Smoky Quartz Jewelry
(297 items)Explore NOVICA's Smoky Quartz Jewelry Collection. Discover traditional and contemporary style necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings, handcrafted by global artisans to showcase this semi-precious, brownish-gray gemstone that ranges in clarity from almost transparent to nearly black. Smoky Quartz is often believed to strengthen our connection to the natural world.
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Artisans the world over utilize the natural materials at their disposal to create beautiful, sustainable jewelry. Wood, bamboo and dried gourds. Coconut shells, rattan and terra-cotta. Even natural grasses lend themselves to a jeweler's creativity while art glass beads and pendants can be made from discarded bottles. Some artisans reclaim precious silver from photographic negatives. Colorful magazine pages can become tightly-rolled beads protected by a coat of varnish. Always creative, artists craft their bracelets out of innovative, eco-conscious materials.
Handmade women's bracelets each have their own unique characteristics. Color, texture, size and design all vary. Often, the technique alone will tell you, for example, hand-knotted, braided or woven bracelets. Leather bracelets with cutout motifs or embossing are usually crafted by hand.Thai jewelry by Karen silversmiths shows hand-stamped geometric or floral motifs and beads are usually made of fine silver, which is more malleable than sterling. Similarly, filigree jewelry is a meticulous handcrafted process. Most bracelets with natural, sustainable or recycled materials are handmade. Even some of the most sophisticated and modern gold and silver may be signed by the artist who made it.The most common indicator that a bracelet is handmade is the detailed and intricate design. Novica artisans demonstrate their techniques in the many videos on www.novica.com youll find the links on their product descriptions and also on the artisan bio page.
Traditional bracelet-making techniques have been passed down over generations around the world. Women's bracelets in gold and silver are usually crafted with the lost wax technique. The image is sculpted in wax and enveloped in a mold materia. As molten gold or silver is poured into the mold, the wax image melts and the metal takes its place. However coiling fine strands of metal results in Andean filigree jewelry. Balinese artistry applies polished spirals and tendrils as well as tiny globes known as jawan to sleek silver jewelry. And a few contemporary artisans even weave or crochet the slender silver strands.Jade was highly prized by the Maya and still has an important place in modern Guatemalan jewelry. Amber from the rich mines in southern Mexico adorns the women's bracelets, necklaces, and earrings of the area. Macrame and beading are popular everywhere for boho style. And West Africas handmade beadwork is renowned the world over.
women's bracelets carried immense cultural significance in ancient times and they still do. In Perus pre-Hispanic societies, gold represented the sun, and jewelry indicated social status and identity, as it also did among the Maya of Mexico and Central America. In India, bangles or kangans showed a woman was married and are a part of the 16 adornments customarily worn by a Hindu bride. Traditional West African beads are a sign of cultural identity. Each one has a meaning and tells a story.Today, women's bracelets are still culturally significant. In India, jewelry often depicts religious symbols and meditative mantras. Balinese bracelets may also depict dragons, thought to be the protectors of the gods, or the Hindu Barong deity, also a protection symbol. Motifs stamped into Karen hill tribe silver encourage living in harmony with nature. The hand-knotted bracelets of Guatemala symbolize friendship but evolved from a silent protest for loved ones missing during the country's armed conflict. Today, friends each tie a bracelet on the others arm and make a wish. The bracelet is worn until it wears out and falls off so the wish will come true.
Silver, gold, brass and copper have been popular for thousands of years and are often set with colorful gemstones. Artisans in different regions of the world take advantage of unique local resources, such as Brazilian golden grass, leather and coconut shell from Thailand, and carved bone jewelry from Bali. Intricate openwork carving, known as jali, can be seen in bangles from India. West Africa has a long tradition of beadwork, with beautiful beads made from recycled glass and even plastic becoming popular in recent years.
Global artisans use all sorts of materials in their handcrafted jewelry for men. In the Andes, sterling silver, leather, and combinations of natural stones are frequently used. In Bali, silver, gold, bone, wood, brass, and stainless copper adorn handmade jewelry. In West Africa, men's jewelry honors the cow, where bone and horns are incorporated into unique pieces.
Absolutely! Jewelry is an art form that allows makers to express their individuality and cultural influences, and certain designs are used to represent important symbols. For example, Central American artisans incorporate traditional figures, glyphs, and pre-Hispanic folklore. In Mexico, the famous work of artists Angel Ortiz, Maria Belen Nilson, and Rosa Rojo highlight the beauty of Aztec, Mayan and Teotihuacan civilizations. In Peru, powerful symbols, like the Andean chakana, are used to represent humanitys union with the cosmos. Indian artists are extremely tied to their faith and spirituality. Earring designs include chakra gemstones, motifs of Lord Ganesha, and other spiritual imagery. In Bali, the Om symbol is prevalent, as well as the mythological panther-like Barong image, which is seen as a protector spirit. Designs pulled from the natural world, like animal figures, feathers, plants, as well as stones, are used in almost every culture, which then infuses them with their own particular meanings.
Yes! We offer a wide selection of earrings that are made from eco-friendly materials. Cow bone, water buffalo horn, fabric, recycled paper, wood, palm leaf and coconut shells, just to name a few. Product descriptions always list materials used, so be sure to read about each product to discover how artisans are working to ensure sustainability and environmental consciousness.
There is no best when it comes to handmade earrings. However, certain materials lend themselves well to jewelry. Silver and gold, for example, are frequently used to make earrings because of their luster and shine. Each region puts its own unique touch on the art of earring-making. Most use some combination of silver, gold, gemstones, wooden or glass beads, and bones. Some regions, like West Africa, have found ways to introduce up-cycling into the jewelry-making process. Recycled plastic and paper beads, as well as coconut shells are commonly integrated into beautiful works of earring art. Whatever materials used, quality and safety are always our top priorities. Each pair of earrings is tested to ensure its safety. If you do have sensitive skin, you may consider rhodium plated earrings, as rhodium is completely hypoallergenic. You can always find all relevant information about materials in the product description.
Traditional artisans handcraft jewelry using the techniques and materials of their ancestors. In Indonesia, the most common mens bracelet is made from Akar Baharnatural, or black, coral. In the Andes, sterling silver, leather, waxed cotton threads, or natural stones adorn handmade jewelry. In Central America, the list includes: gold, brass, cord, wood, or glass. West Africa also makes use of these materials, plus wooden beads. And India incorporates gemstones into its rich history of jewelry.
Featured Reviews on Smoky Quartz Jewelry
Smoky quartz dangle earrings, 'Smoky Brilliance'
By Cindy
Absolutely Gorgeous Earrings
The smoky quartz dangle earrings arrived this afternoon and the are absolutely gorgeous! They are a beautiful design and the workmanship is perfect. They look even better in person than in the photograph if that is possible! Im thrilled with my purchase! Thank you! Cindy
Multi-gemstone cocktail ring, 'Color Diversity'
By Robin
Very pretty
Well made and came quicker than I anticipated. Fits very well and comfortable, my only negative is that the stones are paler than pictured, but I would still highly recommend the piece and artist.
Gold plated smoky quartz and onyx station necklace, 'Fair Springtime'
By Stephanie
Warm and flattering magic necklace
This is one of only two pieces Im buying *twice* to have a backup in case my primary one is ever damaged, lost, or stolen. (The other is Bhaveshs Scarlet Droplets, which I purchased/reviewed on another site Novica works with before finding Novicas own website).This necklace is perfect against my light golden-olive skin and long dark brown hair, especially when Im wearing brown, rust, olive, or deep teal-colored clothing. Ive read that brown, gold, and orange are supposed to be the least romantic colors to wear if youre trying to attract a mate in the USA, but no fewer than THREE men have tried to give me their phone numbers while I was wearing this necklace. Maybe its magic? :)(Hoping that someday Bhavesh will create a 16-17 link or waterfall necklace in these colors... that would be my absolute dream necklace)If you look good in earth tones/autumn colors, definitely consider buying this piece!
Featured Artist
"What I like best about this craft is how it takes my mind in different directions to come up with new designs... I hope to keep going until I touch the sky!"
"I come from a beautiful city in Gujarat, where I was born in 1984. As a child, I was mesmerized by our beautiful and intricate silver jewelry. I... read more
Smoky Quartz Jewelry
A popular stone, smoky quartz has been used as a gem for thousands of years. Its color varies from brown to gray and black, and occurs in nature when crystal quartz is exposed to natural radiation over long periods of time. Almost 2,000 years ago, Pliny write of the phenomenon.
Smoky quartz has its own varieties - cairngorm, from Scotland's Cairngorm Mountains, the very dark, black opaque morion, with its alternating black and gray bands, and gwindel, a cluster of nearly parallel crystals, each rotated slightly relative to the one beside it.
Natural smoky quartz is mined in many places around the world, including Brazil, Colorado, the U.S., and the Swiss Alps. Although abundant, the stone's beauty is prized in jewelry and it has been designated as the official state gem of New Hampshire. The astrological signs of smoky quartz are Capricorn and Sagittarius.
Novica's spectacular Smoky Quartz Jewelry Collection offers handcrafted pieces produced by the world's most gifted and skilled jewelry artisans and silversmiths. A favorite of Thai designer Khun Boom, smoky quartz plays a stellar role in her sterling silver bracelets and earrings. Ying displays the gem on silk necklaces and chokers. The beautiful stones also figure in Busarin's hand-crafted floral necklaces.
Generally crafted from sterling silver, our smoky quartz jewelry features a vast selection of exceptional necklaces, earrings, rings, and pendants accented with the dark and alluring gemstone. We hope you enjoy them!
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