LEAP YEAR FLASH SALE!
Join us on leap year day, Wednesday, February 29th, 2012 to celebrate the extra day by taking advantage of multiple sales in the store. This “Flash Sale”, one day only event is a great way to save on all your favorite beads.
ALL WOOD, SHELL, HORN, BONE, & RESIN BEADS- 50% OFF
ALL GLASS BEADS-50% OFF
ALL SEMI PRECIOUS RONDELLE STRANDS- 50% OFF
Don’t miss this quick sale! Plus anyone who spends over $50.00 will receive a
FREE GIFT!
Gorgeous Hydro Quartz
But what does “Hydro Quartz” mean anyways?
We are absolutely in love with these incredible cuts and colors of Hydro Quartz that we have in store but we often get customers asking us ” What is Hydro Quartz?” Here’s a look into what it means when a stone is labeled Hydro Quartz in our store.
THE PROCESS:
The “hydro” is short for the process of Hydrothermal Synthesis. This process has been performed by geologists, geochemists, and mineralogists since the beginning of the 20th century. It essentially is a man made, fast process of creating crystals that would take much longer to form in nature otherwise.
To create these crystals, a substance or nutrient along with water is put into an Autoclave , or steel apparatus that can contain and withstand high vapor pressures and very hot temperatures. Usually one end of the autoclave is extremely hot while the other is cooler, creating the necessary environmental properties for the chemical reaction to spawn growth.
A diagram of a basic Autoclave chamber
Once the crystal is grown to capacity it is removed from the Autoclave chamber and cut up to be made in to commercial stones. The clarity that is achieved by these man made crystals is outstanding and many colors can be created by adjusting the different chemical properties. It’s sort of like cooking up gemstones!
RESULTS:
So does this mean that your Hydro Quartz has any less value than the real thing? Not necessarily. The main difference is that somewhere, man formed and grew your crystal out of the same ingredients that nature would have used. But, we just did it a bit faster. If you happen to be a fan of inconsistencies, matrix and cleavage lines, and cloudiness in stones, then Hydro Quartz pieces will definitely not strike to your tastes. However if you like perfectly clear colors and body of stones, you would definitely not want to pass this option up!
Upcoming Beading Social! Wednesday, Feb 22nd
BEADWORKS BEADING SOCIAL EVENT Wednesday, Feb 22nd, 5-7 pm
Bring your best gals to this fun event hosted in store on the evening of the 22nd. Refreshments will be served while all in attendance will learn to make either a pair of earrings for $15 or a bracelet for $30. A variety of project options will be available, so choose to make matching sets with your friends or go off the beaten path and create your own look! We cannot wait to host this event since an evening of socializing and crafting is our favorite thing to do. Just bring yourself and a friend or friends and let the fun begin! We will be supplying all the tools and materials.
Here are just some of the options for the earrings you can be making:
Option One:
Braided Rings with wire wrapped semi precious drops. Drop earrings are the most popular style of earrings and these can sure make an impact with a sparkling stone at the bottom. We made ours with Whiskey Quartz and Pyrite.
Option 2:
We want you to make your own hoops! In this design you can learn the technique of making your own hoop finding and adding beads for a look that always is popular. Adjust the size of the hoop to create completely different looks.
Option 3:
These brushed ring findings make the perfect frame for your favorite stones. If you select stones that fit the frame perfectly you can create one of Spring’s most sought after jewelry trends. You will learn how to wrap them so they fit snugly into place!
Please call 215-413-2323 to RSVP. We want to make sure we have enough refreshments and materials for all who want to come out!
Beadworks Philadelphia Blog Write up on Examiner.com
We’re happy to say that we have now been featured on the Examiner.com Fashion Blog. The writer, Erica Delp, met us at the Intergalactic Bead Show in Plymouth Meeting and was so impressed with our selection that she wrote about us on the blog. If you have a moment, check out the article. Thanks, Erica!
Click the link below to read the article:
BEADWORKS PHILADELPHIA SUMMER SHOW!
IT’S OUR SUMMER SHOW!
Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity to stock up on semi precious stones and all your favorite beading supplies at the one-day-only Sale and Show! This is our last large in store show until the fall-so come peruse our fine selection of semi precious stones, gemstones, findings, pendants, and so much more.
See you there!
THURSDAY, JUNE 30th, 2011
12-6 pm
Meet the Beadworks Bike!
WHAT’S WITH THE BIKE?
Introducing the Beadworks Bike. We accquired this bike about a year and a half ago and have been using it around South Street ever since. At first, it was a helpful way to direct people to our store after we moved just a bit up the street. Now that people have been catching up to where we’ve gotten to, we decided we should still use the bike, but why not make it into a bit more fun?
This time around, the bike is taking a hint from Waldo and wants you to find it! If you come to the store and let us know where you saw the bike that day (it will always be in the Queen Village, Headhouse Square, Society Hill, Bella Vista neighborhoods) you can receive 15% OFF your ENTIRE purchase.
So keep your eyes peeled. You might see it on the way to our shop one day. Remember where you saw and it could save you some GREEN!
See you in the shop,
The Ladies @ Beadworks Philly
What is the composition of plated metals?
Wondering what’s underneath the shiny exterior?
We understand that it’s important to know what materials you are working with when making your jewelry. With Sterling and gold prices sky high, plated metals are becoming an ever more tempting alternative to putting a major dent in your wallet. Here’s some answers and FAQ to the most common questions we get about plated metal, findings and chain.
1.) How are plated metal beads and findings made?
Most metal findings and beads in this industry are made by casting. A mold is made in the shape and design of the item. Then the mold is filled with molten metal, cooled, and then finished (usually) to a high polish. Objects made of Sterling or Gold are cast directly in those metals. Most plated metals start as copper or pewter castings that then receive a silver or gold plating.
The process of plating can be accomplished by using any number of methods. One common method is electroplating, where the piece to be plated is submerged in a chemical solution bath that has an electric current running through it. The power within the current can coat a conductive material with a thin coating of a desired metal or provide the object with a number of other properties (such as reducing corrosion).
This is a casting tree, ready to be invested in a flask. Once the investment has set, these will be put into a casting machine.
2.) How long will the plating last?
Since the plating on most metals is very thin, it important to know what to expect. Unlike pure metals or silver and gold alloys, plated metals may deteriorate in quality much quicker. One thing that may happen is that the surface of the metal may darken or lose the original shine that it had. Some people refer to this as “turning”. What is actually happening is the copper base metal is reacting with the oxygen in the air after a period of time and that COPPER OXIDE is rising to the surface of the metal, causing a tarnished look. Unlike sterling, this oxidation is not easily polished away since that may end up damaging the plating even more by removing it all together. In some other cases, plating can actually be chipped or removed from the surface of the metal, exposing the copper casting underneath the plating.
This is a basic electroplating bath set-up.
3.) How can I prolong the life of plated metals?
The best way to keep your plated metals happy is to make sure that they are not exposed to any other undue chemical corrosion. This chemical corrosion can be caused by simple things like perfumes, make-ups, direct sunlight and human sweat over time. People that live in much warmer climates tend to see their plated items deteriorate faster due to these causes. When using plated metal beads in jewelry design, spacers may be helpful, since scratches to the surface can expose the base metal.
4.) Once the plating is compromised, what can I do?
If the damage is minimal, a very SOFT cotton cloth can remove some tarnishing. However DO NOT use regular silver/gold cleaning solutions or coarse cloths on items that are plated. If the piece is dear to you and it has lost much plating, the best thing to do is bring it to a jeweler and have the item re-plated.
Awesome Tassle Earrings!
Don’t you love when beading can take on textile like qualities? When we saw these gorgeous Tiffany & Co. tassel earrings (designed by Solange Azagury-Partridge) that Natalie Portman wore at the Oscars this year, we wanted to try the look! Her earrings contained expensive rose cut diamonds and Rubellite beads, also known as Pink Tourmaline. We tried ours with Rhodolite Garnet.
What you need:
2 strands (16″long) of your favorite semi precious 3-4 mm rondels
Two 12-14 mm pave crystal round beads (silver or gold metal)
Two beadcaps (silver or gold metal)
One pair of ear wires (silver or gold metal)
6″ of 24 gauge wire (silver or gold metal)
24 micro (1×1 mm) crimps
1.5 yards of .013 Beadalon
Flat nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Wire Cutters
Instructions:
1.) Start by stringing all of the rondels onto the Beadalon. Measure the overall length once you are finished. It should measure around 32″.
2.) Next, cut the strung beads into 12 equal segments. Each piece will measure about 2 3/4″ long. Make sure to leave extra Beadalon at each end for crimping.
3.) Now take your 6″ of wire and cut it into two 3″ segments. Make a wire wrapped loop on each piece of wire.
4.) Crimp each rondel segment on one end with a micro crimp so the beads are secured on one side.
5.) Now, begin to crimp the other ends of 6 segments each onto the two wire wrapped loops that you made with the wire.
6.)Once all 12 segments are crimped (6 on each loop) string your beadcap onto the wire, so that it fits over top the rondel strands and hides the crimps. Then slide on your crystal round beads.
7.) Make a wire wrapped loop once everything is strung onto the wire. Attach the wire wrapped loop onto your ear wire.
8.) Wear and enjoy!
Understand the Different Types of Gold Beads and Findings
Perhaps one of the most important things to know when you are designing your own jewelry is the difference between precious and plated metals. In this article we’ll be focusing on gold, and pointing out the differences, pro’s and con’s of gold filled, vermeil and gold plated metals.
Gold Filled: by definition, gold filled is a piece of jewelry or other base metal item (chain, finding, bead, etc) with a sheet of gold applied to its surface using heat and pressure. The plating of gold on a gold filled item is typically 10K, 12K, or 14K and is at least 50 times thicker than regular gold plating. Gold filled items can last years without wearing through to the base metal and are, in most cases, more expensive than vermeil and gold plated items
Vermeil: pronounced “ver-MAY”, vermeil is the process of applying a plating of gold 2.5 microns thick over sterling silver. The plating can be done in many different karats of gold, ranging from 10 karat to 32 karat, but is typically 18 karat to 22 karat. The gold plating on vermeil items can wear off, in some cases, more quickly than on gold filled items. However, since the base metal is sterling silver, the piece is 100% precious metal.
Gold Plated: items that are gold plated have a single layer of gold over a base metal, usually brass or copper. Since the layer of gold is so thin, it can wear or tarnish much more quickly that gold filled and vermeil items. Gold plated items are typically much less expensive than gold filled or vermeil, and is a great alternative when designing costume jewelry, or pieces that will not be worn daily.
Understand Bead Hole Sizes and how to use a Bead Reamer
Bead holes can present a variety of challenges when beading. Hole sizes vary according to the material of the bead. Gemstones and pearls are generally sold on the basis of weight so producers drill the smallest hole possible. Gemstone holes are hand drilled from each side of the bead until they meet in the middle so the hole size is thinner in the center of the bead. This can make stringing frustrating. Similarly, bead holes often have rough interiors that fray your stringing material over time leading to necklaces that break. Having a bead reamer at hand for your beading projects could save you a lot of time and money in the long run. The bead reamer acts like a circular nail file and it smoothes out through edges of the existing bead hole. If you use the bead reamer extensively you can file away some of the bead’s body to enlarge the hole. Obviously, this will only work on beads that are made of a material that can be filed – gemstones, pearls, bead, bone and soft materials. Lampwork glass beads and metal beads may have their holes smoothed but not enlarged. Always use water to lubricate the diamond bits when you are reaming glass or stone beads. See the technique for using Beadalon’s battery operated bead reamer in their video here.
