Ways to Set Your Gems For Maximum Benefit
There are millions of beautiful jewelry designs out there, but most modern jewelry settings do not allow the stone to touch the skin, and thus are not conductive to Jyotish purposes.
If you are inclined to arts and crafts, you can easily purchase a nice stone and make your own jewelry! This is a fun, and possibly less expensive way to assure your gems can be worn with the best effects :)
Here are some ideas for setting gems so they maintain skin contact and let light shine through:
For a single stone, you can make a wire wrapped setting and wear as a pendant. You can use the recommended metals that go with the stone - wire comes in different colors, metals, and sizes.
For multiple stones, you can really get creative and make linked bracelets, necklaces, etc. Wire wrapped rings are also popular.
You can always make beaded necklaces if you can find good quality secondary stone beads. For instance, amethyst traditionally stands in as an alternate stone for sapphire. A strand of A grade amethysts is probably way less costly than a strand of low quality sapphires (which are useless for Jyotish anyways). Always go for clarity and quality.
Another popular way to set stones is to use polymer and epoxy clays. There are several brands of new air dry clays you can use if your gemstones cannot withstand heat. Some synthetic gems can be fired with PMC (metal clay).
My personal favorite jewelry craft is bead weaving (you can see examples in my shop) with glass seed beads. The possibilities are great and there is a load of eye candy you can gaze at online and in books.
A simple peyote stitch open back bezel can be incorporated into many designs - armbands, bracelets, headbands, chokers, necklaces, and even rings and masks!
Glass seed beads come in many colors and finishes. You can really make a one of a kind piece!
If you are familiar with crochet or macrame, there are a few patterns out there for crocheted cabochon bezels or netted crystals.
And of course, there is always metalsmithing.
Books on jewelry making to get you started:
If you are inclined to arts and crafts, you can easily purchase a nice stone and make your own jewelry! This is a fun, and possibly less expensive way to assure your gems can be worn with the best effects :)
Here are some ideas for setting gems so they maintain skin contact and let light shine through:
For a single stone, you can make a wire wrapped setting and wear as a pendant. You can use the recommended metals that go with the stone - wire comes in different colors, metals, and sizes.
For multiple stones, you can really get creative and make linked bracelets, necklaces, etc. Wire wrapped rings are also popular.
You can always make beaded necklaces if you can find good quality secondary stone beads. For instance, amethyst traditionally stands in as an alternate stone for sapphire. A strand of A grade amethysts is probably way less costly than a strand of low quality sapphires (which are useless for Jyotish anyways). Always go for clarity and quality.
Another popular way to set stones is to use polymer and epoxy clays. There are several brands of new air dry clays you can use if your gemstones cannot withstand heat. Some synthetic gems can be fired with PMC (metal clay).
My personal favorite jewelry craft is bead weaving (you can see examples in my shop) with glass seed beads. The possibilities are great and there is a load of eye candy you can gaze at online and in books.
A simple peyote stitch open back bezel can be incorporated into many designs - armbands, bracelets, headbands, chokers, necklaces, and even rings and masks!
Glass seed beads come in many colors and finishes. You can really make a one of a kind piece!
If you are familiar with crochet or macrame, there are a few patterns out there for crocheted cabochon bezels or netted crystals.
And of course, there is always metalsmithing.
Books on jewelry making to get you started:
The Complete Metalsmith: An Illustrated Handbook by Tim McCreight
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Free tutorials on...
Beadweaving:
Right Angle Weave Bezel
Peyote Stitch Bezel (there are many tutorials for peyote stitch, here's another one)
Paid sites:
There are many tutorials for sale by users on Etsy and JewelryLessons.com!
Also check out Bead Pattern Central for show-stopping pieces if you want to make something truly glamourous.
If you are into metalworking, the best online resource I've found is Ganoksin. It has many articles by professional metalsmiths and jewelers, tricks and tips, and a digital library of rare metalsmithing books.
Beadweaving:
Right Angle Weave Bezel
Peyote Stitch Bezel (there are many tutorials for peyote stitch, here's another one)
Paid sites:
There are many tutorials for sale by users on Etsy and JewelryLessons.com!
Also check out Bead Pattern Central for show-stopping pieces if you want to make something truly glamourous.
If you are into metalworking, the best online resource I've found is Ganoksin. It has many articles by professional metalsmiths and jewelers, tricks and tips, and a digital library of rare metalsmithing books.