Wired Agate Pendant Sets

Pendants are again coming back into style this season, many like either just the single pendant to wear with their own earrings and accessories; while others prefer to have a complete set with pendant and matching earrings. We've done just that, some of pendants have now been matched up with different earring designs, mostly in long dangle styles featuring tiny hoops and glass seed beads & pendants. Here's a look at just a few of our pendant sets.....

  

Autumn Wonder in Brazilian Agate slice hand wire wrapped in brass non-tarnish wire; the light clear to beige-orange colors are earthy and soft for any outfit. Matching earrings are in tiny double hoops with complimenting colored seed beads and honey colored faceted pendant.  Pendant comes on the beige silk cord.

Clear blue season in another Brazilian Agate slice hand wire wrapped in silver non-tarnish wire; this one pendant shows more of the clear with just a few streaks of blue running along the side. Matching earrings are in tiny double hoops with glass seed beads and dagger shaped pendant.  Pendant comes on the blue ribbon cord.

  

 

Beauty in Brazilian Oco Agate slice hand wire wrapped in silver & brass non-tarnish wire for a two-tone look. The pendant has soft delicate features and colors of tan, rust, white, and hints of blue. The matching earrings are tiny triple hoops with two coordinating soft colored glass seed beads.  Pendant comes on the beige silk cord.

For these and many other pendants in both sets and singles, visit our online store to browse and shop!

The Hues of Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is a rock, a contact metamorphoses limestone that contains lazurite. It also is known to contain pyrite, the added sparkle of golden-yellow and white flakes of calcite. Other trace minerals can include hauuyne, sodalite, diopside, feldspar, mica, apatite, and zircon just to name a few. The stone was once powdered and mixed with oil to produce the pigment ultramarine(literally, 'beyond the sea'), which is seen in the beautiful blues of Renaissance paintings. Lapis is Latin for “stone”. The names of both lazulie and lazurite are derived from the Persian word Lazbuward and Latin word Lazulum, meaning “blue” or “heaven”. The lapis lazuli name, often shorted to lapis, is sometimes mistakenly used for the mineral lazurite.

The ancient Egyptians used it extensively in religious ceremonies, and lapis items were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. It was a popular stone in Mesopotamia, Persia, and the ancient city of Ur, which had a large trade in lapis lazuli. The Greeks and Romans used it as a reward for bravery. The ancients also employed it for inlaid work and for jewelry, amulets, and talismans.

The value of lapis lazuli is largely determined by the abundance and color of the dark intense blue lazurite. The colors range from greenish-blue to purple-blue. The flecks of gold pyrite and white calcite can often increase the value or, when too numerous or too large, decrease it.

This new design features deep blue lapis lazuli stones with flecks of pyrite, disks of natural kyanite, faceted crystals and at the center an old style metal cloisonne round pendant; the blue hues bring out the best in the lapis and kyanite.

Traditionally Lapis Lazuli Properties: Wisdom, intuition, awareness, objectivity, clarity, creativity, expanded consciousness, dreams, purity, courage, serenity.

Visit Timeless Designs online at Ruby Lane to discover your next royal treasure; hidden among our custom artisan jewelry collections!

Fiesta Fun in Mother-of-Pearl

Fun fiesta and a start to the New Year!! Mother of pearl is wonderful material to work with; the pure and soft natural color of mother of pearl is flattering to any stone combinations. Here I’ve just gone with the straight mother of pearl, but I’ve done it in a mix of colors, mother of pearl is often dyed to achieve many of the bold and bright colors such as these fiesta colors in the squares.

 Each square is cut in an irregular shape and then strung with a few tiny white seed beads between. At the base is a unique naturally formed mother of pearl pendant that has been wired in silver. There is no front or back to this design, so it makes for a reversible necklace. I’ve also done the stones shorter and finished if off with small oval chain, making the necklace wearable at many different lengths – wow, reversible and different lengths this really is a very versatile necklace set!

Browse our online shop to find your uniquely artisan crafted jewelry!

Murano Glass Options

I love Murano glass pendants; they come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. I used to do them as separate pendants with earring sets and now I’ve incorporated them into designs with crystal charmed bails. Here are some of the designs….browse Timeless Designs Ruby Lane shop available designs to purchase!

Spoon Drop Pendant Aventurine Prehinte Crystals

 Leaf Blue/Green Ceramic Beads Crystals

Southwest Colored Leaf Pendant Red Fossil Coral Cloisonne Wood Set

Puffy Heart Pendant Butterscotch Quartz Crystals Set

Tan Puffy Heart Pendant Aventurine Crystals Set

Aventurine the Stone

Aventurine is the name given to a variety of quartz that has a spangled appearance due to sparkling internal reflections from uniformly oriented minute inclusions of other minerals. It is always massive; green aventurine is colored by green fuchsite mica; brown aventurine is colored by pyrite; and reddish-brown aventurine is due to hematite. Other inclusions can color the mineral orange, bluish-white, yellow, or bluish-green.

Aventurine feldspar or sunstone can be confused with orange and red aventurine quartzite, although the former is generally of a higher transparency. Aventurine is often banded and an overabundance of fuchsite may render it opaque, in which case it may be mistaken for malachite at first glance.

The name aventurine derives from the Italian "a ventura," meaning "by chance." This is an allusion to the chance discovery of aventurine glass or goldstone at some point in the 18th century. Although it was known first, goldstone is now a common imitation of aventurine and sunstone. Goldstone is distinguished visually from the latter two minerals by its coarse platelets of copper, dispersed within the glass in an unnaturally uniform manner. It is usually a golden brown, but may also be found in blue or green.

The majority of green and blue-green aventurine originates in India, particularly in the vicinity of Mysore and Madras, where it is employed by prolific artisans. Creamy white, gray and orange material is found in Chile, Spain and Russia.

Historically it is said that in ancient Greece aventurine was sewn into the clothes of men going to war to preserve their courage and optimism. It is said also enhance the sense of humor, cheerfulness, mental agility, peach, an open heart, motivation and promote leadership of those who wear it. It symbolizes tranquility and patience and gives the wearer inner equilibrium and stimulates dreaming.



This design is a hand-charmed cluster of aventurine surrounding a button fossil Ammonite.

Artisan crafted jewelry available on our online shop!








*Research from various mineral/rock books & websites

Spiny Oyster & Jewelry

Some of the most incredible Southwestern and Indian jewelry is made with Spiny Oyster beads. The colors of these beads vary from pink to purple and from light to deep orange. Spiny oyster beads come from the spiny oyster shell, or Spondylus, harvested from the Sea of Cortez, Baja California and Mexico. Different types of Spondylus may also be found in the warm waters off the coasts of Central and South America. Spondylus is Latin for “spines on its back,” which is appropriate for this beautify and difficult to harvest shell.

It was hard to find information about just the beads, but I did find out about the Spiny Oyster Shell from the Wikipedia. “Spondylus is a genus of bivalve mollusks, the only genus in the family Spondylidae. As well as being the systematic name, Spondylus is the most often used common name for these animals, though they are also known as thorny oysters or spiny oysters.

There are many species of Spondylus, and they vary considerably in appearance and range. They are grouped in the same super family as the scallops, but like the true oysters (family Ostreidae) they cement themselves to rocks, rather than attaching themselves by a byssus. Their key characteristic is that the two parts of their shells are hinged together with a ball and socket type of hinge, rather than a toothed hinge as is more common in other bivalves. Spondylus have multiple eyes around the edges of the shell, and they have a relatively well developed nervous system. Their nervous ganglia are concentrated in the visceral region, with recognizable optic lobes, connected to the eyes. Spondylus shells are much sought after by collectors, and there is a lively commercial market in them.

Archaeological evidence shows that people in Neolithic Europe were trading the shells of Spondylus gaederopus to make bangles and other ornaments as long as 5,000 years ago (Varna necropolis). The shells were harvested from the Aegean Sea but were transported far into the centre of the continent. In the LBK and Lengyel culture, Spondylus shells from the Aegean Sea were worked into bracelets and belt-buckles.

Spondylus princeps are also found off the coast of Ecuador, and have been important to Andean peoples since pre-Columbian times, serving as offerings to the Pachamama as well as some kind of currency. In fact much like in Europe the Spondylus shells also reached far and wide as pre-Hispanic Ecuadorian peoples traded them with peoples as far north as present-day Mexico and as far south as the central Andes. The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped animals and the sea and often depicted Spondylus shells in their art.


Browse our online shop to purchase designs in spiny oyster!

*Parts have been reprinted from the Wikipedia.

Mix of Natural Stones & Crystals

These two new designs are a mix using natural stones and crystals; creating a twist on both natural stone and bling of crystals for lovely statement pieces.

This first piece (to the right) has a unique focal pendant in dragon skin jasper with shades of pink-peach-red-tans. It is highlighted with medium colored round peach aventurine, lime green magnesite (dyed/stabilized), small smooth round silver beads and mixed with faceted crystals of smoky and pink/peach rondelles. The dangle earrings match perfectly in the same stones/crystals with a handcrafted swirl of non-tarnish silver wire.

Piece number two (to the left) shows of a very lovely murano glass pendant with a flower configuration inside; colors of peach, blue, green, and cream against a black background; highlighted by light peach aventurine rounds, sodalite disk rondelles, and chunky green prehnite. The crystals are faceted iridescent rondelles in clear and peach/pink. The dangle earrings are of the same stones/crystals with swirl handcrafted in non-tarnish silver wire.

Browse our online shop for these and many other unique mixes from stone, crystal and metals.

Ruby Red Quartz Elegance

All about the elegance of deep ruby red quartz rounds with open centers; for flare Gayle has added freshwater cultured pearls in both rounds and sticks; then hinted with textured silver beads and a very large toggle.

Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility. Quartz: Love, peace, happiness, gentleness, healing emotional wounds.
Browse our collections for custom design uniquely handcrafted jewelry.

Bold and Chic Jasper Cloisonne Crystals

This new design is more about the bold color and chic non-symmetrical design than anything else. I started with beautiful green jasper stones, capped with fancy gold shield caps. Then I added in stunning cloisonné beads and for a bold statement, brought in black faceted crystals and soft colors of topaz faceted hex crystals.

Jaspers: Protection, nurturing, joy, awareness; balancing of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies.

See our

collections to pick your own design from an array of uniquely custom designed pieces.

Bold Chic Trendy in one Fashion

This design is a lot about being bold, with a dash of spicy chic and trendy fashion. The soft colors of the Peppermint Jasper (cream/pink swirls) and Ivoryite (cream) comes together making for an even bolder statement by adding in the color of black glass and a mixture of textured silver beads. Its style is really whatever you make it to be; a little southwest, a little classic with a black summer dress, or casual with jeans; whatever your personality, it’s ready to be that final ‘touch’ to your wardrobe.

Find your personality among our collections of custom designed jewelry.

Mother-of-Pearl Crystal Bling

Classy, sassy and chic design that says Bling in a big way; the highlight is a huge mother-of-pearl pendant that is slick on one side and concave with the blister pearls on the other (could wear either direction). The crystals are faceted metallic black diamond that has an almost shimmer effect; crystal spacers and fresh water cultured pearls, some charmed above the pendant and also in the earrings.

Mother of Pearl: Mental clarity, intuition, sensitivity, imagination, adaptability, cooperation.
Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility.
Find many designs to fit your personality are available on our website.

Fossil Ammonite Turquoise

Ammonites are absolutely beautiful fossils and they come in a vast array of color combinations from cool black to crisp fall colors of green, beige, brown and anything in-between. This new design features a handcrafted with brass non-tarnish wire nicely sized Ammonite pendant that has a fiery (slightly red) shimmery backside, which just adds to the dimension of the fossil as a focal pendant in this piece. To bring out the brilliant colors, I paired it with Arizona Turquoise chips and Ivoryite, a hint of faceted light Topaz crystals and gold spacers. A gold vermeil textured toggle and dangle teardrop hoop style earrings to match.





















This and many other custom handcrafted designs are available at our website.

Artistic Jasper Crystals

Nature’s beauty in a stunning Artistic Jasper pendant, which has been highlighted by pure faceted crystals of pink and copper and then added a hint of Swarovski black Cosmos and completed with fancy pewter beadcaps and textured toggle.

Visit our website for an array of jewelry designs.

Crystal & Stone Bling

Mystical, charming, stylish and a little flirty describe these new creations in crystals and natural stones. A little out-side-the-box for this designer, we paired a lot of faceted charmed crystals with complimenting pendants, stones and metals to give them all different looks for any personality. We’re working on a few more designs in these styles, so keep checking here and the website for their debut!

Mexican Morodo Agate Pendant Faceted Crystals Silver Set

Black Agate Faceted Smoky Clear Crystals Silver Set

Brown Zebra Pendant Faceted Crystals Silver Set

For these and many other natural stone designs are available to purchase on our website.

Lavender Sea Glass Custom Pendant

I was contacted by a lady who has a beautiful piece of sea glass that she collected on vacation. She really wanted it to be in a pendant and it is the perfect size. This lovely piece of sea glass is a pale shade of lavender and handcrafted in non-tarnish silver wire. It was a little bit of a challenge because it’s so small, but I think this works.

Single Red Coral

Doing designs in purely one color is often risky; however with the Red Coral design I hit onto something. It was such a hit, that I redesigned the piece and incorporated different chunky coral stones, several types of copper beads and added a bigger Sponge Coral pendant. This piece hit the mark and was sold before it even hit the website!

Coral Lampwork Beads Sponge Coral Pendant Copper Set (SOLD)

For more designs in natural stone and wire, browse our website for available pieces to purchase.

Naturally Earthy Fossil

More of the great Tucson finds here, a beautiful Moroccan Goniatite in soft shades of green/cream/black wired in non-tarnish silver and accented with carved Jade in natural earthy colors, mixed in some dark green Aragonite for contrast that are in pewter star end-caps.

This and many other Tucson finds are available for purchase on our website.

Feldspathoid Minerals – Lapis Lazuli

The feldspathoids is a group of minerals very similar to feldspars, including solidate, hauyne, nepheline, lazurite, leucite, cancrinite, and nosean. They are all minerals that would have become feldspars if there was more silica present when formed. Feldspars tend to contain three times as much silica, so feldspathoids do not occur in silica-rich rocks such as granite but typically form in volcanic lavas.

Its beautiful, rich blue color makes lazurite one of the most distinctive and attractive of all minerals. Its chemical make-up is quite complex, but the blue color comes from the sulphur that takes the place of some silicate atoms. It is soft and brittle and easily ground to make the rich blue pigment ultramarine, but it is most famous as the major ingredient of the gemstone Lapis Lazuli, famed since the days of Ancient Egypt. Little spots of gold pyrite look like starts in the deep blue lazurite of Lapis Lazuli.

Lapis Lazuli is one of the oldest, most treasured of all gemstones. Its name is a combination of the Latin Lapis for ‘stone’ and the Arabic Azul for ‘sky’ or the ancient Persian Lazhuward for ‘blue’. It usually occurs as lenses and veins in white marble. Consisting largely of Lazurite with spots of pyrite, it has a mottle look. Crystals are sometimes found, but more usually it is massive, and carved to make jewelry, cups and other decorative objects. It was first mined over 6,000 years ago at Sar-e-Sang in the Kokchua valley in Afghanistan, still the source of the world’s finest and most sought after Lapis Lazuli. The ancient royal tombs of the Sumerian city of Ur contained over 6,000 beautifully carved lapis lazuli statues, and it was a favorite stone of the Ancient Egyptians, much used in the tomb decorations of Tutankhamun. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder described it as ‘a fragment of the starry firmament’.

Today, lapis lazuli is mined near Lake Baikal in Russia and at Ovalle in Chile as well as in Afghanistan.

Lapis Lazuli: Wisdom, intuition, awareness, objectivity, clarity, creativity, expanded consciousness, dreams, purity, courage, serenity.
Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility.

Custom designed gemstone jewelry available at our website.
Research from various gem-rock-mineral books.

Sweetness In Plume Agate Quartz

This is more of a simple, just elegant design for those who are looking for a little less than the bold. A very nice sized Plume Agate pendant in non-tarnish gunmetal wire and accented with faceted Cherry Volcano and Smoky Quartz and a sprinkling of freshwater pearls in a champagne color.

This and many other artisan crafted designs are available for purchase on our website.
Smoky Quartz: Believed by some to lift depression and dispel negative moods.
Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility. Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness, strength, inspiration, awakening talents.

Unusual Old World Style

A great find from our Tucson trip in a Madagascar Goniatites; but it’s not in the usual black/brown/white colors. This one is cream/brown shades and has a small amount of ‘fiery’ opec reflection that catches the light every now and again and a very tiny amount of dark green leafy patterns on the one side. There is also some ‘ribbing’ on the fossil, giving it a nice texture in such a large sample. To accent and bring out more of the earthy tones, I paired it with very nice colored ceramic Tibetan beads that are filigree bronzy/coppery end-caps and Coral chips (dyes) in a variety of earthly tones; the wiring is handcrafted in non-tarnish brass to highlight the entire stone and necklace.

This piece along with many others is available on our website for purchase.
Coral is known to protect against negative energy while also preventing loss of energy; it also symbolizes joy and happiness, to bring enjoyment in life to the wearer.