Bijouxbead Reception: Reviewed.

Last Thursday marked 18Karats first reception and the near-end of our first month long foray in the gallery business. (Right - Setting up for the show)










We want to thank everyone who made it out, and especially to Darlene Martin for not only being our first designer to showcase, but also for being such a lovely lady. (Left - Darlene chatting with some eager York University students.)

L A N D S C A P E S Reception.

Just a reminder to everyone who loves that which glitters, especially the beaded beauties of Bijouxbead.

We will be hosting a special after-hours reception in our shop at 275 Dundas Street West, Toronto. Come by to meet the artist and view some truly beautiful pieces.

Day at the Auction.

Last night I went to my first jewellery auction.

Excited by the flurry of bids and momentarily parallized in fear of drawing the auctineers attention (especially when the bids edged above the $10,ooo mark with an all bids final policy),
I was interested to see what would be the hot seller, what would flop, and how much I would know about either.

Of course I wasn't immune to the gems, and couldn't help but fall in love with a very lovely cabochon coral ring. I set a budget, calculated final costs after the buyers premium and taxes, and waited – hoping I would be lucky.

Everyone had gold fever, with high carated gold stealing the show as gold prices hover at all time highs.

(But I wondered how practical this venture was – in theory pure gold will take about $1000 an ounce... but add on the above mentioned buyers premiums and the cost of actually getting this new gold assayed and refined will chop off about 10% of your take home profit. So that $10,200 paid for a ten ounce bar of gold will ultimately cost the buyer approximately $13,255. Now, what is the gold value? Let's hypothetically take our 10 ounce gold bar to a refiner.. if it is not sealed in its original case it will have to be assayed to test the gold content with the additional refining cost added. Now we are looking at taking home about $9200.)

It was a little sad to know that some of these old beauties would be melted down, regardless of past history and craftsmanship, but out with the old and in with the new, (at 18Karat we get a lot of customers who use old gold to offset the price of a new creation).

Of course, when my lot came up, my heart started to pound so loudly that I thought my hope of no one noticing lot #113 would be ruined for sure. Of course, it wasn't meant to be and last night was not my night as my lovely red lady's ring went to someone in the back for $70 over my budget.

I have however, been bit by the auction bug, although I know I have a lot to learn.

The most important thing to remember is to do plenty of research (what are similar items selling for 'new') and set a budget you will stick with. No one wants to regret a lovely gem. And of course, you win some and you lose some - so enter an auction with an open mind and a light heart. Go because you love a piece for what it is and leave the business to the professionals - they know a good deal when the see one and they know when high is high enough, so don't get caught up in the adrenaline rush of a bidding war.

Happy bidding!

How you do that thing you do.

As our subscribers and followers are well aware of, this month 18Karat is featuring the work of Darlene Martin of Bijouxbead. Over the last couple of days I have started to get to know each of these intricate pieces, many of which feature elaborate lampwork and I couldn't help but ask – how do they, lampworkers, do that thing they do (Pictured left: close-up of Artist's Brush by Bijouxbead?)

Lampwork is a form of glasswork in which rods and sheets are melted and formed using a variety of tools, combined with blowing techniques and hand movements. It is a technique also referred to as flamework or torchwork as the traditional gas-lamp is no longer used.

Although its origins can be traced long into ancient times, it was in Murano Italy during the 14th century when the practice began to spread and grow in popularity. Lampworked beads have since remained the provenence of the Italians who have closely guarded their techniques.
Within the last couple of decades, North American artists have also begun to incorporate lampwork into their portfolios – these attempts have however been regarded by most as crude, until recently. Take a peek at a little bit of what it takes with a great short video here.

We are thrilled to have these pieces in the shop, so don't forget to stop by!

Lapis Lazuli and Diamond Pendant.

This Lapis pendant is Dino's latest creation, and with such intensely saturated blues, this one will certainly be memorable.



As luscious as mother nature could make it, these lapis sister stones have all of the depth of the sea with the billowing detail of every cloud in the sky.









The earth and its geology never cease to amaze us at the shop, with future projects in the works featuring crystal agate, rutilated quartz, and ... a fossil. (Right: 'what-now-stage'.)

Many of these pieces will be on display during our 'Landscapes' exhibition featuring the work of Darlene Martin of BijouxBead. Her work will also feature many of the earths not-so-popular gems, from turquoise to labradorite.

18Karat Presents: B I J O U X B E A D

18Karat is thrilled to announce that during the month of March we will be hosting Landscapes, featuring the work of Darlene Martin of BijouxBead.


Inspired by every facet of Canadian life and experience, Darlene fastens a personal story to every stone or bead as she creates each exceptional piece. With pieces such as 'Cottaging in Canmore' and 'Jet Fuel' you get a sense of the personal connection this designer has made with each individual item.

Whether a subtle collection of hues or outstanding shades, Martin has created a piece to suit each mood and wardrobe.



Get Connected:
On March 26, 2009 at 7pm 18Karat will be hosting a reception at our shop at 275 Dundas Street West. We invite everyone to come meet the artist and view some of these wonderful pieces.

Congratulations to Our Valentines Day Winner!

As we survived the hearts and red velvet, we hope everyone had a memorable and happy Valentines day. Now for the exciting part.. announcing the winner of our Valentines Day Gift Give-Away. We would like to congratulate David Wong of Toronto for winning a stunning pair of studs set in 18 karat gold. We are sure he will make someones day a lot brighter with this exquisite gift.









(Vanessa & David Wong: Choosing a Prize!)















(Massimo and Dino and David Wong: Congratulations!)






We were thrilled with how many people took part in this event and would like to mention that we are hoping to host similar events in the near future.. so stay tuned!