WOODCARVING & ACCESSORIES

Wooden Jewelry Boxes: Some Suave Style Statements in Wood

Wooden jewelry boxes of good quality do hold the potential of becoming heirlooms. Their strength gives them the ability to last a lifetime. Their facades can be decorated in many ways.

Carving, the use of embellishments, and even Marquetry can be done on them. There are a number of woods that can be utilized in the making of jewelry boxes. One popular, locally available wood is Mahogany.

It is primarily used in jewelry cases for its rot-resistant abilities. A beautiful sheen comes out when this wood is polished. Woodworkers, professional and amateur, prefer mahogany since all kinds of tools can be used to work with it. It is largely used for the making of men’s valets since it exudes a masculine aura.

Easily found in the United States, Ebony is dark in color and gives jewelry boxes a great depth. Because of the density this wood possesses, it sinks when placed in water. This shows its strength and durability.

If your home is done up in antique or classic styles, then an ebony jewelry box will fit right in. There are may ways to carve the lids of these boxes. Buffing them in different ways will bring out a vintage look.

The commonly used designs are stacked versions or those with pull drawers and removable trays. White Ash jewelry boxes are light in color. Craftsmen opt for this wood because it can be bent in many ways when steamed. This makes it the right wood to use for boxes that are curved or come in many shapes.

The weight to strength ratio of White Ash is balanced, making it strong. Despite being an open-pored wood it does not have any distinctive odor. This wood is flexible while being strong and shock-resistant.

A number of jewelry boxes are made from Cherry wood. The heartwood of this tree ranges from light pink to a reddish brown and the sapwood is always lighter. Cherry wood of all kinds darkens with age enhancing its elegance. Thanks to its smooth texture, this is the perfect one to use if you want to carve on your box.

There are several finishes it will show off well, but the best are the natural ones. Traditionally styled cherry wood boxes can be done up in brass highlights while the more modern versions can be done in silver. Gum streaks are best used to highlight cherry wood boxes.

Boxes made of Maple Wood are the lightest around. Occasionally White Maple is bleached before it is polished, making it lighter. Curly and bird’s eye Maple is used largely in the creation of some decorative items.

Sadly Maple is a single growth tree. What this essentially means is that once its supply runs out, it is going to become as expensive as other rare trees.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes feature evocative marqart wood design, created from unique wood grain patterns and colors. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!
A custom hand carved Mahogany model airplane by Gift of Wings