Stones, more than any other earthly element, have been used throughout time as personal adornment. Archaeological evidence shows that many ancient civilisations, such as the Egyptians, Romans and Native Americans, created beautiful jewellery that incorporated precious and semiprecious stones. Much folklore and legend has grown from beliefs associated with stones, suggesting powers and benefits for each.
Agate: Said to promote strength, courage, longevity, love, healing and protection
Amazonite: Said to provide the powers of truth, honour, love, confidence and sincerity
Amber: Actually fossilized tree sap, not a stone, it is said to symbolise life, stimulate patience, calmness, strength, protection and love.
Amethyst: Said to make the wearer gentle and amiable, encourage dreaming, healing, peace and happiness
Aventurine: Said to aid in all areas of creativity, imagination, intellect and mental clarity and to give a sense of calm and balance
Carnelian: Said to promote creativity and individuality and to calm emotions of anger, jealousy, envy and hatred.
Citrine: Said to improve strength, enthusiasm and clear communication and to remove fear and prevent nightmares
Flourite: Associated with the conscious mind, it is said to enrich the wearers objective thoughts in order to make him/her think more analytically
Garnet: Said to enhance ones resolve and creativity and to promote warmth, wisdom and understanding
Hematite: Said to protect against negativity, to enhance self control and calmness and to encourage innovation.
Howlite: Said to encourage creativity, artistic vision, self expression and unity
Jade: A love-attracting stone used since ancient times particularly in Asian culture it is said to assist in fertility, balance and wisdom
Jasper: An opaque form of chalcedony it is said to encourage healing, protection, health, relaxation, solace and beauty
Lapis: Said to bring strength, purity of heart and courage
Malachite: Said to encourage tolerance, flexibility and patience, creating a stabilising influence. Also said to increase prosperity
Moonstone: Said to enhance joy, fortune and peace. Can bring flashes of insight, increase intuition and enhance creativity and compassion
Obsidian: Said to protect and encourage peace, success and inner contemplation
Onyx: May assist with challenges in life, protect, strengthen and energise. Improves stamina and self control
Pearls: Said to protect the wearer and provide strength. An ancient symbol of love, wealth, innocence, purity, peace and honesty
Peridot: Thought to reflect the power of the sun, it is said to dispel fear and guilt and encourage health
Peruvian Opal: Said to represent purity and intensity, assisting in emotional and mental balance, calming the inner soul
Rhodochrosite: A stone of love and balance, it is said to bring joy into daily life
Rhodonite: Worn to give the wearer calm and coherent thoughts it is said to cast off doubt, provide peace and remove confusion
Rose Quartz: Said to attract love, promote peace, happiness, calmness and fidelity. It is also supposed to be balancing and rejuvenating
Smokey Quartz: Grounding and stabilising, it is said to bring calm, lift depression, enhance practicality and bring happiness
Sodalite: Powers are said to include healing, peace, meditation and wisdom
Tanzanite: Said to awaken the heart and mind, encouraging clear communication.
Tigers eye: Said to assist with courage, energy and luck
Topaz: Supposedly protects and heals the wearer, bringing peace, money and love
Turquoise: As a stone of wholeness, it is said to protect the wearer and bring courage, peace, healing and luck
Unakite: Supposedly promotes emotional balance, love and healing
Zoizite: Said to encourage thought, dreams, peace and meditation
Lampwork beads are made by using a blowtorch to heat a rod of glass and spinning the resulting thread around a metal rod. When the base bead has been formed, other colours of glass can be added to the surface to create many different designs.
Dichroic glass is created by adding a thin layer of metallic oxides to glass which transmit certain light wavelengths while reflecting others, causing an iridescent effect. Dichroic means two colours, and this glass appears to be different colours when viewed from different angles or in varying degrees of illumination.