* Sterling Silver.

Sterling Silver is made from a minimum of 92.5% silver combined with 7.5% of usually, copper. Pure Silver would be too soft a material to work into making jewellery. Sterling Silver will tarnish with time to a greater or lesser degree depending on its use but can be cleaned with appropiate products taking into account the stones etc that may be included within the piece.

* Gold Fill.

Unlike gold plate which is a thin layer of gold on top of a base matal , Gold fill is made by bonding a layer of gold 1/20th or more of the total weight to a base metal, then drawing or rolling it to a required thickness.

* Lampwork Glass.

Lampwork glass is formed by wrapping molten glass, which is worked in a very hot flame, around a stainless steel rod called a mandrel. The finish and the many varieties of form and shape are down to the skills of the lampworker but come in a multitude of designs and a rainbow of colours.

All the lampwork items I use are from reputable artisans and have all been fully kiln annealed for strength and durability. It should none the less be appreciated that these items are still made of glass and treated with the care such a material deserves. 

* Swarovski Crystal.

Made in Austria, Swarovski precision cut crystal glass is considered to be one of the finest products of their kind in the world. Manufactured from a man made raw material perfected by Daniel Swarovski and his sons at the end of the 19th centuary then cut and polished using their superior techniques, the crystals which contain 32% lead to maximise refraction, are unmatched in quality and brilliance. No competitor has come close to the sharp facet angles, symmetry and exceptional sparkle of Swarovski. They are considered the ' diamond of the crystal market '.

* Chain Maille.

A craft derived from the weaving of chain maille armour. Consisting of interlinking a series of ( silver) rings, links or jumps of varing sizes to make chains or flat weaves of many different designs. Some of my necklaces can have 200 - 300 of these silver rings all interlinked by hand which can be a very time consuming, but satisfying craft to do.

* Semi Precious Gemstones.

Any stone that is not classified as precious such as Turquoise, agate, jade, quartz etc.

* Gemstone.

The term gemstone can be used to identify any mineral that is prized for its beauty and rarity. A gem is a mineral that has been enhanced usually by cutting and/or polishing. Over 4000 minerals have been identified however fewer than 100 are classified as gemstones and only a minority such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires are clasified as gems of major importence.

* Agate.

A semi precious type of chalcedony is a variety of quartz. Most agates form in cavities in ancient lavas or other igenous rocks. Most have coloured bands in concentric forms and are determined by the inpurities present when the mineral was formed. Colours range through almost every hue from white to black.

* Amethyst.

A variety of vitreous quartz commonly violet, purple or red/purple colouration. This colouration where the granitic rocks they are formed in is exposed to traces of iron.

* Aquamarine.

Part of the generic group of Beryls which include Emeralds. Aquamarine meaning 'sea water' is almost always found in cavities in pegmatites or alluvial deposits. It forms much larger and clearer crystals than emeralds.

* Emerald.

The grass green variety of Beryl and the colour comes from trace chromium. If traces of vanadium are present it makes the beryl emerald-green.

* Garnet.

See also Ruby. Ruby is a term applied to fine garnets as well. Cape and Arizona Rubies are also Garnets. Although assumed to be deep red garnets can also be green and black.

* Jasper.

Jasper is an opaque fine grained variety of cryptocrystalline quartz. It is a chalcedony incorporating various amounts of other materials that give it its opacity and colours.

* Lapis Lazuli.

The main component of Lapis Lazuli is Lazurite which gives it its intense blue colour. Lapis also contains the minerals Pyrite ( fools gold ) and calcite along with a few other minerals. The best quality Lapis is an intense dark blue with minor deposits of pyrite and white calcite. It is very rare and commonly found in forms of crystaline limestone. The name comes from the Persian word for blue and the Arabic words for heaven or sky. Much of it comes from the mines of Afganistan.

* Moonstone.

Anorthoclase is one of several feldspars that show a white or silvery iridescense when cut. They are classified as moonstone. The iridescense called 'schiller' results from minute interlayering of different feldspar that developes during the process of crystallization.

* Obsidian.

A natural glass formed by cooling of volcanic lava. Usually black, shiny and hard, but also with grey, brown or white flecks. Snowflake Obsidian is caused by the inclusion of small white crystals of silica producing a blotchy 'snowflake' pattern.

* Onyx.

Is the striped, semiprecious variety of Agate with white and black alternating bands. Onyx is properly applied to the Agate variety only but other varieties include Carnelian and sardonyx. Natural onyx comes from India and South America.

* Opal.

Opal is hardened silica gel and usually contains 5 - 10% water. Precious opal is the least crystalline form of the mineral consisting of a regular arrangement of tiny, transparent, silica spheres with water in the intervening spaces. Although available in a range of colours, pink, blue etc it is essentially colourless in its purest form.

* Pearl.

Pearl is a concretion formed by a mollusc consisting of the same material as the creatures shell, the mineral argonite ( calcium carbonate ). In addition the shell contains small amounts of an organic substance called conchiolin and together these are called Nacre or Mother of Pearl. The finest pearls are those produced by molluscs that have shells lined with mother of pearl. These molluscs are limited to a certain species of saltwater oysters and freshwater clams.

The molluscs body tissue is called the mantle and when a foreign particle enters the mantle, naturally or by hand, cells build up in more or less concentric layers of nacre around it to protect the mantle and forms what we know as a pearl. Irregular shaped pearls are formed in the muscular tissue and blister pearls, which are flat on one side, grow adjacent to the shell. A pearls value is based on it either being natural or cultured ( where the irritent is intentionally placed into the mollusc ) , fresh, or sea water and by their translucence, luster, surface colour and shape.

Saltwater pearls are formed within oysters which live in the sea. Saltwater pearls tend to be more lustrous, which means they have more reflective quality on the surface than freshwater pearls, which increases their value. Most saltwater pearls today are cultured.

Freshwater pearls are found in molluscs that live in freshwater lakes and rivers. They appear in a wide variety of shapes and colours and are less expensive that saltwater pearls. Most 'coloured' varities of pearls are dyed although there are many shades of 'natural' pearl, ivory, pink, lilac etc. to choose from.

Tahitian Pearls are produced by the black lipped oyster which is sometimes as much as 300mm across and weighs 5kg. This results in larger pearls which are unique because of their dark colours of grey, silver, charcoal etc., Truely black pearls are extremely rare.

* Peridot.

Oviline or its gemstone variety Peridot have been mined for over 3,500 years on the former John's Island, now called Zebirget, in the Red Sea. Olivines are usually yellow-green but can be yellow, brown or grey. It is usually found in recently formed rocks such as ultramafic lavas.

* Ruby.

Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum, an oxide of aluminium. Its colour ranges from deep cochineal to pale red and sometimes with hints of purple. Many are heat treated to improve their colour and/or clarity. Ruby is a term applied to fine garnets as well.

* Quartz.

Is the most common mineral on the earths crust and is a component of almost every rock type, so Quartz has more colours and forms than any other stone.

Smoky Quartz is caused by natural radiation from nearby granite rock.

* Sardonyx.

Is another form of Onyx. 'Sard ' is a translucent, light to dark brown chalcedony. Bands of Sard and white chalcedony are called Sardonyx. Commoly found in Sri Lanka, India, Brazil and Uruguay.

* Tourmaline.

Tourmaline is the name given to a family of borosilicate minerals with the same basic crystal structure. There are 11 species of Tourmaline group and is a common mineral. Can be found in pinks, blues, greens, yellows and oranges as well as black. Often bi or tri coloured.

* Turquoise.

Turquoise was one of the first gemstones to be mined and some beads found in Mesopotamia date back to 5000 BC. It varies in colour from sky-blue to green depending on the amount of iron and copper it contains. Some of the most prized Turquoise comes from the Sleeping Beauty mines in Arizona and is a clear bright sky blue. A soft and porous mineral, Turquoise is often stabilised with a resin to preserve its colour and protect it from enviromental pollutants and drying.

* Yellow Citrine.

The yellow variety of Quartz citrine is closely related to Amethyst as it often results naturally from Amethyst coming in contact with heat in the earths crust. Citrine can be created by heating natural Amethyst or even smokey quartz in a lab to create its golden yellow colour.

* Sea Glass.

Sea Glass ( aka beach glass, lucky tears, mermaids tears etc ) is our lost and discarded, usually broken glass that has found its way to the sea, transformed by the actions of the tides through natural tumbling and sandblasting into little frosted gems.

The glass can be ancient or modern, but imitation "sea glass" created by treating new glass in an electric tumbling machine, does not have the same softness or deep frosted patina of the real thing.

The colour of sea glass is determined by its original source. Most comes from bottles but it can come from jars, plates, windows, glasses, art, flasks, in fact any glass source that is able to find its way to the ocean.

Common colours are kelly green, brown and clear mostly from bottles that contained beer, juices and soft drinks. Clear and white from glasses, clear plates, windows etc.

Less commom colours include, jade and amber ( from whisky, medicine, spirit and early bleech bottles), golden amber ( mostly from spirit bottles) lime green ( mostly from 1960's soda bottles ) forest green and soft blue ( from soda, medicine and ink bottles and fruit jars from the late 1800's and early 1900's, windows and windshields ).

Uncommon colours include some greens ( from early to mid 1900's Coco-cola, Dr Pepper and RC Cola bottles ) Soft greens ( from ink, fruit and baking soda bottles and jars). Purple, Citron and Opaque White ( from Milk glass ) Colbalt and cornflower blue ( from early Milk of Magnesia, poison, Bromo-Seltzer and Vicks vapour rub containers ) and Aqua ( from Ball Mason jars and 19th centuary bottles.)

Rare and extreemly rare colours include, grey, pink ( often from great depression era plates ) black ( older, very dark olive green glass ) Yellow ( often 1930's Vaseline jars ) Turquoise ( tableware and Art Glass ) Red ( often from nautical glass ) and Orange the least common type of sea glass found once in every 1000 to 10,000 pieces collected.

Some of the black glass can be quite old originating from 18C gin, beer and wine bottles.

Sea glass can be found all over the world from North America to Mexico, Puerto Rico to Spain and everywhere in between, including our own shorelines.

Beach Glass is a more accurate term refering to the glass found on inland lakes, such as the great lakes of North America. Although similar to sea glass it is weathered only by the tidal action and the sand without the injection of the saline waters where true Sea Glass is found.

With the increasing rarity of genuine authentic Sea Glass, artificial sea glass, more accurately refered to as "craft glass" is being produced to meet demand by placing modern glass in a rock tumbler. Such glass lacks the romantic provenance of true sea glass, and differs in many ways. Long term exposure to salt water conditions creates an etched surface on the glass that cannot be recreated artificially. True Sea Glass has a softer, smoother, more rounded look. Unfortunately unscrupulous traders in "sea glass" often try to pass of the artificial man made pieces as the real thing. This can easily be seen where the glass or items made from it are very inexpensive, or there are lots of pieces exactly the same in colour, form and finish.

The beads I buy, made by Rob Johnson, come in small sets. A single piece of sea glass can only make a very small number of beads, though several toning but different pieces can produce their individual unique beads to be grouped together in one piece of jewellery to great effect.