New Treasures: Chinese Turquoise

Our largest shipment of the year has arrived, and for those of you that received our email announcement some of these items may look a little familiar. However, the email only touched on a handful of exciting beads. Let me take you on a more in depth tour on our newest treasures starting with the Chinese turquoise. Stay tuned for more post throughout this week!

Most of you are familiar with popular turquoise mines like Sleeping Beauty, Fox and Nacazari, but did you know that turquoise is also found in China? In fact, turquoise has been actively mined and treasured in China for over three thousand years (remember our Tibetan turquoise?). It occurs in a wide range of color tones and matrix variations....from rich browns to lime greens to sky blues to deep indigo's. Chinese turquoise tends to be more affordable as compared to American mined turquoise because of the abundant supply and low labor costs. Major deposits of turquoise are still found in the Hubei Province. 

Check our the newest additions to our Chinese turquoise collection....

This fabulous one of a kind piece is truly a show stopper. Each bead is hand carved individually into a "melon" shape and graduates in size from an impressive 26mm to a  14mm. Very impressive indeed. This unique strand is $252.

These are one of my favorites from our new turquoise collection! I personally prefer the green turquoise (typical for a redhead!) so it was especially hard to figure out which strand (or three) I couldn't live without. Better come and claim one before I decide that I need all of them.

Green Turquoise Barrels

$28-$106 per 16 inch strand

We also got a handful of the more common silky blue tones of the turquoise barrels. These are just as nice as the green toned turquoise, but we weren't able to get as many so what you see here is what we've got.

Blue Turquoise Barrels

$28-$106 per 16 inch strand

A favorite cut has returned! These flat, tapered nuggets are captivating. Each strand has natural, earthy, multi-color patterns that remind me of watercolor paint washes. The dark brown and black matrix compliment those color "washes" very nicely.

Tapered Turquoise Nuggets

$98-$189 per 16 inch strand 

 

Lastly, wonderful tear drops in a variety of sizes, drop shapes, and colors. I can't wait to incorporate these in some huge, lush chandelier style earrings!

Tear Drop Turquoise

$8-$30 per 16 inch strand

Stay tuned for the next chapter of our new shipment series....

New Gold Filled Chain

Looks like we've got a gold theme going on this week when it comes to our new shipments. Safe to say that no one around here is complaining about it.

In addition to our new gold vermeil order, we've got a collection of gold filled chains that range from the very tiny, to the large yet delicate. These are beyond perfect for earrings or delicate necklaces. I've already got a couple ideas!

$6.20-$15.50 per foot.

Time for Gold

Don't you love when you open a box and find this?

Yeah. Us too. Believe it or not, this is how our gold vermeil order comes to us. We send out a giant mixed bag of silver and it comes back as a giant mixed bag of golden pirate treasure. No one here complains about having to organize this gold vermeil wonderfulness. We each get a hefty handful and retreat to our corners to happily divide and conquer. As always, we had a lot of fun things come back, here are a few worth mentioning:

A selection of toggles of all sizes...

...including the glamorously gigantic...

...clasps used in multiple strand designs (yes, even that amazing butterfly!)...

...soldered rings and various connector links...

...two different "Miraculous Metal" rosary stations...

...beads, beads, and more beads...

...and these guys. Remember our wonderful collection of antique Hindu amulets? We selected a handful of the most detailed pieces and sent them off with the rest of the silver. Looks like it was a great idea. As beautiful as the look here, they're 10 times more stunning in person.

Now that the dividing and organizing is all done, the pricing begins. Keep in mind that these are vermeil (a thick, high quality gold plate over silver). Translation? A glowing high karat look at an appealingly low price.

New Gold Vermeil Order

Don't worry, no one saw you reach out to touch the computer screen and try and claim some of this treasure for yourself. Your secret is safe with us.

Details on our new gold vermeil shipment to come. Check back tomorrow, or even better, stop in and claim some for yourself (for real).

Lava, lava, lava!

New Lava beads!

4mm rounds in black and cinnamon brown and 14x10mm ovals in black.

Both styles are only $5 per 16in strand. Yes, only $5!

Lava beads are made from basalt, a kind of stone created during volcanic eruptions. They have a pitted and almost bubbly appearance which adds great texture to any piece. But don't let that pitted appearance fool you, these naturally colored beads have been tumbled smooth and lightly waxed to make them comfortable to wear. They're also very light weight making even the largest pieces comfortable to wear. Check out some other (larger) pieces we have hanging around here from past shipments....

These singles range from $0.50 each to $3.70 each and measure from 11mm to a whooping 50mm!

Come mix and match and create your own lava creation!

New Faceted Gemstone

Fourth of July fireworks have come and gone but we still have sparklers here at Lost Cities! A whole box of new glittery goodies arrived from India last weekend and they are B-E-A-UTIFUL! Here are the highlights from this shipment:

First up, mixed tones of faceted Mystic Quartz rondelles. These are soooo sweet. True to Mystic Quartz form they have a nice shimmery, reflective coat that make them really shine! Besides these multicolor strands we also got some tanzanite color and a clear quartz with a rainbow coating.

Mystic Quartz 3mm (all colors), $31- $41 per 15 inch strand

*Mystic Quartz is top quality quartz that has been treated with a reflective or colorful coating. This treatment is a high tech enhancement, meaning it's a very durable and long lasting treatment (no "painted on" coatings on these!)*

Every time I see these pyrite I get giddy. Personally, I see these as the ultimate spacer. I love the organic yet metallic look these lend to jewelry designs. They seem to add just enough sparkle to tie everything together. In fact, my current obsessive bead combination is faceted grey labradorite, aquamarine and these precious pyrite. It's okay, it can be yours now too. I'm willing to share.

Pyrite 3mm, $28 per 15 inch strand

*These were a bit tricky to photograph. The color is actually

a rich antiqued gold color.*

Here's a little bit more of what came in. Featured on the top is, of course, the lovely pyrite (this is closer to the accurate color), garnets in the middle and amethyst on the bottom. We also got some great faceted crystal quartz and rose quartz rondelles in a variety of sizes (not shown....yet).

Garnets 3mm, $28 per 15 inch strand

Amethyst 4mm, $28 per 15 inch strand

Rose Quartz 3-5mm faceted rondelles $25 per 15 inch strand

Crystal Quartz 3-6mm faceted rondelles $25-28 per 15 inch strand

If you like what you see make sure to stop by soon!

Chrysocolla Focal Beads

Fresh out of the box, large 1-1.5 inch long chrysocolla focal beads. It's very, very rare for us to get chrysocolla anything...which makes these large beads even more special. It's not that we have a problem with loving chrysocolla, it's purely because it is so scarce that it's never available. Well, almost never :). The best news? They're only $3.90-$5.90 each.

Hope you all have a happy and safe holiday weekend. Don't forget that we're open normal hours all weekend including 4th of July and, this is very important, we have air conditioning. See you soon!

African Beads Part Two: Wedding beads, Discs and More

Continuing from yesterday with our African bead shipment....

Wedding beads!

These beads were made in Czechoslovakia and traded into West Africa. The larger pieces were made between 1880 and 1930, while the smaller pieces were made between 1930-1950. We've had the larger wedding beads before, but those sweet smaller pieces are a new treat! I can confidently say that those little guys are every one's favorite from this shipment (and f.y.i., they're going FAST). An entire strand runs you $109 (both sizes) while singles are $1.50 each for the large, and $0.65 each for the small.

Next we've got coconut and vinyl disc heshis. That's right, I said vinyl disc and coconut. If you're like me, you're going to need at least three of each. Seriously, these are such cool skinny spacers. Every strand is wildly different from the other and at $11 per strand...you know you need some (or three).

Lastly, we've got rustic silver tone base metal barrels (pre-strung into prayer malas) and two shapes of bone. The metal barrels are $22 per strand and the bone are $13 per strand.

Unfortunately, that's the end of our African shipment of bead happiness. Fortunately, we've got another shipment of bead happiness on it's way here. Stay tuned for some sparkly goodness to grace this page very soon....

New African Beads Part One: Recycled Glass

 Summer is officially...somewhere. Definitely not here in Old Town just yet. This June Gloom seems content to live up to it's name and hang around until the very end of the season. Well, outside our door that is. Because inside we're bringing you some new beads to get you ready for the San Diego summer right around the corner....

Recycled glass is back! In new bright colors, a variety of sizes and a few new shapes. Recycled glass is exactly that, beads made from crushed, discarded glass bottles that would have otherwise been dumped into a landfill. That makes these beads enviromentally friendly and very "green".

Don't you want to just dive right in? Being from the coast, I've always had a particular fondness for blue and sea green shades (especially that teal and seafoam on the far right). These have a pretty big hole, which means you can make pretty big knots, using pretty big fiber. And that makes me pretty happy.

I really, really love all these new colors that came in this shipment. The rounds (shown here and the first two pictures) vary in price from $13-19 per strand.

Not to mention the new shapes! These "tulip shapes" are a sweet, slighted fluted, ridged flower-ish shape. They vary (based on size) in price from $7-10 per strand.

These donut shaped beads remind me of red lifesavers (the best kind of lifesavers). These are $11 per strand.

Don't need a whole strand? As always, we've got singles! Come visit us and banish that June Gloom away with our taste of summer!

New Freshwater Pearls

A box packed full of new nugget shaped pearls arrived yesterday in an array of temping colors. I'm a huge fan of the nugget shaped pearls. Not only do they come in a large variety of colors and sizes, but the price is also really low (like $4-9 per strand low). Translation? Fabulous, impressive, inexpensive, multi-strand necklaces/bracelets/wraps. It's just up to you to decide which color speaks to you. Whether you prefer...

...tropical jewel tones...

...misty shades of grey and white...

...mossy greens, warm tangerines, sandy golds...

...or spectacular tablets in white and peach. Honestly, these are pretty darn spectacular. The luster is amazing on every single pearl, on every single strand. The size and "chunky-ness" varies from strand to strand which makes me (and probably you) love them even more. Most of these pearls are priced between $4-9 per stand...except for those spectacular tabs (those will run you $38 per strand).

Rare Antique Faceted Coral

While digging through our ancient coral collection, I stumbled upon this spellbinding faceted strand. And by spellbinding, I mean my knees got weak with excitement and I grabbed the side of the table to stay up right.

These salmon pink beads were carved sometime before the 18th century and are covered in time worn facets that sparkle ever so slightly. The coral itself is nearly flawless...most have practically no blemishes at all.

We will be taking these off the strand and selling them as singles. Imagine the earring possibilities. Or maybe just one dangling from a chain. Or maybe a whole bracelet? Don't let me limit you...come in and build your own dream piece!

New Rosary Centers

With the Lent season in full swing, many customers have been asking about rosaries. If you're going to build a rosary, you'll need a rosary center. The rosary center in the middle (featuring the mother and child) is one we've had in stock for some time, but the other two are brand new. These new rosary centers both feature the Virgin Mary on the Miraculous Medal. The piece on the far left also features the message "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee" around the frame (in the tiniest print I've ever seen!). Prices for the rosary centers range from $8.70-$12.40 each and all are sterling silver. Also, if you are not sure exactly how to build a rosary, we have a new handout available to guide you!



More, more, more Chinese crystal

If you thought we had a nice supply of Chinese crystal before, this just might send you over the edge. And the best news is the price! Every strand shown here, regardless of size or shape, is only $4.65 each. At that price you can afford to go crystal crazy!

3mm bicones

Tiny and very usable, these make perfect spacers for your larger beads, or wire wrap them into a delicate chain.

4mm bicones

More bicones, in a slightly larger size. Those orange colors are really cheery and a big hit around here!

8x6mm Drops

Great for earrings or a fringe style necklace. They're drilled from top to bottom, which makes them extra easy to wire wrap.

6x4mm Ovals

Lastly, this is my favorite shape we've ever gotten. I love to sprinkle these faceted ovals in long, layered wrap style necklaces. I need at least one strand of each color!

Chunky, Gemmy Fun

Do you like large beads that are bold and beautiful enough to scream "here I am!"? Then this might just be your day.

Let's give you an idea of size because my idea of "chunky" might be a tad different than yours. The strand pictured above is the largest of the bunch, most strands will have beads as big as the smallest bead in this picture.

Amethyst in glowing purple tones and solid white quartz streaks. 

$14  per strand

Fluorite in all it's glorious colors. I love the double toned pieces, they really glow in the sunlight.

$10  per strand

Icy quartz! Enjoy all the beauty and none of the sub zero temperatures.

$18 per strand

Blue Lace Agate slices and chunks with beautiful sky blue tones.

$14 per strand

Amethyst again in more refined, evenly cut ovals. These pack a punch in the sparkle department!

$41 per strand

And, if you're not really interested in wearing them, why not do what I did and make a sun catcher to hang in the window? It's a fun project and (if you're really like me) your cats will also enjoy it.

It's Raining Gems...

...hallelujah! If you're in the neighborhood for drops, look no further! Whether you're looking for golden yellows, royal purples, or icy blues, we've got you covered. Explore your options...

Rutilated quartz (large drops) and fire opal (small, mixed drops).

Rutilated Quartz are $19-$46 each strand (and going FAST)

Fire Opal are $109

Aquamarine and Mixed Beryl strands.

Aquamarine strands $72-$92

Mixed Beryl strands $78-95

(mixed beryl refers to mixed strand that includes many colors of beryl including pink morganite, yellow heliodor and blue aquamarine)

Amethyst and Tanzanite

Amethyst cushion cut diamonds (top) $90-$96 per strand

Tanzanite drops (three middle strands) $42-73 per strand

Amethyst angle cut squares and rectangles (bottom two) $57-$92 per strand

Citrine!

Pointed drops (top three strands) $116-$136 per strand

Rounded tear drops (bottom three strands) $103-$148 per strand

Rounded tear drop shaped tourmaline strands $173-$229 per strand

Remember that more often than not we'll have these available in singles and you're always welcome to buy a half strand of anything over $10! With those options, you can really get what you want and feel good about not breaking the bank.