I have many questions about using the gems that I found in North Carolina and the Herkimer Diamonds.  I need to do some resource before I include them in barrettes.

I have questions about how well the stones will handle the heat if I bake them with the polymer clay.  I know that some gemstones will change colors under heat but I am not sure of how high of temperatures need to be.  I am not sure how to attach the gems after the clay is cured.  I need to find glues that won’t discolor or harm the stones or clay. 

I do plan on experimenting with the Herkimers and the oven.  I am going to put one of the small chips that I have in the oven while I am baking barrettes.  That will tell me if the Herkimers will handle the heat with out cracking or changing colors.  I know that when mining the Herkimers, they can crack when you open up a vug.  (A vug is what the “holes” that the stones are formed in.)  The quick temperature change affects them.  But will the temp of the oven do that as well?  I have not found any information on that, so I just that I need to experiment on my own.

I will keep you all posted on the experiments and what I find out.

Posted by Helen in Gems, Jewelry making and Polymer Clay, Uncategorized on June 10th, 2008 |