'G' is for Gold
Anna's Adornments is a jewellery blog. What G-word is the first that comes to mind when you think of jewellery? You guessed it! Gold! I don't even need to open the dictionary to find this week's G-word.
Russian Orthodox gold icon depicting the Mother of God,
St Iver and St Alexis , Moscow, Russia, 19th century. Photo source.
Unfortunately, I don't have any items that are made of gold in my online shops right now. (I wish.)
Yellow gold nuggets
(Photo source: Only Gold)
Sometimes I dream about working with real gold; going to goldsmith's school and learning how to work with real gold and making jewellery out of real gold. It would be nice. So what am I going to do for this post?
Gold in goldpan, Alaska
(Photo source)
(Photo source)
Write an ode to gold? Not quite. More like a quick history of gold. (Well, actually I did write a poem about gold; but it is so bad that I simply cannot use it here.) This post will just have to be a little 'jewellery-education' post; Precious Metals 101:
Neckring from Mone, 400 A.D
Gold is the oldest metal, generally known to mankind, and has been found in many different places around the world. Gold has therefore always been valued by all peoples from earliest times to this day.
Gold has always been appreciated for its brilliance and permanance. It does not change, corrode or tarnish.
Iron and copper may have advanced progress and technology, but gold was there first. It is easy to mine and work with compared to other metals that are found in ore bodies that make smelting difficult. Gold is found in an almost pure form that was easy for ancient people with primitive metods, to make into ornaments and later coins.
The first money was gold. Coins, that were stamped into lumps of 63% gold and 27% silver were produced by Lydian merchants around 700 B.C. (Source: Gold Only. Read more about the history of gold here.)
If I cannot show any pieces of my own jewellery made with real gold, I can at least show a design with something that is gold-coloured and also a G-word: GLASS!
These gold-coloured silver-lined glass beads shine like gold. (Compare the gold wedding bands on my finger with the gold-coloured glass beads.)
And why not make some soft stretch bangels with an opposite pattern: gold with just a few black beads?
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11 Comments:
Gold was a good subject for G. Who doesn't love gold. I like the piece of jewelry of yours that you posted. I'm curious though, is that one piece that can be worn either as a necklace or a bracelet? It's really quite lovely
@Ann
Dear Ann,
Thanks for stopping by! I have just made these little stretch bracelets (7 3/8 inches long or 18, 5 cm long) with black opaque size six glass seed beads and light gold-coloured silver-lined size 8 glass beads. One picture is just the one single bracelet, that I am going to call a 'soft bangel', I think. And the picture that looks like a cuff is actually three identical stretch bracelets stacked on each other. Then there is a stretch necklace too, because I am thinking of doing different lengths of these very simple patterns.
I am working on other patterns and color combinations for the 'soft bangels'. I think they might do alright, because I have gotten a lot of feedback from women who want something very, very simple, but elegant and yet very easy to put on and take off. I am thinking of older women with arthritis or stiff fingers. They want to get dressed up too.
These are my thoughts, at least.
I am really glad that you are interested in my 'soft bangels'. I am sure I can learn from you too. Please tell me what you would like and maybe I can make something that suits you.
Hugs,
Anna
An interesting read about 'gold'. I like that photo that shows the beaten gold that forms a small cup ... very delicate.
I had yellow gold for my first engagement and wedding rings, but this time will have white gold. My fiance gave me a beautiful hammered gold necklace and earrings with unpolished amethysts in them for Christmas last year. I just happen to be wearing them today as I read your post. Lovely jewellry and fascinating info about gold. :D
Great post for the G Day! And I really enjoyed all the information about gold that you included! Hope your week is going well!
Sylvia
Gold is so beautiful. For years, I gold panned enough to garner a batch of small nuggets which translated into a ring and a watch face. I love the free form style of gold as it comes from the earth (and I also like it after it's been formed by a jeweler) :). Lovely post!
esp love the Eastern Orthodox art!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
A great choice for G - beautiful pieces, - simple and elegant.
Since I have worked a little bit with gold myself, I can really appreciate this post. Working with gold is a pleasure indeed. Not so much for its monetary value, but for its beauty and ease of workability. There is no metal quite like it.
Glittering Gold!!
Great post.
Have a good weeek.
Strange to say that the only gold we have is our wedding rings.Thanks for dropping by to read my poem. Hope your week goes well
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