Silicone Belly Rings

by RITIKA CHANGRANI

Sport Silicone belly rings and get noticed. If you like the concept of body piercing – They are safe. They come in a variety of colors and designs. They will meet your individualistic taste perfectly. Take a small step to feeling good about yourself – Go Silicone!

Lets start with what exactly silicone is. Don’t confuse it with Silicon… there is a slight difference. In layman’s terms, Silicone is made up of a group of compounds of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms. This combination is water resistant and can handle large variations in temperature. Silicones are used in a variety of applications since they are reliable, durable and easy to handle. The body can accept this material as it can resist body fluid and can be shaped as per requirement.

Silicone belly rings are very popular because they come in a large variety of colors, designs, shapes and sizes. If you surf the net for silicone belly rings or silicone jewellery you will find literally hundreds of designs in very many combinations and designs. It would be difficult to list all of them for you. At a glance, you would find bubble balls, beads, bands, glow in the dark designs, spiky sphere balls in a multitude of colors and a variety of others.

Belly rings have been around long before you and me arrived on the scene. They existed in the Aztec times and were quite popular during the Inca Period. Throughout the ancient world, the Egyptians and other tribes used body piercing as a symbolic representation of bravery in battle, spiritual connections with god, status in society among other things. There is evidence that the Romans pierced their nipples to attach their capes when they went to fight, the Egyptian royalty pierced their navels and the Native Americans used body piercing in their coming-of-age ceremonies.

Till the 1980’s, earlobes were the only parts that were pierced as a fashion statement. The Punk scene brought in piercing of the lips, tongue, brows, nipples etc. Navel piercing sneaked its way in when super models flaunted their belly jewels at world famous fashion extravaganzas. The media has played a big part in propagating the concept of navel piercing. Those who did body piercing realized that they were not the only ones and those who were not even aware that such a thing existed were now enlightened!

There are a lot of curious questions about why one uses belly rings or navel piercing. There is something really sensual about a navel or belly ring, it says – “look at me”, as it nestles on the planes of the belly and the soft curve of the waist. It is considered an erogenous zone and there are women who say that it makes them feel beautiful, it’s daring and it’s a little different from the usual. It’s your way of saying “I love me so I do something special for me”.

Silicone belly rings do just that. With the variety of designs available in silicone, it is one of the best options when it comes to selecting belly rings.

Why Silicone?

– Variety – Being a highly flexible substance, silicone can be crafted into almost any shape. So, you can get really creative with Silicone belly rings.

– Colors – Silicone can be created to form single or multi-colored belly rings. So you have an unlimited choice of colors!

– Low Budget – Silicone is an inexpensive yet trendy alternative to gold and platinum. You needn’t empty your wallet to look good. Silicone belly rings are quite cheap and hence more accessible.

There are some things to be kept in mind if you are going in for belly rings. These are important so you don’t end up with a bad infection instead of a belly ring or jewel. Your navel must have a defined lip where the piercing can be done. Your belly button is a depressed scar, which manages to collect dirt over time. It needs proper cleaning and drying or there are chances of fungal infections. Once you pierce it, you have to take extra care and you have to follow a very strict hygiene and cleaning routine or you could end up with problems on your hands.

It is important that you get all the information regarding navel piercing, its care and a list of things that you may encounter during the healing process. Consult the doctor at every stage so that you know that the healing is on the right track and not harboring some other infection.

It is a good idea to start with navel jewels. They look really nice, heal quickly and once healed you can change them to match your clothes. With rings you may have to use pliers, which may prove to be difficult.

If you are pregnant, then by the sixth month you may have to change the ring for a bigger one or go in for a bit of fishing line which will keep the piercing open till you are able to re insert your ring. If it has been removed then the piercing can be re-opened using a taper pin but do consult your doctor for this.

There are a lot of options available to you in terms of silicone belly rings. Surf the net, talk to your friends who have done body piercing. Sporting a hip accessory is no longer an expensive option with silicon belly rings here for you!

Stainless Steel Tongue Rings

by Ritika

Stainless steel tongue rings are the preferred choice for tongue piercing as they are very safe, can be made into a number of designs and most importantly, are easy on the pocket. Today body piercing is becoming something of a status symbol in contemporary society. High quality steel and other material just means that your options boil down to a simple choice of whether one wants to do tongue piercing or not. Tongue piercing saw its birth around the 1980s. Generally rings are not used but then it all depends on what your personal taste and style quotient is. If you are going in for tongue rings then it is best to get professional advice and ensure that you go to a qualified person to get it done.

Stainless steel tongue rings are the preferred choice for tongue piercing as they are very safe, can be made into a number of designs and most importantly, are easy on the pocket.

Today body piercing is becoming something of a status symbol in contemporary society. High quality steel and other material just means that your options boil down to a simple choice of whether one wants to do tongue piercing or not. Tongue piercing saw its birth around the 1980’s. Generally rings are not used but then it all depends on what your personal taste and style quotient is. If you are going in for tongue rings then it is best to get professional advice and ensure that you go to a qualified person to get it done. This way you get what you want and you don’t get the associated problems that go with this type of work.

Tongue piercing also goes by names like tongue ring etc which is a bit of a misnomer as very rarely are rings worn. Paired or tongue piercing that is side by side is also commonly known as venom piercing or viper bites, with reference to the fangs of a snake. Ritual tongue piercing has been noticed in the Aztec and Maya cultures where there are illustrations showing priests piercing the tongue and drawing blood or passing rough cords through the hole which is designed to inflict pain. However there is no evidence of permanent or long-term tongue piercing in the culture.

Once you get the piercing done, remember that swelling occurs approx three to seven days after and it can get really uncomfortable. Your best bet to numb the discomfort a little bit is to have lots of cold drinks, suck on ice cubes, etc. all of which help to mitigate the swelling and soreness, and Ibuprofen works very well also. Keep in mind that the swelling must be accommodated for by using a longer piece of initial jewelry, which can then be replaced by a shorter piece of jewelry so that the healed piercing prevents damage to the teeth and gums.

Surgical stainless steel is the ideal choice when it comes to metals for tongue piercing. Stainless steel rarely, if ever, causes any irritation or allergic reactions at the site of the piercing. The type of stainless steel called 316L used to make high quality stainless steel tongue rings is the preferred option, as this material does not corrode that easily.

As with any radical style of dressing, tongue rings too have there own share of misconceptions and myths which are in some part true and others are pure fiction. One of the most common misconceptions going around about tongue piercing is that since the mouth is dirty the piecing will be prone to frequent infections and healing will be a long process. This is true that that mouth has huge amounts of bacteria but the saliva is more that enough to counteract this infection and it promotes healing. Use of a mouthwash reduces the chances of infection.

With piercing of any kind there is always a minor risk of heavy bleeding if a vein is hit; but if you ensure that a qualified piercer is doing a good job then there should be no problem avoiding the blood vessels. Some bleeding is of course, normal but uncontrolled bleeding must be checked by a proper doctor. Be prepared to have your tongue ring a bit off center, which is due to the placement of the frenulum dead center on the tongue. Sometimes this crooked look can be noticeable but more often than not goes unnoticed.

Tooth and gum damage are risks that can be minimized by correct placement of the ring. Ensure that jewelry used is sized correctly and don’t play with the tongue ring. Too big a ring may cause problems with your teeth. The tongue has an exceptional ability to heal fast so piercing close quickly sometimes as fast as a few days.

Stainless Steel tongue rings will not rust or cause certain problems like other traditionally used alloys. Stainless steel jewellery manufacturers ensure that the steel used is high grade, non magnetic and looks similar to platinum but is a cheaper option. Steel can also be molded and this gives the manufacturers the option of creating many designs and many styles. If the concept is ok with you and you are not the queasy kind of person then go in for stainless steel tongue rings. You will be making a statement of your own.

Look up the net and you will find stainless steel rings in a variety of styles, shapes, sizes and brands. There are styles to suit varied personalities and you will also get a lot of information on where to go and what precautions you need to be aware of. So flaunt your tongue piercing with a stylized tongue ring today!

The Sparkle of Jewelry in the Roman Empire

by Shalini Kagal

Jewelry designs and trends during Roman empire period – The strange thing is that the Romans were when the empire first began, rather austere in their tastes – their food, their clothes, their ornaments. What they wore was more functional rather than flaunting. Then came the army’s success as they began to spread out and conquer. Soon, Spartan gave way to Style. This could have been due to two reasons. One, the fact that they saw a new world out there where many dressed in a more resplendent manner and flaunted jewelry. Two, the fact that very often they carried back the spoils of war of which gold and precious stones formed a part. By the first century B.C., there was a variety of jewelry available with a wide choice of designs.

The first foray was probably into gold as this was the metal that they brought back most often from their conquests. Then, the trend grew to embrace both Greek and Eastern influences. So we see beads made of glass, colored stones and the use of silver as well as the rare bronze. After all, according to Homer, wasn’t this the metal used to fashion Achilles’ shield? We also see the use of pearls and bone.

It all started with piercing – but piercing with a purpose. The men pierced themselves as a show of strength. If they pierced their nipples, it symbolized both their loyalty to their empire as well as being a symbol of power. In fact the gladiators would pierce various parts of their body believing that this was supposed to protect them from injuries.

As interest in jewelry grew, the early designs show a marked leaning towards the Greek styles. However, with time, a more distinctive Roman style seems to emerge. The Romans had a partiality for stones like emeralds, sapphires, rubies and topaz. They also had a choice of pendants which were encased in gold and were cameos. Some of them were made to be large enough to hold a bit of perfume. These were in full display with the ladies who came to watch the chariot races as they began to get more popular in Rome. The horses too, especially the ones that took part in the races, were decked out in pearls and stones woven into their tails and their manes. The young boys usually wore a neck chain or a ‘bulla’ which had a small pouch that contained protective amulets.

The Romans were very conscious of their status in society. So clothes became important items of demarcation between the various classes – between those born free and the slaves, as well as the many classes in polite society. Jewelry therefore became a very important status symbol together with clothing to make this distinction.

One could see a lot of gold hemispherical shapes which were made into earrings, necklaces or bracelets. The men usually were a little more subtle and their jewelry was constrained to one finger ring. At first these rings were made of iron, then of gold. Then precious stones were used for rings as were semiprecious stones like chalcedony and carnelian. The trend grew however and there were some Roman men who wore a ring on every finger. Roman women were said to wear friendship rings as well. Both men and women wore carved rings – the stone was often carved so it would facilitate sealing documents. The ring was pressed into hot wax and the document sealed. This practice continued well into the later times when kings used this method to seal anything.

The trend of relief where silver ornaments and vessels was concerned was practiced in the fourth century B.C. This type of ornamentation was done a lot in the Greek era and it permeated all silverwork right through the Roman civilization.

The most popular item of jewelry by far however, was the brooch. This was what held most Roman clothing together. It really was an ornamental safety pin but the Romans raised it to a work of art. In fact, you can find variations of it in far flung parts of the Roman Empire. What was unique at that point of time was the clasp or the ‘fibula’. Though the brooches served a very functional purpose – that of holding clothing together – they were beautifully made. There were laurel leaves, branches of palms, winged eagles and goddesses.

From what has been unearthed and is now in the museums, one realizes that over two centuries ago, this empire had jewelry that used diamonds from India and sapphires from Sri Lanka. In the England of the Roman era, ‘jet’ or fossilized wood was used to make jewelry. The ancient Romans used a lot of amber in their jewelry as well. Amber is the resin from fossilized trees and it was referred to as the ‘gold of the north’. One sees that a lot of ornaments fashioned out of amber were made during the second century B.C. Many of the ancient civilizations made jewelry out of amber and they were much-prized possessions. Remains of amber workshops have been found in parts of Europe.

The women wore beautifully designed jewelry in their ears, fingers, around their necks, on their clothes and even in their hair! As well designed as their brooches and clothes pins were, equally so were their jeweled hair pins. Of course, some of the jewelry was worn by the superstitious – and there were many of them – to ward off what they called the ‘evil eye’.

Many of the Roman designs and ideas were spread through their conquests of places near and far and many just spread and got mixed with the neighboring cultures after the decline of the Roman Empire. Soon, one saw a change from a more barbaric and resplendent taste in jewelry in the conquered regions to a more understated, elegant one.
So even though the ‘grandeur that was Rome’, sung about by poets and philosophers waned, their contribution to the world of jewelry design did not. It grew, changed and flourished all over the world.

Platinum Facts

by Shalina Khemlani

Platinum, a metal that one can certainly marvel at! Apart from being the most expensive metal, it is one of the most beautiful metals that are used to make precious jewelry. When combined with its enormously high melting point, this metal makes crafting jewelry designs extremely inflexible and intricate, reason being its rigidity, resistances to flexibility and lack of softness.

Platinum, a metal that one can certainly marvel at! Apart from being the most expensive metal, it is one of the most beautiful metals that are used to make precious jewelry. When combined with its enormously high melting point, this metal makes crafting jewelry designs extremely inflexible and intricate, reason being its rigidity, resistances to flexibility and lack of softness.

Conversely, jewelers prefer making use of this eye-catching and striking platinum metal with a blend of gemstones. Out of the lot the most popular being diamonds, the color and smooth luster of platinum blend perfectly well!!! Platinum metal is known to compliment other metals and precious stones. Platinum also features an unusual quality of holding fine gemstones keeping them tightly in place. Hence the jewelry life enhances as the stones remains intact for the life of the jewelry. It is more useful when used as prongs and additional background components parts of the jewelry.

Apart from this, the metal is known for its sturdiness and hard-wearing, and hence make perfect jewelry gifts that is bound to last for years to come. Some of the other metals in the platinum clan are palladium, iridium, osmium, rhodium, and ruthenium. The properties that platinum possess make it ideal for fine jewelry. The incomparable solidity, ductility and high melting point are some of the elements that make it possible to store platinum jewelry for centuries.

A woman’s jewelry gatherings will indeed be imperfect and partial if it doesn’t consist of platinum jewelry. In the recent times they are not only a mere possession but just the right investment and a class symbol for the well-off and the famed. By and large in the past, gold metal used to be the only one considered as far as jewelry was concerned as this metal is quite pleasing to the eyes and can be easily worked upon and has grabbed a lot of attention. However in the present era, Platinum has made a bigger picture for itself. Even though it may belong to the equivalent splendid and precious gold metals family, nevertheless it is one of the newest and greatly a younger member to have made a stand for itself!

Considering its white radiance, flexibility, resistance to acids and its extremely high melting point, platinum metal has been extensively used in jewelry since only 19th century onwards. Jewelry items such as rings, watches, earrings, necklaces and bracelets are extensively being created out of 90 percent platinum along with mixed alloys. The reason why platinum metal is acknowledged as being rarer than gold is because gold is often associated with several alloys involved in the jewelry making process. Whereas platinum jewelry contains very little alloy, and hence becomes the perfect preference for those who are susceptible to metals.

Platinum metal is now regarded rarer than gold. Consequently, it’s on its way to replacing gold as the precious metal of pick for jewelry. In fact platinum has now been well thought-out as a metal that can be compared to the equivalent platform of that of diamonds as it is said to be everlastingly. Platinum is an exceptionally valuable and expensive metal that is basically used to create fine jewelry. Its profound weight and toughness provides platinum metal to withstand and not get easily dilapidated even if it is worn on daily basis.

Platinum metals produce an innate white luster. That luster offers a lustrous backdrop for diamonds, although it’s the platinum metal that is simply graceful and stylish even if used all by itself. Platinum fine jewelry receives maximum appreciation even with a simple polished finished with delicately carved ornamentation. As a matter of fact Platinum metal appears to look even more stunning when combined with contrasting touches of 18K yellow gold. The smooth structure and designs become doubly gorgeous and it appears even brighter.

Platinum Jewelry prices soar in the market for the reason being that is made out of the same category of expensive metals that are most costly and precious metals in the world. So it is quite obvious that a person who is looking forward to buying platinum jewelry needs to shell out more than what he would be paying for any other types of jewelry and that includes gold jewelry as well.

Besides the high price of platinum metal it is better known for a number of uniqueness and distinctiveness elements that it holds. Platinum jewelry is so pure and has faultless hypoallergenic accessory for those who are affected by gold. In fact platinum is an exceptional metal with people with sensitive skin. Platinum jewelry can be worn without any sort of tension of getting allergy or rashes. Platinum jewelry can be cleaned more easily than even wearing it. All you would simply require is mild soap and water.

With increase of demand for titanium jewelry pieces, you are bound to come across ample amounts of platinum jewelry easily available in the market. People have succumbed into the charm and are completely smitten with the qualities that platinum metal has to possess! The intricate designs, white luster, gemstones that are well intact can leave any one speechless!

Making Beaded Jewellery Part 1

by Binasaji

Making your own beaded jewellery can be lots of fun and a great way to set your creativity loose. With the help of the internet, you can become a great designer very soon. Plenty of websites list step by step instructions to make beaded jewellery – or you easily give shape to your own dreams and create a unique look- different from the run-of-the-mill ideas! Before embarking on a beaded jewellery making mission, it would help to understand that although the designs shown on the internet sites look easy, making a piece that looks similar to the one on your computer monitor can take several attempts. Patience and lots of practice will help you perfect the art of making professional looking beaded jewellery from home.

Making your own beaded jewellery can be lots of fun and a great way to set your creativity loose. With the help of the internet, you can become a great designer very soon. Plenty of websites list step by step instructions to make beaded jewellery – or you easily give shape to your own dreams and create a unique look- different from the run-of-the-mill ideas!

Before embarking on a beaded jewellery making mission, it would help to understand that although the designs shown on the internet sites look easy, making a piece that looks similar to the one on your computer monitor can take several attempts. Patience and lots of practice will help you perfect the art of making professional looking beaded jewellery from home.

There are some basic tools required for crafting beaded jewellery and many online stores sell sets of tools required for this purpose. As one gets adept and more adventurous with beaded jewellery making, specialized tools can be bought.

Pliers

Everyone has probably handled or at least seen pliers at some point in time. These are easily available at the nearest hardware store and are the most important tool for making jewellery. Several types of pliers are used in creating jewellery pieces – for making loops, for opening loops, for closing loops for crimping and for cutting.To make perfect, professional looking beaded jewellery, a variety of pliers are required. For a novice, investing in just the basics – like a chain nose plier, wire cutter etc. is essential.
While buying pliers handle them once or twice and pick the perfect size with easy grip handles – some even have foam handles for comfort. Pliers are the most used implement and must feel comfortable in your hands.

Chain Nose pliers

The most basic pliers are the Chain Nose pliers – these pliers are inexpensive and can be bought either at a local hardware store or ordered online or you might even find them in your toolset at home. These are great for almost all the jewellery making work – bending, holding and turning the wire required for making jewellery. These pliers have narrow arms and flat edges making it useful to pick up findings or beads also. Another variation of the Chain nose pliers are the Bent Nose pliers with slightly bent tops making it easy to work with more intricate smaller loops and for putting wires into bead holes.

Round Nose Pliers

look similar to the Chain Nose pliers are but are used to give a professional finish to the jewellery. These may not be readily available at the local hardware store since these are specialty pliers created for the jewellery industry. Making perfect loops with chain nose pliers is tricky, the round nose pliers with their ends finer (measuring 1 to 2 mm at the tip) than the chain nose variety make it easier to turn wires into loops, make more perfect round loops, smaller loops and also to open and close jump rings. These pliers are also great for winding wire which is required in some designs. It is not advisable to use these pliers for holding or gripping wire since the plier can leave visible marks on the wire (unless they have nylon jaws which do not leave any marks)

Flat Nose Pliers

This is another plier used by professionals. These pliers like their name have flat tops and are smooth on the inside making them perfect for gripping or holding wires while you bend them with a round nose plier. The smooth insides make them ideal for holding beads, straightening or opening wires and jump rings.

Long or Needle Nose Pliers

Long or Needle Nose Pliers are similar to Flat Nose Pliers with a difference in their arms. Unlike the flat nose pliers, these have long narrow flat tips. The advantage is that it makes it easier to reach crevices and the increased length of the arms gives more control to the artist than the ordinary flat nose pliers.

Closing pliers

Closing pliers help in closing loops, links, rings etc. These specialized closing pliers can make the difference between an amateur jewellery piece and a professional finish. With smooth insides, these pliers are available with and without grooves for crimping. The smooth insides ensure wires are not dented while closing the loop. Bent Closing pliers serve the same purpose but have angled jaws for easy leverage to work with smaller loops and jump rings.

Crimping Pliers

Crimp beads need Crimping Pliers to even out the beads. The crimping effect can be achieved with other pliers, but they sometimes leave unsightly sharp edges. The crimping pliers usually have small arms which have grooves in them. They are available in several sizes and the one you should buy will depend on the size of the beads used for creating the beaded jewellery piece.

Cutting Pliers

It is important to invest in a pair of good Cutting Pliers for snipping off the wire ends. Depending on the stringing material used to thread the jewellery, cutting pliers can be bought. Often inexpensive, it is advisable to buy a pair which will give a smooth cut wire. Some cutting pliers leave sharp ends which have to be filed manually. Cutting pliers can also be used to trim findings and other flexible beading wires. Some of the common types of Cutting pliers are Side Cutters, Diagonal Flush Cutters, etc.

Most of the above pliers now come with nylon jaws which do not mark the wires or beads. Although slightly more expensive, nylon jaws ensure that your beaded jewellery pieces do not have ugly scars or dents on them. Intrepid manufacturers offer combination pliers For eg. Round nose, Crimping and Closing pliers in one plier or half flat nose and half round nose pliers. The varieties are many and it is up to the beader to decide how many pliers will suffice!

For children, special hobby pliers without sharp edges are also available. Other than the pliers mentioned above, there are specialty pliers for setting gemstones, straightening wires, making chain, working with split rings and plenty more. Most of the jewellery making work can be accomplished with just the basic pliers – Round nose, cutting, crimping pliers etc.
Most manufacturers list the uses of pliers, so before you buy make sure you have a requirement for the specified plier!

Making Beaded Jewellery Part 3
Making Beaded Jewellery Part 4
Making Beaded Jewellery Part 1
Making Beaded Jewellery Part 2

Jewellery Making Tools

by Binasaji

Tweezers:This simple tool is great for picking up and holding small items! Several varieties of tweezers are available for different purposes – Locking tweezers for grasping your jewellery as you work with it; Bent End Tweezers with angled or bent ends for a better grip on small objects; Knotting Tweezers with sharp tips to knot thread to the bead. Beading Awls / Stoppers: Mistakes are a part of learning but undoing knots is an annoying task, even for the most patient beader! The beading awl is ideal to undo irritating knots with great ease. It can also help in knotting and making small loops or winding wires and threads.

Now that you have some information about the pliers required for making beaded jewellery, this article provides some more data about some of the other tools needed to handcraft your special piece of jewellery.

Tweezers

Professionals in every industry have discovered the importance of Tweezers – Beauty Salons, Hospitals, etc. In jewellery making too, tweezers have found their place of importance. This simple tool is great for picking up and holding small items! Several varieties of tweezers are available for different purposes – Locking tweezers for grasping your jewellery as you work with it; Bent End Tweezers with angled or bent ends for a better grip on small objects; Knotting Tweezers with sharp tips to knot thread to the bead. While these are some of the more important tweezer types, it is common to find variations designed for specific purposes.

Bead Storage Box

Working with tiny items like beads is difficult and keeping track of all the tiny items used in jewellery making – head pins, beads and other tiny items can prove to be a challenging task. A storage box to store all these tiny findings is an absolute requirement. Bead storage boxes to suit every requirement can be bought or you make your storage box by collecting small boxes and putting them together in a larger box, but make sure you do have a bead storage box which will save you the time wasted on looking for findings while making your jewellery. A good storage box should be transparent, offer large open tops for easy access to the stored items and have separate sections to keep each item.

Beading Awls / Stoppers

Mistakes are a part of learning but undoing knots is an annoying task, even for the most patient beader! The beading awl is ideal to undo irritating knots with great ease. It can also help in knotting and making small loops or winding wires and threads. Another ancillary tool is the bead stopper which grips the end of the beading thread, preventing beads from slipping out.

Cutters

If you are using thread to string the beads, a small pair of scissors or a sharp thread cutter/ nipper for snipping of the ends neatly is required. Make sure the implement is sharp and can cut the thread without fraying it. Some artists prefer to burn the thread ends using a thread end burner. This is especially good for plastic threads. For metal wires, a sharp wire cutter or Flush Cutter is perfect.

Bead Reamers

Sometimes bead holes may not be cleaned properly by the manufacturers or have small untidy bits sticking to the edges or the hole maybe too small for the wire to enter – for this purpose the bead reamer is helpful. It can be used to clean out the bead hole and to increase the size of the bead hole also. The bead reamer set has two parts the handle and the needles. A set will have several needles (for dealing with different types of beads) of varying sizes which can be interchanged on the same handle depending on the requirement. Separate needles can also be purchased without the handle.

Flexible Beading needles

These are indispensable while making beaded jewellery. Threading beads with large holes is easy but if you want to craft a delicate piece with seed beads a beading needle makes it easy to string the tiny beads. Beading needles are available in various sizes and remember a lower needle number signifies a needle that is thick and vice-versa.

Beading boards

are another great item to purchase if you plan to continue making jewellery. Beading boards have marked lengths which keeps track of the length of your chain or bracelet. Some boards even have deeper indentations so you can to place your findings along with the beads. Another advantage of using the Beading board is that making multiple strand jewellery becomes easier.

Wire Rounders/ Cup Burs

Wires have sharp points and the wire rounder softens the edges of the wire making the wire safe to work with. Cup Burs also serve the same purpose by smoothening out the ends. The same effect can be achieved by a simple file also – although it is likely to take a longer time.

Miscellaneous Tools

A ruler or measuring tape to measure lengths is also required. If your beaded jewellery required soldering or hammering wires, a pair of safety glasses is handy. In fact sometimes even small eye pins or headpins can fly if not gripped properly; the safety glasses essentially protect the eyes against unseen mishaps. Artists working with tiny beads can buy magnifying glasses or Loupes to ensure their eyes are protected against excess strain. A loupe also makes it easier to follow the beading pattern and wire the beads. A small hammer comes of use when making metal beaded jewellery or working with wires where wires or findings to be straightened out or flattened.

Glue

Finally, Glue is sometimes needed to join uneven beads or surfaces for a better finish for your jewellery. Most manufacturers do not sell glue online but it is easily available at local stores. For plastic beads, a simple epoxy glue or even craft glue will do the trick but for metal beads, an epoxy is essential. Some jewelers use Hypo-cement for joining the beads together.

Professional jewelers use hi-tech tools like vacuum wands (an electronic gizmo which creates suction at the tip to pick up and drop tiny objects), solders, gem setting pliers, stone setting pliers etc. Their tools are highly specialized and include expensive tools not essential for an artist working from home or a hobby jewellery maker. Many manufacturers offer complete kits with essential supplies for different levels of expertise.

As the amateur designer becomes confident and graduates to professional jewellery design, it is advisable to invest in the specialized tools for jewellery making.

Roman Period Jewellery Designs

by Shalina

One of the most popular styles of jewelry made-up by the Romans was gold hemispheres that were created into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. The most common fact that is assumed by most is that the ancient Roman jewelry has a similar resembles to the Greek and Etruscan jewelry. However the fact is that there were new and ground-breaking designs and patterns were developed and resultant from other civilizations and remained entrenched all the way through Roman times.

One of the most popular styles of jewellery made-up by the Romans was gold hemispheres that were created into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. The most common fact that is assumed by most is that the ancient Roman jewellery has a similar resembles to the Greek and Etruscan jewellery. However the fact is that there were new and ground-breaking designs and patterns were developed and resultant from other civilizations and remained entrenched all the way through Roman times.

Roman period jewellery designs and trend

The Roman inhabitants were extremely creative and skillful in designing their jewellery. However they still borrowed from Greek motifs. Palmettos, fleeing dogs and acanthus leaves, that were all of the Greek foundation, were over and over again seen in the design and different patterns of the Roman jewellery.

There has been a certain belief that the upper-class Roman women wore a considerable amount of jewellery. Most of the individuals belonging to the greater set of women in the Roman times used to be dressed in wide-ranging amounts of gold or carved stone that mostly included a seal stone for wax-sealing the important documents. A lone design that was persevered throughout the Roman history was known as the fibula which is simply an ordinary pin that was essentially used as a safety pin and as a clothing fastener. The fibula was frequently embroidered that came along with a cameo of a feminine bust or a winged Victory intaglio figurine.

Although roman mostly made use of gold, they sometimes also used bronze or bone and in earlier times, glass beads and pearl were often used. More than 2,000 years ago, Romans traded for sapphires from Sri Lankan and diamonds from India. They also made extensive use of emeralds and amber in their jewellery. In Roman-ruled England, fossilized wood that was referred to as the jet from Northern England was time and again engraved into pieces of jewellery. They worked in crude gold and fashioned clasps, necklaces, earrings and bracelets. They also produced superior and bigger pendants which could be filled with perfume.

The prehistoric Romans made use of a miscellaneous array of supplies and materials. This was for the reason that they had a huge access to an extensive multiplicity of innate resources that were available across the European and Mediterranean continents.

The designs and trends in roman jewellery during the antediluvian times

Roman jewellery at earlier times was also featured in gold plating over pewter, nickel or even lead. Apart from that, a lot of people in those times wore roman jewellery that includes beads or gems.

Most common piece of jewellery in the roman times

Roman brooches are referred to as the most common jewellery items or ornaments that were widely obtainable in a variety of forms that were quite popular in the earlier times of the untimely Rome.
Basically used to secure clothing together the roman created brooches that used to come with a tongue, pin, and while there were other that would feature a loop that could be attached to any garment. The main purposes behind making brooches were to hold the robes together. Supplies such as the Bronze, pearls, bone, emerald and glass beads were used, complementing the gold settings to make a wide variety of brooches with intricate and delicate designs. Apart from gold hemispheres fashioned into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, brooches were considered to be a popular style of jewellery invented by the Romans. Roman also thought of brooches to decorate women’s garments and attires in an extra-ordinary way. Most of the roman fashion accessories were commonly used by the aristocracy in the Victorian Era. A range of roman brooches chiefly comprises of costume brooches available at those times included the pins, designer and signed brooches studded with semi precious gems and stones, beads and much more.

Roman bracelets

There was a lot of use of different supplies such as stones and glass in order to make exclusive Roman bracelets. People were strangely attracted to the most precious and semi-precious gem stones to make open band roman bracelets. There were pieces of pearls and rubies entwined and cut in an artistic form.

One of the major trends followed in the roman gold bracelets designs were the ones that were shaped and twisted in the form of coiling snakes.

Even the gold bracelet that came with a firm round hoop with rectangular cross section was quite well known. They were spirally warped; sledge hammered flat at one end with an encircling opening and other ends were left pointed.Earrings

The simpler type roman earnings that had gained immense popularity were the earnings where the ends were hooked together, or at times were also fixed with a pendant club or a bezel-set tapering stone. Apart from these there were also an assortment of variations in the hoop with a shield-like ornamentation or similar to the hanging pendant. Some hoops used to come in the form of animal or a human head and beads which is a basic style that is consequent from Egypt and the East during the Hellenistic period. These designs and trends have been prevailing right all the way from the second century. Most earrings at the roman period used to come with had long, S-shaped hooks for insertion into the earlobe.

Roman armlets

A roman armlet is a type of jewellery that is worn around the arm and has its roots since ancient civilizations. Silver, Gold, bronze, copper were some of the type of material used in large scale at those times to make durable and long lasting armlets.

Lip Labrets

by RITIKA CHANGRANI

The Dogon and Nuba tribes of Mali and Ethiopia come to one’s mind while talking about piercing of the lips for the insertion of rings but the same art craft, though with different objects, is practiced all over the world. Other forms of lip piercing involve labrets including the types like ivory, metal or quartz crystals etc. There’s no restriction on the size of the labrets and the same is extended to large proportions. Since ancient times, even high-caste males have adorned their bodies with exotic labrets in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and metal or material type.

A style statement today, the lip labret is becoming increasing popular and you have a wide variety of choices when it comes to selecting a piece of jewelry for the lip piercing.

The Dogon and Nuba tribes of Mali and Ethiopia come to one’s mind while talking about piercing of the lips for the insertion of rings but the same art craft, though with different objects, is practiced all over the world. Other forms of lip piercing involve labrets including the types like ivory, metal or quartz crystals etc. There’s no restriction on the size of the labrets and the same is extended to large proportions. Since ancient times, even high-caste males have adorned their bodies with exotic labrets in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and metal or material type.

A particular kind of lip plates called ‘Pelele’ is worn in the upper lip by the Makololo tribal of Malawi and unlike various guesses regarding the reason behind sporting such a labret, the actual truth is that the same is considered a piece of jewelry for the females.

A RING OR A STUD?

The person interested in the piercing should decide whether he/she prefers a ring or a stud since the piercing will probably last forever after healing. The piercing style differs depending on the selected labret. The labret stud does not fit beautifully in the piercing for a ring because of the fitting angle differences. The wide range of options available for labret studs adds to its versatility and many rate the stud to be far better than the ring in terms of aesthetical looks.

While piercing for a ring, the spot can be chosen along the lip and depending on the type of look you need, you can use rings with varying diameters. A few cases of nesting have also been reported in case of thin gauge jewelry though they heal rapidly. Nesting is the process of movement of position of the piercing inside the lip and this tendency is more regularly seen in case of rings. The choices available for ring bodies are in solid gold or surgical steel or a combination of both.

In case of studs, the piercing is done at an angle or else the back portion of the stud might damage your gum. It is placed at the center of the lower lip or in the upper lip’s corner. A distance of about 5-10 mm below the line of lower lip is the most favored place for the labret stud. The front plate of the labret stud sports a small bolt adorned by a ball whereas the back flat plate is inside the mouth. The versatile stud offers you a wide range of options including the standard solid gold or surgical steel and their combination along with others like Lucite, which glows in the dark. Each of these options allow for the person’s particular choice of attachments or gemstones. The available jewelry options are jeweled studs, colored acrylic balls and spikes, UV acrylic shapes, steel balls with or without gold plating and different shapes.

God planned it perfectly for everyone so that the piercing for the rings or studs does not lead to any infection in the mouth. The mouth has enzymes to inhibit growth of bacteria and the 6-10 weeks of healing is infection-free though a swelling with a life span of a week to a dozen days might be visible after 2-3 days of piercing. It is advisable to prefer longer labrets till swelling lasts and then, shorter labrets can be regularly worn as well.
The nesting process due to rings puts extra stress on the piercing wound. The wound usually settles down and you need not panic if the back plate of the stud embeds in it because the skin is in the process of dying off to form a depression so that the stud can sit fittingly.

DOS AND DON’TS – FEW CARING TIPS

Once you have got your skin pierced, you need to be very careful about the maintenance of the region or portion of body in/around the piercing. This requires the use of a number of aftercare products available at any chemist’s shop. Unlike misconceptions, avoid using hydrogen peroxide, betadine, methylated spirits or alcohol-based cleansers as they can be styptic and can damage the cells. Similarly, creams and ointments should not be used as they allow for moist wounds that will hamper the healing.

Useable products include lavender oil, sea salt, mouthwash, Difflam-G and B-vitamins with Zinc. Check the medicinal grades of the chemicals before using them. Iodine content should be nil in all the chemicals especially, salt because it can affect the healing of the wound. Besides these, paper towels or tissues can be used for hot compressions.

Besides these products, one should be careful enough not to touch the piercing except while cleaning it. Rinse mouth with a suitable mouthwash and also, suck lozenges like Difflam-C to reduce swelling and infection chances. Clean the front portion of the piercing using saline-cotton balls. Lavender oil lubricates the pierced wound to promote healing but any excess of it should be removed after placing the jewelry as it might cause irritation otherwise. Prefer eating cold things like ice cream since it promotes healing and reduces pain and swelling. Gently remove the crust formed on the stud.

While chewing food, be careful not to hit the stud back plate with your teeth. Check hygienically that the jewelry is placed tightly. Playing with the jewelry by chewing on it can damage you teeth. Remove the stud only after the healing period or else the closed up hole would cause you great pain while reinserting the labret. For the first 2 years, removing the ring or labret for more than a day might lead to closing of the piercing.

A labret stud can be changed yourself once the healing period is over but to change the ring, seek a piercer’s help. They can also help to reinsert in the closed hole using their taper pins, if such a situation develops. Studs are usually very small and therefore, while changing them, keep a towel in front of you. Once having developed a firm grip on the stud’s plate, unscrew the stud’s front counter-clockwise and insert new stud after removing the older one. Screw the front finger tightly. Practice a couple of times and you would master the art of looking great with different kind of rings and lip labrets.

Take care of your piercing and sport different lip labrets to suit your style – make heads turn wherever you go!

Making Beaded Jewelry – Part III

by BINA SHAJI KURUP

An important item in every beader’s list is the stringing material to be used for putting together the beads. Natural and manmade alternatives are available in every material – silk, cotton or leather. Most of the manmade cords are stronger but lack the flexibility (important if knotting is a part of the design) of the natural product. If is best to first decide on the design and the type of beads and to be utilized while creating the jewellery and select threads based on these factors.

Threading Options 1

Selection of Threads

An important item in every beader’s list is the stringing material to be used for putting together the beads. Natural and manmade alternatives are available in every material – silk, cotton or leather. Most of the manmade cords are stronger but lack the flexibility (important if knotting is a part of the design) of the natural product. If is best to first decide on the design and the type of beads and to be utilized while creating the jewellery and select threads based on these factors.
Several factors influence the selection of the threading material

Weight of the Beads

While selecting the cords for stringing the bead, the weight of the bead plays an important part. A lightweight bead can be strung on almost any lightweight material – silk, synthetic nymo, silamide etc. but for a heavier bead it is preferred to use a thicker cord like leather, cotton or other synthetic options.

Size

Cords are measured by various methods; some cords like leather are measured in diameters others are measured by the weight of the thread. Before you make the purchase ensure the thickness of the cord and the size of the bead holes are complementary to each other. Buying a cord that is too thin will make the beads hang and ruin the look; on the other hand if is too thick, stringing the beads will be tough. Manufacturers normally suggest the sizes as per the bead so it is recommended a beader thoroughly read all the information provided and then buy the product – especially for online purchases.

Color

Synthetic or natural, the colors of cords available are numerous. Depending on the design, it is advisable to choose a color that coordinates the jewelry piece rather than a contrast color that will divert attention from the beauty of the beads.

Waxed Threads

Most natural products tend to unravel and to the best way to deal with this problem, is to wax the thread either with bee wax or to dip the ends in fabric glue to avoid frayed edges. Waxed thread is smooth and slips through easily. Wax also makes the thread stronger avoiding breakage in the cording material and pre-waxed cords in every material are sold online and in stores.

Resistance to Abrasion

Superior quality beads are finished beautifully without any sharp edges. However, some gemstones, metal beads and some other bead varieties have abrasive surfaces which cut into the threading material over time, increasing the incidence of breakage of the jewellery piece. With the assortment of stringing options available today, picking up non-abrasive material as your threading option is easy!

Types of Natural Threading Options

The varieties and options available in wires and threads are very vast. Major manufacturers often list the advantages of their product along with the prices, colors and lengths available. From cotton, leather to Nylon and Elastic, the list of threading options available is almost unlimited.

While crafting beaded jewellery, the thread used should be durable to ensure your jewellery can be used for a long time. It is preferable that threads do not unravel at the ends making it difficult to string the beads, some beaders recommend using waxed threads or thread conditioners, which make the threads stronger and prevent it from getting into terrible knots.

Beads can be strung together by waxed cotton threads but not the ordinary sewing thread. It is easier to make different types of knots and pass this thread through the bead holes, but while buying cotton threads make sure they are colorfast to protect your jewellery piece and clothes.

To overcome the main disadvantage of cotton threads – easy breakage, intrepid waxed cotton suppliers have introduced two or three fibres of artificial monofilaments/polymers at the centre to give the cotton cords strength, making cotton cords a great option for creating single stone / pendants or large chunky jewellery.

Silk threads have been used since long to thread smaller, lightweight beads and pearls. Easily available in a huge range of colors and effects, beaded jewellery on silk threads should be handled with care since the silk thread can stretch, disintegrate if wet and break if the bead edges are not smooth. Easily knotted, this smooth thread makes designs come alive especially if your jewellery has visible cord effects like knots between the beads. Silk threads come in a range of colors and sizes (referring to the number of strands used to create the silk thread) for convenience.

Both cotton and silk threads will require needles to make beading easy. If threading the needle is difficult, a needle with a larger eye-hole is a good investment. Flexible needles can also be bought for convenience.

Satin is a thicker form of silk and satin cord is also referred to as Rattail or Mousetail. Silky smooth with a glossy, classy glow, satin cords are a delight. The ends tend to unravel when the cord is cut, so wax or fabric glue is recommended while using Rattail. Great for beads with large, non-abrasive openings, especially those requiring knots between beads. The Rattail is a thick, decorative cord available in every color imaginable.

Native Americans utilized the animal sinew/ leather cords and sometimes even Hemp to string together their beaded jewellery. Although now it is rare to find beaders using natural animal products, artificial animal products that look and feel like the original are now widely available. Artificial sinew is stronger than the natural sinew and the natural colors looks great when working with see through glass beads or smaller beads. Leather complements native or ethnic jewellery and is normally available as Leather lace or cord. Care should be taken that the bead holes are smooth else it may cut the leather. Ideal for beads with larger holes, leather is thicker than silk or cotton and its thickness define its size. Artificial leather is stronger, has no fraying edges, is more durable, feels and looks like natural leather.

The simple Hemp used creatively lends itself to beautiful beaded jewellery but again care has to be taken to protect the cord from excess heat and water. Suede is yet another option and Faux suede, the manmade alternative is more resilient and is a common substitute for real suede cord.

Manufacturers are now offering Kevlar thread. This is bulletproof material and its usage in making beaded jewellery is unique and it is completely heat and water resistant with a very low elasticity. Kevlar should not be used with stone, gemstone or any other sharp edged beads since the material gets cut easily, although application of force to break it is a waste of time!

Some of the natural options for threading have been given above. In Part II, some information on the popular synthetic options is given. Continued….

Making Beaded Jewellery Part 1, Part 2, More Threading option
Jewellery manufacturing