Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist
Transcription
Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist
The Design Issue • MAKE THE MOST OF HOLIDAY SALES NOW! SINCE 1947 ® SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2014 Add Acrylic! Form & rivet rings with jewelry tools How to Make This Agate Pendant COOL NEW ENAMELS MAKE A TRENDY ARCHER RING enter our DESIGN CONTEST ils Gemmys deta 57 ge pa Laurel Nathanson’s Riveted acrylic and silver rings PAGE 52 jewelryartistmagazine.com Metals That Matter Stuller offers the largest selection of high-quality fabricated metals. Also, if you need a special size, shape or quality, we have the capacity to manufacture to your specifications. Visit Stuller.com or call us at 800-877-7777 and learn why Stuller’s unmatched commitment to product excellence and fast delivery makes us your prime source for fabricated metals. powered by September/October 2014 • Volume 68, Number 5 ® The Design Issue 42 10 CONTENTS 4 My Turn From the Editor: Where Are Your Winners? more at jewelrymakingdaily.com/Gemmys 6 Your Turn Design Challenges & Letters 8 Their Turn A Gallery of This Issue’s Contributors 10 Through the Lens: Jewelry Meets Photography 46 design by Cathleen McCarthy 20 Net Profits: Gearing Up for the Holidays by Cathleen McCarthy more at jewelrymakingdaily.com/netprofits 22 Cool Tools & Hip Tips: For the Enamelist by Helen I. Driggs KAILY AGATE GEMS AND JEWELRY 26 22 Smokin’ Stones: Kaily Agate by Sharon Elaine Thompson 28 Kaily Agate Pendant gem/jewelry project by John F. Heusler, G.G. l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t 38 Soldering Setups: Noël Yovovich 2 FOLKLORIC TRADITIONS/RINGS ADVERTISING SECTIONS 64 Focus on Education 78 Classifieds 78 Gem & Jewelry Shops 79 Fee Mining 79 Advertisers’ Index ABOUT OUR COVER: Laurel Nathanson’s Acrylic and Silver Stack Rings, page 52 John Heusler’s Kaily Agate Pendant, page 28 PHOTOS: JIM LAWSON 42 Trends: Balance, Duality and Gems by Deborah Yonick 46 Archer’s Thumb Ring gem/jewelry project by Roger Halas 52 Acrylic & Silver Stack Rings jewelry project by Laurel Nathanson 56 Facets News & Product Innovations 60 Ask the Experts by Tom & Kay Benham 80 The Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Doer’s Profile: David Guilletti The Widest Selection of Jewelry Tools Online www.contenti.com B $4150 SALE A D $28500 $28990 C $5900 SALE from E $ 79 23 H NEW from F 00 $ 682 G $16950 A ECONOMY ROLLING MILL [Item 190-891] Surprisingly affordable, this mill is equipped with two 43 mm dia. fl at, hardened steel rolls and two wire rolls, all 76 mm wide. Wire rolls have grooves from .75 to 4.3 mm wide. Has 4:1 gear reduction for easier operation. Includes a 1 year warranty. B DAPPING TOOL SET [Item 190-242] Includes 49mm (1 7/8”) dapping block and 24 punches, 2.3mm to 25mm in diameter. The depressions on the Die range in diameter from 3.8mm to 40mm. Provided with wood stand. C ECONOMY FLEXSHAFT MACHINE [Item 236-971] With its powerful 1/8 HP motor and spring-reinforced sheath, our Economy Flexshaft is an outstanding value. The 1” diameter No. 30-style handpiece is equipped with a Jacobs-style chuck that accepts any bur, drill bit, or rotary tool with a shank up to 5/32” diameter. Operates at speeds up to 22,000 RPM, regulated by a carbon resistance foot rheostat. Shaft connection accepts any American-style (QD connection) handpiece. Furnished with fitted carrying case. D JEWELER’S WORKBENCH (UPS Shippable) [Item 110-234] Hand-crafted from solid woods for durability and strength. Railing on 3 sides. Equipped with metal-lined pull-out tray, pull-out tool shelf with 2 levels, 3 storage drawers, bench pin, and 2 arm rests. 39” wide x 19.5” deep x 39” high. UPS Shippable. E NEW ART CLAY [Items 090-252 etc.] New Formula Art Clay combines all the best features of previous generations of Art Clay plus longer working times, improved workability, and easier carving and fi ling. F DURSTON ROLLING MILLS Known throughout the world for their reliability, robust construction, high quality, and fi ne fi nish. Contenti has the full range of Durston manual rolling mills, 15 different models in all, including the Double Rolling Mills. G SOLDERING KITS [Items 456-140 & 456-141] Include all the essentials for soldering with inexpensive, easy-to-use torches. Choose between a kit that includes a hand-held butane torch (shown) and one that includes a propane torch. Oxygen tanks not required. H PEPE JUMP RING MAKER [Item 400-124] Produce jump rings quickly and easily with the newly redesigned Jump Ring Maker. Coil your wire around one of the twenty mandrels (diameters range from 2.5 to 12 mm) using the hand-winder. Once the coil is formed, place it in the adjustable coil holder and saw through it using the included rotary saw and handpiece guide. It’s that easy! Flexshaft machine with a no. 30 style handpiece required (sold separately). The Contenti Company 515 Narragansett Park Drive Pawtucket RI 02861 USA Tel: 800-343-3364 / 401-305-3000 Fax: 800-651-1887 / 401-305-3005 Visit us online at www.contenti.com MY TURN from the editor Where Are Your Winners? YOU CAN STILL ENTER THE GEMMYS, our new jewelry and gem design contest, because we’ve extended the deadline to November 14, 2014. So find the best images of your work that you have, pull out your sketchbook, finish up those halfway done pieces on your bench, and get them photographed well. Check out the details of the competition and when you’re ready to enter upload your best shots at jewelrymakingdaily.com/Gemmys. Here’s the 10-second summary: l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t • super images • any materials • any techniques • jewelry, primarily non-bead • gems • related sculptural works 4 • original designs you create and execute • winners published in the 2015 design annual • jewelrymakingdaily.com/Gemmys for details and entry • November 14 deadline Because the images will be judged, not the pieces, be sure to give your work the chance it deserves by having it photographed by a professional experienced in this craft if you possibly can. If you can’t, then please follow our advice online about photographing it yourself. Images that show designs with the greatest visual appeal, impact, and originality and that are well executed will be selected for the book. Three extremely accomplished individuals have graciously agreed to be on our prestigious panel of judges. Donald Friedlich has won numerous awards for his jewelry; his jewelry is also in many permanent museum collections including the Victoria and Albert, the Smithsonian, and the Corning Museum of Glass. Sasha Samuels, a painter as well as a jewelry artist, has received many awards for her jewelry including the national grand prize from the American Jewelry Design Council, and her work has appeared in many publications. Annie Osburn has written about jewelry and jewelry artists extensively, has been a long-time contributor to this magazine, and authored its Trends column for five years. This is a wide open design competition. What the pieces are made of and how they’re put together is entirely up to you, as is the aesthetic, the monetary value, the type of jewelry and any occasion it may be meant for. The Gemmys are about fostering creativity and skill and about acknowledging excellence. Like any contest, the Gemmys also have one requirement more: the persistence to follow through. Where are your best pieces? Make them winners the only way you can: put them in competition, and start now. Remember, the deadline is November 14, 2014; information and entry form at jewelrymakingdaily.com/Gemmys. EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, JEWELRY GROUP Merle White SENIOR EDITOR Helen I. Driggs SENIOR EDITOR Denise Peck MANAGING EDITOR Karla A. Rosenbusch CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Tom & Kay Benham, Lexi Erickson, Sharon Elaine Thompson MARKETING SPECIALIST Ashley Lauwereins ART ART DIRECTOR Amy Petriello SENIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER Nancy Pollock VIDEO MANAGER Garrett Evans ADVERTISING ADVERTISING MANAGER Marilyn Koponen, ph. 877-613-4613 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Stephanie Griess, ph. 1-800-272-2193 X630 AD TRAFFICKER Cari Ullom FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Linda Ligon VICE PRESIDENT, GROUP PUBLISHER Shahla Hebets VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT Helen Gregory VICE PRESIDENT, MEDIA SALES Julie Macdonald DESIGN MANAGER Larissa Davis SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Nancy Pollock BOOKS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Allison Korleski ECOMMERCE MARKETING DIRECTOR Evelyn Bridge MAGAZINE MARKETING & FULFILLMENT Mark Fleetwood ONLINE CIRCULATION SPECIALIST Jodi Smith F+W, A Content + eCommerce Company CHAIRMAN & CEO David Nussbaum CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER & CFO James Ogle PRESIDENT Sara Domville CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER Chad Phelps VICE PRESIDENT, ECOMMERCE Lucas Hilbert SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Phil Graham VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS Stacie Berger Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist (ISSN 1936-5942) is published 9 times a year by Interweave, a division of F+W Media, Inc., 4868 Innovation Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. (970) 669-7672. USPS #0023-8457. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Collins, CO 80525, and additional mailing offices. All contents of this issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist are copyrighted by F+W, 2014. All rights reserved. Projects and information are for inspiration and personal use only. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited, except by permission of the publisher. Subscription rate is $29.95/one year in the U.S., $44.95/one year in Canada, and $54.95/ one year in international countries (surface delivery). U.S. funds only. For Subscription Services, email JWAcustserv@ fwmedia.com; 1-800-676-4336 (toll-free US & Canada) or 515-237-3657 (outside North America). POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, PO Box 6338-1838, Harlan, IA 51537. MWhite@Interweave.com Retailers: If you are interested in carrying this magazine in your store, please call (866) 949-1646 or email sales@interweave.com. VISIT US ON THE WEB: jewelrymakingdaily.com • interweave.com fwmedia.com YOUR TURN reader comments & sketches NEXT TIME: › DESIGN CHALLENGES YOUR COVER RIFFS: Designs based on William Fretz’s fluted brass bangle, May/June 2014. Laurel Nathanson's acrylic and sterling silver rings, COVER Riff on a design feature of this piece such as color, texture, form, value, line, space, repetition, balance, contrast, unity, or variety for your sketch. Shevvy Baker Peggy Haupt Louisville, Kentucky Gatlinburg, Tennessee YOUR SETTINGS: Designs based on faceted quartz and Mintable opal Galaxy Gem, cut by Mark Oros, May/June 2014. Sketch a setting for this kaily agate cabochon, cut by John F. Heusler, G.G., page 26. Francine Hernandez DEADLINES: OCTOBER 31, 2014 Scott, Louisiana l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Email digital scans at 300 DPI or send photocopies of no more than three sketches per challenge, indicating the design factor that is your starting point. Sketches will not be returned. 6 Peggy Haupt Gatlinburg, Tennessee WRITE TO US ANYTIME: What do you think about what you’ve seen and read in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist? SEND SKETCHES & LETTERS for possible print or online publication to: KRosenbusch@ interweave.com; or Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, 88 Glocker Way, #299, Pottstown, PA 19465. Include your name, city, and state, and indicate “Your Turn” on the subject line or envelope. TAKE YOUR TURN Enter the Gemmys jewelry and design competition. G The emmys A New Jewelry Arts Design Annual Competition Deadline extended: November 14, 2014 Enter at jewelrymakingdaily.com/Gemmys Presented by ® › LETTERS JEWELRY PROJECT SKILLS • Soldering • Stone setting Re: “Classic Three-Stone Cuff,” April 2014 TIME IT TOOK Jeff Fulkerson El Cajon, California The editors respond: We greatly appreciate Jeff’s diligence in tracking down the stones used in his project, and our interest was piqued. So we reached out to some of our favorite stone experts for their opinions — and we got them! Former Smithsonian Institution curator John White wasn’t sure of the stones’ identification from the images, but he thought they might indeed be variscite — in a lot of matrix, of course. Richard Shull of Out of Our Mines said, “The pattern and host rock look similar to ‘ribbon’ turquoise from a number of different Nevada mines as well as ‘ribbon’ variscite from Australia. Without seeing it come out of the ground, anything is just a guess and it could be either one.” Bruce Barlow of Barlow’s Gems weighed in and said that he wasn’t sure. He has seen the stone and heard it called ribbon turquoise. He added that it would come from either Nevada or Arizona, not Australia. But he has seen something similar “made.” John F. Heusler, G.G. sent this response: “I do believe it is turquoise, but think about it this way . . . variscite is REALLY expensive these days. The best variscite is up to $100 per pound today. I say Jeff’s stones are turquoise. “SO . . . I need to say this. A good gemologist never gives a sight identification. Without proper testing of refractive index (huge clue) and other ancillary testing, one cannot rely on a picture to identify. I see it every day on Facebook in the different lapidary pages I belong to. Someone asks l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t About 8-10 hours Regarding the stones in my Navajo cuff project, several people have asked me where I got the stones and if I have any more available. In trying to find them, I have come across variscite from Nevada that looks exactly like the stones I used in the cuff. Turquoise from the Damale mine in eastern Nevada looks very similar to variscite, and in fact varicite is also mined in that district, so maybe we can forgive the dealer for the confusion, although I don’t know where he got “Australian” from. I have not been able to find any ribbon turquoise from Australia. That said, perhaps the stones I used are not turquoise, but variscite. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused. Classic Three-Stone Cuff A Navajo style bracelet with timeless Southwestern appeal BY JEFF FULKERSON 26 what this or that is with a picture. I usually watch from the sidelines and see if someone comes up with how to tell this person the way to know is to test it themselves with a scratch test with a penny or a nail or something of known hardness. I have many times witnessed someone telling how a scratch test performed on a toilet inside cover can determine a stone’s identity — accurately I might add. In other words, if I had the stone in hand, in minutes I can and will identify it — with proper testing. We can give our opinions of what something is and perhaps even be correct 8 out of 10 times. But what about those two that might slip by? Yeah . . . that.” To further clarify (we hope), John sent us images of both variscite and ribbon turquoise. Thanks to all of our experts for their efforts. ABOVE, FROM LEFT Varicite PHOTO: JOHN F. HEUSLER, G.G. Ribbon Turquoise PHOTO: JOHN F. HEUSLER, G.G. September/October 2014 7 THEIR TURN PHOTO: PATRICIA TSCHETTER a gallery of this issue’s contributors PHOTO: COURTESY COSTIS PATRICIA TSCHETTER’S Dandelion Ring Oxidized silver, 22K gold, rose-cut diamonds Net Profits Page 20 COSTIS’S Snail Shell Bracelet 18K yellow gold, diamonds Trends Page 42 ROGER HALAS’S Cross for Lita Ford 8 PHOTO: HAP SAKWA “Archer’s Thumb Ring” Page 46 PHOTO: ROGER HALAS l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Sterling silver, black widow intarsia (black jade/red jasper), diamond, amethyst, sapphire, aquamarine, ruby DAVID GUILETTI’S Pendant Engraved sapphire, tourmaline, sterling silver, 18K gold, diamonds Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Doer’s Profile Page 80 ? WANT TO CONTRIBUTE? Share your expertise with other readers in a project, demo, or article and you’ll be invited to show an example of your work here. Contributors’ guidelines can be requested by emailing MWhite@ Interweave.com, subject line: LJJA Guidelines. RINA LIMOR’S Carved Ring PHOTO: COURTESY RINA LIMOR Trends Page 42 PHOTO: LARRY SANDERS Blue topaz, diamonds, white gold NOËL YOVOVICH’S And the Wind in My Hair Pin/Pendant Sterling silver, anondized titanium, 14K gold, 22K gold, Chinese freshwater pearl PHOTO: JOHN F. HEUSLER, G.G. PHOTO: LAUREL NATHANSON Soldering Setups Page 38 JOHN F. HEUSLER, G.G. Comet with Coma Pin 18K yellow gold, platinum “Kaily Agate Pendant” Page 28 LAUREL NATHANSON’S Cassiopeia Heart Necklace Resin, oxidized copper “Acrylic and Silver Stack Rings” Page 52 September/October 2014 9 10 l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Lens Jewelry meets photo sharing all over again BY CATHLEEN MCCARTHY PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN through the design Almost as soon as photography was invented in the 1830s, jewelry makers began incorporating photographic images in their jewelry. It began with the impulse to wear a replica of someone, living or dead, usually a loved one — a photo in a locket is the classic example. Photography on the Internet has changed the game once again, one reason why this particular artistic merger has taken on new life. It’s so easy, for example, to pull the detail of a famous painting off a website, tweak it a little, and incorporate it into a piece of jewelry. Jewelry artists around the world are doing just that — and a whole lot more — with digital images. Others are shooting their own images and incorporating them into their jewelry. If the integration of these two art forms intrigues you, consider a pilgrimage to Manhattan to see the exhibition Multiple Exposures: Jewelry and Photography at the Museum of Arts and Design, where 80 pieces of jewelry demonstrate the various paths this experimentation has taken over the past 150 years or so. Curator Ursula Ilsa Neuman specializes in contemporary art jewelry, but her initial inspiration for this exhibit was something old and very personal: jewelry inherited from her great-grandmother. “I brought them over from Germany — long, foldout medallion-type things from the late 1800s, and one of them has eight little pictures in it,” Neuman says. “I was aware of 19th-century photo jewelry, and since I’m very interested in contemporary art jewelry, I wanted to know more about it. I wanted to investigate what was done in that field since then.” Focusing primarily on jewelry made in the U.S. and Europe, with a smattering of pieces from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, the exhibition opens with a nod to the origins of this tradition: painted miniatures in a ring and a brooch. Painted miniatures date to the 17th century, and two of the pieces on display show they were being incorporated into jewelry by the end of that century, and probably well before. Both depict one eye painted on ivory in watercolor, in an oval setting encased in rock crystal. One is a ring, a piece of mourning jewelry made in 1800 of black enamel with a painted eye that floats eerily in a cloudy sky. The other is a brooch made 45 years later with a pearl surround. At first glance, you’d swear they were contemporary pieces by the same artist. ABOVE Artist Unknown Brooch with Eye Miniature, ca. 1845 Watercolor on ivory, gold, pearls, rock crystal Collection of Cathy Gordon OPPOSITE PAGE Ashley Gilreath I Am Who They Were Neckpiece, 2011 Decal photographs, sterling silver, bronze, optical glass Collection of the artist September/October 2014 11 Through the Lens Artist Unknown Anchor-Shaped Vinaigrette Pendant, ca. 1855 Ambrotype, sterling silver setting, glass Collection of Daile Kaplan l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Several of the contemporary works in the show seem to harken back to those early painted-eye miniatures. Suska Mackert, for example, began in 2005 to make brooches from eyes (clipped from newspapers) that appear to float above circular steel bands. Kiff Slemmons clipped eyes from old tin-type photos, mounting them in an old clock hand so they appear to peer out from goggles on the silver frame of a face. 12 PORTRAITS FOR ALL Ramon Puig Cuyàs N° 1279, Ita Est Brooch from the UTOPOS Series, 2009 Internet images, enamel, acrylic resin, silver, nickel silver, onyx, shell, pearl, coral, plastic Courtesy of a private collection The earliest photo-jewelry in the exhibit is from the 1840s, soon after photography was invented. The advent of photography had a huge impact, if only because nearly anyone could now have a portrait taken. “For the first time, people could realistically be represented,” Neuman says, “and also the middle class could present itself as itself.” Painted portraiture was the only option before that, and it was the domain of the aristocracy and über-wealthy. When photography came along, the middle classes were on the rise. To have one’s portrait taken by a photographer became a status symbol — and an increasingly affordable one. Having a photograph stashed away in a secret place, like a pendant around your neck, was a means of keeping a loved one close at hand, even after death. “The pieces I have, and those 19th-century pieces in the show, are totems of affection, of memory, of love, and of loss,” Neuman says. Along with some photo-jewelry from turn-ofthe-century, there is a fascinating collection of “trench jewelry” made during both world wars. Jewelry from the trenches was made mainly from hammered aluminum with transparent plastic casings over tiny photos — sometimes of loved ones, sometimes of the soldier, often blatantly sentimental with heart-shaped settings. One eye-catching piece is a “vinaigrette” made in 1855, once used to hold smelling salts for reviving fainting women — a popular accoutrement in those days. This one took the form of an anchor, with an old ambrotype photograph set in sterling silver and glass. About a quarter of the display is devoted to older work, setting the context for the main theme: contemporary art jewelry. You’ll find plenty of modern spins on the photo locket. I remarked to Neuman that most of the work on display seems to involve the human form in some way: humans wearing humans. “Humans wearing humans, yes,” Neuman said, “and humans wearing what might have been anonymous photographs culled from the Internet, making them very intimate and personal again — through wearing them and through the art jewelers using them.” IMAGE AS NARRATIVE Images incorporated in early photo-jewelry weren’t limited to portraits, and the themes expand exponentially as we move through the 20th century. Most pieces in the exhibit are what Neuman calls narrative jewelry. “This is jewelry that’s telling a story, literally,” she says. “And what’s interesting is that the photographs “Humans wearing humans, yes, and humans wearing what might have been anonymous photographs culled from the Internet, making them very intimate and personal again.” FROM LEFT Gijs Bakker Waterman Brooch, 1991 Copy of a postcard, diamonds, white gold, PVC Collection of Angela Schaefer Gijs Bakker Bib/Slab, 1976 Analog photograph printed on fabric, cotton Collection of the artist used and culled from various sources — now the Internet and so on — change when they’re incorporated into wearable objects. And the wearable objects get their meaning through the photography. So there is a really good cross-influence and cross-fertilization between the two.” Among the materials listed as “Internet mages” in work by artist Ramon Puig Cuyàs is Mona Lisa’s eye, which seems to peer out at the rest of the brooch. Cuyàs reworks a fragment of that painting, scanned and pulled from the Web, building tiny mixed-media “paintings” of his own, using enamel and acrylic resin with embellishments of onyx, shell, pearl, coral, or quartz, then framing them, slightly askew, in silver. A special treat of the exhibit is a nine-piece retrospective of the photo-jewelry by Gijs Bakker, prominent Dutch jewelry and industrial designer who cofounded Droog Designs. They date to 1976 when Bakker playfully created a bib printed with a black-and-white photo of his own bare chest and another with a woman’s bare chest, so the wearer ends up with a chest on his (or her) chest. In another two-foot wide neckpiece, Bakker photographed himself from above with arms crossed so he appears to be hugging the wearer. (The piece is called Embracement.) “Those were tongue-incheek, self reverential, and just fun,” Neuman says. Most famous Bakker piece on display, however, is the Waterman brooch, made in 1991 from a photograph by fashion photographer Bruce Weber of a crouching, Adonis-like male tipping a bucket over his head. Bakker bought the image as a postcard from a secondhand store in New Orleans, then embellished it with white gold and diamonds that resemble BELOW Martin Papcún Ring, 1999 Analog artist’s photograph, silver, brass Secondary School of Applied Arts (SUPS) Turnov, Czech Republic September/October 2014 13 Through the Lens RIGHT Sally von Bargen Elegy Neckpiece, 2008 Digital photographs on paper, brass, paint Collection of the artist BELOW Fritz Maierhofer Portrait of the Artist Bracelet, 1971 Analog photograph, acrylic, silver Collection of the artist if you go l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Multiple Exposures: Jewelry and Photography is at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City through January 18, 2015. More information at madmuseum.org. 14 FROM LEFT Bettina Speckner Brooch, 2004 Artist’s photograph enameled on silver, cowrie shells, amethysts Courtesy of a private collection Mary Hallam Pearse Feeding Desire Brooch, 2008 Digital photograph, aluminum, silver, pearls, glass Collection of Sally von Bargen water droplets flowing from the bucket down the model’s muscular back. I asked Neuman if artists were ever faced with issues of copyright infringement when making this kind of derivative art-about-art. “These images are on the Internet already,” Neuman says. “Many of them are downloaded, so they’re really common property. This is really a phenomenon of the last 15 years, a sign of our time. Even images from Google, the street views, are common property now.” Like Bakker, many of the featured artists alternate between their own and reworked existing images. Assemblage artist Kiff Slemmons works with old photographs, taking them apart and putting them together in a way that gives them new meaning. In The Reliquary of My Own Making necklace, Slemmons took images of her own hands making things, encased them in mica, and set them in geometric silver forms that link together like a puzzle. “This, in a way, is a self-portrait, too,” Neuman observes. German artist Bettina Speckner also alternates between her own photographs and reworked old tin-types, often using sections of landscape and obscuring them with bits of gemstone. One brooch resembles an oval of picture jasper until you look closer and realize it’s a photographic image enameled onto silver. In other brooches, Speckner etches her photographs on zinc. The results are very mysterious, often romanticized. Another section of Multiple Exposures: Jewelry and Photography involves jewelry made from camera parts. Jiro Kamata, for example, uses camera lenses as a container of memory, sometimes painting them, sometimes inserting mirrors to reflect something. “These are sort “These images are on the Internet already, many downloaded, so they’re really common property. This is really a phenomenon of the last 15 years, a sign of our time.” FROM LEFT Jiro Kamata Arboresque Brooch, 2010 Camera lenses, acrylic paint, blackened silver Collection of the artist Hyun-Seok Sim Panoramic Camera Pendant, 2000 20K gold, sterling silver, steel, plastic Collection of the artist of an expression of what would have been seen through these lenses,” Neuman says. “It’s very interesting, very beautiful work.” Jewelry and Photography wraps up with a section of video about jewelry: the philosophy, symbolism, and social aspects of jewelry, jewelry considered in terms of value, the ritual of putting it on and taking it off. In one video, a woman is literally overloaded with jewelry and collapses under the weight. FERTILE MERGER Neuman says she wanted to focus on the merging of jewelry and photography because it’s such fertile ground for jewelry artists today. “This is an incredibly active field which speaks to our times,” she says. “It deals with contemporary issues — political issues, the body — and not only the beautiful body but also the diseased body or the unsightly body. It can deal with personal or culturally important issues. It’s a phenomenon that is steadily growing.” It’s also a form of jewelry-making that appeals to the intellect. “It can be a challenge for the jewelry maker to incorporate a twodimensional image into a three-dimensional object, to see the changes and transformations that occur,” Neuman says. “Part of the challenge is to decide what you crop from that photograph: What’s the important statement of that photograph and how do I incorporate it into a ring or a necklace? What do I want to express?” “These two media influence each other,” she says. “And when you use them together to create something totally new, you can produce a very interesting hybrid object.” CATHLEEN MCCARTHY’S stories have appeared in Town & Country, Art & Antiques, Washington Post and her own site, TheJewelryLoupe.com. Sarah C. Turner If One Could Wear a Marching Band 2004 Digital projections Collection of the artist burnish your image PAGE NET PROFITS 20 September/October 2014 15 l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t 16 ...available in brass & sterling silver CALL FOR CATALOG SNOW & STARS CORP. 18 Delaine Street, Providence, RI 02909 • TEL: (401) 421-4134 • FAX: (401) 521-5420 email: snowstars@msn.com • web: snowandstarscorp.com Your most important tools aren’t in a box· Let GIA’s Jewelry Manufacturing Arts curriculum take you from idea to reality, as you learn under the watchful eyes of highly skilled craftsmen who share their passion and expertise. Working in state-of-the-art classrooms at your own fully equipped workbench, you’ll learn timetested techniques and the newest technology – and earn a professional credential that’s recognized worldwide. Jewelry manufacturing arts programs and courses include: GRADUATE JEWELER JEWELRY DESIGN COMPREHENSIVE CAD/CAM ADVANCED STONE SETTING BASIC REPAIR AND SETTING Enroll in a program or just a single class to meet your specific needs and interests. Get started today, or learn more by visiting www.gia.edu, or call us at 800 421 7250, ext 4001. Learn from the World’s Foremost Authority in Gemology™ INTERMEDIATE REPAIR AND SETTING Bangle, Courtesy of BELLARI, Earrings E Courtesy YV YVEL VEL Between a jewelry designer’s imagination and the final piece of work lies an entire production process filled with creativity, technique and skill. 18 l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t DIVISION OF Continuing Education JEWELRY COURSES INCLUDE • Design and Create Your Own Jewelry • Cold Connections and Beadwork Techniques • Low-Tech Casting For complete list of offerings visit us at sva.edu/jewelry Courses begin September 18, 2014. jewelry by David August September/October 2014 19 NET PROFITS By Cathleen McCarthy Gearing Up for the Holidays 20 As a jewelry artist, you have an advantage on a couple of levels at holiday time. People are searching for unique, personal gifts — and what’s more unique and personal than handmade jewelry? Fourth quarter is also makeor-break time for retailers, so if you sell through shops and galleries (or want to), this is a perfect opportunity to get on their radar. Of course, most of us also have a lot going on in our personal lives during the holidays — buying gifts, traveling, entertaining, having kids home from school. All this just when the demand for your jewelry is at its peak — or should be. You’ll never get a better opportunity to maximize sales. The trick is to take advantage of that while leaving time for holiday fun with family and friends. This time of year, it’s not so much about creating new designs as ramping up production and getting organized so you can turn things around fast. OFFER CONSIGNMENTS Shops and galleries do their biggest sales during the holidays, and they’re looking for inventory right now. Many artists avoid consigning to galleries because they don’t want to tie up inventory in a long-term loan with no money up front, but some make excep- tions this time of year — for good reason. Dallas-based designer Patricia Tschetter has had a lot of success with short-term consignments during the holiday season. “Certain galleries will do a limited engagement where you can consign pieces for a month or two months during the holidays,” Tschetter says. “For most retailers, the fourth quarter is where they make it or break it.” She deals only with reputable galleries, known for paying quickly and returning inventory fast and in good condition. The best way to check on a gallery’s reputation is to ask other artists you know or check them out on online forums such as the Orchid community or (if you’re a member) the Jewelers Board of Trade. Just before the season begins, Tschetter contacts her list of trusted gallerists and asks if they need inven- tory for the holidays. Last year, one of her pieces was featured in the gallery’s holiday advertisements, an unexpected bonus. MAKE ONLINE SALES EASY E-commerce sales accounted for about 7 percent of total sales last year and are expected to reach $327 billion by 2016, according to a recent study based on U.S. Census figures. Much of the growth is coming from online retailers improving their web sites and services. The analyst behind that study said: “This is particularly true of categories such as apparel and jewelry.” He pointed to things like zoom, color swatches, and configurators to account for that growth — the kind of tricky things big retailers use on their web sites. But it’s worth noting that he specifically pointed to jewelry as an area that’s on the rise for online shoppers. While adding zoom is probably ILLUSTRATION: STEPHAN PARK l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Ramp up for mobile-friendly, fast turn-around on top sellers It’s not so much about creating new designs as ramping up production and getting organized so you can turn things around fast. not an option for your site or online shop, you can spruce up your images. If you sell on Etsy, you probably know how to shoot a piece at various angles and on the body — and know firsthand how that improves sales. If you sell on your own web site, find a way to do the same thing. Create your own version of zoom and configurator with multiple shots. BE MOBILE FRIENDLY Make sure your web site reads on tablets and smart phones. People are spending a lot more time browsing and consuming information on mobile devices — including right now, as they start to think about the gifts they’re going to buy. Last holiday season marked a huge leap in the way people were taking in information and making buying decisions over the year before. A study by Nielsen & McKinsey showed a 63 percent increase in time spent on mobile apps and mobile web sites in 2012 as compared to 2011. More people are shopping jewelry on mobile devices. Whether or not they end up buying that way, they are searching and getting ideas for what they want to buy. They’re looking at images and reading about jewelry. If you’re not positioned to be found this way, you’re losing out. And for those who prefer to buy learn more from cathleen mccarthy Holiday Selling September 10, 2014 (WEB SEMINAR) How to Sell Jewelry Online Collected Net Profits, 2010-2011 (DIGITAL COMPILATION) > shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com this way, you also need to prepare for mobile sales. Square charges 2.75 percent to process credit cards, and you can plug in their little swipe gadget on the fly or connect your site to their online marketplace and send customers through their payment system. A slightly more expensive option is to use PayPal or Google to accept payments. Some customers already use PayPal to buy online, so they may be less reluctant to use this option. If you’re selling your jewelry in person, some customers may be more comfortable if you allow them to use their own smart phone to make the purchase. It helps to have a web site with a shopping cart function to facilitate mobile payments. PayPal, Google, and ProPay offer codes you can incorporate to do this. Customers log into their PayPal account on your device and make the payment, then PayPal emails them a receipt. PayPal and Google charge 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction for any purchase under $3,000. ProPay (propay.com) offers a variety of merchant accounts for various annual fees, starting at $50 to process only Visa/Mastercard via web or email. ProPay deducts 3.25 percent plus a $.35 for each transaction, so a $10 sale would net you $9.32. Using their Square-like card readers with smart phones comes with a different fee structure. you introduced a new collection this year and one particular piece is doing well, consider a promotion based on that — possibly a giveaway that you promote across all your social media platforms. Holiday season is a great time to hold a giveaway because everybody is in the market for a special piece of jewelry, especially from their favorite designers — especially if it’s free. Gift budgets are tight right now and many shoppers are waiting longer to shop, looking for good value and guaranteed delivery in the last week or two before Christmas. Announce a contest or giveaway three to four weeks before Christmas to target those last-minute shoppers, offering a popular piece, preferably something recent. Consider doing a pin-to-win contest via Pinterest and promoting it on Facebook and Twitter. Have entrants sign up for your email list and follow you on social media in order to enter. You’ll get lots of buzz this year — and build your contact list for next year. CATHLEEN MCCARTHY is a freelance writer whose stories appear in Town & Country, Art & Antiques, and her own site, TheJewelryLoupe.com. find more online “Get Organized for Holiday Jewelry Sales” FOCUS ON TOP SELLERS Now is not the time to get creative with new designs but to identify the top sellers among the designs you have, then focus on marketing them and ramping up their production. What sold best last holiday season? If rings were big for you, have some extras on hand and plan to host and promote ring sales and giveaways. If JewelryMakingDaily.com/netprofits September/October 2014 21 COOL TOOLS & HIP TIPS l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t BY HELEN I. DRIGGS | PRODUCT PHOTOS: JIM LAWSON 22 Supplies and tools for glass on metal enthusiasts For the Enamelist Luminous glass and vibrant color appeal so much to the painter in me. The sparkling glow of transparent enamel always reminds me of a good watercolor — when you can see the surface of the paper shining through the pigment. Of course with enamel, it’s the metal that shines through, and that makes the metalsmith in me very happy. I have been investigating the art of enameling in more depth recently, getting help from a good friend, taking workshops, and playing more with both torch- and kiln-fired enamels — and, of course, I’ve found some nice new enamels and tools to share with you. Thompson’s Liquid Enamels Thompson’s Enamel has been around since 1890, and here in the USA, their lead-free enamels are widely available and well known. In groups, veteran enamelists even speak in a kind of strange, secret code based on Thompson’s color numbering system: honestly, you’ll see them looking at a beige coffee cup and hear them say something like, “No! That’s a 2130 for sure, it’s so much juicier than the 2190!” There is so much more to Thompson than their familiar lines of basic transparents (2000s) and opaques (1000s), though! Like liquid enamels, for example, which I discovered in a torch firing workshop with the incredible and inspiring Anne Havel this spring. Liquid enamels are just what I was searching for because they behave like paint. You can intermix them with each other or other enamels, spray, drip or brush them on, and use them with crackle bases (1006, 1020, 1997 and 2008), too. They are available in premixed liquid form or as dry powder you mix with distilled water or enamel flux (Klyr-fire). Once you’ve applied them to your metal, let the liquid fully evaporate until you’ve got a smooth, soft surface. Then carefully scratch into or otherwise manipulate the enamel surface before torching or firing. I had great fun using roll-printed metal and selectively removing the dry enamel from the high points before firing. I also recently sat in on a video filming with Susan Lenart Kazmer, who uses liquids in her kiln-fired sgraffito techniques, and I picked up lots of interesting ideas there, too: the ability to make marks in the color on the metal is just so cool! Thompson’s liquids range from number 553 (White) to 940 (Mouse). Try them, you’ll like them! One other quickie: if you like the look of a matte surface on your glass, pick up a bottle of Etch-All (ETCH-4) etching crème. I have tried other brands of glass etching compound, and trust me, nothing works as well as this one. > MORE AT THOMPSONENAMEL.COM Milton Bridge Enamels I love transparent enamels best and have been known to happily torch fire for hours using nothing but hard clear and letting the metal oxides color the glass. But every once in a while, I do like to intentionally go for some vibrant color. These new lead-free 50 mesh transparents from Milton Bridge Ceramic Colours Limited offer a nice range of basic colors, and also include some pretty reds including Ruby (MB104) and Paprika (MB134). One thing I discovered from my HAVE A TOOL, expert friend is that lead-free red MODIFICATION, OR BENCH TRICK is the make-it-or-break-it enamel TO SHARE? color: getting a good, consistent ? Email us at HDriggs@ hue that you like and can rely on interweave.com, subject line “Cool Tools.” is what will make you marry a Please include your particular enamel brand. I haven’t complete contact informaexperimented too much with tion with all submissions. September/October 2014 23 COOL TOOLS & HIP TIPS Ruby holds great promise — it’s a vibrant sort of scandalous, Friday-night-lipstick red. these enamels yet, but to me, the Ruby holds great promise — it’s a vibrant sort of scandalous, Fridaynight-lipstick red. There is also a line of 80 mesh Opaque with some delicious colors, especially the greens. Halstead has added an entire range of enamels, enamel supplies, and kilns to their catalogue, and the Milton Bridge enamel sets are sold in squat 2 oz. jars with screw tops. They recommend pre-washing (which you should do for all transparents). Suggested firing temps are 1544 for transparents and 1450 for opaques. An economic counter enamel is also available. > MORE AT HALSTEADBEAD.COM l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Sifters, Cutters and More 24 I can tell that enamel is blossoming in popularity: seems every jewelry tool supplier has added some enamels and enamel tools to their catalogue, including the ever-popular Fire Mountain Gems. Here’s just a glimpse at what they are carrying now geared toward the occasional enamelist. You can order individual jars of the Thompson’s complete color line of Opaques and Transparents in 2 oz. jars. I snapped up a jar of Jungle green (6181BS) and Sea green (6182BS) because I am a green girl. You won’t need to know the Thompson’s color number if you order from Fire Mountain — just peek on the website or look in the printed catalogue for a fairly accurate color swatch of each enamel. The Thompson’s color number is on the packaging, too, so once you fall in love with a particular hue, you can commit that number to memory and become part of the secret enamelist numeric code speaking clan. Those helpful folks at Fire Mountain have sorted the colors into groups: reds, blues, yellows, etc. to make your color shopping a snap. Another fantastic little tool I picked up was a 1/32” steel line sifter (4182TL) because I saw Pauline Warg use one in her studio during the filming of her Basic Jewelry Enameling video. I’ve only ever used plastic sifters, and to me, a tool is better when it’s steel. You can never have enough trivets when you are enameling, so snap up a few 3 point trivets (4176TL) while you are shopping. They’re great when you’ve got work drying, work cooling, and work waiting to fire all lined up. Making sample tiles is a way of life for enamelists. I tend to err on the side of obsessive in this aspect, so this Square Disc Cutter (H20-4141TL) is perfect for giving me uniform, same-size tiles. It’s also superhelpful for other metalwork, too. The sizes range from 4 x 4 mm up to 16 x 16 mm squares. There is also an oval set (H20-4140TL) that I think would be great for oval cabochon bezel backs. If you aren’t up to cutting out your own blanks, check out the precut copper blanks in a huge array of sizes and shapes. I adore the rounded triangles (9333FX) and am saving one of mine to use as a sawing pattern for my students — it’s such a great shape! > MORE AT FIREMOUNTAINGEMS.COM learn more from helen driggs The Jewelry Maker’s Field Guide (book) Basic Fabrication (video) Riveting and Cold Connections (video) > shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com From Pam East and SpeedFire Pam East is one of those artisan/inventors who continually creates useful and relevant products for jewelry makers. Here are a few of her latest goodies. PreNamel Surface Scrub powder is a non-toxic metal cleaner available in a portable 6 oz. shaker jar — perfect for classes and workshops. Use it to get the coveted sheeting of water and to remove all grease, grime, and gunk from your metal, whether you intend to enamel or not. DeNamel does just that. If you hate what came out of the kiln, you just mix a bit of this powder with water, brush it on the offending area, fire at 1450 for 2 minutes, and quench hot. Voilà! The DeNamel breaks through the fired glass enough to cause it to chip off easily. Thick glass may require two applications and firings. This one is just brilliant! Pam’s Articulateable Enameling Trivet does just that — you can custom shape it to your piece, and it works with small kilns, too. Pair the trivet with the amazing Folding Firing Fork (you’ll notice the notches on the trivet base correspond with the shape of the fork) for a super-secure trip to any size kiln, which everyone who enamels knows is the most vulnerable time for a work in progress. I haven’t had a ton of time to put the brand-new SpeedFire Electric Mini Pro kiln through its paces yet, but the second I opened the box, I was smitten. This great little plug-and-play kiln is perfect for somebody like me: it’s got a small footprint, only uses 420 watts, it’s really easy to use, it’s well-designed, and the firing chamber is about the size of a really thick club sandwich — so it can handle most jewelry-sized work easily. Use it with enamel, metal clay, and glass. It’s great for those of us who don’t need to invest in a full size kiln but really need a reliable kiln in bursts. My favorite feature is the lid: the entire top part lifts off to expose the kiln brick below. And, you can ramp up, down and hold easily using the simple digital control and readout. What’s not to love? > MORE AT METALCLAYSUPPLY.COM/PAM And in the Wings You might recall I wrote about Eugenia Chan’s Torch Firing Basket in the May/June 2014 issue. Well, this prolific lady is another maker/inventor, and she is developing a new line of enameling stencils made from thicker and completely transparent Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, acrylic. If you have May/June 2014 worked with stencils, you know they can be > shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com frustrating to use, so Eugenia is working to fix those annoying positioning and control problems that thinner stencils made for other craft disciplines have. Her prototypes are very promising: more as soon as they get on the market! > MORE AT EUGENIA-C.COM find it HELEN DRIGGS is a Senior Editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and an experienced metalsmith and teacher. Follow her twitter feed @fabricationista. coming next time » Tools and Supplies for Wire September/October 2014 25 SMOKIN’ STONES By Sharon Elaine Thompson Kaily Agate A sister agate born in Mexico 26 PHOTOS: JIM LAWSON STONES COURTESY JOHN F. HEUSLER, G.G./SLABS TO CABS l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t WHEN JOHN HEUSLER named a beautiful agate discovery “jessite” after his elder daughter, Jessica, he promised to name the next find after his younger daughter, Kaily. He didn’t know that find would come so unexpectedly. When he excitedly received what was to be 10,000 pounds of jessite, instead, on the truck, he found 10,000 pounds of another agate that had come from the same mine, the same vein, and just inches from where the jessite deposit stopped. While the composition and the source were the same, the “character” or patterning was very different. They were sister agates, if you will. Kaily’s agate had found its way home. Kaily agate is generally light in color — whites, tans, beiges, grays, even pale pink — with oranges, greens, and yellows. It’s patterned with dark outlines of cinnamon-like reddish brown, red, dark gray, and red. Like its sister, kaily agate may contain exposed drusy areas. Occasionally, the drusy areas are protected by a solid filling of transparent quartz. (And if that’s not enough, it fluoresces — night club jewelry, anyone?) Curiosity and customer interest led Heusler to have the stone “read” by two metaphysical healers who both told him the same thing, he says: kaily agate is useful in times of transformation and change, it heals the heart, and it can help resolve conflicts. The strong patterning makes kaily agate an excellent choice for a center stone in a neckpiece or brooch. Because of the exposed drusies, it must And if that’s not enough, it fluoresces — night club jewelry, anyone? be worn with care in bracelets or rings. The colors in it make it a good choice to use with beads of carnelian, jasper, or quartzes of all kinds. Faceted stones of citrine and garnet would make excellent accents. The light color palette also makes the stone a good choice to wear with spring or summer clothes. Kaily agate will be available at the Denver Expo Gem Show, September 10 – 14, 2014. How much does it cost? Rough, $6 to $18/pound; slabs, $10 to $60; custom cabs, $60 to $125; standard cabs, $10 to $60, depending on size, patterning and color. How hard is it to find? Available. Heusler expects to have several tons in Denver in September; beads may be available at Tucson 2015. What kind of jewelry can I put this in? Anything. With a hardness of 7, it can take just about any kind of wear, and will repolish readily if scratched. Stones with exposed drusies, however, are safer in pendants, brooches, and earrings. How easy is it to set? Easy. Stones are most often cabbed with flat backs. What settings are best? Bezels and partial bezels are probably most common; prongs can also be used. (For interest, Heusler cuts some stone with the drusy opening at the edge. These are best set with an interrupted bezel or prongs.) Artisan/studio dos and don’ts: Any stone that has withstood cutting, says Heusler, will withstand the manufacturing process. However, exposed drusy crystals can be damaged by tools or polishing. Quartz is sensitive to thermal shock, so use caution when steaming. Also start with the least risky cleaning process. Wearer dos and don’ts: Wear and enjoy. Clean with a soft toothbrush and gentle detergent. Wear stones set in bracelets and rings with care to avoid damage to drusies. SHARON ELAINE THOMPSON has written for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist since 1987. Her book, Good Bones: the Elements and Principles of Design for Jewelry Makers, is coming soon from Brynmorgen Press. You can learn more about her at sharonelainethompson.com and jewelryartdiva.com. set it PAGE 28 KAILY AGATE PENDANT find the sister stone SMOKIN’ STONES: Jessite PROJECT: Sterling and Jessite Cuff Lapidary Journal Jewelry Arist, January/February 2014 > shop.jewelrymakingdaily. com September/October 2014 27 GEM/JEWELRY PROJECT SKILLS • Lapidary • General bench • Soldering and bezel setting TIME IT TOOK 15 hours, 26 minutes and 44 seconds (this is approximate) AN EASIER WAY Purchase some components rather than make your own; see page 35. Kaily Agate Pendant Turn a new stone, a minimal setting, a dash of gold, and a splash of sparkle into a piece that is truly your own l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t BY JOHN F. HEUSLER, G.G. 28 WHEN THE TRUCK PULLED UP at the Quartzsite gem and mineral shows early this year, it was supposed to be filled with a new agate I’d found and named jessite after my oldest daughter, Jessica. While the gemstone had been a huge hit when I showed the little of it I’d had, unfortunately, not much more was ever realized, and that truckload? There was exactly zero jessite in the barrels. While I was crushed, I quickly realized the potential of what I did have. Because this new rock was the “sister” to jessite — found in the same vein in the same mine — I thought it best to name it after Jessica’s sister, Kaily, my youngest daughter. This particular cabochon is unique even to the Kaily agate we are finding today. Just like my daughter, it’s the most beautiful gem of all, and the piece, which I’ve named The Raven, is a present for her 21st birthday. Happy Birthday, Kaily! 1 2 M AT E R I A L S Agate rough or slab; I used Kaily agate .25 ct. round diamond; or any round, but you will have to set it after you solder 3x3 mm square sterling silver wire, approximately 14” 20 gauge sterling silver sheet, enough to fit stone plus extra 18K yellow 3x3 mm square wire x approximately 3”; or other metal of choice 18K yellow thick walled tubing to fit diamond x at least ½” in length TOOLS LAPIDARY: #8 Template for Designer Gemstones, lapidary equipment, I used Diamond Pacific’s Genie; Gryphette diamond grinder HAND AND BENCH: General bench tools, polished burnishing tool, Fordom-style flexible shaft or similar (Dremel will not hold tubing), wide cross peen hammer, rolling mill with wire rolling capability Cut the Cabochon OPENING PHOTO: JIM LAWSON; PROCESS PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ARTIST Photo 1 Start with a suitable slab or slab some rough Kaily agate. Photo 2 I slabbed a rough piece of Kaily agate with my Diamond Pacific hydraulic drop saw, which cuts 5-7 times faster than a conventional saw. I demo’ed one in Quartzsite and ended up buying it! You cut with the saw you have. Find the sweet spot on the slab and mark it; here, I’ve marked several areas of interest, but settled on a section of unusual orange color for this project. I design and manufacture 12 different gemstone templates with about 60 designs and chose a flame design — perfect for Kaily as she is always happy and lights up with bright smile. Photo 3 I cut the cab shapes out with my Taurus 3 ring saw — love this saw. It cuts quickly, uses water so no oily mess, and there’s very little waste. Photos 4 and 5 For the concave area of the stone, I used a unique tool for the job called the Gryphette diamond grinder. It was designed for stained 3 SOLDERING: Torch with multiple tips, GRS soldering station with two hands or other type third hands, pickle pot with Sparex FINISHING AND SETTING: General polishing tools, hallmark stamps for each quality of the noble metals plus personal hallmark or logo, dead blow hammer for stamping hallmarks OTHER: an open mind! SOURCES: 4 Kaily agate: slabstocabs.com; #8 Template for Designer Gemstones: slabstocabs. com or Diamond Pacific Corp; Gryphette diamond grinder: Diamond Pacific Corp; GRS soldering station with two hands or other type third hands: Otto Frei. Most of the other tools and materials for this project will be available from well-stocked jewelry supply vendors, many of whom can be found in our Advertisers’ Index, page 79. September/October 2014 29 I implore you to sketch designs prior to building a project of any sort. You do not have to adhere to the design — I certainly did not, but a sketch gives you a clearer picture of what you are to complete. 5 6 7 l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t 5 30 kaily agate? PAGE 26 SMOKIN' STONES glass workers but works well here; optional grits, cutting heads, and shapes are available. I cut an extra deep concave curve on one side and used various grits to bring to a near polish, as the Genie wheels are too large for this concave cut. Photo 6 After the shape was to my liking, I used the Gryphette and angled the stone to bevel it just as I would on my Genie. The grinding wheels are removable and sit on a spindle. Feather out till the Genie can get in to cut the rest. TIP: Raise the grinding head higher to reach the bevel more easily. Simply loosen the hex key, raise the head, and tighten up. Photo 7 For shaping and contouring, I use the 6" diameter wheel of my Genie. It fits the shallower, concave side perfectly. Turn the stone at a 90 degree angle and press into the wheel; move from side to side but keep the stone exactly in place: that is, use the whole wheel so as not to wear it out in the center. At this stage, just shape the outline of the stone. I started with the second metal bond wheel of my Genie. The 220 grit cuts quickly and will not chip edges on your stone, especially once broken in. Photo 8 Next, start beveling the edge towards the center. I also move the stone from side to side using the entire face of the wheel, but to ensure a clean edge all around, make sure you do not use an up and down motion here. Feather the bevel into the concave side you cut with the Gryphette so the transition is smooth. Once completed, angle the stone a bit higher (towards the top) and cut the next beveled edge. Repeat until you are on the top of the stone. It should resemble a dome now, but somewhat faceted. Starting at the bottom bevel, smooth the faceted dome. Use a rotating, circular stroke in an up and down motion. Kind of feeling like you’re patting your head and rubbing your belly? You’ll get used to that! You should now see a smooth dome shape. 8 Photo 9 Continue using increasingly higher grit wheels, repeating each step with the exception of the beveling until you reach your last wheel. Make sure that you use a decent amount of pressure on the Nova wheels to depress them inward. Photo 10 As shown, you need to press into the wheel to help remove flat spots and promote rounding, but note: do not run the stone off the edge of the wheel as shown! You will get grooved lines on the face if you do. I merely photographed this way to demonstrate how hard to push. I used a 3000 grit Nova wheel for my last prepolish. I worked twice as long on the 1200 and 3000 grit wheels than all others to ensure removal of previous scratches. Remember, this material is agate and darn near polishes up on the 1200 wheel: it looks fantastic on the 3000. Just wait! Photo 11 I used a rough leather lap on the end of my Genie and standard cerium oxide, misted heavily with a spray bottle of water. Apply medium pressure and the stone will shine quickly. You need to keep this wheel wet or it will grab your stone when it is drying out and toss it down hard. Don’t want to break it after all that work, do you? If you have done all steps correctly, you should see a nice dome with flat sides, completely free of scratches. If you tip it back and forth and look at the light reflecting off the top, you should see a fluid, smooth dome without flat spots or scratches. Photo 12 Here’s the finished stone, ready for the pendant design. Did you notice that I did not use a dop stick? I rarely do. I teach using one as for most people it is easier, but I learned this way with larger stones and I can knock them out much faster this way. Dop ‘em if you wish! 9 SAVE $ 10 Use copper or brass instead of 22K gold for the textured sheet, which you could also texture with tools instead of a torch. 10 9 11 12 Design and Fabricate the Pendant Photo 13 When instructing, I begin with a sketch as to how I would build a particular piece. I then ask my students to sketch their personal interpretation of that piece, to change it, and let it become their design instead of a copy. I implore you to sketch designs prior to building a project of any sort. You do not have to adhere to the design — as you can see, I certainly did not and in 13 September/October 2014 31 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 32 fact changed at every turn, but a sketch gives you a clearer picture of what you are to complete. These instructions are how I built this pendant: I would love to see how many different ways all of you varied this design. I started on the right side of the bezel and used 3 x 3 mm square wire that began as an ingot I then rolled out in my mill to several feet long. If you do make your own wire, be sure you anneal it correctly. Purchase your wire if you prefer. Normally when we do bezels, we can measure with string or dental floss around the circumference of the stone. Be sure to add quite a bit more for this project! It is not a standard bezel and will not be set as such. Photo 14 I forged the curly “wing” of the top right side of the stone first. Start with heavy blows and transition to soft even ones once the shape is nearing completion to ensure much less filing and sanding for cleanup. If done correctly, very little sanding will be needed. I used a wide cross peen hammer; normally I use a Fretz hammer here, but mine went AWOL not long ago. Grrrrrr! Photos 15, 16, and 17 Sand the forged section and shape it with bow pliers, fitting the stone’s contour exactly. I always use a light box below the stone to make it easy to see any gaps. I’m also sure to mark the bezel — but not the stone! — with a small piece of painters tape or Sharpie so I know exactly where I am at every step. Mark both the stone and the wire in this case so you “line” it up exactly every time while forming. TIPS: Marking the stone with a Sharpie is a no no — it probably will never come off! Use painters tape here. Also cover your bow pliers with a very thin piece of copper. It won’t mar the metal as much. Photos 18 and 19 You may find that once it’s shaped to the stone, the bezel is not perfectly flat. When that happens, lay it on a flat surface and hammer the high spots to bring it into alignment. Remember, it needs to be soldered to a flat back plate, so it needs to lie quite flat! Your wire should already be annealed. If it’s not, anneal it now. Forge the left side. Photos 20 and 21 Instead of painters tape, I marked the sterling wire with a Sharpie. It keeps your place so you don’t 22 23 24 25 26 27 beat your head against the wall when forming the contour of the stone, and will sand right off. If you look close you might see the mark in the photo. Leave extra wire on the top and the bottom. Mark sections about ½" apart with the Sharpie. Photo 22 Close your rolling mill so no gaps are showing on the flat side and insert the wire into the first slot it won’t pass through. Roll to the last mark and unroll back out the way it went in. Turn the wire one quarter turn and roll again to the same point and reverse it. Place the wire in the next smaller slot and roll to the next mark towards your starting point. Do not raise or lower the rollers; keep them exactly the same. Repeat after one quarter turn. Continue repeating until your wire is tapered nicely and is small at the tip. Note that you wire will increase in length. Photo 23 Your wire should resemble this. Photo 24 File round to the tip of the taper and sand to 600 grit. Photo 25 Both sides should be fitted to the stone exactly. No gaps, right? Note the saw mark I placed across the top of both bezels. I use this as the spot to solder. The line must align straight and evenly so you will be very close to the same shape of the stone with little or no modification after soldering. Well begun is much more than half done! Photo 26 Make the join by soldering together where the saw marks line up. I use new charcoal blocks to ensure the piece stays flat. Fire coat it and flux, and use hard solder here — more than you think you will need. You will file excess off later. Pickle, rinse, and check the fit to the stone. Resolder if necessary. Photo 27 Coil the tapered end, then raise it up. We will be soldering it to a flat backing plate of sterling silver sheet and we don’t want it to solder down. We want it free. You may call this section Willy (feel free to groan now). Saw out 20 gauge sterling silver sheet close to the shape of the bezel, leaving about 6-7 mm around the perimeter for extra areas to hold onto. I use the GRS September/October 2014 33 A cool trick for even more interesting texture is to add some 22K dust, but it must be clean metal. 28 29 from warping. I soldered with a larger tip on my torch and heated the whole piece from the bottom so all solder would flow at the same time, which prevents warping. After soldering and pickling I placed the stone in the bezel. A flawless fit! While the stone was in place I scribed the back plate at the bottom of the stone, which will let me see exactly where to solder the 22K textured plate planned for up against the agate. Photo 29 I cut the sterling silver sheet out exactly to the scribed lines, and I left the exact shape for the 22K textured addition. Texture the Gold Sheet Photo 30 I textured the gold sheet l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t 30 31 34 32 33 soldering station and hold the piece with the third hands. Photo 28 This photo was taken after I soldered the bezel to the plate, but there was a small spot that was not soldered down completely, so I simply added solder to close the gap after I gently hammered it flat. I did use both third hands to hold the sheet to keep it using a semi reticulation method. A cool trick for even more interesting texture is to add some 22K dust, but it must be clean metal. If you want to try this, place a sheet of paper under your bench pin while sawing out the gold piece to catch the dust, then add it your sheet just prior to the last heating as described below, and “fuse” it to the sheet. Cut the 22K out and fit it to the stone. Do not flux. Heat with a slightly reduced flame. Hold the torch higher up than you would for typical soldering. Heat to a dull red and let cool several times. Do not pickle between heating. Once the sheet is nearly black, the last heating will draw the metal up into a prune-like texture just as it wants to flow. Remove the torch immediately and let the redness disappear adding flame again as soon as redness is gone. Repeat until texture is to your liking. Photos 31 and 32 Cut out the backing sheet and grind with a rotary file. I use a fine grit file, which seems super rough until you cut with it. Smooth but very fast! Use a medium speed with the flex shaft. You’re wearing eye protection, right? Sand to 600 grit. Photo 33 Cut the tips down and file a 34 35 2 EASIER WAYS • Use purchased wire 36 37 groove in the back for the bail. Notice I balled up one tip and ended up doing both. Embellish as you feel fit. Shake it up and make it your own! Photo 34 Sand back plate to a 600 grit and polish the entire piece at least to Tripoli stage. You won’t be sorry for this step! Photo 35 Make a 3 x 3 mm square 18K yellow gold wire and taper it with the rolling mill just the way you did the silver. Nifty, huh? Length depends on how much wire you want for embellishment; if you decide you want more, you can always make more tapered wire. File round and sand to a 600 grit. Polish. Cut the wider end and fit it to the bezel. Photos 36 and 37 I made two tapered 18K gold wires and forged a “wing” at the widest point. Solder at the top and bottom: think of the wires as prongs to hold the stone in place. Always solder from the heaviest side and leave the tapered end for the prong. instead of making your own. Hauser and Miller in St. Louis specializes in just metal sales and make all their own stuff. Call Pat, and he will give you instructions on how to anneal properly. Better yet, order it dead soft to begin with. (Try doing that with your regular supplier) • Use a purchased cabochon instead of cutting one. My gemstone is very snug and almost snaps into place. It won’t fall out if I turn it over — important when fitting a stone into place with minimal prongs. Add more if you feel necessary. I ended up cutting quite a bit off the bottom, curly wire. I solder from the back at all times. Solder always flows towards the heat. Use hard solder at all joins. Apply fire coat to both the pendant and the part to be soldered. Flux. Use hard solder and apply to the forged piece right at the edge. Do not overheat here: you just want the solder to barely flow. Now heat the entire piece. Once the flux has become clear, it is hot enough to attach the wing. Be sure not to overheat at this stage. Solder both curly sections, then pickle and rinse. Inspect. Resolder if needed. These will become prongs to hold the agate. TIP: I have a pull-out arm rest on my bench. Devise such if you don’t have one. September/October 2014 35 Always polish your tools to a mirror finish. Sand the edges down to a rounded edge on your pliers as well. Smooth tools leave fewer marks on your work! 38 find more • TUBE SET A DIAMOND “Sterling and Jessite Cuff ” Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, January/February 2014 “Ethiopian Opal Ring” Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, January/February 2012 • GEM TEMPLATES AND RING SAW Cool Tools & Hip Tips Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, May/June 2014 l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t > shop.jewelrymakingdaily. com 36 39 40 41 Tube Set the Diamond Photo 42 Sanding is a snap! Rotate Photos 38-41 Here is the fun part. The about ⅓ of full speed and sand up to 600 grit. Photo 43 Cut off about 90% of the way through the tubing with saw, but not all the way or you will be searching for it when it flies off. Hand cut the rest. Photo 44 Apply a supersaturated solution of boric acid and alcohol to the bezel set diamond. Other solutions may burn the surface of the diamond. Make sure it is fully covered, including inside the tubing. Apply 18K yellow gold with hard solder to the diamond bezel. Once again solder the tubing from the back of the pendant. process is simple and I’ll be brief here, having gone into detail elsewhere (see “Sterling and Jessite Cuff,” Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, January/ February 2014 or “Ethiopian Opal Ring,” Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, January/February 2012). Find a tube that will fit your diamond, with a diameter that is smaller ID than the diamond, but also wider OD (i.e., with a thick wall). Place a straight side setting bur that is the same size to slightly smaller diameter than your diamond in a pin vise. Chuck the 18K yellow gold tubing into your flex shaft handpiece. The tubing will spin and the bur will be stationary. Cut a seat that is just enough to roll over the crown of the diamond. Place the diamond in the seat and slowly rotate the tubing and roll the edge of the tubing over the diamond with a polished burnishing tool. Back burnish the inside edge of the tubing with a flat graver as shown while the tubing is rotating. This will help tighten up the diamond nicely. TIP: Always polish your tools to a mirror finish. Sand the edges down to a rounded edge on your pliers as well. Smooth tools leave fewer marks on your work! Finish the Pendant Photo 45 Build and solder the bail on the back. Here is where you may wish to use medium solder, though I used hard. Notice that the bail is different on the finished pendant than in this step? Once I applied the bail I was unhappy with the look so I changed it. Breathe life into a piece by redoing steps when you’re not satisfied. “Do it again. And again. Do it until it’s correct — you won’t be sorry!” is what I often say to my students. You may hate the piece as you’re building it, but once it’s complete you will be quite pleased that you redid instead of settling for your first attempt. Don’t settle! enter our 42 43 CONTEST g Jewelrymakin / daily.com Gemmys 44 45 Photo 46 Use a dead blow hammer to hallmark. It will not bounce with each strike. I placed a large dapping punch upside down in my vise with leather around it to protect it. I use the largest punch I can that will still fit inside the bezel. Some artists stamp prior to applying the bezel. This method alleviates the worry of not knowing where exactly it will end up in the finished piece. Deciding at which stage to stamp is important, so do as I say, not as I do! Stamp it after the first polish stage, prior to applying all embellishments. I cleaned it up nicely, despite the extra difficulty in doing so. Hallmark it with the proper stamps but remember also that if you mark something sterling or 18K gold you must include your personal hallmark. I did not stamp it earlier due to the fact that I always cut out a nice design that is very meaningful on the back. I drew the intended design and cut it out after I stamped hallmarks. Then I set the stone. The raven is Kaily’s totem. The raven brings change, and change is good! Magic is at play. Here is my finished design of The Raven pendant. I gave this piece to Kaily and she absolutely loved it. Always such a joy when you give a gift so meaningful. I am on cloud nine! So is she! JOHN F. HEUSLER, G.G. owns a fine art gallery and a jewelry design school, Heusler Academy of Jewelry Design, in Chesterfield, Missouri. John is a gemologist, master goldsmith, and a lapidary and has been cutting gems and hand-making jewelry for over 40 years. He offers his designer cabochons in Quartzite and Tucson and on his website, slabstocabs.com. PHOTO: JIM LAWSON 46 SEE MORE WORK their turn » PAGE 8 September/October 2014 37 SOLDERING SETUPS what I use and why BELOW l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Noël Yovovich 38 My personal soldering setup is a Meco Midget torch with propane and oxygen. At work, I use a Hoke with natural gas and oxygen. Where I teach, I use acetylene and room air in both SilverSmith and PrestoLight torches. And when I travel to teach, I often use a hand-held butane. The little hand-held butane is good for teaching situations in hotel conference rooms rather than a jewelry studio, but it is very limited in what it can do. The one exception is that rare situation that requires more heat or more even heat distribution than is possible with one torch. Then the hand-held can be a second heat source and I can be a two-fisted solderer/melter! The regulators I use in each of these situations are different, so the settings are different. I think it just takes a little experimentation to find the settings that give you enough pressure without blasting so hard that you blow out your flame. I switched to oxy/propane from an acety- Noël Yovovich 25 Birds Reversible Hinged Bracelet Sterling silver, etched copper-silver bimetal, anondized titanium, sapphires, white gold PHOTO: LARRY SANDERS lene/air SilverSmith torch many years ago after taking a fusing workshop with Marne Ryan. Though I don’t use fusing all that much in my own work, the workshop was my first opportunity to use the more versatile Hoke and Meco torches. I love the greater range of flame sizes you can get — from the tiniest flames for delicate goldwork to enough heat to melt moderate amounts of metal for casting (though oxy/acetylene is still the torch of choice for casting). Being able to control the gas/air mix also means your flame can be any size from needle-tight to soft and bushy. I think if your work is mostly small, and mostly silver, you can use any of these torches. But the kind of control you get with oxygen and propane or natural gas — both cooler than oxy/ acetylene — is really great if you are working with gold, and they are clean enough to use with platinum. I like to have my torch set up right on my bench, rather than a separate area. I have a heat-proof surface with smaller soldering blocks on it. I feel my flow is better when everything is right at hand. In my own studio, I have an exhaust that sucks air directly towards the back of my bench, away from my face. I quench in water before pickling. I prefer to avoid vaporizing pickle (even though I use citric acid), and exposing my tools and my lungs to more fumes than strictly necessary. NOËL YOVOVICH makes jewelry, teaches jewelry making, and writes about jewelry making from her home and studio in Evanston, Illinois. LEFT BELOW Noël Yovovich Snow Birds Pin/Pendant Sterling silver, etched and pierced copper-silver bimetal, anondized titanium, rollerprinted and pierced copper Noël Yovovich’s work station includes a Hoke/ natural gas torch and a heat-proof surface with soldering blocks. She prefers to everything right at hand when she needs it. (Her personal setup was packed up at press time on account of a move and unavailable for photography.) PHOTO: LARRY SANDERS PHOTO: NOËL YOVOVICH I feel my flow is better when everything is right at hand. Noël Yovovich Moonlit Landscape Pin/Pendant Sterling silver, 14K and 24K gold, moonstone, faceted labradorite beads PHOTO: LARRY SANDERS SEE MORE WORK their turn » PAGE 8 September/October 2014 39 TRENDS By Deborah Yonick Balance, Duality and Gems 5 themes for 2015 Fashion and accessories trendsetter Swarovski has been sharing its forecasting research for the past 12 years, with its Gem Visions 2015 edition, unveiled during the JCK Las Vegas Show, which calls for a focus on balance and dualities of style for the coming year. “Changes set in motion in 2014, notably the simplification and abstraction of design, come to fruition in 2015 as a vision of powerful modernity emerges,” describes Dr. Birgit Rieder, director of gem creative and retail marketing genuine and created stones at Swarovski. “This sparks new interactions and alliances, and a strengthening of last year’s message of conversation into collaborations and correspondences. There’s a meeting of art and science, rational and spiritual, and connections in the brain and between senses. Popular jewelry styles rediscover the jewel as a communicator, and reinterpret ways to adorn the body.” Five megathemes are revealed in the research, illustrated by artists challenged by Swarovski to design jewels based in the trends discovered. Sandy Leong Bloom Leaf Cuff Earrings 18K yellow gold PHOTO: COURTESY SANDY LEONG Mrs. T Jewels Caviar Line Tunnel Ring 18K gold, brown diamonds l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t PHOTO: COURTESY MRS. T JEWELS 42 Rina Limor Tassel Necklace Black spinel, Tahitian pearl, diamond PHOTO: COURTESY RINA LIMOR 2 CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Royal Asscher Stars of Africa Cufflinks 18K rose gold, floating diamonds in sapphire globes PHOTO: COURTESY ROYAL ASSCHER Royal Asscher Shining Stars Ring White ceramic ring, 18K yellow gold basket, floating yellow sapphires in sapphire globe PHOTO: COURTESY ROYAL ASSCHER Gina Pankowski Vertebrae Ring 18K gold, yellow and blue sapphires PHOTO: COURTESY GINA PANKOWSKI 1 NEW HORIZONS ZERO TO INFINITY ‹ Primal energies connect with the flow of today’s digital dynamism in a direction that explores the physical and metaphysical. Key materials include space age metals like titanium and palladium, and celestial gems like moonstone, pearl, opal, and star sapphire. Rock crystal, lapis, black diamond, hematite, and marcasite are also central. A range of astral colors with aluminum finishes and metallics prevail. Popular cuts include half-moon and sugarloaf cabochons, and designs embrace new takes on invisible and star settings, and styles that are adjustable in size and design, chakra balancing, and energizing. New technology enables ultra-contemporary conceptual design. new horizons how-to ‹› A new design scene is emerging that looks to Eastern Europe for inspiration in folkloric traditions and handicrafts, ancient pagan rituals and barren northern landscapes — a new Nordic jewelry. Key materials include wood, natural fibers, leather, and horn, as well as matte metals, geodes, drusy, and marcasite combined with transparent gems. Important are pigmented tones, patinas, and traces of aging. Cuts mimic geological formations and natural crystalline shapes; octahedrons and upside-down stones; and grain and organic mosaics. Styles embrace alternative ways of wearing jewelry like ear cuffs and head ornaments; hoop, chandelier, and long pendant earrings; chains, mala beads, and tassels; and armor-like ornaments including wide cuffs and thumb and archer rings. PAGE 46 ARCHER’S THUMB RING ABOVE Zaffiro Nebula Cuff Australian boulder opal, white diamonds, teal diamonds, 22K yellow gold, forged and oxidized sterling silver PHOTO: HAP SAKWA RIGHT Madstone Three Graces Ring White gold, rubies, diamonds PHOTO: COURTESY MADSTONE DESIGN September/October 2014 43 TRENDS 3 HOMAGE › A sumptuous celebration of the classics, this direction is inspired by the aesthetics of antiquity with a strong reference to its architecture. It offers a new perception of luxury with personal meaning that goes beyond connoisseurship. Key materials include emerald, ruby, and sapphire; and the metals of choice are rose gold and bronze. Classic cuts are prevalent, as well as cameo, intaglio, and gem carving; and popular styles embrace armor-like designs, talismans, jewels reinterpreting draperies, and body-conscious jewelry. Archways provide strong inspiration. Jewelry in this trend is dedicated to perfection in concept and craftsmanship, and it pays tribute to classical masters of style. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Madstone Persephone Ring Mythology Collection PHOTO: COURTESY MADSTONE DESIGN Rina Limor Sunrise Coin Collection Bracelet Sterling silver, coins PHOTO: COURTESY RINA LIMOR Zaffiro Etrusco Group Rings 22K yellow gold, forged and oxidized sterling silver, diamonds, assorted colored stones PHOTO: HAP SAKWA SEE MORE WORK their turn » PAGE 8 Costis Sea Life Net Necklace 18K yellow and white gold, sapphires, aquamarine, diamonds, coral l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t PHOTO: COURTESY COSTIS 44 4 CREATURES ‹› Nature meets science in this figurative design direction, juxtaposing natural and manmade materials in hybrid flora and fauna. Key elements include opalescent gems like opals and pearls; colored metals; juxtaposition of natural and manmade materials and rubber, acrylic, and ceramics, with enamel and lacquer chiefly for bangles. Colors are vibrant, acid-bright, and natural with fluorescent flavor. Cuts are organic, with a tendency for big gems encrusted with pavé. Design concepts embrace cascading effects, flora lacework, jungle couture, and arresting color and shape mixes. Favorite motifs include bugs of all species, succulent fruits, and electrified floral jewels. 5 INTIMATE SOCIAL & CULTURAL MEGATRENDS › Celebrating intimacy, memories, and feelings, this theme explores emotional design and its connection to the senses. This tendency has a preference for abstract, conceptual, and sensual minimalism. Translucent layers mix with dense opaque surfaces, rose gold, and gems like pearl, moonstone, opal, white agate, morganite, and champagne diamond. Textures are inspired by cosmetics, and influences come from sensual fabrics like silk and satin. A delicate palette of almost tinted colors is prevalent, and cuts are inspired by body curves — 2D cuts make a comeback. Attention is focused on the intimate relationship jewelry has with the body. Key styles include hand and body jewels, designs mixing fabrics with metals and gems, and message and perfume jewelry. Jane Bohan Pendant Sterling silver, 18K gold, tourmaline PHOTOS: COURTESY JANE BOHAN Bespoke Exclusivity: Creating more intimate experiences for shoppers, a return to the family jeweler. Replicator: Blending innovative high-tech processes like 3D printing, laser scanning, laser cutting, and welding with hand craftsmanship. Jane Bohan Cocktail Ring Sterling silver, 18K gold, blue chalcedony, diamond more about body conscious Costis Wave Ring 18K white gold, aquamarine, blue sapphires, diamonds Neuro Marketing: Refining the use, placement, and effect of colors, textures and scents in product and marketing development that appeal to multiple senses. Trends, Lapidary Journal Jewelery Artist, July 2014 > shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com PHOTO: COURTESY COSTIS Royal Asscher Fruit Pendant Bracelet 18K gold, diamond, emerald, ruby, pink sapphire PHOTO: COURTESY ROYAL ASSCHER Debranding: Switching off the stresses of our frantic lives through holistic well being, life balance, and slow luxury concepts. Sustainability: Moving toward greater transparency through “branded” gems like emeralds from the Muzo mines and the variety of stones by Swarovski. Millennial Consumers: Focusing on Gen Y luxury customers who by 2018 will have more purchasing power than any generation but the least brand loyalty. Interactive Storytelling: Creating emotional engagement with consumers through the interactive medium of video. Emerging Markets: Preparing for explosion in products and services from emerging markets for emerging markets, with focus on Russia, India, and Africa. Wearable Electronics: Developing intelligent accessories like smart watches, USB stick jewelry, and jewels imprinted with Instagram images (i.e., JewelGram). DEBORAH YONICK has been writing about jewelry and fashion trends for more than 20 years for trade and consumer publications and online, and has loved both for much longer! With roots in New York, she presently lives and works in York, PA. September/October 2014 45 GEM/JEWELRY PROJECT SKILLS • Metal fabrication • Stone setting • Lapidary TIME IT TOOK l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t About 30 hours over several weeks 46 Archer's Thumb Ring A deadly gem fit for a vampire slayer BY ROGER HALAS JEWELRY AND WEAPONRY make an unusual association, and yet there are such pieces. The archer’s ring is one. Western archery uses a three finger draw that excludes the thumb, but the Mongolian draw relies on a piece of leather, bone, metal, or some other material to protect the archer’s thumb as it draws back the bowstring. Historically, thumb rings were used in battle by the Mongols, the Chinese, the Huns, the Ottoman Turks, and my own central European ancestors, the Hungarians. Which brings me to our central theme: during the 15th century, a Hungarian king hired a prince named Vlad III to fight the Ottoman Empire; in the end, this led to his defeat at Poenari Castle. Centuries later, writer Bram Stoker popularized Vlad III as a supernatural villain in his novel Dracula. I have a habit of merging fact with fiction, so let us imagine a world where vampires are real and a wooden arrow fired through the heart would turn said beast into a pile of smoldering ashes. In this scenario, my archer’s thumb ring will have an appropriately Gothic flare to it, along with a distinctly religious look with which to battle those terrifying and insatiable forces of darkness. enter our CONTEST g Jewelrymakin / om .c ily da Gemmys M AT E R I A L S 1 piece of black jade or onyx 12 gauge sterling sheet 16 gauge sterling sheet 16 gauge round sterling wire 8 x 10 mm faceted red garnet 1 2 7 mm faceted red garnet Two 2.5 mm faceted round white sapphires Two 3.5 mm faceted round garnets Two 4 mm faceted round white sapphires TOOLS SOLDERING: torch setup, steel binding wire, yellow ochre HAND AND FABRICATION: jeweler’s OPENING PHOTO: JIM LAWSON; PROCESS PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ARTIST saw, anvil, ring mandrel, chain nose pliers, file set, nylon mallet, small forging hammer, curved stamp Cut and Carve the Stone Photo 1 Cut your black jade (or onyx) into this tapered shape. Add a curve at the bottom to fit the contour of the ring; this seat will prevent the stone from wobbling once set. Photo 2 So the stone doesn’t become just a cab, I used a diamond cutting wheel to carve grooves into the top. Now it looks like the back of an insect, or a trilobite, or some other manner of arthropod. The detailing here will make all the difference in the end. Photo 3 Use polishing compounds to smooth out the piece: 600 grit rounds everything off, 1200 and 3000 for refinement, 14,000 for a high shine. Then you’re done with the lapidary component of this project. 3 LAPIDARY: Lasco diamond carving heads and polishing compounds, flexible sanding and polishing pads FINISHING: Flex shaft, 400 and 600 grit sandpaper, bur setting set, 400 grit radial bristle brush, SETTING: painter’s tape, marking pen, beeswax, pitch bowl and steel punches OPTIONAL: band saw with laser guide SOURCES California Red Pitch and setting punches: Saign Charlestein Studios. Materials are top quality; pitch can be heated with a torch or even a hair dryer to make it suitable for work. For general supplies, see our Advertisers' Index, page 79. September/October 2014 47 4 5 6 7 9 learn lapidary BASIC CABOCHON CUTTING for Jewelry Makers WITH 8 MICHAEL BOYD Fabricate the Ring Photo 4 This piece can be made entirely Basic Cabochon Cutting for Jewelry Makers with Michael Boyd (video) Freeform Cabochon Cutting with Michael Boyd (video short) l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t > shop.jewelrymakingdaily. com 48 from scrap silver or new 12 gauge sterling from a supplier. I recycled, then used a piece of painter’s tape to mark the pattern for the archer’s thumb ring. The geometry should look like this. Photo 5 Cut out the pattern using your jeweler’s saw. Photo 6 An anvil is the best way to forge the base into a recognizable ring form. If you don’t have an anvil, clamp a ring mandrel in a vise and use a nylon hammer to forge it into shape. Photo 7 Bind the ring with steel wire, then solder it closed. Photo 8 Grind away any excess metal around the base of the ring so it fits perfectly against the intended thumb. Because everyone’s hands are shaped differently, an archer’s thumb ring must be customized to the user. That said, if you want to be an effective vampire hunter, your weapons need to be built for maximum efficiency – otherwise you might become the target. Make the Main Bezel and Wings Photo 9 Use your 12 gauge sheet to make a bezel for the jade. Cut a curve into the base so it conforms to the ring. Is this thick for a bezel? Yes, very 10 thick. But there is a solution to this that involves a hammer and a punch, you’ll see. Photo 10 Solder the bezel to the ring. Photo 11 This is where things become interesting. Historically, Vlad III was a member of a society called the Order of the Dragon, founded by King Sigismund of Hungary in 1408. Its purpose was to defend Christianity from its enemies, particularly the Ottoman Empire. To reflect this history, we will fashion a pair of wings that will embrace the carved black jade, much like the wings of the two cherubim seated atop the Ark of the Covenant. This will give the ring an otherworldly, majestic, almost magical look. 11 Historically, Vlad III was a member of a society called the Order of the Dragon, founded by King Sigismund of Hungary in 1408 to defend Christianity from its enemies. To reflect this history, fashion a pair of wings that will embrace the carved black jade much like the wings of the two cherubim seated atop the Ark of the Covenant. Photo 12 Using 16 gauge sheet, cut out two wings and two extra wing-like shapes that will flank the bezel. These will bulk up the sides and create a platform for the wings, helping them sit at an angle rather than straight up and down, which would look weird. Photo 13 Stamp a feather pattern into the wings. Photo 14 Cut out another smaller pair of secondary feathers, or coverts, and stamp and texture them. Then solder these to the primary wing feathers. Photo 15 Using a ring mandrel locked in a vise, forge a curve into those winglike pieces. Solder them onto the sides of the ring. Remember, these are seats for the wings, as well as extra detailing, which generally enhances the look of any piece. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Refine the Ring Photo 16 File notches across the top of the bezel. This serves two purposes: it adds detail and, more importantly, it makes the bezel easier to move than a solid setting would be, as it will work somewhat like a prong setting. Photo 17 Forge a slight curve into the wings. Make sure that the top edge sits flush against the bezel so when the solder runs it creates a solid join. Photo 18 Using chain nose pliers, take four lengths of 16 gauge wire, roughly 3 inches long each, and curl spirals into them. Insert them into the back of the ring, in those empty spaces between the wings and the bezel. Photo 19 Use 16 gauge sheet to make a bezel to fit the 8 x 10 faceted garnet. For consistency of design detail, cut notches in the top just like you did for the jade bezel. Photo 20 TIP: Many power saws have laser guides built into them, even September/October 2014 49 20 21 22 23 archer rings are in! PAGE 42 l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t TRENDS 50 cheaper saws, like this $100 SKIL band saw from Lowe’s. One way to find the center line of an organic shape such as this ring – which is comprised of some highly unconventional geometry – is to use this laser guide. That said, position the setting for the garnet as well as the two additional spirals that will flank it. Use beeswax to make everything adhere, and mark these target zones with a pen. This method is reliable and easier to calculate than fumbling with a straight edge. Photo 21 Solder the 8 x 10 bezel into place. Then, using yellow ochre, paint the front of the spirals to prevent the solder from flooding the details. If you do this correctly, the solder should make contact only with the shaft of the spiral and nowhere else. 24 SEE MORE WORK their turn » PAGE 8 Photo 22 For the bottom of the ring, which is actually the top when the ring is in use (to skewer the vampire, of course), we need something gemmy. To balance the color scheme, we’ll use that 7 mm red garnet. Make a bezel and notch it. Photo 23 To make sure that the 7 mm bezel fits right, lay a piece of 400 grit sandpaper over the curve of the ring, and run the bezel back and forth until the geometry matches. This method applies to any of the previous steps as well. Photo 24 Solder the 7 mm bezel in place. To ensure proper alignment, use the laser guide trick I showed you earlier. Photo 25 For the 8 x 10 setting, grind away the excess metal at the base of the bezel. 25 For setting stones, this is one of the most important processes you might ever learn: using a a steel punch and a forging hammer in a pitch bowl partially filled with lead gives you better control than a bezel pusher, which would be useless here. You need the force from a hammer to move that metal. 26 27 28 29 Set the Stones and Finish Photo 26 For setting stones, this is one of the most important processes you might ever learn. A pitch bowl is a heavy cast iron bowl that is filled with pine resin, i.e, pitch. I fill my bowl partially with lead to make it even heavier. So, with the ring buried in the pitch, the overall weight of this setup keeps everything from bouncing around from the multiple hammer strikes required to forge the metal against the stone. Using a steel punch and a forging hammer gives you better control than setting with a bezel pusher. In fact, here, a bezel pusher would be useless. You need the force from a hammer to move that metal. Photo 27 Cut seats for two 2.5 mm white sapphires that will go next to the 8 x 10 garnet; two seats for the 3.5 mm garnets that will go on the wings, seen here; and two seats for two 4 mm white sapphires that will go on the two wing-like seats under the wings. This all adds some flair to the piece, suitable for a superhero vampire hunter like you. Notice I didn’t mention myself. In my case, supervillain would be more appropriate. Photo 28 Use a stone setting punch to flush set the round faceted stones. Photo 29 Before polishing, I cover any stones with painter’s tape, then use 400 grit sandpaper to smooth out the details. This is a fast, efficient method that prepares the piece for the final polishing stage. One you’re satisfied with the results, switch to a 400 grit radial bristle brush, followed by rouge. Once complete, your archer’s thumb ring will be ready for battle. PHOTO: JIM LAWSON learn more from roger halas GEM/JEWELRY PROJECT SKILLS • Metal fabrication • Stone setting • Lapidary • Casting TIME IT TOOK Roughly 20 hours Phoenix Barrette Conjuring the immortal firebird BY ROGER HALAS 44 ROGER HALAS is a stone cutter, metalsmith and jewelry designer in Southern California. His clients range from the everyday person to performing artists working in film, television, and the music industry. He can be reached at rhalas@jungleintrigue.com. Phoenix Barrette (project) Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, July 2014 > shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com September/October 2014 51 JEWELRY PROJECT SKILLS • Sawing and fabrication • Annealing and balling wire • Riveting TIME IT TOOK 1 1⁄2 hours per ring Acrylic & Silver Stack Rings A mixed media rainbow for each finger or just one l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t BY LAUREL NATHANSON 52 AN EASIER WAY Make a rivet head without the torch; see page 54 I LOVE ACRYLIC SHEET: the range of colors it comes in, how easy it is to cut, and how much fun it is to combine with other materials. Using just a toaster oven, you can form acrylic into curves, such as the bands in these acrylic and silver rings. To make these rings, you’ll cut, file, sand, drill, and form the acrylic into bands and texture, drill, form, and patinate the silver, eventually riveting it to the plastic bands. I love stacking them and making them in every color of acrylic I can find! Design Start Acrylic. I was drawn to acrylic because of its wide range of bright colors but soon found that it shares many working properties with metal. I love taking the plastic and adapting metal techniques and tools to it. And did I mention — there are two shades of pink! M AT E R I A L S 2 ⅛” acrylic sheet in various colors 18 gauge sterling silver sheet 18 gauge sterling silver wire TOOLS HAND AND FABRICATION: Jewelers OPENING PHOTO: JIM LAWSON; PROCESS PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ARTIST saw and saw blades 1/0, Bur Life lubricant, texturing stamps and hammers, drill press, drill bits #60 and #55, center punch and anvil, wire cutters, chasing hammer, stepped ring mandrel, drill press vise 1 Lay Out the Band The following steps are for a ¼" high band, size 7.5. Different plastics suppliers have slightly different colors, and I purchase mine in 1 by 1 foot pieces. The acrylic can be scored and snapped into smaller pieces. To score, use a utility knife and a ruler. Create a deep groove, place score line face up at the edge of a table, and apply downward pressure to snap. Wear safety glasses. Photo 1 Keep the paper on both sides of the acrylic to assist in the layout, and to protect the sheet from scratches. Draw a line and use your jewelers saw to cut a 3 strip at ¼" high x 2¼" in length. Photo 2 On one side of the strip, draw a line ⅛" from the end. Place a dot centered on the line. Drill a hole using a #60 drill bit. Use plenty of lube each time you drill a hole through the plastic. TIP: Bring the lube up high onto the bit, not just on the tip. Photo 3 Preheat the toaster oven and baking sheet to 300˚F-325˚F. Place the ring mandrel standing up in a drill press vise. Get your thin leather gloves and your phone or a kitchen timer. Remove the paper backing from the acrylic strip and place it into the oven. Set the timer for 3 minutes. FINISHING: Various files, rough sanding disc or sand paper, wet/dry sandpaper 220-600 or sanding pads, liver of sulfur patina, pumice powder or steel wool SOLDERING: Smith Little Torch or other small tipped torch, third arm and tweezers OTHER: Toaster oven, timer, thin leather gloves, ruler, utility knife, safety glasses OPTIONAL: Circle draw plate, tapered ring mandrel SOURCES Acrylic sheet can be purchased from many sources on line. TAP Plastics is a favorite. Most of the tools and materials for this project will be available from well-stocked jewelry supply vendors, many of whom can be found in our Advertisers’ Index, page 79. September/October 2014 53 I was drawn to acrylic because of its wide range of bright colors but soon found that it shares many working properties with metal. I love taking the plastic and adapting metal techniques and tools to it. AN EASIER WAY No Little Torch? No problem! If you aren’t using that torch or if your wire ends are too big or are misformed, you can make a rivet head using a draw plate instead. Feed the wire into the snuggest hole of the draw plate and use a riveting hammer to flatten the ball into a small flat head. You can also file the head to make it rounder and cleaner. enter our CONTEST l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t g Jewelrymakin daily.com/ Gemmys 54 ARM RAINBOWS Expand your scale and you can create acrylic and silver bracelets to wear singly or in a stack. PHOTO: JIM LAWSON 4 5 Photo 4 The strip will be very malleable but only for a few seconds, so you have a pretty short window of time to get the strip curved. With your gloves on, bring the strip to the mandrel at the size 6.5 step with the seam facing towards you. Press and hold the band in place until the plastic cools. Make sure to really press down at the two ends so they are very snug against the mandrel. TIP: If you are not satisfied with your curve, you can put it back into the oven. It will completely re-open, and then you can start the curving process again. Texture the Silver Using a jewelers saw or table shear, cut a silver strip ¼" high by ¾" in length. Using a Sharpie or a scribe, draw a line ⅛" in on both ends of the strip. Photo 5 Use a center punch to create 6 starter holes midway on the lines, then drill using a #60 drill bit. Sand the silver and texture it to your liking. Photo 6 Anneal the silver. Using a larger size on your stepped mandrel, curve the silver piece until it lies nicely on top of your preformed plastic. NOTE: The plastic can be filed a bit on the top to ensure that the silver piece lies nicely. Riveting Photo 7 Now, we make the rivets. Cut two ¾" pieces of 18 gauge silver wire. Place one in a third arm. Use a smalltipped torch to ball one end: the smaller, the ball the better. Then, ball a second wire. You can also use a draw plate instead of a torch, see page 54. Photo 8 To mark the second hole in the plastic, align the silver strip with the plastic strip and insert one of the rivets through the holes. Squeeze the acrylic band until the second silver hole overlaps the plastic at approximately ⅛" from the end. Use a Sharpie through the hole to mark the plastic. Photo 9 Remove the silver strip. Drill through the plastic using a #60 drill bit. TIP: I drill very slowly to ensure that I stay on my dot. Replace the #60 with a #55 drill bit and redrill through both holes in the acrylic. Do not drill back through your silver holes. Put both parts back together and place the rivets through all holes. 7 VARY IT There are so many ways to vary this design. Here are a few to get you started — then have fun exploring your own possibilities. • Try sweat soldering a 8 LAUREL NATHANSON is an artist, jeweler, and high school jewelry shop teacher from Northern California. Her jewelry line, Sugarcoat, combines her roots as a jeweler with her passion for pattern and surface design. You can see more of her work at laurelnathanson.com. • Make your central silver piece a circle instead of a rectangle • Try copper or anodized aluminum. Have fun exploring different possibilities! Finishing Photo 10 Use figure 8 movements on the rough sandpaper on each side of the ring, so that the edges of the metal and plastic are flush and smooth. Remove all parts. Photo 11 Using sandpaper or sanding blocks, clean up the surface and edges of the plastic. Use liver of sulfur to oxidize the silver piece. I go to very dark, then remove the patina from the raised areas with pumice or steel wool, leaving it dark in the texture. NOTE: Acrylic can be submerged into liver of sulfur, so if you want, you can rivet the rings together first, then drop the whole thing into the patina. Photo 12 Feed the rivet wires from the inside of your ring to the outside. Place the ring onto the tapered mandrel and cut the wire so that its exposed height is the thickness of a piece of 16 gauge sheet. Lightly tap your rivet wires with the rounded end of the chasing hammer to create your rivet heads. shape onto your silver 9 SEE MORE WORK their turn » PAGE 8 10 11 12 September/October 2014 55 FACETS news & product innovations NAJA DESIGN COMPETITION The Naja Tool & Supply recently announced the winners of its 8th annual design competition. The contest is intended to award excellence within the Colorado jewelry and metal artist community, and prizes are award in both Pro/Am and Student categories. The theme of the 2014 competition was “Buckles.” 1st Place, Pro/Am Lee Westover PHOTO: COURTESY THE NAJA TOOL & SUPPLY MORE AT NAJATOOLS.COM FAR LEFT 2nd Place, Pro/Am Tim Burnham LEFT 3rd Place, Pro/Am (tie) Judy Brown BELOW 3rd Place, Pro/Am (tie) Tyler Johnson l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t PHOTOS: COURTESY THE NAJA TOOL & SUPPLY 56 1st Place, Student Amy Mower PHOTO: COURTESY THE NAJA TOOL & SUPPLY We've expanded the deadline! Because of the quality of submissions we've received, you now have until November 14 to submit your entries fo the Gemmys, a new competition sponsored by Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. The contest is open to metalsmiths, gem cutters, and other jewelry artists and is an opportunity to showcase your designs for jewelry, metal objects, gems, and jewelry or gem sets or suites. You must execute the new from... designs yourself or with others. The designs will be judged on visual appeal and impact, originality, execution, and (for jewelry) wearability. Winners will be published in the 2015 Gemstones Annual. For complete contest rules and to enter, visit jewelrymakingdaily.com/ Gemmys. Remember: the final deadline is November 14, 2014. So send your designs in today! SPECIAL INTEREST PUBLICATION Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist: Making Soldered Jewelry forge wire CAGES 3D capture STONE, GLASS and FOUND and other forms OBJECTS for JEWELRY MAKING BOOKS Unexpected Findings: 50+ Clever Jewelry Designs Featuring Everyday Components By Michelle Mach PROJECT/ARTICLE COMPILATIONS FORGE WIRE CAGES AND OTHER 3D FORMS FOR JEWELRY MAKING: CAPTURE STONE, GLASS AND FOUND OBJECTS 10 Stunning Gemstone Jewelry Projects From the Editors of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist WITH SUSAN LENART KAZMER With Susan Lenart Kazmer Trailblazing metalsmith Susan Lenart Kazmer shares her signature wireworking techniques in this workshop focused on wire cages and other dimensional ways to use wire in jewelry. Showcase found objects, add an organic look, and achieve motion in your designs with Susan’s creative ideas. VIDEOS Further Explorations in Jewelry Enameling: Kiln Fired Liquid Enamel and Sgratffito With Susan Lenart Kazmer Texturing with Hammers With Bill Fretz TOOLS Fretz Tools Wubber Tools > more at shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com September/October 2014 57 FACETS OOPS! This sterling silver link from the 100 for One Links CERF benefit reported on in the July issue is the work of Linda Ricci, who was identified by her pseudonym instead. PHOTO: COURTESY A HUNDRED FOR ONE REVERE ACADEMY CAD CLASS l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t The Revere Academy will offer a beginning CAD class as part of its Summer/Fall 2014 Open Session. This 5-day class introduces the basic tools and functions of 3DESIGN, a very popular CAD program for jewelers. Participants will learn how to design original jewelry projects and then create photorealistic pictures for website display, catalog and professional portfolios. The CAD-created designs are printable into 3D models for lost wax casting Revere faculty member Vasken Tanielian will teach the class. 58 MORE AT REVEREACADEMY.COM Vasken Tanielian Rings CAD Renderings COMING IN NOVEMBER Nancy Blair Fused Silver Bracelet PHOTO: NANCY BLAIR • • • • Padparadscha sapphire Fused silver bracelet Faux Fabergé pendant Wire tools PHOTOS: COURTESY REVERE ACADEMY NEWS TO SHARE? ? Facets accepts news and images of new products, innovations, industry happenings, and events as space permits. Share your news by sending items to: KRosenbusch@interweave. com; or Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, 88 Glocker Way, #299, Pottstown, PA 19465. Please be sure to indicate “Facets” on the subject line or envelope. Shows of Integrity Show Schedule A Whole World off Fine PEARLS Gem, Mineral, Jewelry & Bead Shows Kansas City, MO All Kinds of Better Natural Stone BEADS Oct 31st - Nov 1, 2, 2014 36th Annual Fall Show Kansas City International Exhibit Hall Laughlin, Nevada 2200 Casino Dr All Sorts off Calibrated Better C January 15-22, 2015 Kansas City, MO March 13, 14, 15, 2015 54th Annual Association Show GEMSTONES Kansas City International Exhibit Hall Overland Park, KS June 5, 6, 7, 2015 9th Annual Show Overland Park Convention Center Wholesale Only Trade Gold & Silver, Fine jewelry, Pearl, Beads, Fossils, Amber, Opal, Cabochon, Mineral Specimens, Carvings, Rings, Diamonds, Emerald, Necklaces, Bracelets, Watches Useful Jewelry & Beading TOOLS 6WDFKXUD:KROHVDOHFRP Your Trusted Supplier since 1955 -RVHSK36WDFKXUD&R,QF Terry James - Shows of Integrity 18362 S Hwy 78, Leonard, TX 75452 Phone/Fax 903-587-2543 Cell 903-815-5957 www.showsofintegrity.com 435 Quaker Highway, Rt. 146A Uxbridge, MA 01569-1602 T: 508.278.6525 F: 508.278.9458 Love this magazine? Then you’ll love our free community for anyone interested in creating handmade jewelry! Whether you’re new to jewelry making, looking to learn advanced technique, or are simply interested in sharing, learning, and being inspired, this is the place for you! Get started with a free eBook download and sign up for free: www.JewelryMakingDaily.com/Free-eBooks September/October 2014 59 ASK THE EXPERTS questions, answers, & tips By Tom & Kay Benham, contributing editors PATINA ON COPPER Q How can I achieve the brown patina shown on the copper sunflower in Their Turn in the December 2012 issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist? Lydia Bruins Dordrecht, Netherlands A This is the process that works best for us. First, clean all surfaces of the metal with a brass brush and dishwashing detergent (we use Dawn), taking care to handle the cleaned piece by the edges to eliminate any fingerprints on the metal surfaces. We mix enough room-temperature, distilled water to cover the piece(s) to be colored with a drop or two of gel liver of sulfur (LOS) in a glass bowl. Stir with copper tongs to mix. Using the copper tongs, swish the piece in the LOS solution, rinsing and brass brushing with detergent between dips. We apply 4 or more layers of the patina to create a depth of color. Once we are pleased with the patina, we dry and set the piece aside. Apply Renaissance wax and buff. As you will note, this is not an exact science. We often clean a scrap of metal as a test subject to see if the solution is at the desired strength. Using the solution at room temperature slows down the patination, allowing the colors to develop slowly. Sometimes we use the brass brush between dippings, and sometimes we dip a finger into a paste of fine pumice and water or use a piece of fine steel wool to create highlights. It is most important that the metal is free from any fingerprint oils, which can impede the process. We feel we get more repeatable patinas using distilled water so we are not introducing unknown chemicals into the mix. It must be said that applying wax or spray will not permanently prevent oxidation of the copper, but they will slow down the process. TIPS|Chasing and Repoussé l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t We love these twin techniques and have taught them in workshops many times. Here are some of the tips we’ve put together for those sessions. 60 • If you are right-handed, you will always work the pattern from left to right; left-handed individuals will always work right to left. The logic is that the hand holding the tool does not obscure the line of sight to the front edge of the tool. • Hold the chasing hammer in your dominant hand to guide the chasing tool held in your non-dominant hand and lightly outline the pattern. Elevate your elbow so your lower arm and hand are on a straight line. Grasp the hammer lightly, flexing your wrist to allow the hammer to hit the top of the chasing tool gently and to rhythmically move the tool along the pattern. lows the tool to walk in the direction of travel. • A light touch with the hammer is all that is needed; you don’t need to do all the work in one pass; you just want to maintain control so you keep the chasing tool on the pattern, creating a smooth chased line. • Illuminate the pattern with a task light; if you can’t see the line, you can’t chase it. Keep your eye on the leading tip of the tool to follow the pattern, look where you are going rather than where you have been. As you gain experience, you will realize that you can steer the tool by slighting twisting it ever so slightly, nudging the leading edge to follow the pattern. • Try to keep your lines clean and smooth to avoid making double lines. We find our liner tools move smoother when lubricated ever so slightly, with a drop of mineral oil, beeswax, or the ever reliable nose oil. • On the first pass, the chasing tool should be held perpendicular to the surface of the metal, slightly tilted back from the direction of travel so that approximately ¾of the bottom edge of the tool is in contact with the metal. This position al- • Make the second pass using the same liner tool to make the lines a little deeper and more defined. The second pass is a planishing pass that irons out any choppy marks from the first pass. Hold the tool vertical, front to back and left to right, as you smooth and deepen the chased line. With the tool flat in the bottom of the groove, it will not automatically walk forward, so you must apply a slight amount of pressure to keep it moving. Don’t forget to keep the tool lubricated. Once you’ve worked the pattern a second time, it will be visible on the reverse side of the metal; the scored lines of the pattern will insure crisp bends in the metal during repoussé. • Do not clutch the chasing tool too tightly — this prevents the tool from moving forward. If the tips of your fingers and thumb look white or are getting numb, you are holding the tool too tightly. Relax! • Keep a light touch on the hammer. A gently, rhythmical tapping is what is needed. TIPS| Avoid Fire Scale with Prip’s Over the years we’ve received inquiries from metalsmiths seeking a quick, easy, and safe method for removing fire stain also known as fire scale from silver jewelry. Unfortunately, there is no quick or easy way to remove fire scale: the process demands sanding and polishing away the discolored layers of silver, and that takes time. The best solution is not allowing fire scale to form in the first place. The modern way to achieve this is by changing over to one of the new no- or low-tarnish silvers such as Argentium® sterling silver, but these new products may not be for everyone. They have their own peculiarities and require a learning curve and higher cost. The commercial jewelry industry prevents fire scale by soldering in special furnaces that provide oxygen- free/ inert gas atmospheres that ensure no oxide layers will form — but this solution is really out of reach for home studio jewelry makers. However, a time-honored method used by traditional silversmiths is also the cheapest and easiest process. A home studio user can encase and shield their metal with a glass-like flux barrier coating to prevent oxygen from reaching the hot metal and reacting to create discoloring oxide layers. The most common material used to provide this barrier coating is a borax-based paste flux commonly used in silver soldering procedures, which works to some extent. It is difficult to obtain a smooth, consistent coating with paste flux, though, and an uneven or spotty layer will result in blotches of fire scale that can result a very difficult cleanup and polishing job. In the middle of the last century a very talented silversmith, artist, and teacher named John Prip was given credit for popularizing a formula of boric acid, borax, and TSP (trisodium phosphate) mixed in water. The mixture can be sprayed on the warm silver to create a white coating that protects the metal from oxygen, thus preventing fire scale. Besides the original water-based solution, we’ve seen numerous variations of the basic formula using that are both water- and alcohol-based. Some jewelers swear by Prips solution, while others have no success whatsoever with it. So we asked ourselves: what’s the real story? What’s the proper formula for a Prips soldering flux solution that works consistently from batch to batch? We started our investigation by looking at the original formula for Prips flux solution, which is: boric acid, 150 gm; borax, 100gm; trisodium phosphate 100gm. To create the solution, boil ingredients in a quart of distilled water until dissolved. If you need more water, add some; the concentration is not as important as the ratio of the three chemicals. If the solution crystalizes, slowly warm it ASK THE EXPERTS VIA JEWELRY MAKING DAILY ? Send your questions and tips to: jewelrymakingdaily.com/asktheexperts (Send snail mail to: Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Attn.: Ask the Experts, 88 Glocker Way #299, Pottstown, PA 19465.) Please include your full name and where you live. Answers and tips will appear in print with more online. again. This flux is a popular protection against fire scale. To build a thick glassy coat, warm the work slightly and quench it in Prips solution. Repeat several times. An alternative is to warm the work, then spritz solution from a spray bottle. Again, several applications are recommended. The resulting glassy skin is waterproof, so it can be sustained throughout several solderings if you quench in water only, but it will dissolve in hot pickle. One of the problems with alcoholbased fluxes is that alcohol is a poor solvent for boric acid. It will dissolve only about 2% by weight of the boric acid, so many layers of dipping are required to build up a proper layer. To speed evaporation, a torch is often used to burn off the alcohol. An open container of an alcohol-based Prips for dipping and the open flame of the torch, though, can lead to a dangerous fire. Spraying the alcoholbased Prips around an open flame is like waving around a small flame thrower. We use water-based Prips solution with the 3-2-2 ratio of chemicals and use a torch to warm the metal and evaporate the water. You can use a spray bottle to disperse the water-based material onto the warm metal with no danger of fire. The only major problem is that the sprayer quickly becomes clogged with crystals so it must be flushed out often with hot water. May the flux be with you! September/October 2014 61 TOOL CRAFT MORE THAN 5000 STONE SETTINGS IN STOCK. GIVE US A CALL. Love this magazine? Then you’ll love our free community for anyone interested in creating handmade jewelry! Ru-Mart • VICTORIAN STYLE METAL STAMPINGS • UNIQUE OLD WORLD QUALITY • ANTIQUE DIES 767 HARTFORD AVENUE, JOHNSTON, RI USA 02919 TOOL CRAFT, INC. 401.521.9630 Fax 401.521.6502 RU-MART, INC. 401.421.3055 Fax 401.272.2618 l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t WEBSITE: www.toolcraftrumart.com 62 E-MAIL: toolcraftrumart@aol.com Whether you’re new to jewelry making, looking to learn advanced technique, or are simply interested in sharing, learning, and being inspired, this is the place for you! Get started with a free eBook download and sign up for free: www.JewelryMakingDaily.com/Free-eBooks Rocky’s Hauling in More Great Deals at... Eloxite Corp. “Your Complete Jewelry Craft & Lapidary Supply House!” ESTABLISHED IN 1955 PLATE LIKE A PRO! $ 379 25-Amp Rectifier Order # PMA1025 t 1SFDJTJPODPOUSPMUP PGBWPMUPSBNQ t-FTTUIBOSJQQMF JOWPMUBHFPVUQVU t -FBEXJSFTJODMVEFE ,SPIO(SBN 3IPEJVNTPME TFQBSBUFMZ 99 $ Super Below List Prices on: Findings Galore & Buckles (nearly all USA made), Wire & Wire Wrapping Supplies, Cabs, Beads, Tools, Gift Items, Lapidary Equipment & Tools, Jeweler’s Tools, and much, much more! Call, write, or fax for your FREE 108 PHONE 307-322-3050 PAGE CATALOG FULL OF OVER 3000 or write: Eloxite Corp. Dept. 7; 806 10th Street items at WELL BELOW LIST PRICES! Wheatland, WY 82201 Order # RHD600 7% discount on $250 orders when paying by COD or net 10 days. 4% discount when paying by credit card. 800.527. 4490 t roseco.com ORDER SECURELY ONLINE at www.eloxite.com September/October 2014 63 Guilded Lynx Metal Clay Leaves by Hadar Jacobson Jewelry & Metal Arts Studio & School “Where your true metal shines!” Guilded Lynx welcomes these instructors for Fall 2014 • Paulette Werger • Cindy Eid • Anne Havel • Barbara Minor • Karen Christians 458 Main St., Ridgefield, CT 06877 info@guildedlynx.com • 203.431.2400 www.guildedlynx.com facebook.com/guildedlynx Two-toned Turkish Bracelet by Joyce Tromp Angled Red Jasper Pendant by Lexi Erickson Free eBook from Jewelry Making Daily How to Make Jewelry: 3 Handcrafted Projects Download your Free eBook now at: jewelrymakingdaily.com/3HandcraftedJewelryProjects l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t Love this magazine? 64 Then you’ll love our free community for anyone interested in creating handmade jewelry! Whether you’re new to jewelry making, looking to learn advanced technique, or are simply interested in sharing, learning, and being inspired, this is the place for you! Get started with a free eBook download and sign up for free: www.JewelryMakingDaily.com/Free-eBooks The Denver School of Metal Arts William Holland School of Lapidary Arts 321 W. Ben White Blvd, Suite 204 Austin, TX 78704 Ph. (512) 799-0731 info@creativeside.org www.creativeside.org Offering classes from beginner to advanced, Creative Side is the top jewelry crafting school in Central Texas. Private classes and studio rentals are easy to book and cater to individual or group needs. Courses vary each semester from Introduction to Jewelry Making to our Master's Series. We feature workshops including Forged Together where couples melt, pour and form their own fine metal wedding rings and Teen Summer Camps that introduce metalsmithing techniques to budding artisans in a safe and creative environment. We are also the only facility currently holding Argentium Instructor Certification training. Visit our website to learn more today. 6810 N. Broadway, Unit L Denver, CO 80221 Ph. (303) 428-3162 mail@metalartschool.com www.metalartschool.com The Denver School of Metal Arts offers a variety of creative metalsmithing classes for both novice and experienced students. Classes are taught by knowledgeable jewelry artists and teachers, who provide a stimulating environment in which small classes and excellent facilities allow students to take their metalsmithing to the next level. Offering year-round metal art jewelry classes, weekend workshops, and summer intensive courses. Some classes include silversmithing (all levels), PMC, enameling, dichroic glass, and many more. Conveniently located next to Naja Tool and Supply, Inc. to accommodate all the tools jewelry students need. PO Box 980, 230 Lapidary Ln. Young Harris, GA 30582 Ph. (706) 379-2126 lapidary@windstream.net www.lapidaryschool.org We offer classes in beading, cabochons, silver, gold, wire wrappings, glass beadmaking, chain making, channel, faceting, gem ID, mineral ID, intarsia, glass fusing, opals, silver clay casting, jewelry repair, and gem trees, from April–October each year. Check out our website. Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts Florida Society of Goldsmiths (FSGNE) Studio 760 Market St., Ste. 900 San Francisco, CA 94102 Ph. (415) 391-4179 info@revereacademy.com www.revereacademy.com Take your jewelry to the next level! The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in downtown San Francisco offers professional instruction for students at all levels. State-of-the-art jewlery studios feature live close-up video camera and wide-screen TVs so students can see every detail. Short, intensive, weekend classes in Design, Fabrication, Argentium, Clasps, Polishing, Wax, Casting, Setting, Diploma programs, and more. Teaching the art of metal and so much more. Downtown Historic District in Artisan Alley, Deland, Florida info@fsgne.com www.FSGNE.com Our chapter is one of 7 in the State of Florida, non-profit and run by volunteers. We invite all to join, to participate and share in all phases of jewelry making classes held at our studio. The website is regularly updated with new information on classes. Tom & Kay Benham are our resident “Ask the Experts” and are often found teaching a class. Watch our website for information regarding our 18th Annual Winter Workshop at the Atlantic Center in New Smyrna Beach. Join us for 5 full days of hands on study with 5 accomplished instructors in January, 2014 Clear Creek Academy of Jewelry and Metal Arts 3648 Navajo St. Denver, CO 80211 Ph. (303) 429-1401 Fax: (303) 650-4714 info@clearcreekacademy.com www.clearcreekacademy.com Clear Creek Academy offers classes, intensives and workshops in silversmithing, goldsmithing, lapidary, forging and forming, casting and wax carving, stone setting, PMC, enameling, jewelry photography and more. Quality private or group instruction, flexible scheduling, small class sizes, and excellent facilities and equipment. We also have a student gallery to show and sell your work. Jewelry Creations Workshop Ph. (305) 610-6560 info@JewelryCreationsWorkshop.com www.JewelryCreationsWorkshop.com Jewelry Creations Workshop is the place to begin your artistic journey into the world of jewelry making. Small classes assure the special attention you need to explore your creative potential. We offer instruction to accommodate all levels of ability and interest. Morning, afternoon, and evening classes available, 6 days a week. Located in southern Florida. focus on... education Creative Side Jewelry Academy of Austin North Bennet Street School 150 North St. Boston, MA 02109 Ph. (617) 277-0155 info@nbss.edu www.nbss.edu We teach time-honored skills, ideas, and values of fine craftsmanship through intensive hands-on training. Learn to fabricate jewelry in silver, gold, platinum and palladium and practice at a dedicated bench. Choose from the two-year professional bench jewelry program or shorter workshops and master classes. Studio JSD 311 N. 7th Street Grand Haven, MI 49417 Ph. (616) 607-2470 www.studiojsd.com Students at Studio JSD are encouraged to develop their unique style as they learn fundamentals in jewelry fabrication. Schedules include multiweek class sessions, studio intensives, technical classes and visiting artist workshops. Our guests enjoy a large, fully equipped jewelry studio, small class sizes and professional instructors, located near the sandy shores of beautiful Lake Michigan. Visit the website for current program schedule including special workshops with Richard Salley, Michael David Sturlin and Julie Sanford! Quench Jewelry Arts, LLC 681 17th. Ave. NE, Suite #100 Minneapolis, MN 55413 www.quenchjewelryarts.com Broad range of jewelry classes & workshops for all ages and skill levels. Metalsmithing, stone setting, wax carving, casting, enamel, metal clay & more. Creative and inviting atmosphere in the heart of the NE Mpls Arts District. September/October 2014 65 EXCLUSIVE OFFER now at InterweaveStore.com ENJOY 10% OFF educational products, resources, projects and more – enter code JEWELRYPUB10 at check-out and save 10% off select products. SAVE 10% Off Your Next Purchase No minimum order and no end date. From the same great providers of education, articles and inspiration you experience reading Jewelry Artist, check out InterweaveStore.com/jewelry and save now! Promo Code Exclusions Apply: Your special discount/coupon code will allow you to take 10% OFF many (not all) of the items you Įnd at InterweaveStore.com/jewelry. Your discount/coupon code is not valid for purchasing giŌ cards, subscripƟons, pre-orders, value packs, VIP memberships, or items that ship directly from manufacturers. Discounts cannot be applied to previous purchases. Valid for one use per customer only. Other exclusions may apply. 3200 Mercantile Ct. Santa Fe, NM 87507 Ph. (800) 659-3835 Instructor Ph. (505) 400-3274 www.sfjs.net Comprehensive Jeweler’s Journeyman Program: training in basic and advanced techniques in Stone Setting, Wax Carving, Casting, Soldering, and Repair. 300 classroom hours over a sixteen week period. Add vibrant color to your pieces with Basic or Advanced Enameling classes with Bob. SFJS now offers a complete line of enamels and enameling tools as the newest distributor for Thompson Enamels. Taos School of Metalsmithing and Lapidary Design PO Box 3005 Taos, NM 87571 Ph. (575) 758-0207 mndesigns@msn.com www.taosjewelryschool.com Taos Jewelry School offers beginning through advanced classes in jewelry and lapidary design throughout the year taught by internationally recognized designer Marilynn Nicholson, known for her unusual techniques in cutting and setting stones, and innovative designs for catches and mechanisms. Individual and small classes emphasize personal attention in an artistically stimulating atmosphere. diamonds, detect substitutes and treatments with our intensive, 16–hour hands-on courses. Seminars on opal, jade, metals, geology, fine timepieces, antique, and period jewelry with industry experts. Teaching jewelers and the public since 1978. Affiliated with American Gem Society ICGA laboratory NGL. focus on... education Santa Fe Jewelers Supply/ Bob Hazeltine Instructor The Ranch Center for Arts & Craft 12825 127th Ave. SE Snohomish, WA 98290 Ph. (360) 568-7709 Randi@ArtatTheRanch.com www.ArtatTheRanch.com Also on Facebook & Crafthaus Located on 5 secluded acres just a few minutes north of Seattle, The Ranch offers an exceptional learning experience in a variety of media. Our focus: small classes, brilliant instructors. Coming in 2014: Ford Hallam, Valentin Yotkov, Barbara Minor, Alison Antleman, Chris Nelson, Megan Corwin, Michael Marx, Mary Hettsmanberger, Gail Nelson, Betty Helen Longhi, Deb Karash, Wanaree Tanner, Fred Zweig, Jennifer Stenhouse, Ray Cover, Jana Roberts Benson, Holly Gage, Robert Ebendorf, and more. Craft Guild of Dallas 5100 Belt Line Road, #400 Dallas, TX 75254 Ph: (972) 490-0303 info@craftguildofdallas.com www.craftguildofdallas.com The Craft Guild offers jewelry and metalsmithing courses in state-of-the-art studios. Learn fabrication, wax carving/ casting, stone setting, fold-forming, PMC and beading. Glass courses include lampworking and fusing. In addition to year-round beginning to advanced classes and workshops, we offer master workshops taught by renowned artists. Metal Clay Leaves by Hadar Jacobson Trade School for Bench Jewelers Two-toned Turkish Bracelet by Joyce Tromp Angled Red Jasper Pendant by Lexi Erickson Free eBook How to Make Jewelry: 3 Handcrafted Projects Northwest Gemological Institute, LLC 10801 Main St., #105 Bellevue, WA 98004 Ph. (425) 455-0985 Fax: (425) 454-3088 registrar@nwgem.com www.nwgem.com Learn to identify gemstones, grade Download your Free eBook now at: jewelrymakingdaily.com/ 3HandcraftedJewelryProjects Four Month Jewelry Course 1- 800-309-7540 Portland, Oregon www.JewelersSchool.org ajiinfo@comcast.net A Paragon digital kiln that fuses glass, anneals beads, and fires silver clay Paragon’s affordable SC-2 jewelry kiln also fires enameling and decals. Shown is optional bead door and glass viewing window. Fires rapidly up to 2000°F on 120 volts. 8” wide, 7 ¾” deep, 5 ¾” high interior. Precision 8-segment electronic controller stores 4 custom programs. Included are 2 instruction manuals totaling 44 pages. Kiln ships by UPS. Certified by TUV to CSA and UL safety standards. Call or email for a free catalog. Paragon Industries, L.P. / 2011 S. Town East Mesquite, Texas 75149 800-876-4328 / Fax 972-222-0646 info@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com September/October 2014 67 nothing is as rewarding as creating your own jewelry Our free jewelry making community celebrates all things jewelry with detailed instructions, inspiration, and helpful tips from other successful jewelry artists. Whether you’re new to jewelry making, looking to learn advanced techniques, or are simply interested in sharing, learning, and being inspired, this is the place for you! Get started with a FREE jewelry techniques download and sign up for free! www.JewelryMakingDaily.com/Free-eBooks Join expert metalsmith and gem artist Michael Boyd and learn one of his signature techniques: stone on stone settings. Take a fundamental skill to the next level with this instructional video workshop as you uncover important tips for creating custom fit bezels, drilling holes in your stones successfully, and mounting gems atop larger ones. Start learning this stone setting technique at: shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com/StoneonStone Make your metal THREE-DIMENSIONAL with micro shell forming! Manipulate and move metal with steps for this technical skill. Join acclaimed metalsmith Andrea HarvinKennington for her video workshop that uncovers important steps, materials, and considerations for successfully learning micro shell forming. Discover how to curve metal in the same direction and create small synclastic forms efficiently. Then, examine how metal moves in opposing directions and make breathtaking anticlastic forms. Once you master the techniques, learn how to layer them in beautiful floral-themed jewelry designs. Metalsmith Essentials: Shell Forming For Jewelry Making with Hammers and Stakes with Andrea Harvin-Kennington Workshop Video 106 minutes Learn about micro shell forming today at: shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com/ShellForming GIVE YOUR METAL JEWELRY A COAT OF MANY COLORS Discover this must-have metalsmithing book featuring more than 300 metal patina samples! Explore application techniques including immersion, brush application, spraying, fuming, layering, using resists, hot and cold applications and more. Recipes and methods are for a variety of metals including copper, brass, bronze, silver and steel and are neatly organized by metal for ease of reference. Go beyond heat and liver of sulfur at: shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com/Patina Patina: 300 Surface Effects for Jewelers & Metalsmiths Matt Rufola QBHFTtYt DISCOVER Michael David Sturlin’s organization tips and effective tool tricks! In Michael’s words, “The time we spend looking for tools could be spent using the tools instead.” Join successful goldsmith Michael David Sturlin for his video workshop dedicated to creating a successful jewelry workshop atmosphere and effectively using jewelry tools in smart ways. Begin by learning easy common ways to expertly store your tools that can help keep your workspace clean, tidy, and efficient. Then, discover how bench pins, blocks, pliers, hammers, and mandrels can be used to customize your workspace to fit your size, strength, dominant hand, and jewelry-making tasks. 4MIZVMNÅKQMV\\WWT\QX[IVLM`XMZ\\MKPVQY]M[I\" shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com/BenchOrganization Manipulate mokumé gané Explore carving techniques for creating customized patterns in stock metal Get a look into the creative and expressive art of mokumé gané patterning as you join expert metalsmith Chris Ploof for this instructional workshop DVD. Discover ways to pattern mokumé gané including twisting, carving, and hammering unique shapes and designs. Plus, with up-close shots and multiple examples of each technique, you’ll see which patterns you can achieve with each technique. Start creating your own designer metal at: shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com/AdvancedMokumeGane Saw like a pro! Dive into the fundamentals for working with this important tool Join award-winning goldsmith and jewelry artist Michael David Sturlin for this workshop packed with helpful information on the jeweler’s saw. Learn how to turn the main obstacles of sawing into your greatest strengths! Begin with sawing a straight line, and before long you’ll progress to curves, stairs, peaks, waves, spirals, and beyond. Launch into your new dimension of jewelry making at: shop.jewelrymakingdaily.com/JewelrySaw SETTING FANCY STONES L M T I M :M^ ;M\W^ITXMIZUIZY]Q[MIVL[Y]IZM[\WVM[ MNÅKQMV\Ta_Q\P[\MXJa[\MXLMUWV[\ZI\QWV Join jewelry artist Ann Cahoon as she helps you expand your stone-setting skills with this DVD about how to set fancy stones. Intimidated by square-shaped stones? Begin with ovals, and then graduate to one-pointed pears, two-pointed marquises, and finally fourpointed squares, building on the techniques and skills you have learned as you go. =VKW^MZ\PM[MKZ]KQIT\MKPVQY]M[I\" [PWXRM_MTZaUISQVOLIQTaKWU.IVKa;\WVM;M\\QVO NOW AVAILABLE! CLASSIFIEDS RATES AND INSTRUCTIONS: Minimum 25 words. $2.30 per word for one-time insertions. Bold ad with frame $12.50 extra per insertion; Gold highlight extra $20 per insertion. For an additional charge of $15.00 per month, print ads will also appear on our web-site. Payment required by closing for first-time and international advertisers. Visa & MasterCard accepted. Call Stephanie Griess at 877-613-4630, or e-mail: sgriess@inter weave.com. Closing Date: 60 days ahead of issue. Late copy will be run in next issue unless otherwise instructed. Visit us on the web at: www.jewelryartist magazine.com. CUSTOM MANUFACTURING & DESIGN WE HAVE 40 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN VOLUME JEWELRY PRODUCTION. We use de-oxidized sterling silver alloy, never firescale! Metals used include de-ox silver, de-ox 10, 14, 18k gold, deoxidized yellow bronze, silicon bronze, and white bronze. Our special processing is cast and tumble only or mechanical finish or complete hand finish, ensuring a quality product. We are experts in mold making in silicon and latex rubbers. We provide small runs or up to 1,000s of pieces. Model making is also available. Please contact RUIDOSO METAL WORKS through our website www.ruidoso metalworks.com or our toll-free number (888) 552-5299. FINE GEMS: OPTIMA GEMS www.OPTIMAGEM.COM We have the most accurate colored stone grading in the industry. Our FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS include unenhanced color photos of every gem we sell. We provide consistent fine-quality calibrated gems with free color matching. In addition, we have a huge selection of unique cuts, unusual gem types, crystals, and bargain CLOSEOUTS. Have fun with our monthly gem quiz and enter to win FREE GEMS. Call our USA-based customer service team today for honest and friendly service. (800) 543-5563 support@optimagem.com. SPINEL, Black 5mm rounds, great Diamond sub— $.95 ea (800) 543-5563 LAB EMERALD, 9x7mm emerald barion (4 max) $25 ea (800) 543-5563 TOPAZ, white 4mm round Sterling earring—$2 ea www.optimagem.com OPAL ROUGH, Mexican orange—$5/100cts (800) 543-5563 GEMOLOGY GEM and MINERAL ID TOOLS—Refractometers, Jeweler’s eye, Gem Testers, Gem Filters, Specific Gravity Balances, Mohs’ Hardness Points, Diamond and Gold Testers, UV Lamps, Geiger Counters, Software. MINERALAB, 2860 W. Live Oak Dr., J, Prescott, AZ 86305. l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t GEM CUTTING SERVICES 78 HIGH-QUALITY GEM CUTTING SERVICES, from Sri Lanka, Faceting into Similar Standard of Top. American & European Gem Cutters. Tel: (347) 985-9782 U.S.A. Email: sithygems@yahoo.com. Web: www.gemcuttingservice.com. GEMS, FINISHED ALEXANDRITE, ZIRCON, EVERYTHING in between! Gems, crystals, minerals, rare garnets, special quartzes, tektites, meteorites, cabochons, facet rough, geodes, slabs. panafram@hotmail .com. Latest catalog $2. Panafram, Box 358-LJ, Riviera, TX 78379-0358. FINEST QUALITY CABOCHONS: Amber; ammonite; chrysocolla; chrysoprase; drusies; eilat; fire agate; unusual garnets; jades; jaspers: orbicular, picture; tabu; labradorite, Montana, Mexican agates; moonstones; opals; parrot wing; unique quartzes; spectrolite; sugilite; sunstone; thulite; variscite; more! papmins@lycos.com. Color catalog $3. PAPM, Box 905, Kingsville, TX 783640905. TOO BROKE TO RETIRE. I bought some cabcutting equipment. Cutting Peruvian Blue Opal, Variscite, Fortification Agate, etc. Free Wholesale Catalog rough and cut gems. Most varieties of gemstones included at lowest wholesale direct importer prices. Lots of Old Stock. In “Lapidary Journal” since 1972. Jimsstones@aol.com; (330) 453-4628. Jim’s Gemology, 1322 Harrisburg Rd. NE, Canton, OH 44705-1851. WEBSITES MINE FOR SALE AMETHYST MINE FOR SALE in the heart of Amethyst Country, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Breezy Mountain Amethyst Mine is 3 miles from the Trans-Canada Highway on a private gated road, truck only, and has high-grade purple and red amethyst ready for mining. Selling for $39,000 US, contact Tim Twomey at (807) 767-4662. Find the finest rock shops, jewelry supplies and lapidary materials. Whether you need jewelry findings, mineral and fossil specimens, rough material, lapidary equipment, gems, findings, jewelry, or the perfect gift, you can find it here. For information about adding your gem and jewelry shop to the next issue, please contact Stephanie Griess at 877-6134630 or email sgriess@interweave.com. OPALS COLORADO ROCKAWAY OPALS ON THE CANYON Your shopping destination for the finest opals from around the world. Top Australian Black Opals and Fabulous Ethiopian Crystal Opals. Exquisite Opal Jewelry and Carvings. Visit @ 610 B Canyon Rd. Sante Fe, New Mexico 87051 or on the web www .rockawayopals.com. ROCK SHOPS COLORADO SPRINGS. ACKLEY’S carries an extensive line of lapidary and silversmithing supplies, rough rock, and mineral specimens. Also, jewelry findings, such as French ear wires, beads, chains, and mountings. ACKLEY’S, 3230 N. Stone, Colorado Springs, CO 80907. WWW.WORLDOFROCKS.COM - Crystals, Minerals, Fossils, Arrowheads, Meteorites, Specialties of the Month, Beads and Classes. Open Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 12-6; Sat 10-6; Sun 1-5. Closed Tue. (734) 481-9981. I-94 exit 183 North. 42 N. Huron St., Ypsilanti, MI 48197. ROUGH: NEW ERA GEMS NEW ERA GEMS WEBSITE—Shop online at www.neweragems.com. We offer our complete catalog online as well as showcasing select pieces of rough and cut gemstones, quartz and mineral specimens, lapidary equipment and supplies, and carvings! Get up-to-date information on new materials and discounts, check out our show schedule, and even meet the staff! Order online or contact us by phone in the U.S. and Canada toll-free (800) 752-2057; internationally (530) 272-1334; fax (530) 272-2985; Email neweragems @hotmail.com. Satisfaction or your money back. Guaranteed! NEW ERA GEMS, 14923 Rattlesnake Rd., Grass Valley, CA 95945. To receive our new 2013/2014 full-color catalog, please send $5 to the address listed above. Along with our catalog you will receive a $10 coupon off your first purchase of $50 or more! Contact us now at (800) 752-2057. (530) 272-1334; fax (530) 272-2985; Email new eragems@hotmail.com; or look us up on the web at www.neweragems.com! We look forward to hearing from you! SCHOOLS & EDUCATION LEARN JADE CARVING from one of the world’s best jade carvers. Intensive 3/5 day workshops in beautiful B.C. Canada. DEBORAH WILSON, (250) 542-0630; deborahwilson.bc.ca. SUNNY TAOS, NM Year-round individual and small classes. Beginning–advanced fabrication and unusual stone-setting techniques. Taos School of Metalsmithing and Lapidary Design, Marilynn Nicholson, PO Box 3005, Taos, NM 87571. (575) 758-0207; www.taosjewelryschool .com; taosjewelryschool@msn.com. TRAINING IN JEWELRY; Horology; Gemology; Cad/Cam; Casting; Fabrication; Stone Setting; Repair; JA Certification; Short Courses; Certificates; AAS Degrees. Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology at Paris Junior College (800) 2325804; www.parisjc.edu; tijt@parisjc.edu. LOST your mind trying to build an e-commerce site, and... market your jewelry online? FOUND the perfect place to showcase and sell your jewelry, www.jewelspan.com! Sign up NOW, be online TONIGHT. Use promo code LJJ2 for two FREE months. Gem & Jewelry Shops Ackley’s Rock Shop 3230 N. Stone Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Ph. (719) 633-1153 Mineral specimens, lapidary equipment and supplies, jewelers supplies, rough rock, slabs, tumbled stones, cabs, faceted stones, and jewelry. 9–5 Mon–Sat. KANSAS McMullen Jewelry Natural Stone Gallery 4717 E. Douglas Ave. Wichita, KS 67218 Ph. (316) 684-1611 Website: www.mcmullenjewelry.net Come and discover the wonders of nature. A wonderful collection of loose gemstones, cabochons, crystals, and mineral specimens. Unique gifts, beads, and carvings. Custom jewelry work in silver, gold, and platinum. Professional repairs done on premise. Graduate gemologist on staff. The art and craft of metal and stone. Pursuing a finer quality. MICHIGAN Munro Crafts 3954 12 Mile Rd. Berkley, MI 48072 Ph. (248) 544-1590 Email: webmail@munrocrafts.com Website: www.munrocrafts.com Great Prices and discounts. Swarovski, Czech, Bali, freshwater pearls, wood, bone, glass, metal, acrylics, and more. Sterling silver and gold-filled beads and findings. Crafts supplies, charms, books, tools, beading supplies, polymer clay and supplies, and classes. World of Rocks 42 N. Huron St. Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Ph. (734) 481-9981 Website: www.worldofrocks.com Fun in classes; highlighting chail mail, metal work, wire wrapping and other jewelry classes. We stock rock specialties, findings, tools and supplies. Open Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 12-6; Sat 10-6; Sun 1-5. Closed Tue. Take I-94 exit 183, go north of Michigan Ave. NEW HAMPSHIRE Santerre’s Stones ’n Stuff 42 Water St. Exeter, NH 03044 Ph. (603) 773-9393 Website: www.SanterresStones.com Minerals, fossils, stone carvings, 14k jewelry, gemstones, wire-sculptured jewelry, faceting and cabbing rough, beads (including gemstone, Kazuri, Swarovski, pearls, ceramic, lampwork), and findings. Custom faceting and cabbing work offered. HUGHES ASSOCIATES Faceting and beading classes. Work done on site. Unique hand-shaped cabs. Gift items. Conveniently located in downtown Exeter. QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS TEXAS Nature’s Treasures 4103 North IH-35 (between 38½ & Airport). Austin, TX 78722 Ph. (512) 472-5015 (Showroom) Ph. (512) 833-7760 (Rock Depot) Email: rocks@ntrocks.com Website: www.ntrocks.com EPOXY 220 . . . . . . . . . . .amber clear bonding EPOXY 330 . . . . . . . . . . .water clear bonding TENAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .instant super glue TENAX + Plus . . . . . .a thick instant adhesive OPTICON 224 . . . . . . . . . . . . .fracture sealer ATTACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .epoxy solvent AT YOUR DEALER Our 14,000 sq. ft. campus includes a retail store with crystals, minerals, agates, fossils, jewelry and unique gifts. The Rock Yard has mounds of rock lining a path with boulders, decorator & naturalscrape pieces to the Rock Depot with lapidary materials & equipment, tools plus cutting, drilling and polishing services. Open 7 days. 18116 Mtka Blvd., Wayzata, MN 55391 Tel: 952-404-2626 Fax: 952-474-4636 WASHINGTON Rings & Things Wholesale 304 E. 2nd Ave Spokane, WA 99202 Ph. (509) 252-2900 Website: www.rings-things.com Visit our Spokane, WA warehouse for hands-on access to our entire line of cataloged items (everything in our print catalog and online store) plus special cash-and-carry gemstones, redtagged sale items, African art, and more! Reseller permit or $50 minimum purchase required. MonFri 10–6 (except first Tue of each month). First Tue of each month 12–6. Sat 11–4. www.goldtouchinc.com 100% Cyanide Free Plating! 24, 18, 14k, Rose Gold, Platinum, Rhodium, Nickel-Free plate, Cleaners, Electroforming supplies, Anti-tarnish clear coats and more! Expert Tech Support. Same Day Shipping 800 940-7874, 216 941-7400, fax 216 941-7472 Fee Mining Plan a real rock collecting adventure and find your own gems, minerals and fossils. You can visit these outstanding mines and quarries for an unforgetable experience. For more information about getting your recreational mine listed here, please contact Stephanie Griess at 877-613-4630 or email sgriess@interweave .com. NEW YORK Crystal Grove Diamond Mine and Campground 161 Cty. Hwy. 114 St. Johnsville, NY 13452 Ph. (800) KRY-DIAM, (579-3426) Email: fun@crystalgrove.com Website: www.crystalgrove.com Mine your own “Herkimer Diamonds” in beautiful upstate New York. Three large areas, no claims. Rent our tools or bring your own. Stay next door in our spacious wooded campground sites for tent or RV, camping cabins, modern facilities. Mining daily April- October, 8 a.m.- dusk. Camping begins mid-April. ADVERTISING STEPHANIE GRIESS (877) 613-4630 for classified ads MARILYN KOPONEN (877) 613-4613 for display ads ADVERTISERS' INDEX ,ULVK:D[HG/LQHQ7KUHDG 1HFNODFH.LWV3DWWHUQV 6XSSOLHVIRU %HDGLQJ)LEHU$UWV %DVNHWZHDYLQJ(PEHOOLVKLQJ 5R\DOZRRG/WG JA 67:RRGYLOOH5G 0DQVILHOG2K ZZZ5R\DOZRRG/WGFRP American Jewelers Institute, Inc. ....................................67 CGM, Inc. ............................................................................ 40-41 Contenti Co. ............................................................................... 3 Cool Tools ..................................................................................18 CraftOptics ................................................................................18 Creative Side Jewelry Academy of Austin ..................67 Diamond Pacific ...................................................................... 5 Eloxite Corp. ............................................................................63 Evenheat ...................................................................................79 FDJ on Time, LLC ...................................................................67 Fire Mountain Gems & Beads ..........................................ibc Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers, Inc...................................59 Gemological Institute of America ....................................17 Gold Touch, Inc. ......................................................................79 Guilded Lynx........................................................................... 64 Halstead Bead.........................................................................63 Hughes Associates................................................................79 Interweave .................................. 59, 62, 64, 66, 67, 68, 69, ...................................................... 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77 Joseph P. Stachura Co., Inc.. ..............................................59 Knight's ......................................................................................79 Lortone, Inc ..............................................................................63 Monsterslayer, Inc. ..................................................................19 Otto Frei ....................................................................................ifc Paragon Industries, L.P. .......................................................67 Pepetools, Inc. / Roseco .....................................................63 Pioneer Gem Corp.................................................................79 PJ Tool Jewelry / Impress Art ............................................16 Reactive Metals Studios, Inc. ............................................62 Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts ...................................67 Rings & Things .........................................................................18 Rio Grande................................................................................bc Royalwood, Ltd. .....................................................................79 Satincord.com .........................................................................79 School of Visual Arts .............................................................19 Shows of Integrity .................................................................59 Snow & Stars Corp.. ...............................................................16 Stuller, Inc. ................................................................................... 1 Tool Craft/Ru-Mart................................................................62 Tru-Square Metal Products................................................59 September/October 2014 79 l apidary jou rn a l J e w elry a rt is t DOER’S PROFILE differs for the maker and the viewer. That piece is still kicking around in a box; I find it every time I move the studio. David Giuletti Pendant Rose cut garnet, sterling silver, 18K and 22K gold HEROES No longer living: Lalique, Fabergé, Bill Reid, the Japanese sword furniture makers, Ken Hunt. Living: Daniel Brush, Ford Hallam, Jim Kelso. PHOTO: HAP SAKWA DESIGN SOURCES They are all over, but I am particularly moved by the work of the great artists and artisans of history. It still blows my mind that an anonymous craftsman working 4,000 years ago could make something that drives me to get of bed and rush to my studio so I can play with some aspect of this work. FAVORITE PART OF DOING David Giulietti l a pida ry jo u r n a l ) ( J e w e l ry a rt i s t DONE 80 For me, all the major accomplishments are the pieces where the work has a sum that is much greater then its parts. I suppose that is what I think of as art — the works that make you wonder how it ever came out of you even 15 years after you made it. DOING My time is split between designing and making my own work, completing client commissions, and engraving for different private clients around the world. FIRST PIECE Hard to say what exactly the first was, but a memorable early work — the first assignment for my first jewelry class — was a pendant made entirely out of one piece of pierced, formed, and engraved copper: a man in a boat wearing a funeral hat floating down a river, which was flowing out of the doors of a house with a crescent moon on top of the chimney, and the silhouette of a dead bird pierced into the roof. It was a cathartic piece, symbolic of the loss I was experiencing while going through a divorce, yet in his critique, the professor pointed out how some people like to use humor in their work and used my piece as an example. It made me realize how much the experience of a piece of art The sweet spot when I am about three quarters of the way through a major piece, and I am in the zone and can feel my whole being ringing with its energy and the experience of making. I often slow down because I don’t want the experience to end. Finishing sometimes feels like being kicked out of a great party. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY There isn’t any one thing, but I have missed enough great stones and tools that I am now far more likely to plunk down the cash in an instant when a great deal crosses my path because I am much more aware of how rare the great pieces are. ON BENCH NOW Holy cow! Unmounted gems galore, about 23 rings, seven pendants, and some earrings all in various phases of completion, and tools and materials all over the place! My other bench has even more on it, but you get the idea! see more work @ EngraverDavid.com their turn » PAGE 8 Se Metal e the Full L in Clay P roduc e of ts Onl ine One Fire Mountain Way, DEPT C020 Grants Pass, OR 97526-2373 1-800-355-2137 America’s Favorite Beading and Jewelry Supply Company® Request your Free 448 page catalog or go online to see over 120,000 hot jewelry-making products You supply the creativity, we supply everything else!® Sandy Mikel, FL sandhillarts.artfire.com Gold Medal GRAND PRIZE Winner Metal Clay Jewerly-Making Contest Fire Mountain Gems and Beads© 2014 Love at f irst touch. Grain LOVE RIO AND THAT THEY CARRY ARGENTIUM Silver! I love this product because it is so easy to work with and is tarnish resistant. Rio has added so many Argentium findings that now I can exclusively say all my pieces are 100% Argentium. —Vicki Pellegrini, metalsmith Sheet Wire Settings Earring components End caps Clasps Jump rings R io Gra nde. Recommended by jewelers since 194 4. Rio Grande has been the trusted jewelry supplier for 70 years. Diverse products, sterling know-how, and customer service that is 100% there for you. More than 30,000 products on our website and in our catalogs — click or call today! 800.545.6566 riogrande.com