colour agate told that you had to first soak the stone in a
sugar solution, keeping it warm for a couple of weeks, and then without washing
it, bring the stone to boil in sulphuric acid. The result would be a more
vibrant colour than was natural. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer
to our time, Thomas Nicols wrote ‘The History of Precious Stones’ in 1653 and said
that precious stones were often adulterated. He also noted that rock crystal
could be coloured, but even in his day that was already an old practice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These
days we have quite a few methods for changing the appearance of stones -- we
can bleach them, shower them in radiation, blast them with heat among other
things. We might think this is a new thing, but actually it’s not!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But is
it a good thing to ‘enhance’ natural stones? Are natural stones best? Do you
even care that your gemstones have been treated? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
BeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514953056740205531.post-74886960475420204632014-07-14T09:17:00.005-07:002014-07-14T11:20:26.900-07:00How are semi precious gemstone beads made?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
process of cutting and polishing gems is called lapidary. All gems are cut and
polished by progressive abrasion using finer and finer grit. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Diamond, the hardest naturally occurring substance, is used to cut
and polish the hardest stones.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
rough material is cubed, slightly larger than the required finished bead size,
before being inserting into the Bead Mill. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Bead
mills are used to grind and sand large quantities of beads simultaneously. They
typically employ a grooved lap</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and a flat lap </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">between which
the beads are rolled and worn to shape. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Silicon Carbide grits are used to shape
the rough into round shapes. Different types of material require different
grits, milling times, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After
shaping and sanding, beads are usually drilled and then polished by tumbling. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tumbling
is turning large quantities of beads at a slow speed in a rotating barrel with
a</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">brasives and water for extended periods (days or weeks). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">By tumbling with
progressively finer grades of abrasive (usually silicon carbide) and washing
carefully between grades, the beads are gradually smoothed and polished.
Tumbling barrels are often hexagonal in outline in order to enhance the
stirring action of barrel rotation. An alternative to rotary tumblers is a
vibratory machine, often called a vibratory tumbler, in which the containing
barrel vibrates rather than rotates. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The more stationary arrangement of
vibratory machines makes it much easier to examine the progress of the stones
inside, whereas standard tumblers must be halted in order to check progress.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today,
most semi precious gemstone beads are cut in standard round sizes – ie 4mm,
6mm. 8mm, 10mm etc. Often there is a
.5mm +/- tolerance in the finished size.
They are usually sold as 15” or 16” loose strung strands.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Semi precious beads are a natural material and therefore some natural
inclusions, variations in colour and patterning are normal. This is what makes them so exciting and why
jewellery designers love to work with them.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
BeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514953056740205531.post-26032600048243358342014-07-14T09:14:00.001-07:002014-07-14T09:17:56.724-07:00Tourmalinated Quartz Beads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These beads are Tourmalinated Quartz. Aren't they stunning? </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaCvvrECZ_rClkJoZlXuVhfvHfTlsU0he51SJt5ryQFfo8T351WhigPHsvuDJrObgxay_D1oJ0s3HMJ7VwHSga6A1yQdNZG89y-ZvbeT5pMqVGwkmasR5RnuPt62LRxIuGZqxS-IB2OyE/s1600/tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDaCvvrECZ_rClkJoZlXuVhfvHfTlsU0he51SJt5ryQFfo8T351WhigPHsvuDJrObgxay_D1oJ0s3HMJ7VwHSga6A1yQdNZG89y-ZvbeT5pMqVGwkmasR5RnuPt62LRxIuGZqxS-IB2OyE/s1600/tour.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> These stones are actually Silicone Dioxide with shards of Tourmaline needles running through them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwkveUwgL5hTsKhRtPurKX0dPBK1V0RFJL0K047yF7lf9EKy1k84cJg3qwKhlUrQ1sRm9myLkqeWWGgdDot2KMFihQilLTkjNsQ3hXIgek1Y85wC43aSH3-5yOcSD-_g5ZJ3-Ij1c0cAz/s1600/tour3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwkveUwgL5hTsKhRtPurKX0dPBK1V0RFJL0K047yF7lf9EKy1k84cJg3qwKhlUrQ1sRm9myLkqeWWGgdDot2KMFihQilLTkjNsQ3hXIgek1Y85wC43aSH3-5yOcSD-_g5ZJ3-Ij1c0cAz/s1600/tour3.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tourmalinated Quartz are relatively common although a large quantity is produced in Brazil. These beads are completely natural, having formed under extreme temperatures that allowed the Quartz and Tourmaline to mix. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These stones are believed to protect the wearer from negative emotions and thoughts, and are also used as a grounding stone to balance the mind.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can buy some <a href="http://www.beadshopuk.com/semi-precious-beads/tourmalinated-quartz.html">Tourmalinated Quartz</a> beads at our online store. </span></div>
BeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514953056740205531.post-84389737919938685682014-07-14T08:53:00.000-07:002014-07-14T09:18:08.649-07:00A brief history of beads<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The name "Bead" comes from the Anglo Saxon
word "Bidden" - to pray - probably from their use as beaded
rosaries. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For thousands of years beads have played an
important role in every major culture throughout the world – as talismans in
prehistoric and contemporary societies, as status symbols in the ancient world,
as religious articles in the Buddhist, Christian and Islamic faiths and as a
standard medium of barter throughout the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Semi precious beads have been around since before
recorded history and before Christianity being used for ornament and
trade. The bead was probably the first gemstone to be cut by man and
polished using sand as an abrasive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
source refers to Indian literature dated about 2300 B.C. which refers to
manikyam. Because mani is a term to describe a sphere or bead it concludes that
some form of gem cutting was </span>practised</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> that early.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
BeadShopUKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10395211116304199111noreply@blogger.com0