Author Archive: admin

Dichroic jewellery

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New additions to my fused glass jewellery in December are dichroic necklaces and earrings, which are in a range of nature-inspired themes and colours.

Dichroic art glass has one predominant colour, with other colours visible at different angles or in different lights. It can also feature distinct and attractive textured patterns.

The dichroic fused glass pendants already available include the ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘Sunburst Orange’ pendants.

More pieces are awaiting a further kiln fire, before the finishing and photographs, and will be available soon. Update June 2022: I have a growing range of fused glass and dichroic jewellery, which you can see here.

Small Square Orange Dichroic Fused Glass Necklace
Sunburst Orange Fused Glass Pendant.
A small, square pendant in colours of orange, red and blue. Dichroic fused glass necklace handmade in England.
Aurora or Rainbow Iridescent Narrow Fused Glass Pendant
Northern Lights Narrow Fused Glass Pendant.
A small, dichroic fused glass necklace in iridescent blues, greens, sometimes purples. Made in England.

Natural gemstone & sea glass

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Northumbrian sea glass or ‘sea gems’

The sea glass I collect has been formed from decorative glassware, bottles, even industrial glass, which once found its way into the North Sea. It has been shaped and frosted by its waves over many years washed up on beaches along the Northumbrian coast. Some reflect north-east of England’s industrial heritage and famous glass-works. These British ‘sea gems’ come in a variety of colours and textures, some rare, and make unique sea glass jewellery.

Sea glass bezel pendant

Northumbrian sea glass bezel pendant

Handcrafting a cabochon:

Northumbria Gems: in the workshop, handcrafting a cabochon

Natural stone & gemstone

I also collect natural British stone and gemstone locally in the Northumbria region. I handcraft and polish the stone to set in silver pendants and rings, earrings, bracelets, and brooches. This gemstone includes quartz, carnelian, jasper, flint, agate and fossil stones. The green apatite is likely to have come from the cargo of a 19th century ship, which was wrecked off the coast of Whitley Bay, but in which all on board were saved. I also handcraft Whitby jet jewellery and other gemstone varieties. I cut and shape the cabochons by hand for natural gemstone and silver jewellery, and some sparkling, faceted gemstones were precision cut by my father.

 

Glass Art & Jewellery

Glass art and fused glass jewellery are more recent additions to Northumbria Gems. These include small trinket and jewellery dishes and glass art in designs inspired by nature and local landscapes. I make these in coloured, fused and cast glass.

These designs are fused in a kiln, some are cast or both.

Collecting sustainably

To preserve our local environment I follow UK guidelines on collecting stone and gemstone sustainably.

Though identifying rocks and minerals isn’t always easy due to their variety, each stone I collect is identified to the best of my knowledge, where necessary with careful reference to my gem guides.

Celtic border

July updates

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I hope you are keeping well in these current, often challenging, times.

As our delivery services were particularly stretched earlier this year due to the Covid-19 situation, I temporarily paused sending orders during March and April. I resumed posting out orders early in May.

If you have been a visitor to Northumbria Gems before, you will see that my home page looks a bit different, as I have been able to spend time updating the layout and images. My shop pages should work in the same way as before (I have made some of the text a bit bigger, though).

I hope you will like the recent additions to my shop, some newly-made sea glass and sea pottery necklaces (one example below), and a men’s Whitby jet hammered silver ring. I have also begun adding more chain length options to many of my necklaces.

Blue Patterned Sea Pottery Pendant handmade in a piece of antique sea-washed tile gathered on the Northumbrian coast of England.
English Sea Pottery Necklace from Northumbria Gems

Free standing glass art

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This new glass art design is inspired by Northumberland’s ancient rock carvings. I have now completed two standing pieces – one in amber glass, this one in chartreuse green. I am currently making larger, square glass tiles, to be hung on a wall or in a window.

You might like to see my recent silver jewellery, too – I will be adding more pieces soon.

New handcrafted glass art

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New handcrafted art glass

New handcrafted art glass: A recent addition to Northumbria Gems is handcrafted glass - trinket dishes, in designs inspired by nature and local landscapes, which I make in coloured fused glass. I am currently making glass art pieces which will be suitable for hanging or setting on stands. Once completed these also will be available from Northumbria Gems website.

Hammered copper cuff bracelets

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Hammered copper cuff bracelets

Hammered copper cuff bracelets

I hand-forge the copper wrist band and create a textured, hammered surface pattern. The firing and texture gives the bracelet an aged or rustic appearance, emphasising its handmade nature, and making each bracelet unique. I lightly polish the risen surfaces, which leaves the hammered dents coloured from the oxidisation created when firing.

Whitby jet jewellery

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New Whitby jet jewellery:

I am now handcrafting natural Whitby jet which is then set in silver.

About Whitby jet:

Whitby jet is a black gemstone in a fossilised wood deriving from a species similar to the Monkey Puzzle tree. Jet can acquire a deep sheen when finely polished. It was widely used for jewellery and hair ornaments in the later Roman period, in Britain, and regained popularity in the Victoria era.

According to Wikipedia, the jet found at Whitby, on the North Yorkshire coast of England (in the British Isles), is "approximately 182 million years old". The raw jet I use has been sourced from an established supplier in Whitby (historically in Northumbria), and has been handcrafted into cabochons by me or my father, then set in silver.

Already completed is a large, silver Celtic cross pendant set with a cabochon that I have handcrafted in genuine Whitby jet.

 

You can see more of gemstone jewellery here.