Changing tastes - natural gems vs. dyed

Wrong, there actually is such a thing as bamboo coral...

:-)

-- m3rma1d

Patti -- I was taught to be a bead snob by those who came before me -- to distain India lampwork and dyed beads.

However, many stone beads are treated and always were. Turquoise often has to be stabilized. They put so much crap on or in it that, if cooked, it might turn out to be a cake. LOL. Many are dyed, many are nuked (irradiated) and so on. I give up.

The brown jade I love so much is often dyed and once came off on my new white blouse.

Such is life!!!

Becki

Patti wondered:

Heck yeah, I use them! I'm in it for color, shape and texture, not purity of the source. My only big requirement is that whatever dyes are used are permanent and stable....I don't want purple or red staining a buyer's (or my own) neck or wrist.

I do think it's important to describe items and accurately as possible, though. For example, I'm pleased that bamboo coral isn't being harvested out of coral beds, and I try to be clear about its provenance so others are at ease, too.

KarenS

Becki reported:

Such is life!!!<

I soak any suspicious beads in a 50/50 vinegar/water solution, rinse and "tumble" with paper towels, and let them air dry. I figure the mild acid should remove any possible excess dye, with some help from the paper toweling.

KarenS

I for one love all of the "candy" jades, and yes, I use them. When it comes to dyed gems, well, yeah I prefer natural. But if there's a strand of dyed or treated beads that are beautiful, then I don't mind, as long as the seller is honest about what they are (assuming that the sellers themselves know).

-Amber.

I used to never use plastic/acrylic/lucite beads, only glass, but now, if the beads are good quality, I find that the light weight actually enhances my designs (since I have neck problems, I can't wear too much weight). It is important to be accurate in describing materials used - but most customers really don't care what it's made of, as long as it looks and wears well.

proteinaceous gorgonin Doesn't that sound like a great name for a bead? LOLOLOLOL Or how about this? Paragorgia arborea

Karleen -- I feel this is a very important point. I am still a bead snob when it comes to plastic vs. anything else -- yet plastic beads, especially flowers and lots of plastic shapes in fact, have always been an important component of high-end costume jewelry. Which I love to distraction. You can only hang so much weight around your neck before it becomes a problem. Ask anyone who has long hair (not me as I would not know, LOL).

There are GORGEOUS vintage plastic flowers being sold for lots of money right now. Yet every time I see one of them in a finished piece, I cringe.

Becki

Yep, I have a love/hate thing for plastic, too. But the lucite flowers are soooo freaking pretty.

Same here- the faux jades are so pretty. Personally, as long as the beads are good quality - and hold up well (i.e. dye doesn't wipe off, beads don't break easily) and are being accurately represented, I am always okay with it.

Karleen and Becki, I agree with you about the lucite beads. Though I must admit, I'm tempted by the flower shapes, especially the long tubular ones. I find myself looking at them (haven't bought any yet) at this one LBS I go to. They would make great earrings and lightweight earrings are always a plus for me. Not to mention the gorgeous shades of hot pink, deep purple and orange they feature. I'll let you know if I succumb to temptation!! One of my fellow designers has made a fortune re-designing with vintage Bakelite. I don't like Bakelite either, it just looks cheap to me, I can't believe the prices they are getting for it.

Patti

I agree re:the bakelite. Most of it I've seen is just ugly. I'm not sure why it's so popular! Reminds me of avocado green and harvest gold appliances! Glad that craze is OVER....

As more of a buyer of jewelry than a maker of jewelry, I am only snobbish where wear is concerned... as long as the materials are correctly identified, and they do not pose what I consider a "weak link" in a piece's wearability (like base metal crimps or jump rings) then I am not too concerned about how high-profile they sound.

Actually I think the harvest gold/ avocado green thing is why some people like bakelite, it looks vintage if you are young enough, lol. I have seen and bought some nice looking that imitated ivory and amber.

I have liked some of those acrylic flowers too but I've also not bought them because I get the feeling that this madness will pass ;-). I normally hate plastic, love Czech pressed glass though and many people would say they don't look all that different. I don't like the bad molding that many plastic things have.