A cameo that is cut in such a meticulous and skill full way that we just couldn't stop looking at it; every time we discovered something new to gaze at. If you want to know if a cameo is of good quality you don't look at the flyaway veiles and voiles or curly hairstyles. You don't because those give the artist the liberty to make it as he wants. No, one has to look at the faces and hands and when those are realistic then the artist is good. With this cameo, although the faces are really small (and therefore harder to make realistic) they are not just good, they are terrific and showing the hand of a true master engraver.

Is amber a considered gemstone?

With its rich honey yellow color and laden with inclusions, bugs, twigs and bits of other debris, amber can more accurately be considered a piece of geology used in jewelry than a gemstone per se. Amber is a very light stone, which is actually a solidified and fossilized resin of the now extinct conifer trees.

Funny how when you start a collection of any particular style of vintage jewelry, you think that you have made the decision of what to collect but sometimes things happen that make you stop and wonder. For me, that happened when I ended up with all this Bakelite. You see, collecting Bakelite bangles was not a conscious decision I made - these colorful and chunky bracelets chose me!

We've all heard about that "amazing" find for next to nothing at yard sales or flea markets but when it comes to finding beautiful vintage Sherman jewelry at ridiculously low prices, my Mom has to be the champion!

Pietra Dura - Vintage Jewelry Word of the Month

I have a fondness for all types of mosaic jewelry. The tiny tiles that tell a tale just really appeal to the romantic in me, but none perhaps as much as that form of mosaic jewelry which is referred to as Pietra Dura.

One of the most respected and experienced members of our Jewel collecting group recently shared an interesting story with us. Seems she took a stroll down Rodeo Drive in Hollywood, and although she wouldn't or couldn't afford to buy any jewels there, she still enjoys looking through the shop windows. (Don't we all..  perchance to dream.!)

At Artbeads.com we strive to stay on top of the jewelry trends. Although fall and winter seem so far off, we have researched the upcoming trends so designers can get a head start on the latest fashions in beaded jewelry.

Every Thursday is art appreciation day at my workplace (yes, the job that pays the mortgage!) and the featured artist last week was Ando Hiroshige and the picture “Rough Sea at Naruto in Awa Province”. It was a striking print of a churning sea, foaming waves crashing on the steep cliffs and all I could think of was Aqua Terra Jasper! That’s when I thought I have a serious case of “beads on the brain”!

Ando Hiroshige

So you have been rolling around the idea of starting your own collection of vintage jewelry and why wouldn't you. The choices and options are practically limitless and just browse through any lady's magazine, everything vintage including jewelry is fashionable again!

Only a few years back, collecting was done by luck and by chance with most searching limited to local auctions, flea markets and yard sales. With the addition of online shopping, you can now shop far and wide and nearly anywhere in the world all the while sitting in the comfort of your own home.

For those of us who sell on the internet our pictures are our best salesperson. People naturally look at photographs before even reading the text description so the better your photographs are the better your chance to make a sale.

I have been using digital cameras for almost 20 years and have learned that shooting smalls, especially jewelry, can be challenging. I have done professional photography for a large local auction house and jewelry and smalls are among the most difficult items to photograph.