Stone vs. Glass

A few weeks ago, I received an Etsy convo asking if the stones in a particular listing were actual stones and not glass.  Initially, I was slightly perturbed by the inquiry, confused by the question since I am fully forthright in listing descriptions.  But then I carefully reread the convo, and realized that the question was something more along the lines of a collective inquiry about the dishonesty and inconsistencies that even I myself have seen in some listing descriptions and photographs, rather than a direct questioning of my shop materials (I assume!).  This blog post further elucidates the structural and material differences between glass and stone; it also discusses my decision to sell predominantly stone--and not glass--jewelry creations.

Glass beads, especially those that resemble crystal glass, may contain lead.  This is the main reason why I tend to steer away from glass in my creations.  Sometimes suppliers do not know the country of origin of their glass beads, which is unfortunate because certain countries use lead more than others in a wide array of applications.  Rings & Things has a good article about lead content in glass beads, which can be read here.

To the naked eye, it can be difficult to differentiate between stone and glass.  Unfortunately, glass and glass-like materials can resemble stone and vice versa (ie: cubic zirconia and diamonds).  Stones can be eye clean or included, and so can glass.  However, glass beads can contain tiny bubbles, perfect swirls (if made to mimic certain stones) and crisp drill holes (like how a glass bottle looks like when broken).  Some stones--such as agate and rainbow moonstone--can be more readily distinguishable from glass because of their earthy surface textures and inclusions.  Hold the piece up to the light and see if any dirt remnants, inclusions, and internal fractures are visible.  If not, then the bead may be glass, or even resin or porcelain.  Remember though that stone quality (color, clarity, cut) differs widely per stone type, but the innate characteristics remain.  For example, the stone peridot is glass-like and typically has some inclusions:

Higher-quality peridot

Earthy, highly included peridot

Stone tends to be more expensive than glass.  So if you find something pretty and very affordable that appears to be a genuine stone, there is a good chance that it is not a stone at all, or that it is a lower-quality stone.  If an earthy piece is your style, this may be fine, but if it isn't, ask the seller questions about it.  The price reflects the materials used if the seller is reputable and honest.

More examples of jewelry stones:

For the reasons mentioned above, I use stones instead of glass beads.  Currently, all of my shop's handmade (by me) jewelry only contain stones--no glass, resin/porcelain components.  Additionally, many of the stones that I select for jewelry creations have visible inclusions and other "imperfections," so the buyer (and I) knows that the stones are, in fact, genuine stone.  

However, if I do use non-stone beads, it is clearly marked in the listing.  If I am unsure of the composition of a piece, I refrain from using it, no matter how pretty or unique the piece may be.   

I hope that this post clarifies some noticeable differences between stones and glass beads--and explains why I choose to use stones in my work.  

Etsy Shopping Tips

Want to shop handmade and indie?  New to Etsy shopping?  With all the shop choices, do you need some tips on which shops to purchase from?  This succinct guide, a culmination of what I've learned over the past two-plus years while being both an Etsy buyer and seller, EmeraldCut, is designed to help you make decisions such as these.

1. Always read a shop's Policies Page before purchase, and if you want, the About Page.
If there is nothing typed in this section, you are at a loss of knowledge that may affect your purchase from that shop, such as shipping method(s), returns policy, and general information regarding the product.  Keep in mind that some sellers have typed their policies into the Shop Announcement in the shop homepage (i.e.: www.shopname.etsy.com). The About Page is voluntary, and can be accessed under the Shop Info category on the left-hand side of a shop's homepage.

2. Shops with the most sales are not necessarily the shops with the best product.
Some of my favorite items have been purchased from shops with under 100 sales.  Give these shops a chance, and you may find that the experience is entirely positive.  Smaller shops also may respond to inquiries quicker, with more in-depth answers, than larger shops due to volume--which leads me to the next tip...

3. If you have a question regarding a product, always feel free to contact the buyer.  
If the buyer does not respond to your inquiries (please kindly give the buyer a few days to respond), then it may be best to: 1. Contact again, and/or 2. Give your business to another shop.  As proper etiquette, it is in my opinion that the consumer should always have their questions answered.  (See #8 for inquiry etiquette.)

4. Read the Shop Announcement for discounts/sales, vacation notice, affiliated social media sites, etc.
The shop Announcement, located at the shop's homepage, is a wealth of information for buyers.  Many times it contains a coupon code, a sale notice, and/or a vacation notice--the latter stating when the buyer will be on vacation and for how long, which affects when orders are shipped out.  On top of that, buyers state their social media sites in this general area.  These social media outlets oftentimes have coupon codes, sneak peeks of new items, and other pertinent information listed in them, so check them out.

5. Purchase from a shop that fits not only your aesthetic, but also your values.
Some shops push the envelope in terms of aesthetic; others definitely feel more part of the norm.  I advise you not to purchase from shops that go against your beliefs.  For example, I do not believe in accentuating sexuality in order to push sales, so I will never purchase from a shop that employs sexuality to "sell" their work.  Would you feel comfortable walking into the shop if it were a brick and mortar?  Follow that sixth sense because the model(s) reflect the vision of the person/people who create the items. 

6. ALWAYS read seller feedback!
I cannot stress this point enough: reading feedback written by buyers is important.  Yes, there are some truly unneeded, rude comments, but there are also some helpful ones, too.  Seller feedback will tell you about the quality of shop's products, the presentation/packing as well as shipping, and/or experiences with the seller from the buyer's perspective.  If there are many negative comments (and by this, I don't mean outright rude or snarky) regarding these aspects, it is a glaring red flag that buying from the shop could potentially signal trouble for you.

7.  Carefully read the shop listing(s) description that you are interested in, and examine the images.
Not saying to be nit picky or overly critical, but if the images are taken in very low light, where little detail can be seen, there may be more than meets the eye to the quality of the product.  If the shop listing description below the image(s) is very short and non-descriptive, either: 1. Email the seller if you're interested, or 2. Skip it.  Personally, as a seller, I am very honest and thorough with my product descriptions because I want my customers to be satisfied with their potential purchase.  This makes the description lengthy and long-winded, but my goal is for buyers to know exactly what they are purchasing and will be receiving, if they choose to buy from my shop.  In other words, you don't want a surprise in the mail--so to speak.

8. When you contact a seller, please be courteous and descriptive in your inquiry.
Sellers are people, too.  If we do not understand what you are asking about, we cannot read your mind.  Also, mind the time difference and the fact that many of us have full-time jobs and busy lives outside of Etsy, so we will respond to your inquiry as soon as we possibly can.  Being courteous does not have to entail constant "pleases" and "thank yous"--it means respecting others and treating them like you'd like to be treated: kindly and professionally.

9. Etsy is a collection of sellers, and not a brand name--
so do not expect all shops to created equal.  There is a wide array of items and quality on Etsy.  Unfortunately, I have seen some, for lack of a better phrase, shady-looking shops, many of which sell haphazardly-made products from cheap materials, with sleek photography and rock-bottom pricing as the icing on the proverbial cake.  If you want a cheap product that will most likely not last you long, then by all means purchase from these types of shops.  However, if you're looking for quality, read #1 and #7 of this list for tips.  There are also some exceptional shops on Etsy, where you can tell buyers have done their research on their incorporated materials, their work pieces of art.  Shopping "American-made" bolsters our economy, although overseas shops may be cheaper.

10. If you have questions or concerns on a general Etsy topic, check out the Forums here.
The Forums are generally where sellers voluntarily discuss their experiences with Etsy--if this has piqued your curiosity, the Forums may be of interest to you.

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If you found this guide to be helpful, please share it with others!  Just kindly remember to link/cite it back to my blog.  Comments, as always, are always welcome.