Laura Bracken
FAQ
Do
you make all your own jewelry?
I do, with occasional assistance from my daughter.
How long will my jewelry last?
For jewelry made completely of metal (no string/thread wire), the piece should outlast the buyer.
-- Do not bend any metal components back and forth repeatedly; they will eventually crack.
-- A patina is the coloring on metal, achieved naturally or by the addition of chemicals. Metal changes color over time based on many factors, including how often and for how long it is exposed to the air (oxidation) and what it comes into contact with (body sweat, perfume, direct sunlight, chloride, etc). Sterling silver and Copper will oxidize and if you don’t want your metal pieces to become darker over time, keep them in an airtight bag when you’re not wearing them.
-- If you purchased a piece from me and it’s looking particularly dingy, you may send it to me (email me first) for cleaning (there is no charge for this service).
For jewelry that is strung onto thread, the longevity of strung jewelry can depend on factors such as how often you wear it, how you store it when not being worn, and what you subject it to while being worn.
-- If you wear a bracelet every day (or quite often), I recommend you have it restrung at least once a year. You may send it to me for restringing. If it is a simple piece, there is no charge for this service. Email me before shipping.
-- Although there are factors out of my control (like the inside of a bead eventually wearing away the thread), I do as much as possible to assure a long life for your pieces. I double-crimp (put two crimps on each end of the piece of jewelry), I fold the crimps with crimping pliers and cover them with beads, I do not smash or flatten the crimp beads, and I clip the thread/wire in such a way that the tail cannot find its way out of the beads and irritate the wearer.
Glass beads (lampwork and crystals) and gemstones should hold up to normal wear and tear. Anything, however, can break if subjected to extreme force and occasionally extreme temperature changes. It’s best to keep jewelry clear of hair sprays, body lotions, chlorine and perfumes. The best way to store jewelry is in separate Ziploc-type bags.
Yes. I understand the predicament of buying jewelry online. Sizing might be unexpected, bead size might be unexpected, colors on monitors may differ, etc. I want my customers to see the piece in hand before they make a final decision. If you are not happy with your purchase, you will receive a full refund once the item is returned to me in the same condition in which it was sent.
Each jewelry piece arrives in a gift box with an owner’s card. Upon request I can also mail jewelry to gift recipients, excluding an invoice and adding a notecard from the buyer.
Yes. But please familiarize yourself with your country’s import duties and/or tax fees as the buyer is responsible for these. I report the full purchase price on the customs form when I ship.
Where’s
the best place to buy your jewelry?
My online shop Bracken Designs will always have the lowest prices because the overhead is less there (no listing or selling fees). That’s also where discounts can be found for my repeat customers.
What materials do you work with and which ones do you NOT work with?
It varies, but I definitely have my main components.
Sterling silver, SRA lampwork beads, Swarovski crystal beads from Austria, and untreated gemstones are the main components I work with.
Secondarily I use: fine silver, 14k gold fill, 22k vermeil (heavy gold over sterling silver), copper, brass, bronze, dyed gemstones (always disclosed as dyed).
I won’t work with plated metals because the plating wears off, sometimes sooner rather than later.
The only plated metal I use is vermeil, which is a French technique developed in the 1700’s of applying a heavy (FTC-mandated) layer of gold over a base of sterling silver, with no other metals involved. It’s an affordable alternative to solid gold, and in my experience it stands up to wear and tear.
I won’t work with Nickel because of its high-allergen characteristic.
I won’t work with Pewter because too much of it contains lead.
I won’t use mass-produced lampwork glass beads because the majority of them are not annealed or cleaned, leading to more frequent incidents of chipping, cracking and breakage.
If I ever use a component out of the ordinary for me (for example a vintage item), I will disclose the material to the best of my knowledge.
You mention “SRA lampwork” in your listings. What is it?
“SRA” stands for self-representing artist. So when I say my pieces have SRA lampwork, it means I purchased the lampwork beads directly from the glass artist who created them. Additionally, I only work with glass artists who clean and properly anneal their beads.
There is a section in my store for “Stacker Bracelets”. These are bracelet that can work as stand-alone pieces as well as bracelets to be worn in combination (stacked on the wrist).
They generally have evenly sized beads in a simple pattern, rarely have a focal or counterweight charms, and they are not adjustable.
The Artifact Line is jewelry I’ve designed and created that was inspired by items from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Byzantine and Etruscan periods.
Not at this time.
What
is your approach to jewelry making?
I enjoy working with beads and beading components and I enjoy learning. My designs reflect my love of experimentation as I learn the skills of lampworking, polymer clay, precious metal clay, metalsmithing, forging, enameling, chain maille, etching, and wire work.
When it comes to making jewelry, I believe in balance, color harmony, wearability, comfort, and longevity.