Archive

About Ancient Wish: the liuli series
Ancient Wish is GrainMoon's series of kiln-fired liuli glass bracelets: lotus-shaped beads with a Tunjin beast charm. This page keeps the illustrated story of the series as it appeared before. Read more...
Wood, seed and root: the bodhi and sandalwood pieces
Sacred Wood pieces are judged by resin, grain and how well the beads match. They darken with handling, carry a faint scent and must be kept dry. Wood, seed and root do not ship to the UK or EU. Read more...
Two stones are called jade
Jade is two minerals. Hetian jade is nephrite, with a soft waxy lustre; jadeite is harder and glassier and carries vivid greens. How each is judged, what Type A means, and how to care for both. Read more...
Plated, solid, lab-created: the words we use and why
Gold plated is a layer of gold over another metal. Solid gold appears here only as small accent beads. Lab-created is written before every laboratory-grown stone. A short glossary. Read more...
Kiln-cast glass: what liuli is
Liuli is coloured glass shaped by kiln casting, used in China for over a thousand years. Each bead is cast on its own, so tone varies and small bubbles are normal. How it is judged and kept. Read more...
How to tell good amber, and how to keep it
Amber is fossil tree resin, not a mineral. It is light for its size, warm to the touch and easily scratched. What to look for in a piece, and how to keep a pendant clean and unmarked. Read more...