Cheeky Chips, Presentation, Citrine & Yellow Topaz

You have received this newsletter because you opted after a past purchase, but should you wish to be taken off the mailing list, just click the link at the bottom.  This month is citrine and yellow topaz, the gemstones for November, plus more!  Scroll down, or click one of the links below on the html version to go to a certain section.  If you have any suggestions for the future, please e-mail me at suggestions@mrbead.com.    To go to the MrBead store click here

If you weren't mailed this newsletter enter your e-mail address here to receive next month's newsletter.

Citrine - Mellow Yellow
Yellow Topaz
Cheeky Chips
Presentation is Everything!
Genuine Imitation Amber

Special $8 Offer

Citrine: Mellow Yellow         
”Citrine” comes from the French word for lemon, and is any quartz crystal or cluster that’s yellow to orange. The darker, orange colors were traditionally the best, but today people prefer bright lemony shades to mix with pastel colors. Citrine with man-made color tends to have more of an orange or reddish caste. Most natural citrine starts life as amethyst until heated in a molten state to change.

Sunny and affordable, citrine brightens all jewelry, blending especially well with the yellow gleam of polished gold. The yellow color is a natural reviver, and citrine focuses the mind bringing a feeling of self-esteem. In medication it helps re-establish the link between your conscious and subconscious minds. If you are feeling down, try holding citrine to lift your spirit. It’s also very good at healing the body and helping people communicate. Citrine has warm energy, promotes optimism, and attracts abundance.

Citrine is one of the few stones that removes negative energy and never requires cleansing. In ancient times it was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts. Known as a "merchants' stone”, placed in the cash register to not only acquire wealth but to maintain it as well. Citrine is the birthstone for November, and its corresponding signs are Gemini, Aries, Libra, and Leo.

Although the darker, orange colors of citrine, sometimes called Madeira citrine after the color of the wine, has generally been the most valued color, in modern times, many people prefer the bright lemony shades which mix better with pastel colors. Most citrine comes from Brazil.

Sometimes you will hear citrine referred to as topaz quartz, which is incorrect. This name was used in the past in reference to the color, which is sometimes similar to the color of topaz. Since topaz is a separate mineral, this type of name can be confusing. However, citrine is considered an alternative to topaz as the birthstone for November. As long as citrine is protected from prolonged exposure to light or heat, it will last for years.

to top of page

Yellow Topaz        
The Egyptians said that topaz was colored with the golden glow of the 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. Topaz sometimes has the amber gold of fine cognac or the blush of a peach and all the beautiful warm browns and oranges. Some rare and exceptional topaz can be pink to sherry red.

Wear topaz only if you wish to be clear-sighted: legend has it that it dispels all enchantment and helps to improve eyesight as well! The ancient Greeks believed that it had the power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times of emergency. Topaz was also said to change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink. Its mystical curative powers waxed and waned with the phases of the moon: it was said to cure insomnia, asthma, and hemorrhages.

Brown, yellow, orange, sherry, red and pink topaz is found in Brazil and Sri Lanka. Pink topaz is found in Pakistan and Russia. Today we also have blue topaz, which has a pale to medium blue color created by irradiation. Pale topaz which is enhanced to become blue is found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China. In early 1998, a new type of enhanced topaz made its appearance, the surface-enhanced topaz, with colors described as blue to greenish-blue or emerald green.  Topaz is a very hard gemstone but it can be split with a single blow, a trait it shares with diamond. As a result it should be protected from hard knocks.                to top of page
 

Cheeky Chips!      

Chips are a fun and inexpensive way to make jewelry. There is also a very wide range of bead chips available that are ideal for simple bracelets, necklaces or earrings. Bracelets can be quickly made by using elastic string allowing for expansion so they will fit all wrists. Or chips can easily be threaded on thin bangle wire for a more steady effect. These pictures will give you an idea what can be done with these fun-shaped beads.

Chips are sold in much longer strands than other types of beads - usually at least 32-inches long, so if you only want them for bracelets, you don't need so many strands.  They will also be the cheapest way of purchasing the stone - so allowing those on a budget to use semi-precious stones they could not otherwise afford.  Ships come in all sorts of sizes and shapes.  Some like the coral chips on the top right above, are made from very fine hairpins - while others like the carnelian beads on the left of these, are small chunks.  Being natural, almost all have irregular size and shape within the strand, and the size quoted is usually the "largest average" on the strand.  If you plan on using a strand of chips to make a necklace, you will need to restring them - although they come quite long, this is really only a temporary hold and comes without any hook or clasp.  It's a good idea to use a tray or table when working with chips as their tiny size make them easy to loose when take off the strand.  Have fun!                      return to top

Presentation is Everything!       

When you sell your jewelry, never just shove it into a scrap of old bubble-wrap and send it to your customer in a grubby brown paper bag.  Carefully ease the piece into a new clear-face bag and lovingly gift wrap with a nice piece of bubble.  You get the picture - keep it clean & simple!  For necklaces, bracelets and rings a box is a must.  All this careful presentation will enhance your items many-times more than the extra cost.  Fruit sellers spray their grapes with water, auto showrooms spend hours polishing their cars - you too must clean and polish every bead you sell.  A sparkle goes a long way!   If you are selling just a few beads, put them in a small self-seal clear bag - if you are selling something larger or heavy beads, use a large plastic zipped bag.   Match boxes to items: light-colored rings look best in light boxes.  A dark mountain jade necklace looks better in a black box.  Bracelets look best in round boxes.  Boxes come in all shapes: long and narrow for necklaces, square for rings, heart-shaped for lovers, and many more.  You can even offer gift-wrapping to your customers for Christmas and mail direct to their relatives or friends.                                                              return to top

To see our wholesale packing click here

Genuine Imitation Amber
A young couple was on honeymoon in California, enjoying the weather and walking along the boardwalks with all of the small shops. In one they found a case with a sign saying "Genuine Imitation" next to a display of beautiful necklaces. The wife looked through the selection and found one that she really loved. It was a bit pricey, but the husband wanted to buy his bride a memento of the honeymoon trip so they left the store with an amber colored necklace of carved beads.

The necklace was a favorite and she wore it on many occasions, always thinking of their honeymoon when she did. After 20+ years the necklace finally broke. She took it to her local jeweler to ask if he could restring it. He said that it should not be a problem and took out his loop to look at the beads. While still examining the necklace he asked if she would be willing to sell it and offered her $1,000. She very indignantly said "No - it was a gift from my husband, and anyway why would you pay $1,000 for imitation beads?" The jeweler did not answer, but did restring the necklace as she requested.

When she returned home, her husband was just as surprised as she was at the jewelers' offer. He was planning a business trip to New York City and told his wife that he would take the necklace along and see if one of the famous jewelry stores there would appraise it. The jeweler there promptly asked if he wanted to sell the piece and offered him $3,000 for it. The husband said, "Please tell me what is going on, why would you offer me $3,000 for a necklace made up of genuine imitation beads? I don't understand" To which the jeweler replied "You have never looked at these beads with a loop, have you?"  "Of course not, why would we?" replied the husband. The jeweler then went on to explain that the beads were actually carved amber, not imitation anything, and that each of the beads was inscribed: To Josephine from Napoleon 18xx.

Story as told by Paul Harvey on "The Rest of the Story" and Cynthia Rutledge.                                                  to top of page

To see all our citrine beads click here
To see all our chip beads click here
To see our wholesale packing click here

To go to our MrBead store click http://www.mrbead.com
 

To return to the top of this page click here