I made this for a co-worker who has metal allergies but can wear silver. She wanted something that she could wear with mostly any colour, so hematite seemed a good choice. I have since had a request from another co-worker for one like it, but the store where I purchased the hematite disk no longer has them in stock and I couldn't find them anywhere else (except for Hemalyke, at Fire Mountain Gems, but she wants real hematite, and I prefer to buy Canadian, if not local)
7 comments:
Hi, Rielle,
That's a nice sterling / hematite piece. Good work!
I know you prefer to buy Canadian, but Rings & Things in Spokane, WA does ship to a ton of Canadian customers -- And we have hematite donuts (disks) at good prices.
Here's a link in case you're interested: http://shop.rings-things.com/cart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=1352&idproduct=4610
Best wishes from
--Dave
at Rings and Things
she wants real hematite
Yeah, me too! If you find a good supplier, who has the real thing and can prove it, PLEASE post it!
People tell me they've got the real thing, and then when I ask them to show that they've checked it out and can back it up, they're suddenly all "Oh, I don't need to do that..."
I hope you find someone and share them with us!
To Dave at Rings and Things:
I checked out the website, however it appears that you only sell man-made hematite, which is exactly what we did not want. Perhaps I should have been more specific; by real hematite I meant naturally occurring, not man-made. According to the reading I have been doing, while man-made hematite is very similar, it is not the same as real hematite, evidenced by the different colour streak you get if you do a scratch test with them.
Barbara:
After continuing my search, I'm beginning to wonder if even the original piece might be man-made. It appears that natural hematite is very uncommon and is so brittle that it doesn't take well to making this sort of perfectly smoothed surface. Much of my reading indicates that nearly anything advertised as hematite these days is actually man-made. Such a disappointment! It's a good thing my original purchaser wasn't so specific, she just wanted something in a colour that would work with mostly any outfit she chose.
Thanks to you both for your comments; I was surprised to discover anyone was even reading this besides my friends.
Hi again,
Exactly right! Pure natural hematite is going to be very hard to find, and I expect costly.
As the Gemstone Beads Index on Rings & Things' website says, manmade hematite is for most intents and purposes the same as the mineral, and "real hematite is used to make it".
(http://www.rings-things.com/gemstone/h.htm)
So if your purchaser wanted something as authentic as the original necklace, she's in luck. :-)
By the way, there are several gemstones that are now more common in artificial than natural form. We (Rings and Things) put a lot of work into tracking this information and informing the public through our Gemstone Beads Index.
Best wishes from
--Dave
at Rings n Things
I was surprised to discover anyone was even reading this besides my friends.
You're talking stones! Of COURSE I have to read it :)
Dave is right about Hematite -- it's just such a rare and spendy stone these days. There's always a reason people start faking stones -- there's some reaso why "the real thing" isn't feasible -- and hematite and azurite seem to be the usual suspects.
I feel kind of sorry for the people who buy hematite for metaphysical reasons and find out it's not real. What a bummer.
Hope your design works out. Post when you finish it -- I know I want to SEE!
That's just it, the lady who wanted the second one did want it for "metaphysicla reasons" as you put it. She decided not to bother if she couldn't get natural hematite. That's ok though; this is just a hobby for me, and I wasn't terribly keen on making a nearly identical necklace anyway; it's not as fun that way :D.
So Barbara, I'm curious, what is your interest in stones. Do you collect, or work with them yourself?
Well, that's a bummer. And, as you say, not the end of the world, since you don't want to make the same thing twice.
what is your interest in stones. Do you collect, or work with them yourself?
*g*
I work with stones, my boss Stuart has a rock collection, I make jewelry and bead, and I have friends who do energy work and reiki with stones.
Personally, I adore hematite, but the real stuff is so hard to find that I try to keep an eyeball peeled for people who have it. But it looks so good with emerald (birthstone!) that I keep trying...
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