Bronze bali-style beads, beadcaps, and spacers

[Tamelyne]

Russ,

There is a market out there for Bali-style beads, beadcaps and spacers in BRONZE.  I know, because I am a rosary maker in an artisan guild.  Many of us have taken to making some more rustic looking rosaries by using bronze crucifixes and centers, and old trade beads.

But it is almost impossible to find other components in bronze.  I have seen brass bead caps, usually thin, stamping-like pieces that are way too shiny.  I have found bronze bali-style beadcaps on one site, but they are more expensive than sterling beadcaps direct from Bali! Also, occasionally I can find bronze-finished pewter.

Bali-style bronze components (not to mention crimp beads to go with bronze beadalon!) would definitely be a 'corner on the market'.  And since you guys have the contacts with the bead manufacturers, maybe you could get someone to buy into it?  

Also, I see the bali silver industry is just getting around to adding vermeil to their repertoire but it would be nice to be able to get it with that less orangey color to match with GF and 14K...  I know you mentioned on another forum that you are able to get that special plating on your ear threads. "Hudson" I think it was called?

Tammy

[WriteBrainedWoman]

Hi Tammy.

I'm sure Russ will be able to give you some great feedback on your post, but in the meantime I did want to point you to the bronze-finish items we do carry. We have a number of beads, bead caps, clasps and charms in this "antique bronze" (like most "pewter" you see on the market, antique bronze is a base metal that has been plated to look like bronze). You can also check out our AB items on closeout. We've discontinued a lot of AB stuff lately, and I think this is because they weren't selling very well  '> (even though I happen to like the bronzey look!).

Melissa

[Russ Nobbs]

Welcome to our litle forum, Tammy!

The gold plate color I mentioned was "Hamilton" gold plate. It's a proprietary forumla that gives the most common gold color finsih used in US csotume jewelry. It's the color of typical 14Kt jewelry.  Most of the vermeil from Bali is a diferent color, closer to the color of 22Kt gold. I'm told Rio Grande has Hamilton gold plate on Bali silver beads. (They may have it plated in th US to make sure the plating meets Vermeil specs.)

Bronze is a particular alloy of copper that is used in casting. Western art statues are usually cast in bronze.

There are some Bali made beads in copper and some with copper and sterling. (Usually sterling base with copper accents.) We don't carry any at the moment  and a quick Google search didn't find them.

As we add more cast pewter beads from China we may consider adding them in an antique bronze finish. Putting an antique bronze finish on a stamped or cast item is probably the best way to add bronze finishes. Ah...... wait, Melissa's link to our bronze items includes some bali style spacers in antique bronze. So we DO have a few in stock right now.  After you look thru thos pages, tell us what specific items we should add.

[Tamelyne]

Quote (Russ Nobbs @ Jan. 21 2005,10:13)

Ah...... wait, Melisa's link to our bronze items includes some bali style spacers in antique bronze. so we DO have a few in stock right now.  After you look thru thos pages, tell us what specific items we should add.

Bead caps for sure.  I only saw 3 styles there, and only one of those styles is one I'd want (the lily style).  I'll be ordering some of those as soon as I can come up with some cash for an order!  (And I'll be getting some of those daisy spacers too.)  I'd love to be able to get fancier bead caps than what you have in the bronze finish.

Some nice bali-style beads in AB or bronze, in an 8-12mm size would be good too.  I'm picking up some of the Celtic Knot beads you have in that finish but it would be nice to get something a little fancier too.

BTW, what is the difference between #49-963 and #49-967? These are rope-edged disc spacers.  The descriptions are identical.  The pictures are the same except one is bigger than the other, but they both say they are 4x1mm.  Misprint, maybe?  One costs twice as much as the other. I'm thinking that 967 is really 6mm or bigger....

Tammy

[WriteBrainedWoman]

You are correct - the only difference is the size. #49-967 actually measures 6x2mm (with the same hole size, 0.5-1mm). Thank you for catching that typo for us - it should be fixed sometime on Monday. I'm glad you found some items you'd like to order '>

Melissa