Pink Chalcedony

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Fair trade jewellery ideas for summer

Although jewellery is worn all the year round, summer is a time I can go out on a hot summers day or evening wearing cool cotton sleeveless tops and dresses. Without accessorising my summer attire, my sleeveless arms and exposed neck makes me feel as if I'm underdressed, as if I am missing something.

In summer, most of us do expose more flesh so wearing jewellery is an excellent way of helping to jazz up a summer outfit with necklaces or pendants and bracelets.

On the whole summer clothes are more colourful than that of winter. My favourite summer clothes colours are turquoise, jade and magenta so I have a collection of jewellery to compliment my personal wardrobe. I can honestly say I do not own any jewellery with the more earthy colours of ambers, browns, ochres or reds.

For a diverse range of summer jewellery, I would highly recommend checking out the fantastic fair trade jewellery range. Not only is the range ethically produced but it is also inexpensive and gives a brilliant selection. The other good thing is that pieces of fair trade jewellery tend to be produced in batches of a certain design of limited quantities which once sold are replaced with another design. This is great if you like to deviate from the bog standard mass produced jewellery that is way less exclusive or limited.

Fair trade jewellery is handmade by co-operatives using traditional jewellery making techniques unique to their specific country or community. They are normally imported for retail from countries such as India, Indonesia, Peru and Mexico.

There are many different materials used to make the beads and decorations inlaid and threaded to make a gorgeous array of fair trade pendants, necklaces, earrings and rings in a fantastic spectrum of colours.

Solid silver is commonly used to create good quality items inlaid with complimentary embellishments such as wood, glass, paper and copper for example.

 Another example is the more opulent semi-precious gemstones which are polished and shaped in hearts, tears and diamonds. Popular stones used for fair trade jewellery pieces include lapis lazuli, red onyx, turquoise, blue chalcedony, moonstone, black star, tigers eye, malachite and rose quartz.

For summer jewellery choice, it depends on your preference of colours and whether you are fair or dark. For example, turquoise jewellery looks fantastic with dark or sun-kissed skin and it is a vibrant gemstone and contrasts quite strikingly. It also compliments the purples, pinks, blues and greens found in a lot of summer clothing prints.

Another good colour for olive or sun-tanned skin is lapis lazuli. How fantastic does a silver pendant look inlaid with the rich blue lapis stone with a matching pair of earrings? This stone works really well coupled with turquoise too as you have the contrast of the bright with the dark.

For more fair skins the more delicate semi-precious stones work well, such as the blue chalcedony, an opaque blue green stone. A subtle colour for a fair complexion and one that although is less bold than turquoise or lapis is still very striking.

Moonstone also works well against a light complexion with its pearlescent qualities and not forgetting the moonstone rainbow which has more colourful blue hues running through it if the plain moonstone is too simple. There are gorgeous stud earrings inlaid with both kinds of moonstone set on solid silver findings.

These examples provide just a snapshot of the amazing variety of fair trade jewellery available for accessorising summer dress whether it is for evening or day time wear. It really is worth having a look as I am positive there is something for everyone.

Also, do remember when we buy fair trade we are not only supporting those communities in maintaining  traditional jewellery making skills but we are also providing financial support. Buy ethical, buy fair trade jewellery!

About the Author

Hand made fair trade jewellery by Belinda Bryant. Fair trade pendants, necklaces and earrings can be found at Indigo Ocean Trading.

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