Visit us in the UK this autumn, say you're a MrBead Newsletter reader and receive a free gift and a gold & black MrBead bag! All our remaining fairs are below and at our 2015 UK Bead Fairs. Visit us next at Luton on Saturday 3rd October or at Uxbridge on Sunday the 4th October.
15% Discount Off Anything from MrBead
MrBead Bead Fairs
Hematite Beads
Autumn Jewellery
Gems for the Fall
Opal - October's Gemstone
Halloween Beads
Newsletter Archive
Nigel's Blog
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Key code GOTHIC in the box at checkout to receive 15% off anything in our bead shop. Not valid with any other coupon, discount or eBay.
Use NOW as offer ends Friday 9th October 2015.
Sunday 4th October Beadwork & Bead Fair Uxbridge College Park Road, Uxbridge, London UB8 1NQ 10.30am to 4.30pm
Sunday 11th October Norwich Bead Show Arlington Lane, Newmarket Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 2DA 11am to 4pm
Saturday 17th October The Big Bead Show High Street, Esher, London KT10 9AJ 10am to 5pm
Sat & Sun 24th & 25th October Newton Abbot Gem 'n' Bead Fair Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 3AF 10am to 5pm Sat 10am to 4pm Sun
Full list of: our 2015 UK Bead Fairs
The idea is that a magnetic field can relax capillary walls in the body. This causes an increase in blood flow, similar to the effect of massaging your muscles, and stimulate the areas around the muscles to speed up healing. Others say, magnetic jewellery allows the body to produce endorphins, the natural pain killers.
What is hematite
Hematite is one of the most common minerals, formed by oxidized iron. Although usually black in jewellery, it adds to the red colour of garnet and ruby. All non-crystalline forms of hematite come from the mineral Limonite that lost water due to heat. Hence recent excitement of the discovery of grey hematite on the planet Mars - suggesting there was water once present. Only well-formed crystals are cut and polished into cabochons for jewellery, beads, and ornaments.
Hematite comes from a Greek word for "blood-like" because of the colour, and ancient superstition believed that hematite was formed from battles.
Different
types of hematite beads
Not all hematite is magnetic.
Sometimes the magnetic attraction can be a disadvantage to jewellery design - pulling metal from other components.
And there is a new type of hematite bead recently available giving yet another angle to this versatile metal - Aurora Borealis. This is hematite with an AB coating similarly used on crystals to give a multi-coloured effect when turned.
This looks striking on jewellery designed to be worn in bright lights at night.
Properties
Hematite's properties come from the energy of iron and the calming of oxygen. It's a protective stone and its energy helps you connect with the Earth. Use during meditation to escape the illusionary chains of physical reality and become more connected to your true, spirit self - it's been used as an aid to astral projection. It also bolsters low self-esteem, making you feel more comfortable.
Its grounding and soothing energies can help you relax and unwind both physically and mentally. Hematite is said to be closely tied to the blood due to its iron content. Believed to aid the kidneys, speed tissue regeneration, and contribute to improving the blood, and so the overall health of your entire body.
Hematite is a good choice for those born under the zodiac sign of Virgo.
To see our many different shapes of hematite beads click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
Try mixing contrasting colours like brown and gold with blues and green. Some of the most popular gemstones that make fabulous autumn jewellery are listed below. To see any of these gemstones in our US store, just click the picture.
Carnelian
Another stone from the quartz family, usually bright orange to reddish orange. Carnelian is for confidence.
Said to help blood disorders and eliminate toxins from the body.
Carnelian is in tune with the energies of the Earth, making you feel anchored and comfortable with your environment.
A good stone for people starting new projects or who feel they are going nowhere.
It motivates, allowing you to find the energy to make the most out of life.
Citrine
”Citrine” comes from the French word for lemon, and is any quartz crystal or cluster that’s yellow to orange.
The darker, orange colours were traditionally the best, but today people prefer bright lemony shades to mix with pastel colours.
Sunny citrine brightens all jewellery, blending especially well with the yellow gleam of polished gold.
The yellow colour is a natural reviver, and citrine focuses the mind bringing a feeling of self-esteem.
Coral
Coral was long thought to be a strong talisman against evil spirits and hurricanes.
It is also said to reduce blood flow.
Naturally its colour ranges from white to red, but most red coral these days is dyed. However, these days almost any colour can be made by dying white coral. It grows in branches that look like underwater trees.
Flake Stone
The most common flaked stone is goldstone which is ideal for autumn jewellery.
A man-made stone, first created by alchemists trying to make gold - however, all material has properties, these are transmitter stones.
Causing light to pass through you in order to convey or receive a medium.
Revitalizing, energizing, and encouraging a positive attitude and individualism
Jade & Aventurine
For 5,000 years Imperial China used the word "jade" as something precious.
Because jade is said to have all the attributes most valued in society.
A symbol of purity and serenity, it is delicate, but will not break - is beautiful, but not impermanent, it can be flawed with lines, but still pleasing. It is believed to radiate divine unconditional love and balance the emotions.
The most famous type of jade carved in China is from Burma, with shades of green, lavender, yellow, white and grey.
Jasper
Jasper was highly valued in ancient times, not only for its beauty, but also for its magical and medicinal properties.
Jasper is known as the “patron stone of counselors and healers”.
Red jasper is an intensely protective stone, stabilizing the aura and bringing contentment.
Poppy jasper is dark red with black flecks.
Picture
jasper is pale brown with darker patterns - named from pictures formed by patterns caused by trapped fossilizes algae.
Fancy jasper is creamy brown with lavender or green swirls.
Lapis
Lapis Lazuli is gemstone straight out of fairy tales of the Arabian Nights: deepest blue with golden shining Pyrite inclusions which twinkle like little stars.
Through the ages, lapis has been associated with power, wisdom, and love.
The twinkling inclusions are not gold but pyrite, caused by iron.
The blue colour comes from the sulfuric content of lazurite.
For many people lapis is a stone of truth and friendship. A powerful gemstone that should not be worn by those who lack strength of character.
Malachite & Rhodonite
Malachite is green with irregular black banding. Its green stripes have the ability to soothe and bring rest - helping sleep, meditation, the circulation and balancing emotions.
The copper content helps rheumatism.
The magic of malachite is also thought to attract love and wealth.
Some say malachite travels the world in search of energies to change.
Rhodonite is usually pink to red or orange, very popular in 18th-century Russia where it was used extensively to decorate the Russian court.
Rhodonite has similar properties to malachite.
Mookaite
Mookaite forms in Western Australia. An Australian aboriginal healing stone that bestows strength. It helps heal wounds and encourages the desire for variety and new experiences.
Mookaite helps us to be kind to others is a very protective stone too.
Pearl
The least expensive cultured pearls today rival the most expensive natural pearls ever found.
Natural freshwater pearls occur in mussels for the same reason saltwater pearls occur in oysters.
Foreign material inside a mussel can't be expelled.
To reduce irritation, the mollusk coats the intruder with the same secretion it uses for shell-building, nacre.
To cultivate a pearl, farmers slit the mussel and insert small pieces of live tissue from another mussel.
This can produce usually odd shapes. So for more roundness, the Chinese now reshape rejected pearls into spheres, and then nucleate mussels with them.
Being an organic gem, grooves, pits, or dents are expected.
Freshwater pearls are popular for their colours: white, silvery-white, pink, red, copper, brown, lavender, purple, green, blue, and yellow.
These are usually dyed these days.
Tigers Eye
Tiger's-eye is polished to show its characteristic band of pearly luminescence, resulting from light reflecting off its thin parallel inclusions in the quartz.
Colours range from a rich golden yellow to dark brown. Tiger’s-Eye is good for those worried about health.
It also builds will-power and inner-strength.
Topaz
Topaz is a common gemstone that has been used for centuries in jewellery. Usually golden brown to yellow colour. The Egyptians said that topaz was coloured with the golden glow of the mighty sun god Ra. This made topaz a very powerful amulet that protected the faithful against harm. The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also is the god of the sun. And Greek legend has it that topaz could make the wearer invisible and would change colour in the presence of poisoned food or drink.
We have new royal blue lapis with gold pyrite as they are so popular, see at MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
The name Opal could have came from many places. In Greek Opallios translates as colour change, and to the ancient Romans Opalus was a stone from several elements. Pliny, a Roman author, wrote that opal combines the sparkle of Almandine, the shining purple of Amethyst, the golden yellow of Topaz, and the deep blue of Sapphire.
Types of Opal
Fine opals shine and sparkle in a continually changing play of colours called Opalising. Depending on the rock and location they have names like Harlequin, Peacock, Mexican, and Fire Opal. Most opal has this play of colours except Common Opal, a name give to all others, like Pink Opal. Because demand outstrips supply, fine opalizing opal is very very expensive, so is sold in individual beads for hundreds of US dollars each. Therefore, the type of opal common in necklaces is non-opalizing opal - usually pink opal from Peru (more below).
Opals fantasy-like play of colour is caused by small spheres of silica creating interference and refraction manifestations. The spheres, which are arranged in compact structures, dissect light through the gemstone, turning it into the rainbow effect, always new and different.
How to Value Opal
The most important criterion for determining the price of fine opal is the play of colour, the colours themselves and their pattern. If red appears when looking through the stone, all the other colours will also. Value also depends on body colour, transparency, and original location. Body colour can be black, dark or light, or coloured. Black Opal or a dark grey body has the most brilliant play of colour. Black Opal from Lightning Ridge or Mexican Fire Opal is the best. Crystal opal, is the next best, and should be more transparent with a deep play of colour. White or milky opals show more diffuse colour and are the cheapest.
To best bring out the play of colour in a fine opal, the stones are cut and polished to round or oval cabochons, or any other softly domed shape. Only the best qualities of Fire Opal are suited to faceting. The opal cutter removes any impurities using a diamond cutting wheel, before working out the rough basic shape, fine cutting, and finishing with sandpaper and polishing with a wet leather wheel.
How does Opal Effect You?
Opal is thought to solve depression and to help its wearer find true love. Opals are supposed to enhance the positive characteristics for people born under the sign of Cancer. With Black Opal recommended to Scorpios and Boulder Opal for Aries. The opalizing effect reflects changing emotions and moods of people. People prefer different opals for different moods. Opals are like human emotions: each type creates different feelings.
Peruvian Opal
Peruvian Opal comes in faint pink, light blue and light mint-green tones. From the Andes Mountains near San Patricio, Peru, just like the name implies. Although native South Americans have been using the stone for more than a thousand years, it only became widely available commercially within the last decade or so. It is usually translucent to opaque with no play of colour and often has lots of black and tan dendrites. Most Peruvian Opal beads are semi-opaque to opaque.
Peruvian opals metaphysical properties are similar to other opals. Helping to intensify your traits and characteristics and deepening your personal understanding. Peruvian Opal in particular is used to activate the heart charka and to assist you during spiritual journeys.
Looking after Opal
Due to 2 to 6% water, opals easily become brittle and if stored too dry or exposed to heat over a longer period of time, they will show fissures and the play of colour will fade. Therefore, Opal jewellery should be worn as often as possible, for then the gemstone will receive the needed humidity from the air and from the skin of its wearer. In earlier days opals sensitive surface was oiled, but today they are sealed with clear resin.
To buy our Peruvian Opal Nugget Beads click MrBead or MrBead.co.uk
Orange & Black Beads
With Halloween just around the corner, we thought it fun to look at orange and black gemstone beads. You can't celebrate Halloween without using the colours black and orange. They are also great to wear during autumn since orange matches the beautiful fall leaves, and black is a classy tone that will compliment every colour. The classic gemstones in these colours are orange carnelian and black onyx.
Carnelian gets the brilliant orange colour from iron oxide, and black onyx is usually made by treating chalcedony or agate with a sugar solution and then carbonizing it with heated sulfuric acid. Colour enhancements for these stones are so common that majority of carnelians and onyx sold today are enhanced agate. However, this makes the stones available in larger sizes and at more affordable prices.
Other stones in these colours are fire opals, pearls, and orange aventurines for sunset tones - and obsidian or jet for black beads. It may also be fun to combine copper findings with onyx beads if you want a classy jewellery that you can wear year- round but would still have a hint of Halloween.
Checkout some of our spooky gothic jewellery at our sister store, click: AwesomeRings
To see our Carnelian beads click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
For our Onyx beads click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
Key code GOTHIC in the box at checkout to receive 15% off anything in our bead shop. Not valid with any other coupon, discount or eBay.
Use NOW as offer ends Friday 9th October 2015.
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