When working with copper, I like to put together materials naturally found with copper including datolite, prehnite, etc. using copper wire. Since I frequently search for float copper and datolite in the U.P of Michigan, it feels right to incorporate natural materials into my pieces.

I have found that rule number one with jewelry design is...break all the rules. You really don't know what looks interesting until you play around with color, shape, texture and shine. I have used bright copper with pink pearls, rose quartz and fluorite with beautiful results. So light colored stones don't always disappear in the copper color, sometimes they are enhanced by it.

I love turquoise with copper. I also love green agates that have a coppery or brown vein running through them. I love the color that copper turns as it oxidizes. Turquoise is the color of copper sulfate and some green agates mimic verdi-gris.

When all else fails, look to nature for colors that go together well.

i love blues with copper. no red or orange though. so lapis lazuli, turquoise, or blue kyanite would work perfectly.

It's more than the color of stone. It has a great deal to do with the item that you are making. Copper often has an ancient feel to it and many brilliant cuts often don't look right.

Cuts and shapes are as important as the color. The look and feel of copper or bronze almost calls out for an unfaceted polished (tumbled) set of stones. But even jewelry from the 3rd Century, especially wrist cuffs and rings, had Oval, rectangle, or even diamond (like two triangles put together) shapes. More often than not the main embellishments were hammered designs of everything from family members to animals, birds and fish, or scroll work.

For Copper or Bronze you need strong colors, don't use the light or clear stones - they just disappear. Also, it is very normal for stones to have different colors and come in shades from all over the rainbow. So a Garnet can come in a whole host of colors from Dark Red to Deep Green. Also, stones have a history of usages – I mentioned Garnets because they are often found in Egyptian jewelry dated before 3100 BCE and have long been considered to have healing abilities.

That said, here is a list that you can start with, realizing that bold colors will not disappear in the richness of Copper or Bronze. But then - as the Bard is so often quoted - beauty is in the eye of the beholder - or the purse holder.

Turquoise (most shades of blue or green) is traditional in the US. Actually, it is one of the earliest known gemstones, having been brought to Egypt from the Sinai before 5400 BCE. You can often see pieces made of Turquoise found in the artifacts of the Pharaohs. Use the richer colors; there are some gray and pale shades. You can run into a lot of dyed and stabilized, imitation or outright "fake" Turquoise.

Many Blue stones like the darker blue Sapphires, Topaz, Lapis Lazuli, Tanzanite, Kyanite, Spinel, and Goldstone work really nicely especially if you use contrasting color stones.

Reds, - Ruby, Garnets (Almandine, Rhodolite, Spessartite, Pyrope), Zircon, Obsidian, Iolite, and some shades of Jasper. These can really make a copper design pop, even stronger with blue stones – Turquoise is a good choice.

Rich Greens like Emeralds, some Fluorite, Tourmaline, Chrysoberyl Cat's Eye, Spinel, Chrysoprase, Variscite, Jade, Tsavorite Garnet, Bloodstone (yes it’s green with red spots), Chrome Diopside, Agate, Malachite.

Purples, Tourmaline, Spinel, Sapphires, and Iolite (aka - the Vikings' compass).

Violet – Amethyst, Charoite, Tourmaline, Spinel, Chalcedony, Tanzanite, and Iolite.

Black (if it is somewhat transparent and has some Rutile type inclusions), Obsidian, Black with a little Brown Tiger’s Eye, or polished Haematite.

Be careful of Color Changing stones on Copper or Bronze – too often they pick up the rich tones of the metal and then just fade into the metal.

Brown stones - you might want to stay away from these (not the English type – well, yes even those – they can be a bit drafty ;-) even most Brown Tiger’s Eye – one of my favorite – seems to fade into the metal (at least the ones I tried).

These are just guidelines and, hopefully, the will keep you out of trouble (or maybe get you into it) until you have worked with the metals and lovely rocks long enough to develop your own feel and eye.

Tourquoise and Red Jasper or Agate are especially beautiful with copper. Lighter shades of blues or purples are great too.

Warm orange copper mixes beautifully with its cool complementary color, turquoise. When placed together, these colors really pop.

Copper also goes well with similar colors, such as brown, gold, yellow, and orange. This color palette would make a great autumn piece.

Not all hematite is magnetic

Not all hematite is magnetic; it is rich in iron and therefore easily magnetized for use in beads. Many natural healers subscribe to the power of magnets as an aid to blood flow amongst other things. The beads have therefore become very popular as a stylish way to increase health and circulation.

magnetite is an iron mineral

A TRUE rutile gem contains Rutile needles. Rutile is another mineral. There are OTHER similar inclusions (stuff inside) clear gems which can look like rutile and form needles, for ex., Tourmalinated Quartz, which has Tourmaline inside (usually black) and is often called "rutilated"...although obviously it doesn't contain the mineral Rutile! Most rutile which I've seen is gold, with an occasional pinkish color. Lovely fun stones!

As with all answers, you may want to verify on your own.
Rutile is another mineral. The dictionary defines rutilated as an adjective meaning "containing fine, embedded needles of rutile".Check out the meanings of the suffix -ate(d) to clarify. Hold crystals up to the light to see the needle structures better. Enjoy your gems ;)

A gem with fine "rutiles" or fine "straws" of another gem or sometimes gold inside--very unique and rare!

Accuflex beading wire .014" is very fine and will fit those beads and will fit into the holes of pearls. I prefer the 49 strand wire as it drapes really nice. I use the 49 strand .018 or .019" for heavier stones. 2-3mm beads are light, so you would probably safe with the .014".

There's no trick. Don't be intimidated---they're only holes.

First, get yourself some beadmats--artbeads sells them. I never begin a project without laying out my beads on them first--they keep them from rolling all over the floor.

Also, what are you threading with? If you use beadalon or other stringing wire, it's stiff enough that you don't need a needle. If you use thread, there are instructions on the artbeads site on how to use it, what needles to use, etc., as well as guidance on stringing wire.

How's your eyesight? Get a pair of magnifying clipon lenses, or whatever you need, to see what you're doing, if that's a problem.

Remember that beads are meant to be strung. Dominate them--you are the artist, the creator.

I have paired malachite with white stones such as howlite and red jasper such as mookaite and it looked great! I find that each of the bead colors complemented each other very well. I titled this one, African style cat necklace. I always find that purple goes great with green gemstones also, just like in nature. I hope this helped some people.

I think Amber would be good with malachite

Mona

I'm sorry for your friend's loss. It is a beautiful bird. It reminds me of Apple green dyed Chalk Turquoise. I am really not aware of any natural stone (un-dyed) that shade of green. Red coral will accent and Onyx or black labradorite will go nice with all of these other colors.

hmm.... because the red and green are so vibrant, they may be hard to match. i would say peridot, garnet or ruby, onyx, and maybe tigers eye. it would probably be much easier to stick with swarovski though. :)

Why not take the jump ring off of the clasp and just feed the chain through the bead? Then you can reattach the jump ring.

During the manufacturing process some imperfections occur. Many bead wholesalers include a caveat indicating that some beads may be unusable (for various reasons). You can remedy the situation, depending upon the type of beads in question, by using a small awl to drill the rest of the hole. The awl (if that's the correct word) comes in various widths, looks like a tiny screw driver except that the length of the metal shaft has four sides and ends in a sharp point. They usually come in sets of five or six awls of various dimensions. To complete the drill hole, insert the appropriate size awl and then turn the shaft repeatedly, applying gentle pressure in the direction of the soon-to-be hole.

This technique works on gem stones, pearls, etc. but not on glass beads. The glass beads have a tendency to splinter and break.

If you are selling these items (rings, bracelets) your best bet would be to use wire. Elastic ALWAYS breaks and if you want a happy and returning customer use wire!

Brass will naturally turn green, just through exposure to air. Some people like the patina and buy it for that purpose. If you do not, just wash it carefully in warm soapy water with a soft cloth and dry it before you put it up or you put it on.