Our finished jewelry sets are ready to offer to your customers for simple upsells. These fashion jewelry favorites come in many fun themes across full sets of earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings. Choose from sterling silver finished jewelry sets, gold-plated necklaces and earrings and even trendy copper jewelry designs!
Find the right tool for any jewelry making project. Rio Grande offers the best selection of jewelry bench tools and equipment available, backed by our world-class technical support. Reach for Rio Grande whether you need beading tools, a new jewelry work bench, or any other jewelry tools and supplies. We even offer jewelry making equipment for casting and other advanced techniques. We carry trusted jewelry bench tool brands like Swanstrom, Beadalon, Foredom Flex Shaft, Bonny Doon, Fretz Hammers and more. Find the best-quality jewelry making tools and supplies at the best prices.
Bead stringers know: you can never have too many beads! Whether you need colorful Swarovski beads, briolette beads or glass beads, or your design calls for a classic pearl or a natural stone bead, Rio Grande is your bead stringing source! Don¹t forget about gold beads and sterling silver beads and other metal beads; they¹re all here, too.
Bold creations meet bold jewelry displays at Rio Grande, where you¹ll find specialty displays to complement your designs and help increase sales. Rio Grande offers a variety of jewelry card displays from revolving to stationary, as well as striking organic fabric displays including silk, suede, velvet, faux leather and hemp.
Versatile and inspiring silver precious metal clay has been available from Rio Grande for more than a decade‹and today the passion for metal clay continues to evolve with colorful BRONZclay and COPPRclay. Make Rio your first source for innovative metal clay tools, products, and ideas‹such as fire-in-place Embeddables findings‹and any other metal clay supplies you need.
At Rio Grande, you¹ll find the media you need to create unique, colorful pieces and expand your jewelry-making repertoire. Stock up on supplies for enameling, the art that welcomes the newcomer, yet challenges the expert. Add a splash of color with Colores, the fashionable epoxy resin that brightens up your work.

Item Number: 066970
The birthstone for January, this traditional garnet derives its deep red color from iron and magnesium. Garnet exhibits few inclusions; inclusions that are present tend to be rounded, seedlike crystals with irregular edges.
please note: This gemstone is fire-resistant and can be fired in metal clay at low firing schedules.
|
Month |
Cabochon |
Faceted Stone |
|
January |
Garnet | Garnet |
|
February |
Amethyst | Amethyst |
|
March |
Bloodstone | Aquamarine |
|
April |
Pearl or mother-of-pearl | Diamond |
|
May |
Green onyx |
Emerald |
June |
Moonstone or pearl |
Alexandrite |
|
July |
Jasper |
Ruby |
|
August |
Carnelian | Peridot |
|
September |
Lapis lazuli |
Blue sapphire |
|
October |
Opal | Tourmaline (pink) |
|
November |
Citrine |
Citrine or topaz (golden) |
|
December |
Turquoise | Zircon or tourmaline (blue) |
|
Rio Grande uses these symbols, set by the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA), to disclose any enhancements that may have been applied to our gemstones. For the benefit of your company and your customers, Rio Grande encourages you to use these symbols when you buy, display and sell stones and stone-set jewelry. |
|
|
ASBL |
Assembled from multiple layers or combinations of manufactured and/or natural material fused, bonded or otherwise joined together to increase stability and/or imitate the appearance of a natural gemstone, create a unique design or generate unusual color combinations. Example: Opal triplets |
| B |
Bleached using heat, light and/or other agents to lighten or remove color. |
| C |
Coating on the surface with such enhancements as lacquering, enameling, inking, foiling or sputtering of films to improve appearance, provide color or add other special effects. |
| D |
Dyed by the introduction of coloring matter to give a new color, intensify present color or improve color uniformity. |
| F |
Filling of surface-breaking cavities or fissures with colorless glass, plastic, solidified borax or similar substances (visible under 10X magnification); improves durability, appearance and/or adds weight. |
| H |
Heated to effect desired alterations of color, clarity and/or phenomena. If residue of foreign substances in open fissures is visible under properly illuminated 10X magnification,“HF” should be used. |
| HP | Heating and pressure combined to effect desired alterations of color, clarity and/or phenomena. |
| IMIT | Imitation product fabricated in such materials as glass, ceramic or plastic designed to imitate or resemble the appearance, but not duplicate the characteristic properties of a natural gemstone. NOTE: A trade term equivalent to imitation is "simulated." |
| L | A laser and chemicals used to reach and alter inclusions in gemstones, usually diamonds. |
| O | Oiling/resin infusion; the filling of surface breaking fissures with colorless oil, wax, resin or other colorless substances, except glass or plastic, to improve the gemstone’s appearance. |
| R | Irradiation using neutrons, gamma rays, beta particles or high energy electrons to alter color. May be followed by a heating process. |
| S | Stabilized using a colorless bonding agent (such as plastic); used on porous gemstones to add durability and improve appearance (sometimes referred to as “I” impregnated). |
| SYN | Synthetic materials that have essentially the same optical, physical and chemical properties as a naturally occurring gemstone. NOTE: Trade terms equivalent to synthetic are "lab-created" or "lab-grown." |
| U | Diffusion; chemicals used in conjunction with high temperatures to produce color and/or asterism-producing inclusions. |
| W | Waxing/oiling; impregnation of colorless wax, paraffin and oil in porous, opaque or translucent gemstones to improve appearance. |
|
Stone |
S.G. |
R.I. |
|
Alexandrite |
3.71–3.72 |
1.75–1.76 |
|
Amethyst |
2.65 |
1.544–1.553 |
|
Ametrine |
2.65 |
1.544–1.553 |
|
Aquamarine |
2.68–2.90 |
1.577–1.583 |
|
Citrine |
2.65 |
1.544–1.553 |
|
Chrome diopside |
3.22–3.40 |
1.675–1.701 |
|
Diamond |
3.515 |
2.417 |
|
Emerald |
2.68–2.78 |
1.560–1.602 |
|
Garnet |
4.05 |
1.79 |
|
Iolite |
2.61 |
1.542–1.551 |
|
Opal, fire |
2.15 |
1.37–1.45 |
|
Peridot |
3.34 |
1.654–1.690 |
|
Quartz, smoky |
2.65 |
1.544–1.553 |
|
Ruby |
4.00 |
1.760–1.770 |
|
Sapphire |
4.00 |
1.760–1.770 |
|
Tanzanite |
3.35 |
1.692–1.700 |
|
Topaz |
3.53 |
1.619–1.627 |
|
Tourmaline |
3.06 |
1.624–1.644 |
|
Gemstone |
Toughness |
Steam |
Ultrasonic |
|
Alexandrite |
excellent |
usually |
usually |
|
Amazonite |
poor |
never |
never |
|
Amber |
poor |
never |
never |
|
Amethyst |
good |
risky |
usually |
|
Aquamarine |
good |
usually | usually |
|
Citrine |
good |
risky | usually |
|
Coral |
fair |
risky | risky |
|
Diamond |
good | usually | usually |
|
Emerald |
poor | never | never |
|
Garnet |
fair | never | usually |
|
Iolite |
fair | risky | risky |
|
Lapis lazuli |
fair | never | risky |
|
Opal |
fair | never | never |
|
Pearl |
good | never | never |
|
Peridot |
fair | never | risky |
|
Ruby |
excellent |
usually | usually |
|
Sapphire |
excellent |
usually | usually |
|
Spinel |
good | usually | usually |
|
Tanzanite |
fair | never | never |
|
Topaz |
poor | never | never |
|
Tourmaline |
fair | risky | risky |
|
Turquoise |
fair | never | never |
|
Variscite |
fair | never | never |
|
Zircon |
fair | risky | risky |
| 1. |
Can be scratched easily with a fingernail |
Sulphur: 1–1-1/2 |
| 2. | Can be scratched with a fingernail | Amber: 2–3 Ivory: 2–4 |
| 3. | Can be scratched with a coin | Pearl: 3–4 Coral: 3–4 Malachite: 3-1/2–4 |
| 4. | Can be scratched easily with a knife; cannot scratch glass |
Rhodochrosite: 4 |
| 5. | Can be scratched with a knife; can just scratch glass |
Lapis lazuli: 5–6 Turquoise: 5–6 Opal: 5-1/2–6-1/2 |
| 6. | Can be scratched with a steel file; easily scratches window/bottle glass |
Moonstone: 6–6-1/2 |
| 7. | Easily scratches metal, glass and softer stones |
Citrine: 7 |
| 8. | Scratches quartz and softer stones | Topaz: 8 Alexandrite: 8-1/2 |
| 9. | Scratches topaz and softer stones | Ruby: 9 Sapphire: 9 |
| 10. | Scratches ruby | Diamond: 10 |
Stone Firing Guide
Over the years, Rio Grande has tested lots of natural gemstones for use in PMC®.
You can benefit from our experience! The following charts can guide you toward
stones to consider and stones to avoid when co-firing in PMC.
We recommend firing gemstones in PMC3™ at the minimum firing
temperature of 1110°F for 45 minutes. We also recommend ramping the
temperature up at a rate of 500°F per hour. Always allow slow cooling.
|
Good Bets. |
|||
|
We’ve had consistent success with the gemstones below, but be aware that natural gemstones can vary. Never risk an invaluable stone. |
|||
|
Gemstone Type |
Stone Only |
In PMC3 |
Guide |
| Chrome Diopside | not tried | survived | good bet |
|
Almandine Garnet |
survived |
survived | good bet |
|
Pyrope Garnet |
survived |
survived | good bet |
|
Rhodolite Garnet |
survived |
survived | good bet |
|
Tsavorite Garnet |
not tried |
survived | good bet |
|
Hematite |
not tried |
survived | good bet |
|
Moonstone |
survived | survived | good bet |
|
White Topaz |
survived | survived | good bet |
|
Peridot |
survived | survived | good bet |
|
Green Topaz |
survived | survived | good bet |
|
Black Star Sapphire |
survived | survived | good bet |
|
Tanzanite |
survived | survived | good bet |
|
Green Tourmaline |
survived | survived | good bet |
|
Oregon Sunstone |
survived | not tried | good bet |
|
Mali Garnet |
not tried | survived | good bet |
|
|
|||
| Unfortunately, these gemstones experienced extensive damage in the kiln. | |||
|
Gemstone Type |
Stone Only |
In PMC3 |
Guide |
|
Blue Goldstone |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Brown Goldstone |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Smoky Quartz |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Agate (Cameo) |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Amethyst |
destroyed |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Aquamarine |
not tried |
damaged |
unsafe |
|
Aventurine |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Carnelian |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Blue Mist Chalcedony |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Citrine |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Iolite |
destroyed |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Jadeite |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Malachite |
destroyed |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Mexican Fire Opal |
not tried |
damaged |
unsafe |
|
Black Onyx |
damaged |
damaged |
unsafe |
|
Rhodochrosite |
damaged |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Rose Quartz |
destroyed |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Tiger’s Eye |
darkened |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Blue Topaz |
destroyed |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Turquoise |
destroyed |
not tried |
unsafe |
|
Rainbow Topaz |
damaged | damaged |
unsafe |
|
|
|||
| In our experience, the following gemstones suffered some slight degradation in the kiln and, in some cases, we saw inconsistent results. Try the stones below at your own risk. |
|||
| Gemstone Type | Stone Only 1110°F/45 min. |
In PMC3 1110°F/45 min. |
Guide |
|
Pink Tourmaline |
damaged |
damaged | unsafe |
|
Denim Lapis |
survived |
survived | iffy |
|
Lapis Lazuli—Dark |
damaged |
not tried | iffy |
|
Labradorite |
survived |
survived | iffy |
|
Rainbow Moonstone |
damaged |
damaged |
iffy |
|
Aquamarine |
survived | damaged | iffy |
|
Silver Moonstone |
slight damage |
slight damage | iffy |
|
Peach Moonstone |
slight damage |
slight damage | iffy |
How To Measure Stones
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Rio Grande Brands & Services
Contact 1.800.545.6566
7500 Bluewater Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87121 USA



