Natural stones for jewelry making

Most of our clients appreciate the cooperation with us, because as a manufacturer and wholesaler of jewelry and findings with many years of experience, we not only offer the highest quality products, but are also open to our clients’ suggestions and expand the offer on an ongoing basis according to their expectations. In addition to the wide range of sterling silver jewelry findings and gold findings, the time has come for timeless and magical natural stones: Rivoli and rose-cut, that are very much desired by people making phenomenal and exclusive jewelry. This idea arose, among others, in response to discontinuing a large amount of Swarovski crystals, which have been very popular among jewelry makers for 125 years. Natural stones have been created by mother nature for thousands of years and since their discovery until today, they are highly valued all over the world and considered a symbol of beauty, power and wealth. With time, however, these precious stones have been more and more popular, until the present times, when they have become available to everyone. It is believed that each natural stone, apart from its visual benefits, reveals unique symbolic properties, based on legends, folk beliefs and natural medicine. Today, jewelry with stones takes various forms, from heavy and raw in the antique style, through classic silver and gold jewelry, artistic in combination with epoxy resin or UV resin, to handicraft made with various methods, such as soutache, beading, macrame or wire wrapping.

Jewelry with gemstones

Jewelry with gems is considered the most valuable due to their uniqueness, durability and symbolism. Natural stones have captivated for generations, mesmerizing with their incomparable brilliance and unique charm. Making jewelry with stones becomes trendy again, delighting not only fans of nature, history and natural medicine, because jewelry with natural stones can be both spectacular and elegant, as well as more subtle, perfect as jewelry for every day. The stones are available in a wide range of colors, from natural, pastel and earthy shades, to juicy, deep and expressive, thanks to which they will enrich your collections with a whim of colors. It is worth bearing in mind that well-chosen stones will perfectly complement the beauty of your client. What’s more, to make your jewelry even more charming, it is worth using gold-plating and rhodium-plating of unique jewelry findings, which will allow you to adjust the shade of the metal to the color of the stone. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the new natural stones that have joined our offer and be inspired by their outstanding charm. Let yourself be delighted by their magical power and make jewelry that will dazzle your clients at first sight. By combining stones with silver and gold, you will create jewelry that will diversify your collections, help you stand out on the market and expand your customer group. What is more, buying high-quality jewelry findings from trusted sources – will gain you credibility and, consequently, customer satisfaction.

Jewelry with stones – examples

Exclusive jewelry is most often made of silver and gold, but to further increase its value and aesthetic quality, it is worth adding stones. Silver settings for gluing-in stones are eagerly used by jewelry makers, because they allow creating spectacular jewelry with character in a quick and easy way. Our offer includes ready-made settings for earrings, earring clips, necklaces, bracelets, rings and cufflinks. For fans of minimalist jewelry, we recommend silver stud earrings for gluing stones of the same shape and size as Rivoli Swarovski crystals. An example is visible on the first photo below. As an alternative, we recommend open ear wire earrings and leverback earring findings.

For people who like expressive, bold and eye-catching jewelry, we offer ready-made earrings silver settings with loop. Jump rings will allow you to connect these settings with tassels, feathers or other pendants, in order to make decorative long earrings. The second photo shows an example of earrings with pendants. Following the jewelry trends for the Spring 2021, the different colors of stones have been used to make mismatched earrings, that have been fashionable in recent seasons.

Many people do not have pierced ears, or cannot wear earrings for various reasons, so as an alternative we offer clip on earrings, which after gluing-in chosen stones become beautiful pieces of jewelry. Non pierced earrings with chalcedony and chrysoprase are visible in the third photo.

Another noteworthy example is the bail pendant for glue-in, which after hanging on a silver chain becomes a charming necklace with a stone. An example of pendants with stones, combined with a recently very fashionable ball chain, is shown in the fourth photo below. In addition to earrings and necklaces, we also offer slip-on bracelets as well as single ring blanks for stones and double silver ring blanks.

Stones are also often chosen to decorate jewelry for men in the form of silver cufflinks, which, after pasting the stone, become the perfect jewelry for men who are aware of their appearance and appreciate their style. Jewelry stones placed in silver settings add some magic, expressiveness and deeper meaning to the jewelry. Silver jewelry with stones is also a perfect gift idea, regardless of the occasion. Earrings or a necklace are often chosen for Women’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays or name days, stone ring is a common choice for Valentine’s Day and a wedding anniversary, while cufflinks are popular for any occasion. We encourage you to choose from ready-made settings and stones and create magical and one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, as well as their entire collections.

Natural gemstones – types

Natural gemstones are a vast category that includes not only stones, but also crystals and minerals naturally created by nature for many years. In the past, due to their aesthetic value and rarity, most of them were referred to as precious gemstones, but over the centuries, the value and popularity of some of them has changed. This was caused, by the variable amounts of being extracted, because if a given stone was considered very rare in nature, and at some point larger deposits were discovered, it led to a drop in its price. Today, natural stones are classified according to several criteria. In contrary to what people believe, the region of origin does not have a significant impact on its value. The following characteristics are analyzed during classification: color, clarity, refractive index, dispersion, specific gravity, translucency, cleavage, fracture, luster, cut, unusual optical phenomena, rarity and Mohs hardness scale, which was created in 1812 by the German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs. On its basis each stone is assigned a hardness scale from 1 to 10. In theory, the higher the hardness, equal to the higher number in the scale, the greater the value of the stone.

However, it should be borne in mind, that this scale is only estimated and in practice there are some deviations. An example is when a stone with a lower hardness is rated as more valuable than the one with a higher hardness scale. This grade can be influenced, for example, by a unique color which is judged by the reflection and refraction of the light. Due to the above criteria, it is not uncommon for a stone within the same species to be classified as a gemstone, semi-precious stone, or neither. Regardless of whether the stones are classified as precious or show less nobility, and then they are referred to as semi-precious gemstones, we divide all of them into species that have common features. They may differ slightly from each other, but must show at least one of the two things in common, which is the atomic structure or the chemical composition. If stones within the same species differ significantly in color, show different transparency or optical effects, then we divide them into varieties, which are subcategories of species. Our offer includes both precious gems and semi precious stones for jewelry making.

Natural stones for jewelry making

Semi-precious stones are more common in nature and are characterized by lower hardness and transparency than precious stones, which makes them more popular and usually cheaper. Although they are less noble, they still delight with their appearance, sometimes even more than precious stones, but it is a matter of individual taste. The semi-precious stones we offer for jewelry making come from legal sources, and they are polished in India – a country with the greatest experience in stone processing and the oldest grinding tradition dating back to 1400 years BC. The stones are polished by hand by grinders with several decades of experience, using a faceted cut characterized by covering the surface of the stone with symmetrical flat windows, called facets. This technique shows the stone’s interior properties by creating an extraordinary brilliance and bringing out the most advantageous features of the stone. The facets need to be cut at the proper angles, which depend on the optical properties of the gem. Due to the fact, that the Rivoli crystals are going out of business, we met the needs of our customers and introduced alternative round stones in the same shape and size, so that everyone could replace the famous 10 mm and 12 mm diameter crystals in their collections. The shape of the new stones does not differ from the Swarovski version, which is why they fit perfectly into tailor-made jewelry settings dedicated to these stones. In the category of stones similar to Rivoli and Rosecut you will find: quartz, tiger’s eye, chalcedony, carnelian, black onyx, chrysoprase and jade. In addition, we offer new GAVBARI Rivoli crystals, which also perfectly match our components.

Leverback setting for Rivoli
Silver 925

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Cufflinks base for Rivoli
Silver 925

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Pendant blank for Rivoli
Silver 925

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1. Quartz

Quartz is one of jewelry stones highly valued since antiquity, when it was attributed with strong protective properties. The name quartz is derived from the Greek word “krystallos”, meaning ice – that resembles in appearance. It is distinguished by high hardness, namely it is 7 on the Mohs scale, which makes it scratch resistant. In general, quartz is considered a source of beneficial energy and is credited with healing properties. This stone is available in several shades, but in our offer you will find the most popular of them, i.e. white, smoky, pink, sapphire and aquamarine quartz. All shades of quartz have a faceted cut, and the shape is identical to Swarovski Rivoli and Rosecut crystals with a diameter of 10 and 12 mm, so you can easily replace these crystals in your collections. Because this timeless stone creates unique compositions with silver, gold-plating and rose gold-plating, we offer ready silver jewelry settings that make jewelry creation extremely simple. The only thing you need to do, is pasting selected stone into setting, which perfectly matches to its bottom shape, and then connect it with other sterling silver findings. Quartz jewelry is very popular, but these charming stones, due to their subtle colors sparkling with a delicate light, are also very popular among handicrafts men, especially among people who create macrame jewelry as well as jewelry and accessories using braids, lace, linen and silk, which have become a hit of recent seasons.

White quartz is an opaque variety of quartz with a milky white color. The stone is characterized by phenomenal clearances creating a glow effect, thanks to which it is often associated with opal. Commonly referred to as crystal, it is considered to be the most powerful stone for purifying and renewing energy. White quartz, also defined as milky quartz, calms down, improves memory and strengthens positive thinking by transforming negative energy into positive. Due to its neutral color, white quartz harmonizes beautifully with both silver and gold, in the form of earrings, rings, bracelets, and also as a silver pendant for quartz necklace. It is also popular in creating jewelry for men, most often in the form of cufflink blanks.

Smoky quartz already in antiquity it was considered a holy stone, and its earthy color symbolized the great power of the gods. Its name comes from the unique color resembling smoke, which is a mixture of beige and brown shades. Smoky quartz meaning suggests, that the energy builds courage and self-esteem, and helps to overcome shyness and fear of change. This mystic quartz with a faceted cut is perfect for making rings, earrings, bracelets and pendants for necklaces, and the impression of smoke trapped under the surface of the stone adds a certain surrealism to the jewelry. Jewelry with smoky quartz stone will embellish beautifully evening outfits, because this stone gives the impression of magic and mystery. Following the popularity of our products, we recommend a smoky quartz ring, which due to its neutral color will be perfect as an exclusive and safe gift idea. Some may be interested in the fact, that smoky quartz is considered the gem of Scotland, and it decorates their national costumes.

Smoky quartz is recommended to people under the sign of Aries, Cancer, Virgo and Capricorn.

Rose quartz also called pink quartz was used already in antiquity to cleanse the body as an elixir with powdered mineral. Nowadays rose quartz is considered a stone of love, ensuring success and happiness in a relationship, positive thinking and good relations with oneself and other people. Rose quartz meaning symbolizes sensuality, passion, fertility, stimulates the senses and awakens a sense of inner beauty. It is also recommended for people who are unlucky in love – not only for lonely people, but also for people imprisoned in unhappy relationships and exposed to routine. Rose quartz stone is also considered an artist’s stone because it stimulates the imagination and influences creative thinking. Rose quartz jewelry is a popular gift for expectant mothers, as it is believed to give them protection and strength. It is also extremely delicate, so rose quartz earrings or a pendant will effectively illuminate the neckline and face, and a rose quartz ring will beautifully complement both, evening and day outfits. Pink quartz looks beautiful in gold or gold-plated silver, and for an even more interesting effect, it is worth combining it with rose gold-plated silver elements.

Rose quartz is recommended for people under the sign of: Taurus, Gemini, Virgo and Libra.

2. Tiger’s eye

Tiger eye gemstone is an attractive opaque variety of quartz, with a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, very often used in artistic handmade jewelry. The tiger eye stone effects owe their uniqueness to the characteristic dark brown color, interspersed with golden-yellow stripes, which, depending on the angle of incidence of light, create an optical effect resembling the pupil of a tiger, which is also where its name comes from. Its uniqueness is also influenced by tigers eye meaning associated with introducing a positive mood, increasing the power to stand out from the crowd and helping to achieve goals. The eye of the tiger is recommended to artists, because it is believed that it greatly stimulates creativity and the desire to create, improves concentration and increases perception. It is a stone of happiness, joy and optimism. Some sources attribute to it the ability to alleviate allergies, which is why it is also referred to as an allergy stone. Its warm color perfectly harmonizes with gold or gold-plated silver, and the phenomenal reflections emphasize the provocative style of the jewelry. Tiger eye jewelry in the form of a fashionable tiger eye pendant works great not only as a decorative jewelry element, but also becomes a talisman, that brings good luck to the owner. The edgy style of the stone makes it eagerly used to create men’s jewelry in the form of tiger eye bracelet, necklaces and cufflinks.

The tiger stone is recommended to people under the sign of: Gemini, Leo, Libra, Virgo and Sagittarius.

3. Chalcedony

Chalcedony stone is a valued gemstone with a hardness of 6.5 – 7 on the Mohs scale, which was already used in ancient times to carve jewelry, amulets, portraits, figurines and seals. Its name most likely comes from an ancient city called “Chalcedon”, located on the Bosporus in Asia Minor. It is believed that this stone absorbs negative energy, calms, stabilizes emotions, brings harmony between the soul and body, and restores joy, mental clarity and positive thinking. The magical properties are recommended for those who are shy, with difficulty standing out among the crowd and sensitive to criticism of others, as well as for people who need more self-confidence and motivation to act. We offer five chalcedony types: fuchsia, azure, tanzanite, turquoise and yellow, thanks to which you can easily adapt the color to your collections. All shades are perfect for summer jewelry creation such as chalcedony ring, earrings, chalcedony necklace and bracelet. The juicy colors of individual chalcedony gemstone, as well as their color variations, will add charm to the summer tan, as well as emphasize the color of the eyes, hair and beauty
of the wearer. Bright and joyful colors are also a frequent choice in creating handmade jewelry, and above all, soutache, allowing for a certain exoticism, thanks to which chalcedony jewelry is even more visible and wonderfully complements the summer look.

This stone is recommended to people under the sign of: Gemini, Libra, Cancer and Scorpio.

4. Carnelian

Carnelian stone is a translucent variety of chalcedony with a caramel color and a hardness of 6.5 – 7 on the Mohs scale. Its name comes from the Latin word “caro” meaning body, which is associated with the shade of human skin. Already in antiquity, carnelian rings and amulets were worn, believing in the positive energy of this unusual stone. Formerly, it was considered a stone of kings, because thanks to its warm color, it was often credited with the ability to give courage and was associated with the proactive energy of a lion and fire. Nowadays, carnelian jewelry is recommended for people appearing in public, who are shy in speech. It is considered a stone of courage, that strengthens faith in one’s own abilities, motivates to act in every sphere of life, stimulates curiosity, helps in self-acceptance, as well as in achieving success, both in private life and in business. It provides new vital energy and promotes creative thinking. Its warm earthy color makes it eagerly used in oriental and boho jewelry. An example are hanging carnelian earrings made of silver bases for pasting a stone, connected with decorations such as tassels, feathers or other pendants. Carnelian gemstone is characterized by a unique color and flickering reflections, which is why they look beautiful in combination with silver findings in the form of earrings, rings, bracelets and necklaces.

Carnelian gemstone is recommended to people under the sign of: Aries, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Sagittarius and Aquarius.

5. Onyx

Black onyx stone is a variety of chalcedony characterized by a black color with a silky sheen, thanks to which it is associated with a timeless classic. It is an jewelry stone whose name derives from Ancient Greek, from the word “onux” meaning claw. Due to its dark color, high hardness of 6,5 – 7 on the Mohs scale and resistance to damage, it was formerly called the stone of leaders and strong personalities with leadership abilities. The onyx stone meaning is considered a stone for the brave, it is a symbol of strength, wisdom and independence. It is credited with extraordinary power to protect against failure, support making the right decisions and facilitate overcoming all adversities. Onyx jewelry can be bold and edgy, but also classic and elegant. Thanks to its universal color, it looks beautiful both in gold and silver findings, so it is worth diversifying your collections with a gold onyx ring, gold-plated onyx earrings or gold-plated onyx necklace. Black onyx jewelry is also an ideal proposition for men. Perfect as a signet ring with onyx and silver, gold or rhodium-plated onyx cuff links. The perfect complement to the uniqueness of this stone will also be oxidized findings, which give the impression of old silver. This one of a kind stone is also eagerly used by craftsmen who create jewelry using the soutache and beading techniques.

Onyx is recommended for people under the sign of: Cancer, Leo, Capricorn and Pisces.

6. Chrysoprase

Chrysoprase is a valuable variety of chalcedony with a translucent structure and a lush green color, often reminiscent of the color of lime, but often also in a shade of dark green, as well as green with an emerald shade. Chrysoprase stone was already used in ancient times to create decorative art. Its name comes from Greek and is a combination of two words: “chrysos” – meaning gold, and “prasinos” – meaning greenish. Chrysoprase meaning is a symbol of new life in every sphere, and it is also believed, that it stimulates creativity and imagination, boosts mood, improves memory and helps in achieving goals. It is slightly softer than other quartz and ranges from 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. The beauty of this stone is enhanced by silver, so it is worth combining it with appropriate sterling silver findings such as leverback chrysoprase earrings or stud earrings. Chrysoprase color is unique, which makes it a beautiful decoration in itself. By joining it with silver, you will create jewelry with an eye-catching effect, extremely impressive and intriguing, which will delight not only with its color, but also emphasize the complexion and beauty of the owner.

Chrysoprase jewelry is recommended to people under the sign of: Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo and Libra.

7. Jade

Jade stone is another jewelry stone, valued already in antiquity, when it was used to make ornaments, combs, dishes, vases, as well as tools and expensive weapons. Due to its high hardness: 6.5 – 7 on the Mohs scale, jade meaning was considered a stone of power, fortune, longevity, balance and wisdom. The jade gemstone increases self-confidence and helps in family life by alleviating intergenerational conflicts, brings peace, harmony, a life free from anger and aggression. It is believed to ward off negative thoughts and improve mood, so it is often recommended for people suffering from depression. We offer a few types of jade: green, pink, dark green, amethyst and orange. The popular green jade supports self-realization and increases self-confidence, which is why it is recommended to traders and businessmen, in order to help them act more effectively and make the right decisions. Already in the Middle Ages, traders haggling held it in their hands. Green jade is available in two shades, so it’s worth merging them with each other and creating jade jewelry, that will be perfect as a phenomenal jade bracelet, jade necklace or jade ring. These stones will also be a perfect complement to jade stud earrings and rings, thanks to which you will get durable and elaborate jewelry. Jadeite stone is not only popular in combination with silver and gold, but is also often used in creating jewelry using handmade techniques.

Jade is especially recommended for people under the sign of: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Pisces.

Natural stones, apart from their natural beauty, also hide a symbolic meaning, thus encouraging the creation of unique jewelry with a message. Their value over synthetic and artificial stones is reflected in the fact, that they were created by mother nature for many years, thanks to which they have their own unique appearance, and after polishing, they delight with impeccable glow complemented by the magical effect.

As a manufacturer of jewelry findings, we have been cooperating with experienced and extremely talented jewelers for years, which is why we systematically diversify our offer based on the needs of our customers. The settings for Swarovski Rivoli crystals developed by us have been very popular for many years, therefore, with the current jewelry makers using this brand’s crystals in mind, we are introducing an alternative in the form of loose stones for jewelry making of the same shape and size – equal to 10 mm and 12 mm, which not only replace the most famous glass crystals, but also offer other unlimited creative possibilities. Silver settings “made to measure”, i.e. dedicated to a specific shape of stones, are a simple way to create jewelry in any style, that will delight with the lightness of the form and extraordinary natural glow.

In addition to the semi-precious Rivoli stones, we also offer the most valuable gemstones – called precious stones. We chose the most popular which are: ubies, sapphires and emeralds in the form of faceted cut beads with a diameter of 3 mm and 6 mm. Their advantage is the uniqueness resulting from their natural origin. More about these natural wonders can be found in the article: Gemstone beads for jewellery making.

Find out more:
Discover jewelry trends for: Spring 2021
Learn how to make your own jewelry: CNC jewelry services
Discover wide range of: Gold findings

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