Designers Findings

We are very glad to be hosting the Quantum Touch Level I course by Lilly Rahmann on July 3rd and 4th. Quantum Touch is the touch-based healing technique that uses the chi of both practitioner and client, bringing them into harmony to allow the body to heal itself. Quantum Touch helps us foucs, amplify and direct this energy for a wide rang of benefits. It has an effective method for reducing back pain, realigning structure, balancing organs, glands and systems, reducing muscle aches and so much more. Lilly Rahmann is a gifted energy healer and is passionate about sharing her knowledge and experience in this field of self-healing.

For more information check out this page:

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e5xzfif5e5950bd5&llr=vz4flqdab

This is a continuation of the story about The Monk and His Sapphire Ring.

Not being able to buy the sapphire ring, I asked to see more jade pieces. I was presented with a pair of jadeite bangles which to me looked very interesting. The bangles were dark green in one hemisphere and light green in the other. The green was so rich that one would assume it was dyed. But to dye only half of a bangle is really unheard of. In addition, the bangle showed obvious worn marks. If you put the two pieces on top of each other, both of them had the green colour starting at the same spot, which showed that they were both cut from the same stone. I purchased them out of interest, not that I need another piece of jewellery.

That evening, I laid dowin in bed and was overwhelmed with sadness. I told myself my day had been good and there was no reason to be sad. Yes, I purchased something I did not need but I could afford it so why was I sad? I knew then the sadness had come from the bangles.

The next morning, I rinsed the bangles under running water. I wanted to rid the energy and memories of these two pieces of jewellery that does not agree with me. However, every time I took them out of the box, I could not help but feel an overwhelming wave of energy coming at me. I took them back to the office and store them along with all my other collections. Again, every time, I took them out I could still feel the strong energy. I thouhgt about parting with these banlges…

One day one of my jade customer visited me. She had a very sweet smile and the look of a kind Guanyin. Like me, she had stories about her jewellery. I showed her these bangles and she offered to buy them. She asked me the price, I said whatever price you want to pay. She said no body sells that way. So I gave her a very reasonable price plus a discount and the bangles were hers. I mentioned to her about the energy of the bangles. She was not worried and she believed if there was energy, the energy would actually help you.

I think the bangles have finally find the right owner but my obsession with the Monk’s sapphire ring continues…

We will be exhibiting at the Spring Creative Festival on the 27-28 April and at the Toronto Gem and Mineral Show on 27-29 April. To name a few, new arrivals include pewter findings, silver plated findings, drusy stones, black tourmalin crystals, double pointed quartz and more… Don’t miss it, see you there!

This is a continuation of the story below about the Imperial Court Re-entrance Permit….

After I finished purchasing the Imperial Court Re-entrance Permit it was the monk’s turn to be served. He picked up a silver ring with a hugh blue stone set on top. The stone was set with two simple flowers on the east and west. It was a ring that I would dismiss as a glass ring had the monk not demonstrated his knowledge of antique earlier. When he picked up the ring, there was a look of disbelief on his face. I wanted to take it from his hand to take a good look at it but I knew that would be too impolite. I left the antique store knowing I would come back again.

A week later, I returned to the store and asked to see the ring. Sure enough, the monk had purchased it for a price of 800 yuan. If that ring had been a genuine sapphire, the colour can compare with the most expensive Kashmir Sapphire — a mine discovered around 1880. Could it be a trader brought back the sapphire from Kashmir 130 years ago and presented it to the king? One can only guess but I cannot help but think what does a monk need a Kashmir sapphire ring for? He should have left it for me to pick it up….Not being able to get the sapphire ring, I asked to see more jadeite pieces, the subject I know well. I will let you know about what I bought from this visit in the next post.

Gate Pass

I was shopping at a Chinese antique store when a monk came in. He sat down next to me patiently waiting for his turn to be served. While I was looking for some antique flasks he made comments on the authenticity of the pieces. After I finished with the flasks I picked up some Chinese carved stones to see. When I picked up this piece of dragon and phoenix carved stone, he told me this piece of stone used to be carrried by the people in the Imperial Court when they needed to exit the Court. Only the Imperial Court was allow to use the symbol of dragon and phoenix. While dragon represents the emporer, phoenix represents the empress. This stone would serve as a re-entrance permit in today’s terminology. I was fascinated by the story and decided to purchase it. At that time, there were two pieces of this carving available. One is slightly smaller and looks totally brand new. The other one is the one showing in the photo. I picked this one up and my thumb would fall right on the part that is slightly whitened on the right as if that was how the stone used to be handled. I decided to purchase this one thinking there is a bigger chance of it being authentic.

That night, I had strange dreams with imagery of old and new, past and present, stones and monks floating around. I would return to the same antique store in a week and I will tell you the other story in future.

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Blue Jade

Natural jade comes in ten colours. Most people has seen green, lavender, red and black jade. Have you seen blue jade? Yes, it is hard to come by. I find this piece of blue jade during a recent visit to China. Notice the belly part of the rabbit, that is where the blue colour is. I photographed it on a piece of green cloth instead of blue so that the blue that shows up is the colour of the jade and not the refraction of the cloth.

Drusy jewellery is so popular now. I have been pondering whether there is a corelation with me showing a piece of drusy garnet pendant which I purchased from the Toronto Gem and Mineral Show many years ago to a manufacturer in Hong Kong a few years ago, to the mass production of the item in the market. Nobody knows for sure but if there is indeed a co-relation, lets take pride in the creativity of Canadian jewellers. We need more creativity in the jewellery world. I have seen beads and beads and beads and sometimes it is hard to get excited. Today I was playing around with the electrol plated drusy with eletrol plated crystals. The colours match perfectly as I think they might be using the same plating technique. Beautiful colours make me happy and I wish they make you happy too.

Heading off to the Mode Show in a few minutes. We are bringing funky chunky jewellery to the Mode Show this year. Of course, they are in genuine semi-precious stones! Will tell you how they go later.

Just uploaded some 2012 jadeite zodic pendants on our facebook. Check this page out: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Imperial-Jade/178179215526872