I had a pretty productive day in the studio yesterday. I made a stamped sterling cuff, 2 bracelets, 2 pairs of earrings and a necklace. I have pictures of all and will share them with you in upcoming PotW messages. BUT...if you are impatient, you can always stop by the studio for a visit and see new items before anyone else does!
This week I decided to share a bracelet....made with 2 stones, which until doing research today, I did not realize both came from Brazil. Another example of me putting materials together and then finding out something interesting and coincidental about the pairing.
You may have heard of rutilated quartz. It is clear quartz that contains needle-like crystals of 'rutile'. I had never heard of rutile before, and thought that it referred to the crystals within, which could be a variety of colors. I was wrong. Rutile is a reddish-gold color, and only clear quartz with reddish-gold crystals of 'rutile' is known as rutilated quartz.
So what were the stones I have? Thank goodness for Google... Come to find out it is "Tourmalinated Quartz"---which has the same thread-like crystals locked inside clear quartz, but the crystals are black (or green, which is very rare).
Clear quartz is a powerful stone of magnification. It is reputed to amplify the thoughts, emotions and intentions of the wearer--- and it does not discriminate between positive and negative energy. Think of wizards who used a crystal ball...some were good, and some were bad, right? So if you are in a bad mood, it might not be such a good idea to head out the door wearing clear quartz...it might make a bad mood even worse.
Fortunately, Black Tourmaline is a stone which repels negativity and shields the wearer from harm. Thus, having Black Tourmaline locked within the clear Quartz makes Tourmalinated Quartz a very powerful, positive, grounding stone.
Again, I didn't realize it when I put the two together, but the other stone used in the bracelet (hematite), is also from Brazil. It encourages the body to absorb iron from the diet, which in turn bolsters red blood count and the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Hematite is said to reduce anxiety, to cure leg cramps and alleviate insomnia. Mentally, it is said to encourage concentration, and memory/retention. Physically it promotes strength and endurance. (All a function of improved oxygenation? I think so!)
The properties of the clear quartz, when paired with hematite, magnifies the benefits of the hematite as well as the tourmaline within. A powerful pairing!
I added a little hand-formed, hammered sterling silver charm at the clasp. I do this pretty often, and it is not just for looks: The charm makes the bracelet easier to put on, since you have something to hold onto when you hook it (or ask someone else to hook it!). It also allows me to keep the clasp small and inobtrusive, so that the pulsepoint in your wrist will be almost fully encircled with these powerful stones. See a photo on the website! http://www.twowillowsjewelry.com
Until next week-
Kim
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