Materials Used:

At Bead Unto You, we pride ourselves in the quality of gemstones, metals and other natural materials we use. Because we source natural materials, often in person, the gemstones and other natural materials used in our collections can vary at times in color, clarity, shape and size. Below, is a list of the primary materials and metals we use, and proper care instructions.

•       We use semi-precious and natural stones. While often these stones can vary in shape and size, we select most items prior to the making process and do our best to utilize stones that fit the overall size, scale and quality of the finished design.  Our gemstones are natural and should be lightly cleaned of body oils and debris with mild soap and warm water applied directly to the stone.

•       Our crystals are Swarovski crystals, a high quality manufactured and faceted glass that has been colored specifically for each design.  Each crystal typically has a transparent front or an opaque back.  Because they are glass, they should be lightly cleaned of body oils and debris with mild soap and warm water applied directly to the crystal.

•       Our Marano & Cane glass components are high quality beads and components crafted individually, which are known by each artesian for its quality of glass designs.  Because they are glass, they should be lightly cleaned of body oils and debris with mild soap and warm water applied directly to the bead.

•       925 sterling silver: This is an alloy made of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper.  This metal is meant to be worn every day.  Once silver comes in contact with oxygen, it will start to oxidize and blacken. We prefer this oxidized look to contrast with our rich gold pieces.

•       14K gold fill. “Gold-filled” is a USA industry standard that legally requires 1/20th, or 5% pure gold by weight.  It’s a strictly regulated process that involves pressure bonding multiple layers of solid 14k gold with extreme heat over a core of high-quality jeweler’s brass resulting in a durable, high quality real gold product.

•       18K gold vermeil: How do you pronounce that!? Ver-May, not to be confused with regular gold plating, vermeil is a much thicker layer of gold which gives pieces a long-lasting gold finish. For a piece to be considered vermeil, the gold must be a minimum of 10k or 1.5 microns. We use 18k gold layered on sterling silver.