A Guide to Holiday Gift Giving
The gift-giving season is fast approaching and it’s always nice to surprise a friend or family member with something you know they’ll cherish forever. This isn’t always easy, and sometimes you can run the risk of gifts becoming repetitious. But there is one gift that will always be unique.
SWCreations, a maker of original handcrafted beaded jewelry, offers a vast selection of beaded anklets, beaded earrings, and designer necklaces – all available with the option to include birthstones specific to those you love.
Turquoise is the birthstone of December and has been admired for its color and beauty for as long as stone jewelry has existed. Aside from being worn by rulers of ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Persia, China, and Israel, turquoise is often traced back to Native American tribes from the Southwestern U.S. Each civilization attributed different qualities to turquoise, but they all agreed it is a cheerful stone that clears the mind and improves health.
Turquoise comes in several shades ranging from a true turquoise found in Iran and the U.S. to a greenish blue found more often in Egypt. The amount of copper and iron in the stone accounts for the different shades, and the more copper it contains the bluer it will appear. Green turquoise contains more iron.
For beaded jewelry, the color is a fashion decision, but all turquoise needs special care. Turquoise beaded earrings or beaded anklets can fracture easily, simply because the stone’s Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness is below six. Turquoise also tends to absorb perfumes and skin oils, leaving it susceptible to fracturing from products such as cosmetics. This is one reason the stone is left smooth and not faceted.
Beaded jewelry at SWCreations can be created with any birthstone for a completely personal gift. Beaded necklaces, with beaded earrings to match, are very popular, and an additional jewelry extender will ensure the ornaments fit perfectly. A jewelry extender can be created for beaded anklets, bracelets, and a variety of necklaces, including those made of sterling silver or gold vermeil and plated by silver or gold.
Designer Stephanie A. White crafts individual pieces of jewelry that are one-of-a-kind. She uses gemstones collected from locations around the world to create her custom jewelry, so there is a wide variety of colors and styles from which to choose. These are high-quality pieces designed to last for generations and become heirlooms over the years. As gifts, the jewelry guarantees uniqueness. Pieces can be given year after year because of the vast selection of gems, metals, and designs available.
And don’t just think the winter season when picking out the perfect handmade jewelry gift for someone. The designer will create bracelets and anklets using gems, beads, and crystals that harmonize with and represent each of the four seasons.
Czech glass beads, Swarovski Austrian crystals, amethyst, tanzanite, aquamarine are a few that represent summer. Blue and green turquoise, purple Czech glass beads, sapphire, peridot, and amethyst represent winter. One piece for each season would make a wonderful gift for someone who loves to wear jewelry year-round and may appreciate something different from the usual selection.
The customer chooses the color, type of bead, and item desired. If the customer has design ideas, they can be suggested. Each item is delicately hand-crafted by Stephanie White, so you know the item wasn’t mass-produced. Other than Christmas, handmade beaded jewelry makes wonderful gift ideas for birthdays, bridesmaids, and wedding favors. The birthstone of each bridesmaid can be made into a personalized necklace or bracelet. Key chains can be made for men and women.
December is the month to think about turquoise as a birthstone, and it’s rapidly becoming very trendy as a design element in any jewelry piece. A uniquely crafted turquoise necklace with matching earrings is a gift that will be appreciated and loved for years to come.
