Hematite Jewelry - Is It Magnetic or Not?

The gemstones hematite and lodestone are both stated as being magnetic, but is this really the case?

Hematite is a black silvery stone which is quite heavy. It has been with royals since the Egyptian and Greek days. It is named after the Green word haima, which means blood. It will streak red when rubbed against a harder substance, thus the name. Hematite is also known as a black diamond when it is faceted.

Contrary to popular belief, hematite is not magnetic. (lodestone, another black stone has this quality.) Hematite jewelry is thought to have mystical qualities, however. It is often said that wearing hematite jewelry will bring good luck in legal matters, so it is popular with some new age lawyers.

Natural healers use hematite to improve memory, re-focus the intellect and to remove negative thoughts. It is often thought to balance the first chakra, the root, in yoga.

For a more detailed information article on the qualities of both hematite and lodestone, please visit our resource library at Vintage Jewelry Lane.

Two New Jewelry Blogs for you To Check out

I find that I am spending more and more of my time writing about my love of all things jewelry. I have blogs on my two main websites as well as this blog, but have also added a couple more to my list to make the organization of them a bit easier for me (and you!) to keep track of.


The two new blogs will each have a main theme related to particular aspects of the jewelry industry. Jewelry Designers, Contest and Awards will discuss these topics with an emphasis on mainly contemporary designers and currently running contests. I'll also discuss the various vintage jewelry designers from time to time on this blog.


The other blog, called Jewelry Exhibits and Shows, will discuss various vintage and contemporary jewelry exhibits, auctions, trade shows, reference books, and updates about museum demonstrations.


This will still be my main blog, and I'll touch on all of these aspects from time to time here, but if you are interested in these specific areas of jewelry, then my new blogs are worth a look.


As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome!

Show Your Stuff at Collector's Weekly

Readers of my blog know that I often write about the interviews that are done by our friends at Collector's weekly. They are informative and full of information. The ones that particularly interest me are those done with individuals somehow connected to the vintage jewelry field.

However, their interviews talk with people in all sorts of industries, so there is something of interest for any reader.

Do you have a collection of some sort that you would like to share? Now is the time to do it. Collector's weekly currently has an event called Show Us Your Stuff. From now until the end of May, 2010. They will take a look at all of the submissions received, pick their favorites and then publish the top 10 Collections throughout the summer on their website.

For more details on how to submit your collection, please visit this page of the collector's weekly website. And if your collection features jewelry in any type and is chosen as one of the top 10 Collections, email me and I'll also feature you on my blog during the summer.

Good luck to all collectors!

Bohmenian Jewelry - Flower Power and More

From time to time, sellers of vintage jewelry will use the word Bohemian to describe a piece of jewelry, but what does this word actually mean in the jewelry world?

Bohemian- "Boho" for short refers to an ethnic look that combines clothing and accessories similar to those worn by native people from around the world. To me, it indicates more of an attitude than a definite style, since Bohemian can be used to describe many different looks.

Think back to the late 1960's to early 1970's era of flower children and hippies. Boho jewelry was worn a lot during this time period - with layered clothing and accessories made from natural materials and big, bold chunky styles.

Throughout history, bohemian style jewelry has always been admired for its statement, weight of the pieces and the colors used. The jewelry is very organic; it uses a lot of wood and genuine stones as some of the prominent materials. Ivory and bone was also a material often used. Many of the styles can be considered "plus sized" - not because they are to be worn by larger women, but because the jewelry itself becomes the fashion statement because of the size.

Eastern Europe is credited with being the origination of Bohemian jewelry, since it these countries are normally associated with gypsies and others in nomadic populations. It is associated with free thinking, organic, individuals. This is the same reason we tend to think of Bohemian jewelry and hippies. The two went hand in hand during the 1970s. Self expression is the key to the mood and trend in Bohemian jewelry.

The Bohemian fashion trend is currently experiencing a rebirth, with many popular Hollywood stars now sporting this style of jewelry. Here are a few examples:

All pieces are available from my Vintage Jewelry Lane Shop at affordable prices. Click the pictures for more details and photos.