High Quality Crystal
(84)
Crystal Chain
(48)
Faceted Crystal
(19)
Polished Crystal
(11)
Coated Crystal Bead
(40)
Chandelier Drop
(34)
Rosary
(18)
There is history here, and elegance. There is a beauty that is more than fine workmanship and pretty design. There is an emotive quality that captures and transfixes the eye and the mind and the heart. It is the play of light; its refraction spinning colors from clear white light and its scattering that sends glittering sparkles to arouse the mind.
Crystal. Even the word evokes a a sense of mystery and romance.
Scientifically the word crystal denotes a regular order of solid atomic structure. For mineral collectors it means the clearest variieties of quartz (and is often used in the form. “rock crystal”). Commonly it is used as. “lead crystal” a heavy leaded glass used both decoratively in fine glassware such as cut glass bowls and goblets.
For jewelry artists cystal means a type of bead made of lead crystal made popular in the early part of the last century and perfected by manufacturors in Austria and what is now the Czech Republic. The two most popular types of crystal beads are Czech firepolished beads (most notably those by Jablonex) and Austrian (especially Swarovski) machine facted beads. Lead in lead crystal glass that is worn does not leach into the body and so is not a health hazard when used this way. Lead crystal goblets and decanters, on the other hand, will leach out lead into the wine or juice stored in them.
A number of years ago, I began amassing vintage faceted crystal beads in the form of mostly broken necklaces and a few bracelets. brooches and some earrings. I took many of these (but as yet not all) unstrung them, washed them carefully to restore their sparkle by removing decades of grime and dust and then eagerly and happily seperated them into shapes, sizes, and colors (or finishes since most are clear with some having the aurora borealis finish). I have used only a relative few in creating my art jewelry mainly because I love oipening their drawer and running my fingers through the cool smooth beads and watching the shift of colors as they slide about.
