Gone-But-Not-Forgotten: The Semi-Precious Gemstone

Have you noticed that most jewelry pieces these days seem to be metal on metal? Hey, we aren’t complaining, but whatever happened to the semi-precious gemstone? Time was, semi-precious stones were a common part of most handmade jewelry designs. These days, the trends seem to be leaning more towards metal statement pieces that are simple, streamlined, and don’t have a lot of moving parts. While we are a big fan of well-crafted metal pieces that speak for themselves, the healing properties and value of gemstones should not be overlooked.

If you do a simple Google search of “gemstone jewelry”, you will literally find yourself faced with thousands of results, some of which aren’t so great, to put it nicely. Somewhere along the road, gemstones became a cheap way for jewelry makers to create a “stunning” piece, without much craftsmanship. This is incredibly unfortunate, as semi-precious stones are incredible and play various roles in the myths and legends of human culture. There are many different myths that center around gemstones having special powers, but for some reason we’ve gotten away from these patterns of thought. For literally thousands of years, civilizations all over the globe have harnessed the power of crystals and semi-precious stones in order to release mental, physical, and spiritual blockages. It is believed that these stones have the power to facilitate free flow throughout the body.

Why Is It So Hard to Sell Handcrafted Jewelry?

The healing properties combined with how stunning many of these gems are explain why they have been used in handcrafted jewelry for centuries. That being said, it seems semi-precious stones have fallen out of favor in the jewelry-making world, as more artists opt for simpler, more streamlined pieces. While I for one love the simplicity and grace of metal jewelry, I also love to play with stones and incorporate them into my pieces whenever possible.

Selling handcrafted jewelry isn’t always a walk in the park, if you will. When it comes to making pieces utilizing both metal and semi-precious stones, it can be somewhat of a challenge at times because handmade jewelry is usually more expensive. Big brands outsource production overseas to China, Singapore, and other countries, which allows the trends of today to be purchased at a much lower value. This is why it is difficult to sell quality products that are made in the USA.

Sure, we all love a good Target shopping spree from time to time, but we are seeing more and more people opt to buy goods - including jewelry - from individuals and smaller companies. There are so many wonderfully talented makers out there, the competition is stiff! However, the fact that our society is so committed to supporting local, individual artisans is incredible. We are witnessing a shift happen with more appreciation in the handcraft quality as more and more people opt to support local businesses and artisans. This is a huge step in the right direction for artists like myself. Recognizing the impact of buying from companies that are mass producing their products overseas is imperative.

Semi-Precious Stones in Jewelry Are Alive and Well

I strive to bridge the gap between simple metal pieces and the use of stones, coming up with designs that incorporate both. Not only are these the pieces I am drawn to, but using semi-precious stones that have so many great benefits and healing properties is incredibly important to me. My lariats are an excellent example of this and show how stones and metal can play off of one another - resulting in a stunning piece you will never tire of wearing!

These days, are gemstones are considered precious because they are rare and there is not as deep of a supply as there once was. Some of the most common precious gemstones you may recognize include diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald. Whereas semi-precious are amonazite, amethyst, jasper, jade, lapis, moonstone, morganite, tourmaline, and turquoise. Each of these stones have various properties that make them so special, and they are all absolutely stunning to look at. When you wear a piece that features a gemstone, you may notice a certain aura around yourself. Another reason why gemstones are coming back into trend is because they each hold such different worth and powers. Because of this, you can truly tailor the jewelry you wear to certain emotions and purposes. Agate, for example, establishes stability and has a lot of great grounding properties, whereas amonazite can rid your body and mind of toxic negativity.

I encourage you to check out my earrings, lariats, and necklaces to see how I incorporate gemstones into my pieces and see if any speak to you! And thank you for your support of local artisans and small business owners like myself -- I literally could not do it without you.