January's Birthstone with Gift Guide!

The word “garnet” comes from the 14th Century Middle English word “gernet” meaning dark red. The word is derived from Latin “granatum” which means seed, and is called so because of the gemstone’s resemblance to the beautifully red seeds of the pomegranate.

The garnet is found all over the world, including Wyoming, Czech Republic, Greece, Russian, Tanzania, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and India.

The folklore on garnet is extensive. Legend has it that the garnet can bring peace, prosperity and good health to the home. Some even called it the “Gem of Faith,” and it’s believed that to those who wear it and do good, more good will come. (Conversely, it was also said to bring very bad fortune to those who commit bad acts while wearing it.)

The garnet also symbolized deep and lasting friendship. With that legend in mind, give a garnet to someone whose friendship you deeply value.

The garnet is so durable, remnants of garnet jewelry can be found as far back as the Bronze Age. Other references go back to 3100 BC when the Egyptians used garnet as inlays in their jewelry and carvings. The Egyptians even said it was the symbol of life. The garnet was very popular with the Romans in the 3rd and 4th Century.

This gemstone was also used as a talisman for protection both by warriors going into battle and to those who wanted to ward off pestilence and plague. Some ancient healers and wise men even placed garnets in wounds and praised its healing powers.

Garnet jewelry has been a fixture throughout the ages. Garnets were often used as signet rings in ancient Rome, and the nobility favored garnets in the Middle Ages.

The Victorians made garnets very popular during that time period. Some of the loveliest garnet jewelry from that era mimics its pomegranate namesake, with clusters of tiny red gems forming a larger statement piece.

Today, the garnet can be found in a range of jewelry pieces and styles, from beautiful rings to stunning tiaras. Since the garnet can come in a range of colors, rare garnets in green or blue make breathtaking pieces, especially in pendants or drop earrings.
Source: The American Gem Society

Are you stumped on what to get that special someone born in January?
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Also check out our Garnet colored Red Dragon Bracelet at Handmade Jewelry Haven!

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Wordless Wednesday!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!!

But if you DO need some words...

Don't forget that special someone on your list!

Christmas Dragon Bracelet

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July's Birthstone - The Ruby

With July comes one of my personal favorite gemstones, the Ruby.

Rubies represent love, health and wisdom. It was believed wearing a fine red Ruby bestowed good fortune on its owner. A Ruby is the most valuable gemstone and its value increases based on its color and quality.

The Ruby represents love, passion, courage and emotion. For centuries this gem has been considered the king of all gems. It was believed that wearing a fine red Ruby bestowed good fortune on its owner. Rubies have been the prized possession of emperors and kings throughout the ages. To this day the Ruby is the most valued gemstone.

Symbolic of passion, protection and prosperity, the ruby has been revered since ancient
times.

Rubies have been particularly prized in Asian countries. Records suggest that rubies were traded along China’s North Silk Road as early as 200 B.C. Chinese noblemen adorned their armor with rubies because they believed the gem would grant protection. They also buried rubies beneath building foundations to secure good fortune.

Ancient Hindus believed they’d be reborn as emperors if they offered rubies to the god Krishna. In Hindu folklore, the glowing fire within rubies burned so hot that they allegedly boiled water. Greek legends similarly claimed that ruby’s warmth could melt wax.

In Burma—a significant ruby source since at least 600 AD—warriors believed that rubies made them invincible. They even implanted rubies into their skin to grant protection in battle.

Many cultures also admired ruby as a symbol of love and passion. Rubies have long been considered the perfect wedding gem.

Though ruby has a long history, it wasn’t recognized as a variety of corundum until 1800. Prior to that, red spinel, tourmaline, and garnet were also believed to be ruby. Even the Black Ruby, one of the famed crown jewels of England, was considered one of the largest cut rubies until determined to be spinel.

Imitation ruby dates back as far as Roman times, though it wasn’t synthesized until the early 1900s.

The red fluorescence power of ruby helped build the first working laser in 1960. Rubies—both natural and synthetic—are still used to make lasers, as well as watches and medical instruments.

After classical Burmese mines depleted, the Mong Hsu region of Myanmar started producing rubies in the 1990s. Though these lacked the rich red hue of traditional Burmese Rubies, they were treated with heat to improve saturation and transparency. Heat treated rubies is a common practice nowadays.


Ruby is a powerful stone to shield against negative energy, psychic attack, and energy vampirism, especially of the heart energy. Working with Ruby one may feel that all sense of limitation has been removed, strengthening courage, joy, leadership qualities and selfless work in all spiritual endeavors.
(source: American Gem Society)

Come see our Dragon Bracelet that has her magical Ruby Red Eggs tucked under her scales for the ultimate protection!

Dragon Bracelet

Come see some of our other Dragon Bracelets at Handmade Jewelry Haven here!

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Handmade Jewelry Haven featured in Huffington Post

A while back we were very excited to be featured in the Huffington Post on a feature,'5 Gift Ideas for a Cosplayer'. 
We came in at #2 for one of our Dragon Bracelets!

Now, there may be some of you that do not know what a 'Cosplayer' is.
Wikipedia defines it as:
Cosplay, a contraction of the words costume play, is a hobby in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character.

Here is how our feature looked:

2. A bracelet

HANDMADE JEWELRY HAVEN

Kumihimo Bracelet, $20, available at Handmade Jewelry Haven

The bracelet is a story of empowerment which is told by many characters over many generations. The mother Dragon who has her precious eggs tucked protectively between her scales shows the undying love for a mother towards her babies. The dragon symbolizes strength, loyalty and compassion for all that it holds dear.

So if you have any special Cosplayers in your life, come and see more of our Dragon Bracelets, here at Handmade Jewelry Haven!

To see the other gifts that were featured, click HERE.

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January's Birth Stone - Garnet

January/Birthstone

Garnet

Garnet, the birthstone of January, is mined in a rainbow of colors. From the fiery orange of Mandarin Garnet to the rich green of Tsavorite Garnet and to the most widely recognized color of Pyrope Garnet, it is considered a great gift to symbolize friendship and trust.

Dragon Wrap Jewelry

This beautiful garnet inspired piece can be found on our site at Handmade Jewelry Haven!

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Dragons

As a Game Of Thrones lover, I have been reflecting lately on the role dragons played throughout history. There have been many recent movies featuring dragons, such as the remake of 'Pete's Dragon, Dragonheart 3, Maleficent, and the two most recent releases from The Hobbit franchise. What is the facination with this most ancient of fire breathing beasts?

Well, to answer that I guess it is best to look into the history of dragon lore...

Chinese Mythology -

Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and Chinese folklore. The dragons have many animal-like forms such as turtles and fish, but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs. Chinese dragons traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, typhoons, and floods. The dragon is also a symbol of power, strength, and good luck for people who are worthy of it. With this, the Emperor of China usually used the dragon as a symbol of his imperial power and strength. One kegend is the one of the Koi who Leaped from the depths of the river, and attempted to reach the top of the waterfall to no avail. The Koi's efforts caught the attention of local demons, who mocked his efforts and heightened the waterfall out of malice. After a hundred years of jumping, the koi finally reached the top of the waterfall. The gods recognized the koi for its perseverance and determination and turned it into a golden dragon, the image of power and strength.





Norse Mythology-
Although snakes aroused fear, dragons were far more dangerous and dreadful. With their fire breath they could incinerate anything in their way. Their shells were impenetrable to swords and arrows, and the only vulnerable area of their skin was the abdomen. They lived in bronze-age tumuli, which were the size of small hills. Due to their affiliation to the underground, they also came out only after sundown. Their role in mythology was guarding treasures. Historical map makers – who worked before the world was fully explored – drew dragons and mermaids at the edges of the known world. 





Celtic Mythology-
To invoke such reverence from the Celts, who were one of the most fierce and rugged ethnic groups in ancient times, they must have been much more than just fire-breathing beasts.Although dragons are usually associated with Asia, these mythical creatures can be found in fairy tales and folklore all over the world, including Celtic Ireland.
In the secular world of Celtic chiefs and warriors, dragons are merely symbols of the power of the chief. Indeed the Celtic word for "chief" is Pendragon. But in the esoteric world of spirituality, Celtic dragons represent much more...
What magical powers do these mysterious creatures possess that was so important that we can find tales including rituals of sacrifice to the mighty dragons? 
"Dragons were an important part of Celtic lore. The Celts were highly attuned to the land and dragons were believed to influence the land.... Areas frequented by dragons were believed to possess special power." Dragons have always been associated with the Power of the Land. Even today, in many esoteric rituals, people believe that invoking the "Eye of the Dragon" will increase their personal power.

Come check out some of our beautiful Dragon Jewelry at Handmade Jewelry Haven.

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