November Birthstone Collection Preview

​Good News! The November Birthstone Collection will have a preview online for everyone to enjoy. View the new collection in person by booking an appointment at Studio 12.  

November 1st will mark the official release date of our Birthstone Collection featuring Primarily Citrine. There will be a couple jewels made with Topaz as well in celebration of November Birthdays! 

This collections Citrine is sourced from Moyo Gems - an offshoot of Anza Gems as well as from our friend Treefort Bazaar. Both source their Citrine from different localities in Africa, both have unique ways of supplying gemstones to the market. Moyo Gems Citrine are mined by women and support women's opportunities mining in East Africa. Treefort Bazaar is an independent miner in the USA and supplies some of the most interesting specimen from all over the world. The Topaz is supplied by one of our favorite crystal shops - On The Rocks Chicago - but are sourced from Thomas Range, Utah! We just love the network of gemstones, where they come from, and how we acquire them! So many wonderful people along the way. 

Lets talk about the gemstone Citrine for a moment. It's my favorite gemstone and my connection to Citrine began when I was younger. My family had to evacuate from South Carolina to North Carolina because of a hurricane. During that time, we stopped by a little mining shop in the mountains to pan for gems. This event left a pretty big impression on me. It reminds me of summers in northern Michigan where I'd use a beach sand sifter to sort through rocks on the shores of Higgins Lake.

Citrine is a quartz variety. There are many quartz varieties and quartz can be found in localities around the world.  Citrine is a yellow and orange toned stone. Its color derives from iron.  Some 'Citrine' on the market is heat treated Amethyst. It's pretty fascinating how a purple stone can turn can turn yellow and orange in hue! Amethyst is different than Citrine on a mineral level because it features Aluminum.  Natural Citrine and Heated Citrine have very different energetic properties. To my knowledge, all the Citrine in this collection are Natural Citrine and not heated treated or processed in any way. 

Natural Citrine is a powerful ally because it energetically covers our base chakras. It grounds us in creativity, utilizes the power of our will, and rooting our manifestation abilities. Citrine is uplifting to our spirit. A stone of joy and positivity. Our own rays of sunshine that we can adorn ourselves with or carry around in our pockets and hands. Reminders of our intentions so our actions are progressive towards our goals. Citrine emanates optimism. This is why I love to have Citrine around my home and adorning my being. It's inherently uplifting, inspiring, and in my experience Citrine will protect your inner peace.  

Our beads come from all over! Some strands are from local bead shops in Metro Detroit. Other strands come from independent suppliers online. The raw gemstone beads featured in the collection are custom made for us from India. Other strands, in particular the vibrant orange glass beads, are upcycled from thrifted necklaces. Giving the materials a totally new life and new look! 

This collection features copper and brass metals. The copper jewels have electroformed pedants.