| Jewelry Facts and Care |
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| TEXAS BEADS OF JOY |
Jewelry Lengths:
Choker – 14” to 16” (neck circumference + 1.5” to 2.5”)
Princess Length - 17” to 19” (usually worn with higher necklines)
Graduated strand - 17” to 19” (largest bead in center of necklace gradually decreasing in size toward clasp)
Matinee - 20” to 23” (usually worn for casual daytime wear)
Eyeglass necklace - 27”
Opera Length - 30” to 35” (sometimes doubled to be worn as a choker)
Rope - 40” - 45”
Lariat - both ends left unattached or one end with a dangle and the other with a loop - at least 48”
Bracelet (strung) - 6.5” (small); 7.5” - 8” (median to large; add about 1/2” for comfort unless you want it snug)
Anklet - 8” for medium, 9.5” large (measure circumference of ankle and add approximately 1/2”)
Milimeters converted to approximate inches:
Beads Per Inch Chart
This chart shows you the approximate number of beads for various lengths. (length of strand excludes clasp)
TIPS ON CARING FOR YOUR JEWELRY
Always avoid contact with chemicals, such as pool and sea water, hair spray and perfume, household cleansers, even hard water. These could ruin the metals or
stones, changing the color, making them more brittle, etc. You can help avoid these things by not swimming with your jewelry pieces on and by putting your
jewelry on last when getting ready to go out somewhere.
Always remove your jewelry at night or during the day when you don't need to wear it. Exercising, swimming or doing household chores while wearing your jewelry
could eventually leave a film behind, dulling the color and shine!
Wipe your jewelry pieces with a soft, clean cloth after wearing to help remove natural body oils and/or sweat residue.
To maintain the look of your beaded jewelry, simply use a soft silver polishing cloth to revive the shine on the silver or gold components as needed. Keep in mind
polishing cloths are impregnated with chemicals and should not be used on stones. Only use them on the silver or gold. Do not wash your polishing cloths. Do
not use liquid silver cleaners.
To clean any collected dust or debris on the stones, rinse in warm water and pat dry with a cloth. Do not rub or scrub and do not use any soap or other cleaning
chemicals. Many types of stones would be adversely affected by cleaning chemicals or soaps. Store your jewelry out of direct sunlight. Some stones may fade if
left in sunlight for long periods of time.
Aurora Borealis (AB) Finish: Named for the Northern Lights. A durable coating that gives off a rainbow finish to the outside of glass beads after polishing.
Bicone: Two faceted cones are lined up at their bases.
Cat’s Eye Beads: Fiber optic glass beads with graduated colors from the center “eye” in the middle of the bead, creating the illusion of a cat’s eye.
Cloisonne Beads: A design is created on the bead using metal of either silver or gold. The design is then filled in with enamel in varying colors.
Czech Glass Beads: Made in the Czech Republic. Machine faceted then polished by oven glazing.
Dichroic Glass: Vaporized metallic salts are shot through an electronic beam gun onto special glass. It is then heated in a vacuum chamber creating glass with
a mystical glowing radiance. It has a rainbow colored appearance and is a bit like abalone shell in how the colors change with the light angles.
Faux or Imitation Pearls: A plastic or glass bead with a pearl coating.
Freshwater Pearls: Freshwater pearls are produced in freshwater beds like rivers and lakes, and they are also produced from a different part of the mollusk.
They tend to have more of a variation in color, as well as shape, as opposed to pearls produced in salt water. When pearls are cultured, and they virtually all are
these days, a culture, or irritant, is introduced into the oyster or mollusk to cause it to coat the irritant with nacre, the stuff that makes a pearl shiny and beautiful.
The irritant inserted is made perfectly round and can be seen in an x-ray. A natural pearl will not have a perfectly round center in it under x-ray, and they are very
valuable pearls. They are usually oval in shape and not perfectly round as well.
Care and cleaning of pearls:
Always apply your hair spray, makeup and perfume before you put on your pearls. The chemicals can damage the nacre. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner for
cleaning your pearls. Never use a cleaning solution with ammonia or use abrasive cleaners such as cleanser to clean your pearls. If your pearls get wet, never
hang them to dry out. This could stretch the silk cord out of shape. After wearing pearls, just remove body oils by wiping them off with a soft cloth to maintain their
luster. Always store pearls in a soft cloth bag so they will not be scratched by other gemstones. Pearls should not be kept in sealed bags.
Lampwork Glass Beads: Handcrafted glass beads made one at a time by melting glass rods with a torch onto a coated steel mandrel and finally firing in a kiln.
The melting glass is turned and formed into the shape, size and color desired. Some lampwork beads are mass-produced but handcrafted lampwork beads have
a wider variety of colors and designs.
Pressed Glass: Century-old method of pressing glass into steel molds, resulting in uniform bead shapes.
Swarovski Austrian Crystals: This Austrian company has been the leading manufacture of crystals since 1892 when Daniel Swarovski created the automatic
cutting and polishing machine. The crystals contain 30-32% lead, depending on the color, and produce a highly refractive quality. The most brilliant of all crystal
beads.
Swarovski Pearls: These are perfectly round pearls that have been formed around a piece of Swarovski crystal.
Stabilized Turquoise: Moisture, skin oils and environmental factors can change the color of turquoise jewelry if left untreated. But stabilizing turquoise helps
preserve the stone's normal color. Natural, mined turquoise nuggets are heated at a very low temperature for about a week, slowly drawing out moisture without
damaging the texture. The stones are then placed into acrylic or polymer chemicals to replace water molecules. This stabilizes the stone and keeps its beauty and
value intact. "Stabilized" turquoise has had a clear resin added that improves its color and hardness and protects it against fading (color changing) from mild
chemicals.
Reclaimed Turquoise: Usually refers to turquoise material that is leftover from cutting larger pieces. It is ground into a powder then mixed with a resin
compound to form new beads.
The "Sleeping Beauty" turquoise is the most highly prized turquoise in the world, found in the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Arizona. This turquoise, often referred
to as "Persian color" is bright, vivid blue and most pieces are perfectly clear of any inclusions (dark markings, matrix or veins). Depending on which part of the
country or world the turquoise was mined, you'll find it in various shades of blue and green, as well as with differing amounts of matrix.
Metals:
Sterling Silver: Sterling silver is the most widely used of the precious metals. Silver is rarely used in its natural state. Like pure gold, its softness makes it an
impractical choice for design purposes. In order for sterling silver to receive the .925 stamp it must contain a minimum of 92.5% pure sterling silver alloy. Silver is
most often alloyed with 7.5% copper to provide durability and malleability.
Silver and gold will eventually tarnish or discolor if left out in the open air, leaving your sterling pieces black and gold pieces kind of dull. Before storing, wrap each
piece in acid-free tissue paper or anti-tarnish cloth, place it in a polyethylene bag such as a Ziploc, and seal the bag. This will provide some protection against
changes in relative humidity and create a barrier against tarnish producing gases. You can further protect silver pieces against tarnish by placing small packets of
silica gel (found in food and medicine containers) to absorb moisture and create a dry environment, or activated charcoal (to absorb pollutants) in the storage
bag. Do not store silver in plastic wrap. In addition to containing tarnish producing materials, the plastic can adhere to the silver over time. Some examples of
tarnish-causing elements include paints, fabrics containing wool or felt, rubber bands, latex gloves, and foods containing eggs, onions, or citrus. The oil in our
fingers can also lead to corrosion patterns if not removed, so clean your silver jewelry with a soft cloth after each wearing. Toothpaste should NEVER be used as a
silver polish. Some toothpastes contain baking soda or other ingredients which are much too abrasive; even trace amounts can cause serious damage. Anti-
tarnish strips can also be placed in your jewelry box. I have also heard that chalk may prevent tarnishing.
Fine Silver: Fine Silver is .999 pure silver. It is the softest of the silvers used in the creation of jewelry. Many wire jewelry artists use the fine silver 28 or 30 gauge
wire for knitted chains.
Argentium Sterling Silver: Argentium Sterling Silver is a new anti-tarnish product. Unlike regular sterling, Argentium contains no copper. It has been alloyed with
a product called germanium which gives Sterling Silver many of the characteristics of fine silver
Turkish Sterling Silver Beads: More expensive than Bali beads since they contain slightly more sterling silver (95% as opposed to 92.5% in Bali). The balance
of the metal is cadmium which contributes towards maintaining the silver shine of the beads.
Thai Hill Tribe Silver: Hill Tribe silver is almost pure silver, which is handcrafted using centuries-old traditional methods by the northern mountain tribe artisans
of Thailand, such as the Karen tribe. The Hill Tribe artisans work with the silver by hand and with the use of stamps and tools to create their unique pieces. The
higher the silver purity of any piece, the less tarnish there will be because of not having the base metals. Made of a higher purity than 92.5% sterling silver.
Bali Beads: Silver handmade beads from Bali, Indonesia made with 92.5% sterling silver and 7.5% lead or copper. Made one at a time so each bead may vary
slightly in size and weight.
Bali Style Beads: Created to imitate the style of Bali silver beads. May be sterling silver but are not handmade.
Silver-Plated: A silver coating is placed on a base metal by electroplating or dipping. The thin coating can be scratched off easily or dulled if not cared for
properly. If the pieces are not in direct contact with skin or clothing, the silver finish may be prolonged without becoming dull. A small silver bead interspersed with
larger sterling silver beads may be protected from touching the skin so that it will remain shiny. Silver plated beads usually will not tarnish like sterling so are used
by designers to keep costs lower for the budget-minded person who still wants the beauty and attraction of a piece with sterling silver. Do not over-polish your
silver-plated jewelry. Repetitive polishing of silver-plate will eventually wear down the silver electroplate and expose the base metal.
Nickel Silver: The name of this metal is a misnomer since nickel silver contains no silver. Nickel silver, also called German silver, is a silver-colored alloy of nickel,
copper and zinc. The nickel in this and some other products is the most likely to affect metal sensitive people.
Oxidized Finish: Exposure to oxygen will cause silver to naturally oxidize or turn dark. This look can also be purposefully created by chemically darkening the
metal.
Gold Rolled: Gold is essentially rolled around the brass core.
14K or 24K Gold Fill: Gold fill is a process of bonding a thin layer of gold to a base metal with heat and pressure. 14/20 gold fill is 1/20 - 14K by weight. This
means that 1/20th of the product is 14K gold. The base metal is brass. 14K gold fill gives the look of 14K at a fraction of the gold cost. Gold fill should not be
confused with the micro-thin layers of gold found on gold-plated items. Gold fill is extremely durable and its beauty will last for years and years to come if cared for
properly.
Vermeil: Vermeil is a gold-plating process which was developed in France in the mid-1700s. Refers to an overplating of gold onto silver using an electrolytic
process. The result is a bright and shiny gold surface.
Gold Plated: A very thin layer of gold (usually 10K) is applied by electroplating to the surface of a base metal. The gold is a much thinner layer than gold filled.
Pewter: A soft metal alloy composed mostly of tin, with a small amount of lead, antimony, bismuth, copper and/or silver added. Polished pewter has a silvery
luster.
Brass: Brass is a alloy of 55% to 70% copper and balance being zinc. Brass is a warm gold in color.
Copper: This reddish-brown metal is frequently used to alloy silver or gold. Uncoated copper will patina, turn dark over the passage of time. This is caused by the
air and elements on the metal. Many manufactures of copper items coat their pieces with a lacquer to retard the patina.
Merlins Gold: Merlins Gold is another brass metal that is 85% copper and 15% zinc. Merlins gold has the rich glow very similar to 12K gold.
Choker – 14” to 16” (neck circumference + 1.5” to 2.5”)
Princess Length - 17” to 19” (usually worn with higher necklines)
Graduated strand - 17” to 19” (largest bead in center of necklace gradually decreasing in size toward clasp)
Matinee - 20” to 23” (usually worn for casual daytime wear)
Eyeglass necklace - 27”
Opera Length - 30” to 35” (sometimes doubled to be worn as a choker)
Rope - 40” - 45”
Lariat - both ends left unattached or one end with a dangle and the other with a loop - at least 48”
Bracelet (strung) - 6.5” (small); 7.5” - 8” (median to large; add about 1/2” for comfort unless you want it snug)
Anklet - 8” for medium, 9.5” large (measure circumference of ankle and add approximately 1/2”)
Milimeters converted to approximate inches:
Beads Per Inch Chart
This chart shows you the approximate number of beads for various lengths. (length of strand excludes clasp)
TIPS ON CARING FOR YOUR JEWELRY
Always avoid contact with chemicals, such as pool and sea water, hair spray and perfume, household cleansers, even hard water. These could ruin the metals or
stones, changing the color, making them more brittle, etc. You can help avoid these things by not swimming with your jewelry pieces on and by putting your
jewelry on last when getting ready to go out somewhere.
Always remove your jewelry at night or during the day when you don't need to wear it. Exercising, swimming or doing household chores while wearing your jewelry
could eventually leave a film behind, dulling the color and shine!
Wipe your jewelry pieces with a soft, clean cloth after wearing to help remove natural body oils and/or sweat residue.
To maintain the look of your beaded jewelry, simply use a soft silver polishing cloth to revive the shine on the silver or gold components as needed. Keep in mind
polishing cloths are impregnated with chemicals and should not be used on stones. Only use them on the silver or gold. Do not wash your polishing cloths. Do
not use liquid silver cleaners.
To clean any collected dust or debris on the stones, rinse in warm water and pat dry with a cloth. Do not rub or scrub and do not use any soap or other cleaning
chemicals. Many types of stones would be adversely affected by cleaning chemicals or soaps. Store your jewelry out of direct sunlight. Some stones may fade if
left in sunlight for long periods of time.
Aurora Borealis (AB) Finish: Named for the Northern Lights. A durable coating that gives off a rainbow finish to the outside of glass beads after polishing.
Bicone: Two faceted cones are lined up at their bases.
Cat’s Eye Beads: Fiber optic glass beads with graduated colors from the center “eye” in the middle of the bead, creating the illusion of a cat’s eye.
Cloisonne Beads: A design is created on the bead using metal of either silver or gold. The design is then filled in with enamel in varying colors.
Czech Glass Beads: Made in the Czech Republic. Machine faceted then polished by oven glazing.
Dichroic Glass: Vaporized metallic salts are shot through an electronic beam gun onto special glass. It is then heated in a vacuum chamber creating glass with
a mystical glowing radiance. It has a rainbow colored appearance and is a bit like abalone shell in how the colors change with the light angles.
Faux or Imitation Pearls: A plastic or glass bead with a pearl coating.
Freshwater Pearls: Freshwater pearls are produced in freshwater beds like rivers and lakes, and they are also produced from a different part of the mollusk.
They tend to have more of a variation in color, as well as shape, as opposed to pearls produced in salt water. When pearls are cultured, and they virtually all are
these days, a culture, or irritant, is introduced into the oyster or mollusk to cause it to coat the irritant with nacre, the stuff that makes a pearl shiny and beautiful.
The irritant inserted is made perfectly round and can be seen in an x-ray. A natural pearl will not have a perfectly round center in it under x-ray, and they are very
valuable pearls. They are usually oval in shape and not perfectly round as well.
Care and cleaning of pearls:
Always apply your hair spray, makeup and perfume before you put on your pearls. The chemicals can damage the nacre. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner for
cleaning your pearls. Never use a cleaning solution with ammonia or use abrasive cleaners such as cleanser to clean your pearls. If your pearls get wet, never
hang them to dry out. This could stretch the silk cord out of shape. After wearing pearls, just remove body oils by wiping them off with a soft cloth to maintain their
luster. Always store pearls in a soft cloth bag so they will not be scratched by other gemstones. Pearls should not be kept in sealed bags.
Lampwork Glass Beads: Handcrafted glass beads made one at a time by melting glass rods with a torch onto a coated steel mandrel and finally firing in a kiln.
The melting glass is turned and formed into the shape, size and color desired. Some lampwork beads are mass-produced but handcrafted lampwork beads have
a wider variety of colors and designs.
Pressed Glass: Century-old method of pressing glass into steel molds, resulting in uniform bead shapes.
Swarovski Austrian Crystals: This Austrian company has been the leading manufacture of crystals since 1892 when Daniel Swarovski created the automatic
cutting and polishing machine. The crystals contain 30-32% lead, depending on the color, and produce a highly refractive quality. The most brilliant of all crystal
beads.
Swarovski Pearls: These are perfectly round pearls that have been formed around a piece of Swarovski crystal.
Stabilized Turquoise: Moisture, skin oils and environmental factors can change the color of turquoise jewelry if left untreated. But stabilizing turquoise helps
preserve the stone's normal color. Natural, mined turquoise nuggets are heated at a very low temperature for about a week, slowly drawing out moisture without
damaging the texture. The stones are then placed into acrylic or polymer chemicals to replace water molecules. This stabilizes the stone and keeps its beauty and
value intact. "Stabilized" turquoise has had a clear resin added that improves its color and hardness and protects it against fading (color changing) from mild
chemicals.
Reclaimed Turquoise: Usually refers to turquoise material that is leftover from cutting larger pieces. It is ground into a powder then mixed with a resin
compound to form new beads.
The "Sleeping Beauty" turquoise is the most highly prized turquoise in the world, found in the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Arizona. This turquoise, often referred
to as "Persian color" is bright, vivid blue and most pieces are perfectly clear of any inclusions (dark markings, matrix or veins). Depending on which part of the
country or world the turquoise was mined, you'll find it in various shades of blue and green, as well as with differing amounts of matrix.
Metals:
Sterling Silver: Sterling silver is the most widely used of the precious metals. Silver is rarely used in its natural state. Like pure gold, its softness makes it an
impractical choice for design purposes. In order for sterling silver to receive the .925 stamp it must contain a minimum of 92.5% pure sterling silver alloy. Silver is
most often alloyed with 7.5% copper to provide durability and malleability.
Silver and gold will eventually tarnish or discolor if left out in the open air, leaving your sterling pieces black and gold pieces kind of dull. Before storing, wrap each
piece in acid-free tissue paper or anti-tarnish cloth, place it in a polyethylene bag such as a Ziploc, and seal the bag. This will provide some protection against
changes in relative humidity and create a barrier against tarnish producing gases. You can further protect silver pieces against tarnish by placing small packets of
silica gel (found in food and medicine containers) to absorb moisture and create a dry environment, or activated charcoal (to absorb pollutants) in the storage
bag. Do not store silver in plastic wrap. In addition to containing tarnish producing materials, the plastic can adhere to the silver over time. Some examples of
tarnish-causing elements include paints, fabrics containing wool or felt, rubber bands, latex gloves, and foods containing eggs, onions, or citrus. The oil in our
fingers can also lead to corrosion patterns if not removed, so clean your silver jewelry with a soft cloth after each wearing. Toothpaste should NEVER be used as a
silver polish. Some toothpastes contain baking soda or other ingredients which are much too abrasive; even trace amounts can cause serious damage. Anti-
tarnish strips can also be placed in your jewelry box. I have also heard that chalk may prevent tarnishing.
Fine Silver: Fine Silver is .999 pure silver. It is the softest of the silvers used in the creation of jewelry. Many wire jewelry artists use the fine silver 28 or 30 gauge
wire for knitted chains.
Argentium Sterling Silver: Argentium Sterling Silver is a new anti-tarnish product. Unlike regular sterling, Argentium contains no copper. It has been alloyed with
a product called germanium which gives Sterling Silver many of the characteristics of fine silver
Turkish Sterling Silver Beads: More expensive than Bali beads since they contain slightly more sterling silver (95% as opposed to 92.5% in Bali). The balance
of the metal is cadmium which contributes towards maintaining the silver shine of the beads.
Thai Hill Tribe Silver: Hill Tribe silver is almost pure silver, which is handcrafted using centuries-old traditional methods by the northern mountain tribe artisans
of Thailand, such as the Karen tribe. The Hill Tribe artisans work with the silver by hand and with the use of stamps and tools to create their unique pieces. The
higher the silver purity of any piece, the less tarnish there will be because of not having the base metals. Made of a higher purity than 92.5% sterling silver.
Bali Beads: Silver handmade beads from Bali, Indonesia made with 92.5% sterling silver and 7.5% lead or copper. Made one at a time so each bead may vary
slightly in size and weight.
Bali Style Beads: Created to imitate the style of Bali silver beads. May be sterling silver but are not handmade.
Silver-Plated: A silver coating is placed on a base metal by electroplating or dipping. The thin coating can be scratched off easily or dulled if not cared for
properly. If the pieces are not in direct contact with skin or clothing, the silver finish may be prolonged without becoming dull. A small silver bead interspersed with
larger sterling silver beads may be protected from touching the skin so that it will remain shiny. Silver plated beads usually will not tarnish like sterling so are used
by designers to keep costs lower for the budget-minded person who still wants the beauty and attraction of a piece with sterling silver. Do not over-polish your
silver-plated jewelry. Repetitive polishing of silver-plate will eventually wear down the silver electroplate and expose the base metal.
Nickel Silver: The name of this metal is a misnomer since nickel silver contains no silver. Nickel silver, also called German silver, is a silver-colored alloy of nickel,
copper and zinc. The nickel in this and some other products is the most likely to affect metal sensitive people.
Oxidized Finish: Exposure to oxygen will cause silver to naturally oxidize or turn dark. This look can also be purposefully created by chemically darkening the
metal.
Gold Rolled: Gold is essentially rolled around the brass core.
14K or 24K Gold Fill: Gold fill is a process of bonding a thin layer of gold to a base metal with heat and pressure. 14/20 gold fill is 1/20 - 14K by weight. This
means that 1/20th of the product is 14K gold. The base metal is brass. 14K gold fill gives the look of 14K at a fraction of the gold cost. Gold fill should not be
confused with the micro-thin layers of gold found on gold-plated items. Gold fill is extremely durable and its beauty will last for years and years to come if cared for
properly.
Vermeil: Vermeil is a gold-plating process which was developed in France in the mid-1700s. Refers to an overplating of gold onto silver using an electrolytic
process. The result is a bright and shiny gold surface.
Gold Plated: A very thin layer of gold (usually 10K) is applied by electroplating to the surface of a base metal. The gold is a much thinner layer than gold filled.
Pewter: A soft metal alloy composed mostly of tin, with a small amount of lead, antimony, bismuth, copper and/or silver added. Polished pewter has a silvery
luster.
Brass: Brass is a alloy of 55% to 70% copper and balance being zinc. Brass is a warm gold in color.
Copper: This reddish-brown metal is frequently used to alloy silver or gold. Uncoated copper will patina, turn dark over the passage of time. This is caused by the
air and elements on the metal. Many manufactures of copper items coat their pieces with a lacquer to retard the patina.
Merlins Gold: Merlins Gold is another brass metal that is 85% copper and 15% zinc. Merlins gold has the rich glow very similar to 12K gold.
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