Are you in Toronto before Hannukah and Christmas and looking to explore local shops?
Whether you are feeling topsy-turvy, on a mission, or relaxed and taking in the sights and sounds of city, you are welcome to come and see us at the Jewel Envy Studio today (until 6pm), tomorrow (10am-6pm), and Tuesday (10am-4:30).
We have lots of unique gifts and lovely pieces to look at that will have you spinning or centered, depending on your preference.
Just look for the biggest blue house in Roncesvalles, on the corner of Roncesvalles and Marion Street.
Colour is not the best way to determine what a stone is. The colour is a clue, but not the answer as gemstones usually come in a variety of colours for each species. Just because it is blue doesn’t make it a sapphire, red doesn’t make it a garnet and purple doesn’t make it an amethyst.
These are the most commonly recognized colours for each of the mentioned stones, but gemstones have a specific chemical composition and the presence of different minerals within the composition creates different colours.
Some examples of gemstones that are easily confused include sapphire, ruby, garnet, beryl, iolite and amethyst. Sapphires come in every colour of the rainbow except red with the red being referred to as ruby. Beryl comes in a variety of colours and the red variety can closely resemble garnet and ruby. iolite and tanzanite are purple stones that can be confused with amethyst.
Most people have a particular colour I mind when looking for a gemstone rather than a concern over the species of the stone. Ask your jeweller about your options for stones based on what colour you want. Different stones have different price points and contain different properties that will affect how you wear and care for them.
Conversely, if you know you want a particular variety of stone (for working properties, historical significance, rarity etc.) ask about colour options so you know the full range of possibilities for the stone in your new piece.
If you are uncertain about the types of stones in your jewellery, ask a jeweller to get an appraisal for you before doing any work on the piece of jewellery. Most jewellers are not gemologists, but many will be able to identify stones based on their personal studies or experience. Goldsmiths will rarely give you a definitive answer on an expensive stone without an appraisal.
See last month’s blog for part 1. An overview of the different types of gemstones and their suitability in jewellery.
To knot or not to knot, which gems need a knot for protection?
Knots between beads are often used as a decorative element but they also serve a function within some pieces of jewellery, creating a protective barrier between beads so that they are not damaged by rubbing against each other during normal wear.
Pearls benefit from knots between each bead but this is only necessary in higher quality pearl pieces.
Rice and seed pearls rarely have knots between each bead as they are inexpensive and worn more as fashion pieces than as fine jewellery pieces, although there are higher end pearls from these families that you would want to protect.
Other soft stones that benefit from knotting between beads include turquoise, amber, jet and coral, but there are many more.
’20 Tips on maintaining our Jewellery’, Gillian E. Batcher, 2013
Jewel Envy started with partnerships and cooperation. The family and collective has grown, so too does our studio space. In our continued tradition of “all hands on deck”, Gillian’s troops are working hard to prepare the space for more equipment, more expertise, and more possibilities. We’re almost there!
Do you you have a favourite opal? Have you seen enough types of opal to choose? There are:
Peruvian opal, white opal, Mexican fire opal, boulder opal, black opal, wood replacement opal, Ethiopian opal, semi-black opal, jelly opal, and the list goes on.
Depending on the stone, they can be polished smooth in a cabachon, or faceted, or even carved.
Opals can come from Australia, Mexico, Ethiopia, or Peru. Their stability can depend on how/where they naturally formed, as some can be susceptible to water. Some opals have been shaved thin and attached to glass or another gemstone to make a more affordable option.
At Jewel Envy, we have the experience and expertise to guide you to an option you will absolutely love. Let us know your opal preferences, and we will go from there!
Happy Saturday!! With the summer, has come a change in the windows display at Jewel Envy. It’s a bit different from our recent displays: one window is a fibre art collaboration piece, and the other two contain some fibre/silver jewellery pieces.
What’s that? You say? Well, about two years ago, I met a lovely fibre artist, Carolina Reis, when I was doing a studio tour show. I was a guest in her house, and we got to talking about all things fibre. One of Carolina’s interests is in networks (mostly social, community, etc.). Well, I like fibre art, and there are lots of networks in immunology, so I suggested we do a collaboration. This piece entitled (IMM)UNITY was the final result!
This is a bit of a teaser – it’s really better to see it in person! Also, there’s quite a long explanation about the intentions and concepts of the piece that is posted along with it. Made from quilted embroidered panels, and joined with crocheted cotton elements to make a whole, it incorporates (among other things), the feeling of togetherness, connection, and conflicting ideas, as well as representations of different cells, systems and concepts around vaccination and the immune system.
In the other two windows, I’ve placed a complementary series of necklaces and brooches, that I’ve called Portholes on Immunity, and mostly (but not entirely) is an homage to different cell types of the immune system. When I was thinking about making this series, I was reminded of various sci-fi films where you see people shrunk into miniature, along with their little submarine, journeying through the blood. So, these are how I imagine cells would look from the porthole window on a teeny tiny vessel in the blood.
This is a large multi-panel necklace. Again, the pictorial elements are embroidered quilted panels that I made, with some trapunto effects (this is a quilting technique where you add additional batting layers in selected parts to raise the profile). The panels are inset into sterling silver frames, or portholes.
This is the last window – a series of four brooches, and a single pendant necklace, using similar techniques to the above necklace. And bonus – there I am trying to take a picture without too much reflection (clearly that wasn’t entirely successful!).
If you’re passing by the studio this month, I hope you’ll try and take a look – they are all much more interesting in person! The large necklace is not for sale, but if you’re interested in any of the brooches, or the single panel necklace, stop in and ask us about them! Given the fabric nature of the pieces, they won’t be up for long, they will probably come down by the middle of July at the latest to avoid any sun damage.
Enjoy the nice weather, whatever you’re doing, and hope to see you soon!
Summer is about to start and a few of the goldsmiths at Jewel Envy will be doing some shows selling their one of a kind creations.
Starting with June, I will be attending 2 shows in June where you can find my work.
The first show is Signatures at The Beaches – Kew Gardens show on June 8th and June 9th from 10am to 6pm on both days! Here is the link ! https://beachesartsandcrafts.com/ Not only will you find me but also other Canadian handmade!
The second show in June I will be attending will be Artistry-by-the-lake at the picturesque Niagara on the Lake. It will be on June 29th, 30th and 1st from 10am to 6pm each day. https://www.niagaraonthelake.com/artistry-by-the-lake
That’s it for June! I hope to see you all there. :))
In honour of the spring-like temperatures we’ve had this week, here’s my curated collection of things that are making me feel spring-like!
Are you feeling it? Clockwise from top left: Flower earrings with stones (Frekkeldesigns), stone stacking rings (3; Glaciale Goldsmith), Circles ring (Winfield Design), Tulip clutch pin (Edna Milevsky), M clutch pin (House of Cassady), Shell Flower earrings (Pash Jewellery Designs), filigree Flower earrings (Shafiq’s Jewelry), Butterfly kiss earrings (Eunice L Designs)
Come see them in person in the shop, and discover some other new designs, perfect to lift you up with that spring feeling!
Now that the holiday breaks are over and we find ourselves outside in actual winter weather, it is time to bundle up each day we leave our door. Cold means gloves. Gloves mean slick ring choices to fit easily inside those gloves. Here are some beautiful choices for everyday winter wear, from fashion to commitment rings:
As for the gorgeous rings you already have, it is also a good time to come by and get the prongs holding in your stones checked. Scarves, hats, sweaters, mittens and gloves can have just the right type of thread to pull back an unchecked, worn tip, and have you frantically looking for your precious gems. From experience, we can tell you that the stones can be launched, drop out right away, or hang in for weeks before a bump lets them loose. It costs nothing to have us take a look and do a quick, simple check. If you find your jewellery is feeling “catchy” lately, or you’ve already lost a stone, or you want to make sure everything is alright ahead of time, we are happy to help!
Chapter 3 – What type of clasp should my necklace have?
There are many types of clasps and not all of them are created equally. Spring rings are the most used clasp in commercial jewellery, and the cheapest clasp with the highest rate of breakage.
If you want to upgrade a chain without buying a new one, have a jeweller change your spring ring to a lobster clasp. It operates in a similar way but is just a little heftier and more reliable for keeping your clasp safely attached.
Toggle clasps are often used as accents in the design of a piece and are strong provided they have the correct proportions.
At toggle clasp is most commonly a ring with a bar that goes through it but they can be other shapes as well.
The bar must be at least two times the inside diameter of the circle they are pushed through. For non -geometric shapes take the longest diameter of the space and multiply it by two for the length of the bar. There must be some weight to the chain for this clasp to work as it is held in place by both sides of the chain pulling away from each other.
Magnetic clasps can be perfect for people who have a hard time manipulating regular clasps. They have rare earth magnets inside, which are stronger than regular magnets. Beware they can interfere with things like pacemakers and hearing aids, if you have either of these you must check with your doctor before wearing them.
’20 Tips on maintaining our Jewellery’, Gillian E. Batcher, 2013
