Bead naivete

I picked up a bracelet kit and a pack of crystals at the local Michael's. They both had Swarovski on the labels. I admit I was surprised to find them there.

Cheers, Carla

KDK wrote:

I've got 40 strands of hematite in various shapes and sizes. Interesting color and shading. Planning to use them in necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Anyone had any problems with hematite?

Ray

KDK wrote:

I use hematite alot; so does my Dh. What we have found is that there is So much manmade hematite on the market, that it is getting difficult to find the real thing anymore! We gotten orders of what we like to call hemalike...hema-almost....hema-notquite...etc, etc..lol. Once, we even got an order of hematite that was actually glass colored to look like the real thing. We find that the colored glass type is the only one that presents a problem, all the man made types seem to work just fine, but the color does start to rub off the glass.

Some interesting things about hematite...it is a healing stone, and if you ever feel weak and lethargic, carry a piece with you and be amazed at how much better you feel. Also, if you get a cut or scrape, place a piece of the stone (clean, of course) on the cut, and it will aid with coagulation. Lastly, if you ever come across a piece of hematite large enough, try using it as a camera! I'm serious, quit laughing, lol. If you set a very large piece, preferably a flat one on it's narrow side on one side of a room with plenty of light, leave it there for a few moments, and then go to the otherside of it and turn it around, you will still see the reflection of the room on the stone's surface. It won't last long, so look fast!

Oh yeah, we've been told by countless suppliers that they can't assure of us real hematite, because they can't tell if it is or not! But I do know that the camera trick will not work with man made types.

Hope my rambling on did some good, lol. Hematite is my favorite stone, can ya tell?

~Candace~ your local hemp goddess :)

To quote Arte Johnson: "Very interlesting!"

Ray

Candace wrote:

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Ray DeVous :

]Anyone had any problems with hematite?

what kind of problems? [other than that i am totally addicted to the stuff . . . ]

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@aol.comuhuh (Candace) :

]it is getting difficult to find the ]real thing anymore!

exactly. and how do you tell the difference?

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

We use a few different ways....you can try scratching it a bit at the hole, if it's drilled, and seeing if anything flakes off. We also place it with my huge stash of larger pieces, because when it's fake, it really stands out among the real. And as a last resort, I either wait until my palms get sweaty, and press a finger tip onto it to see if it holds my fingerprint, or I just wear the piece for a few days and see if it makes me "feel anything"...that's just for my own knowledge, as I wouldn't expect anyone to take my word for is by that method.

~Candace~ your local hemp goddess :)

On Wed, 12 May 2004 14:06:35 -0400, Ray DeVous wrote (in message ):

None, but be careful about using Hematite in earrings. It's a dense material, heavy for its size, and could elongate or tear earlobes. I'd only use very small pieces of Hematite in an earring.

Kathy N-V

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@aol.comuhuh (Candace) :

]We use a few different ways....you can try scratching it a bit at the hole, if ]it's drilled, and seeing if anything flakes off. We also place it with my huge ]stash of larger pieces, because when it's fake, it really stands out among the ]real. And as a last resort, I either wait until my palms get sweaty, and press ]a finger tip onto it to see if it holds my fingerprint, or I just wear the ]piece for a few days and see if it makes me "feel anything"...that's just for ]my own knowledge, as I wouldn't expect anyone to take my word for is by that ]method.

hmmmm - well, the last bit wouldn't work for me, and i wouldn't be likely to accept it as an accurate method.

i was wondering more along the lines of "hematite" vs "reconstituted hematite".

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

On Wed, 12 May 2004 17:08:15 -0400, vj wrote (in message ):

I'd love to know, because Hematine (synthetic Hematite) is chemically identical to natural Hematite. I suspect that the synthetic form is easily moldable, and that natural material needs to be carved, which is far more expensive.

Kathy N-V

Generally you are correct but I've managed to get several of the ladies at our local Ben Franklin Crafts hooked on beading - and especially crystals. They have been ordering Swarovskis. They did place an order with one company for Austrian crystals but since the cost was so similar, they've gone back to the real thing.

the best I can tell you is to get a hold of som that you know is real, usually larger chunks of it, and compare that with what you are trying to authenticate. I've not come across any other method that works as well.

~Candace~ your local hemp goddess :)

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from snipped-for-privacy@aol.comuhuh (Candace) :

]the best I can tell you is to get a hold of som that you know is real, usually ]larger chunks of it, and compare that with what you are trying to authenticate. ] I've not come across any other method that works as well.

okay - thanks! adding that to the "list"

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

So- this implies that there are other manufacturers of Austrian crystals.

I've noticed that Michael's, JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby are all carrying them now.

You are right. The "National Geographic Photo Look" is not my desire.

Ray

Kathy N-V wrote:

This is what I know about it, too. So it would have to be tested for molecular alignment or something I guess. Perhaps to some degree it would be analogous to determining if silver is cast (unaligned) or worked from soft annealed silver.

Tina

"Kathy N-V" wrote ...