Cubic Zirconia Necklaces – Manifestation of Fashion

Every woman desires to be beautiful. There is an old saying to the effect that woman beautifies herself in order to please the one whom she loves or cares about. Necklaces is one of the most important jewelry pieces that will make a woman look a lot more beautiful, and many women spend lots of money and time in choosing the ones that they think will make them more favored by other people.

The best substance to make a necklace is of course the diamond. It is not only the purest and most elegant substance on the planet, but also will show forth the high social status a woman enjoys, which is especially true in the old days when women are considered angels in the house. In the modern society, although the main function of a jewelry piece is no longer to show the social rank of a woman but to better her look, still diamond jewelry pieces are the favorite of almost all women for their purity and elegance. Especially on wedding occasions, as diamond symbolizes eternity and long-lasting love, almost all couples would offer each other a diamond jewelry piece as a testimony of their mutual love.

However, because diamond is rare and expensive, normal women who are fond of following the latest fashion trend cannot afford to buy too many diamond jewelry pieces to match with their newly bought bags, shoes or clothes. In such cases, cubic zirconia necklaces will make an ideal choice for their excellent quality which rivals that of diamond as well as their cheap price. When a new season has come and you have bought new clothes, shoes and other accessories, you can buy CZ pendants with different colors and shapes to go with your new fashion suite. And when the next season comes, you can get everything replaced with a relatively low amount of money. Also, if you have some design ideas of your own, you can make use of the beads of strings of your old necklaces and experiment with new manufacturing styles since they are reusable. In short, if you are a fashion-minded person, CZ jewelry pieces would offer you a variety of choices and keep you up with the latest fashion trends.

Chocolate & Cherries – New Design

This brand new design created this week, is a little classy and a little sassy. Made from a combination of natural gemstones in Chocolate Jasper and Cherry Quartz; each Jasper stone has been accented with pewter filigree end-caps and I’ve captured the Cherry Quartz in silver toned wire cages. Between each section are triangle shaped seed beads in a pink lined color. This fun classic is 23” (58cm) long with matching earrings dangling at 1” (2.5cm). This is a one-of-a-kind piece and if you are interested in purchasing please contact me.



Check out my online Etsy shop for more designs available for purchase.

Dramatic Saradonyx Agate & Links Necklace – New!

This is my newest design hot off the design board and making a bold and mystic debut at 24.5” long! I really love how this one came out; I might even say it is my ‘newest’ favorite for a while. This one took some time, about 4 hours to complete.


Each spiral link is handcrafted using non-tarnish brass and black wires and then ‘charmed’ together. I was going for a dramatic look by adding Saradonyx Agate gemstones in beautiful tones of black, brown and white in a suspended dangle from each link, adding three as a center pendant. Full of fall colors for an elegant evening out or just casual wear.

Published in Handbook to Handmade Vol. 7

Handbook to Handmade Vol. 7 is a coffee table book featuring 35 Etsy artists from around the world. Each artist chosen has a different flair for the arts; jewelry, paintings, clothing, yarns, totes and much more.

My 2 page layout includes 3 designs and details about Timeless Designs and a spot on the front cover. Only 12 artists are chosen for the front cover and I was honored to have my Turquoise & Silver Links necklace grace the left bottom corner. The book is produced several times a year with each new edition featuring the best 35 Etsy artists.
Come on by our booth at some of the shows this Fall to see the book and 3 featured jewelry designs!

From Studio Creative Desk to Finished Jewelry Designs

Many ask ‘How do you create these designs?’ Well, many designs come from the inspiration of the stones themselves. Here is a picture from my studio design desk, where I design all the jewelry. You can see that it is a mass of ribbon cord, wire, tools, a design board, stones, and much more. This particular set of stones I’m working with was hand-picked and purchased at the Tucson International Gem Show this past February. They are an array of gemstone pendants from Green Seraphine, Pink Peruvian Opal, Blue Peruvian Opal, Icy Opalite, Agates, and Jaspers.
I create and design whatever comes to mind as I shape and mold the wire with the gemstone pendants. Sometimes the designs are just wire and sometimes I add accents in other stones, crystals, or metal beads. These particular gemstone pendants are then hung from coordinating ribbon cords, ranging from 16” (41cm) to 22” (56cm). Each pendant bail is made large enough to remove and wear on another style necklace or put one your own pendants on the ribbon cord. You are actually getting a multi-functional necklace with these designs.



Once completed, I then photograph with different backgrounds and props; download to the computer and crop; list into my inventory and then put in my Etsy shop, available for purchase!

Another Pulse Check on Fall Color Trends 2008

I let my fingers do the research through the Net and magazines for more Fall 2008 color trends in jewelry.
So far, the colors are still staying in Earthy tones, with a splash of red, orange, yellow and gray, for spice. Other hot colors that I saw emerging are tropical shades of blue, turquoise, purple, chocolate, and pinks. Interesting choices, as these are usually traditional spring to summer trends. Though turquoise is always a good standby and goes with just about any season. Of course, the basic black is always ever still present, so better dry-clean that ‘little black dress’!

Jewelry fashions ran the range from bold and chunky to simple and classic; so pretty much anything goes this season. Though what I did see was more of the natural gemstones verses the almighty precious gems; more inline with those earthy color tones.
Natural stones that I saw the most….onyx, agates, jaspers, corals, turquoise, smoky quartz, and rose quartz, and lots of crystals and glass; all accented in silver, gold, copper, or brass metals.

So whatever that occasion you’re looking to highlight your wardrobe, remember you can’t go wrong from big, bold and chunky or simple, classy, and stylish – you’ll always be in style this year!
For more jewelry designs, visit my Etsy store.

Cleaning & Caring Gemstone Jewelry

Caring for your gemstone jewelry is an essential necessity for any jewelry owner, as gemstones are a durable material, and they do require care, so that when handed down as heirlooms in the years to come, they are just as brilliantly remarkable as they are to you now, to be cherished forever.

Most transparent and hard gemstones can endure being cared for by simply cleaning the jewelry with mild nonabrasive hand detergent and a soft bristled toothbrush; then dried with a soft clean cloth. It is wise to place a soft washcloth in the sink covering the drain, as doing so will aid in preventing any gemstones from becoming chipped or falling down the drain while you are cleaning your jewelry.

Some would suggest using ultrasonic cleaners, while this may be the fastest method for cleaning your jewelry; it is also the quickest way to damage your gemstones. Be very careful when using an ultrasonic cleaner, make sure that your gemstones can withstand such cleaning before using this type of method.

Here are some suggestions for cleaning and caring for your gemstone jewelry.

·Use 2 cleaning bowls. One that has warm water plus the cleaning liquid and one that has only warm water to rinse. Note: If you are using sinks, place a soft washcloth over the drains, this will help to keep stones from going down the drains and also help to prevent possible chipping.
·Use lukewarm water, never use hot water.
·Use a mild dishwashing liquid or mild jewelry cleaning solution. One that is safe for your specific jewelry gemstones and metals.
·Several soft, clean, dry cloths (1-for cleaning and 1-drying)
·Small, unused soft bristled toothbrush

Fill your sink with warm water, add a little drop of mild dishwashing liquid and swish around to make bubbles. Carefully, place a few pieces at a time in the sink allowing them to soak a few minutes (don’t overload the sink as this may cause jewelry to hit against each other causing chips, cracks and/or damage). Then take each piece out and carefully clean with the soft bristled toothbrush. Caution, you only need to use a toothbrush if you have a piece of jewelry that has tiny cracks, holes, and small places where dust and dirt can get in; otherwise, there is really no need to use a toothbrush. Rinse in a separate sink that only contains warm water. Place the jewelry on a soft cloth and carefully dry your jewelry pieces.

Cleaning your jewelry doesn’t have to be done often, but several times a year to protect your gemstones. It is also wise to have a jeweler check any gemstones that have been put in settings at least once a year. This is to make sure that the prongs are secure and your gems are safe. When in doubt, ask a professional jeweler about the care and cleaning of your new gemstone jewelry.

Wire Links & Gemstone Beads into Jewelry

Purple and Pink mixed with Black and Silver. This is a favorite necklace set of mine in my Etsy shop, available for purchase.

The links are made of two different kinds of wire; the black wires are 20 gauge and the non-tarnish silver are 18 gauge wires. They are both scrolled into an open type “S” style link, all done by hand. I then connected those using stainless steel oval jumprings, giving them flexible movement. Each scroll link has a purple marbled Jasper gemstone bead; which has been cut as an oblong tube, giving dimension to the shape of the necklace. Additional “S” links were hand scrolled in non-tarnish silver wire and accented with nice dark round Rhodonite gemstone beads.


Completing the set are dangle earrings highlighted in non-tarnish silver wire and featuring a Rhodonite bead. This makes a lovely gift for anyone and comes in a silver giftbox. Interested in just the earrings or just the necklace? Contact Timeless Designs for seperate piece pricing.
Drop by my Etsy shop to see this and other wire designs.

Online Shopping, Promoting and Passion

Looking around the internet there are many online places for people to buy and sell. I took some time to research and got several recommendations for Etsy. After much thought, I opened my Timeless Designs Etsy shop in April 2008, with only a handful of items. I made my first sales in June and July and continue to list many designs. My shop currently holds about 40-45 items ranging from necklaces and sets to earrings and bracelets. I strive to make designs that are high quality, yet inexpensive enough for anyone to own.
This year I traveled to Tucson to the Colored Gem Show and JOGS shows. THAT was a mistake, sort of ! Talk about a kid in a candy store….it was like having access to every gemstone, finding, and jewelry related item you could image and some you couldn’t. I found stones that I have never heard of; met dealers/wholesalers that had cuts and stones from all over the world. Buying at the Tucson show gives me the ability to pick out every single stone, finding, crystal, and packaging by sight personally…knowing that I will get the best quality that I can for my designs and customers.
I have a passion for designing and love working and learning about all the different gems. It is like discovering whole new world’s everyday! All my work is custom, striving for the one-of-a-kind pieces. If you don’t see what you are looking for or just want something different, please contact Timeless Designs and we’ll work to design something just for you!



We've been featured on another Etsy Artists Blog!
http://designsbycori.blogspot.com/2008/08/timeless-designs.html

Layers & Layers of Glass

Fuse layers of specialty Dichroic glass at high temperatures in a kiln and what do you get. Truly one-of-a-kind glass pendants, earrings and bracelets! As defined by Wikipedia, Dichroic glass is glass containing multiple micro-layers of metal oxides which give the glass Dichroic optical properties.




A little known fact….It was originally developed by NASA and its contractors for use in satellite optics and spacesuit visors.


The word Dichroic is derived from two Greek roots; ‘di’ for two and ‘chroma’ for color. So Dichroic really means ‘two-colored’. Looking at the layers and layers of glass, it is hard to tell just how many colors are actually created.



The fun aspect with Dichroic glass is that it has different color variations depending on the light refraction; creating some of the most intriguing pieces of jewelry.


Visit our Etsy shop to see a selection of bracelets, necklaces and sets featuring Dichroic glass pieces.

Traveling the World for Treasures in Gems

Traveling the world for business or relaxation and seeing such places as Asia, Europe, Mexico, Hawaii, and Australia and the South Seas. These are just a few of the many places that give my In-Laws, Gayle and Lee of Jewelry by CNC the inspiration behind their many custom jewelry designs and faceted gemstone collection.

Gayle began making jewelry as a hobby, creating unique gifts to give their many friends and family. Now just a few years later, the ‘hobby’ has become a business.

She enjoys working with the varieties of gemstones and beads that she gathers from her many travels around the world. Each piece is designed as a labor of love reflected in the many necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets, watch bracelets and pendants, which can be purchased individually or combined into Jewelry Sets.

Lee is a Registered Gemologist who deals with loose faceted gemstones, a selection which can be found on their Special Items page. He is the mastermind behind their website with regular updates and once a month ‘Highlights’ of a particular faceted gemstone. Don’t miss the Educational Section listing different organizations and Educational information on faceted gemstones, jewelry, and the Gemstone industry.

Enjoy wondering thru the world of jewelry and loose gemstones on their website.

What's With Those Earings?!

Have you noticed all the different kinds of earrings around these days? They range from dangle, chandelier, and drops with a mixture of glass beads, wire, or even gemstone.


The colors are vibrant making for a bold and cute style. Here is a small selection of earrings from my collection. Many have matching necklaces and can be found in my shop. But if you are only interested in the earrings, please email me which earrings you are interested in purchasing!