TaoGem Gemstones

Heat Treating Minerals

There are a great many minerals
that can be heat treated as shown in
the forum post. Heat treating these
different minerals can result in some
outstanding color enhancements !

Here is a picture of some showing
a Brazilian Agate before, intermediate,
and a fully heat treated cabs.

Slow increments of raising the heat
and lowering the heat makes a
difference between highly fractured
results and fracture-free results.

There is a great reference on Gaonksin by George W. Fischer. He has conducted hundreds of experiments using chemical coloration of gemstone minerals. Using dozens of chemical compounds to induce their color.

This is a process I tried following using what appeared to be a fairly heavily iron concentrated Brazilian Agate. I did not have any luck with it, but believe it was because the slabs just did not have the iron I thought they did.

Heat Treatment

Some kinds of gemstone (e.g. Brazil carnelian) can be improved in color by heat treatment, without benefit of any chemical soaks. This is possible when the gemstone has some native “impurity” in it, particularly iron compounds that impart improved color changes when heated sufficiently.
Two of the chemical coloration processes described in this book involve the introduction of chemical compounds that result in marked desirable color changes when the soaked slabs are properly heated. This heat treatment must be accomplished so that the slabs (or other pieces) are heated very gradually, and then allowed to cool very gradually. A “sand bath” is ideal for this. This simply means that the slabs are embedded in sand during the heat treatment. This promotes gradual heating and gradual cooling.
Some kind of metal container is necessary such as a bread pan or refrigerator pan. It should be five to seven inches deep. The sand I use is common plaster sand, available where building materials are sold. Pour a layer of sand into the bottom of the pan to a depth of about an inch. Place a layer of the chemically treated slabs to be heat-treated on this layer of sand. Cover with another layer of sand about one-half inch deep. Follow this with alternate layers of sand and slabs until the pan is full. The top layer must be sand, of course, and approximately one inch deep. If the pan has a lid, so much the better.
When the sand bath has been packed, it is ready to be heated. The oven in an electric kitchen range serves nicely for this and is the only kind I have ever used. Probably a gas oven would be just as satisfactory or a kiln. The important thing is temperature control. The following heating schedule is recommended:

175°F Several hours (overnight is fine)
275°F Four hours
375°F Four hours
475°F – 500°F Four hours

Allow the pan and contents to cool in the oven overnight or longer, or at least until the pan feels only warm, not hot. If you can stand the suspense of waiting to see the results, allow the pan to cool until it does not even feel warm. If the sand bath is opened prematurely, fracturing of the suddenly cooled slabs is likely to result. Once you have experienced the dismay of having a beautifully colored slab thus fractured, you will become quite patient in waiting until the sand bath has entirely cooled. After the sand bath has properly cooled, remove the slabs, wash and dry them. The sand may be re-used indefinitely. You may notice that even the sand changes color, usually taking on a reddish tinge.

Rather than continue on and on within this blog entry. Would much rather viewers here check out one of the main “Heat Treating” discussion thread on the forum. That way each members posting will be properly credited.
There are a great many more images, and references available within that thread. Plus links to other archived threads on the subject.

Thanks for stopping in !

This is my first attempt at making an intarsia !

A bit of a disaster..

It should have been more obvious to me while grinding down the flat edges of the Obsidian that it was not nearly good enough. As can be seen at the joints.

I knew the top edges were a bit chipped, but thought that by the time I took it down a bit that those would disappear. Maybe they would have if I had ground her down more.. It’s just that the dome is pretty low as it is, so will have to think about that next time.

Also will be sure to do a much better job on the inner part of the frame flat edges. No chips allowed next time !

Oh well……. First try, next one will be better !

Is annealing really just a simple matter of heating the metal and letting it cool?

I think this is the first question that comes to mind for someone brand new to working silver and other metals for jewelry design. I know it was for myself.

One important benefit to annealing is that the process makes the silver easier to handle during the bending and shaping process.

Using a higher gas to oxygen ratio and not using the flux will result in very little oxidization with the higher acetylene ratio.

Annealing is the process of making smaller crystal structure in the metal. The larger the crystal in the metal the harder it is to bend and the more likely it is to crack or break. Since metal crystals grow in size based on their cooling conditions, the the size is controlled with the speed which you cool it.
Fast cooling produces small more uniform crystals, slow cooling produces larger more interlaced crystals. THus heating to red and then quickly quenching produces fine crystal structure. Heating metal up and then letting it air cool produces the more brittle material (larger crystals). Holding it at he crystallization point for a long time will grow much larger crystals. (See link below.)
You would normally never anneal a piece after it is complete as that makes it the most soft. You might anneal a part of something that will be forced to flex as that will make it less likely to break, but it’s still only a temporary fix.
Metals also do what is called work hardening. As you hammer, pend or compress the metal it will slowly make it more brittle. Hence you often hammer (as in forging) for a time, then anneal to return it to a softer more more pliable state, hammer again, anneal again, etc. etc.

Just heat the metal to cherry red ?

Metal is a crystalline structure, so when you heat it, the crystals expand, forcing gaps in between the microscopic crystal cells. When you polish, hammer, or even with age, metal crystals compact, making it hard. If you heat it to cherry red, you damage the structure. Yes, it will be soft, but over doing it will cause possible damage that will become evident while working the metal later on. I used to do this, and hammer blows would crack the soft metal or force air pockets into it.
The ink in a Sharpie marker dissipates at the correct temperature for sterling to anneal. I dip my metal into a mixture of alcohol and boric acid, light it, and wait for the flame to finish spreading the boric evenly over the piece. However you can use whatever flux you are familiar with; some just use a charcoal block without any flux. Really, it doesn’t matter since annealing, shouldn’t get close to firescale temps.
Then while the piece is warm and dry, scribble on it with a black Sharpie marker. Heat with a fluffy yellow flame till the marker dissipates and the black marks vanish, then quench in water or pickle. The quench is important to get the softest silver possible. I was told to do use the marker till I get used to watching for the flux to glisten and there to be a slight red glow that can only be seen in the dark. But, since I have great lighting in my studio, I just keep a Sharpie in the pocket of my apron. I guess the Sharpie is my crutch, but I have never over-annealed a piece since.
In reverse, if you have a project, and you want to harden the metal, as in a ring band or chain, you can place it in a kiln at 600 degrees for about an hour, and the crystalline formations will compact, the longer the harder.

From Ganoksin bulletin board

Sterling silver is at its softest when it is annealed at 650C (1202F) then immediately quenched, at this point it’s hardness is 56 Vickers and its tensile strength is 300 Nmm -2. If it is air cooled it will be only slightly harder at about 60 Vickers due to the difference in crystal structure.
Some people confuse air cooling with the age hardening process where sterling silver can be greatly hardened by heat treating. To do this you first heat the sterling to 750C (1382F) and hold it at this temp for 30 minutes then rapidly quench the item is then heated to 300C (572F) for 1 hour. this will result in a sterling piece that has a hardness of 110-120 Vickers and a tensile strength of 350 Nmm -2. The heat treatment can only be done on items that are NOT soldered as 750C will melt all silver solders if the item has been soldered prior to treatment and soldering after treatment will anneal the item and remove all the hardness gained.

Tutorial by Art Jewelry Magazine

Ten Good Reasons

1. Hard solder actually becomes easier and quicker to use than the “step” method. No hat trick, just controlling your torch, all my students can do that easily with in the first 30 minutes of learning to light a torch. This includes junior high age students. By using only hard solder there is no reason to ever have to “tie” your pieces together with “bailing wire”, oops, I mean “binding wire”. I have not used it in 25 years, and can not imagine a sitution that would require it. Hard solder will hold every thing in place while soldering. Saves time, more profit. In the same time it takes to try to tie something in place you can have it soldered.

2. Because hard solder polishes and ages just like sterling silver, you can use a lot of it to fill gaps, so there is no need to waste time getting every solder joint to fit just perfect. This insures that the customer gets a quality piece that takes less time to make, so more profit!

3. Hard solder polishes just like sterling, wears just like sterling, and tarnishes just like sterling, unlike easy and medium that begin to oxidize, tarnish faster than sterling. If you like unsightly darkened solder lines then use easy and medium.

4. Hard solder will not undercut as easy and medium solder will. I have had many repair jobs come in (when I did repairs for about 5 years) with solder lines on polished surfaces that were polish in to unsightly grooves. They tarnished, began to show, so they were polished and repolished to the point that the solder joints began to undercut, the solder eaten away. Then the sides of the sterling begin to get buffed and the result is a rounded groove where the joint is.

5. There are only three solder grades, some time in every piece you make, multi joints must be made with the same solder. All I am trying to teach is the more joints you make with hard solder the easier it is to do the piece. As soon as you begin to use medium or easy, you make it harder do make the next solder joint with out something bad happening. Doesn’t this just make sense. If you use hard solder for nearly or all solder joints, it is actually easier to control the temperature of the piece and not harder.

6. The real proof that using only hard solder is easier to use, all my students use the $10.00 propane torch to learn with. Then as they sell jewelry and make a good profit, they can pay for a better torch.

7. Hard solder does not pit as medium and easy do

8. Faster to use, which means to most fabricators, more profit! I teach my students they do not have time to dork around using three solders. In the time it takes to decide which one to use where, they can have it soldered and finished.

9. If a piece gets ran over by a car, the poor slob that must repair it, will not have fall completely apart as he, or she, heats it up. The piece will be easier to repair! That’s a good thing, for the person doing the repairs and the customer!

10. Hard solder makes stronger solder joints. If you want to know why joint the Silversmithing List and ask. The answer is simple and will makes sense to you.

Something to blog about !

Have been burning, melting, and generally wasting a lot of silver trying to learn how to silversmith, the past few pendants have turned out a-ok though.

Thought might blog about and share a few of the most recent, successful, and favorite pendants.

This first one has a Nipomo and Marcisite gemstone cabochon. Unlike most of the pendants have done, this one is not backed. It is set with a step type bezel tape. This Nipomo has easily become one of my most favorite minerals.

Then this Picture Jasper pendant is backed, and then used a gallery type bezel tape.

This is a neat little Mexican Lace Agate pendant.

Then my first, from scratch ring.. The stone is Obsidian.

Another Mexican Lace Agate. This particular stone was cut pretty much from just below the crust of the rough. The result was a lot of agate with floating orb effect. Love this stuff !

Then this gemmy green Variscite pendant and bracelet set.

Finally this Rhodonite pendant. I did not take any pics through out the process. The backing was textured by running it through a rolling mill. Something that is on my wish list ! They are very expensive, but a member of my forum shared one that only costs 130.00. It is perfect for what I would be using it for. Now the possibility of having one is a bit more possible !

The bail is a step type bezel tape that I ground off the step part leaving just the pattern part. Then used gallery type wire to set the stone in. This turned out to be one of my favorite pieces so far !

Hope ya like em, and thanks for stopping in !

Gosh…. Been a while since have added a blog post… Been a bit of a blogging slacker !

Thought might share a bit about a flat lap set up I picked up.. Purchased this with the intent of starting to try my luck with intarsia type cabbing. That and wanted to give some 8″ padded diamond mesh discs a wirl. Thought they might work as well if not better than mesh type belts. Plus they will last much longer.. Decided to start out with just the 1000, 2500, and 5000 mesh. I know folks do go much finer, but just to experiment.. , started with these to see how working up to just a 5000 worked out.

Also picked up both a 100 and 360 grit flat laps for making nice flat surfaces for intarsias.

The entire set up revolved around the choice of a magnetic base. All of these adhere to that..

10″ Magnetic base

Lap discs

Diamond mesh pads

Ok.. Then for the unit itself.. At first I mounted the motor upright.. Then changed it because the motor bearings were starting to sound wrong. Now that it is set up it became apparent that the lap unit itself needs a new bearing. Vibrates just a bit.

Have not tried any intarsias yet.. Will share any success with them later ! The padded mesh discs are working excellent. They are my first experience with diamond mesh. I am sure there must be some additional polishing improvements with the use of even more fine a mesh. Even upwards of a 50,000. Yet just with working up through the 5000, the end result is outstanding. A huge difference from just coming off a 600 grit silicon carbide paper. 600 grit silicon carbide really has always done a great job for the most part. But I have noticed a huge difference on certain minerals with the diamond, and improvement on the basic Jaspers and Agates in the final polishishing.

Thanks for stopping by !

Just for fun want to show off this recent Mexican Crazy Lace Agate pendant. Sorta patting myself on the back just a little as it is my best silver solder project yet !

We decided to have a jewelry design contest for existing forum members.  Actually, it is still ongoing as of this blog entry..

Not being a very good artist as free hand drawing goes, it took almost an entire notebook to come up with the final sketch !

Wanted to see if I could actually design a piece using a similar set of stones as the many matching multi stone groups that I offer in my store. So started with that in mind.

One of the my favorite minerals that truly offer outstanding patterns that are ideal for this matching patterned multi stone groups is the Mexican Crazy Lace Agate.  It is easier to loose the flow of the pattern across the setting because the grains change rapidly as I grind and shape the top of the cab. The three three pieces across the top of this one kept the flow of the pattern pretty well.

Cut out and roughly shaped the backing for both pieces. Then cut and shaped the preforms to match the backing. Leaving plenty of room for soldering the bezel tape.

Shaped and finished up the cabs and soldered up the bezels to match.. It was a bit tricky for me to solder all three of the top settings to the same backing at once. I knew how important it was going to be to be able and heat this larger than normal piece evenly. As a result, it was the first time using the largest of torch tips I have. The much larger flame worked like a charm !

Pieced it all together..

Used both a tumbler as well as some 3M type discs for cleaning everything up.

Not having any experience with creating a nice beaded or maybe braded type neclace to go with it, not exactly sure how or if will create something to match this..

One thing I did learn too is that should have filed down the corners of the bezels just a bit so as when I pushed the tape up against the upper stones, there would not be the little gaps that are showing.  Next time …. !

Recently received several slabs of what I believe to be a dendritic Moss opal.  Not entirely sure if it is an opal, opalized, or a opalite. I have read that opalite is an opalized volcanic ash than can occur with common opal and agate. It can be dendritic.

Opalite is very hard and can have a wet appearance upon breaking creating the illusion of an opal. I don’t really see this wet appearance in the darker, and not at all in the white.

Common opal fractures into tiny pieces/crumbs upon hitting, and opalite does not. This seems to better fit the description. When I break a slab with a hammer the white (softer) does not really break into very small pieces, where as the darker (harder) areas do.

Here is as best a couple of pics of the breaks on each. I am guessing the white areas to be about a 5 and the dark to be 6 or better.

It is not uncommon for common opal to be associated with moss and even plume agate. It can be found in white, tan, brown, green and peach.

A couple of cab pics.

The harder dark material took a great polish using tin oxide. The softer white colored material did not.  At the time of this writing have not yet tried another polish. Thinking some Holy Cow. Other than that, I am not familiar with a better polish. Prior to polishing these came off a worn 600 silicon carbide belt.

One thing I noticed while cutting preforms was that as I got towards the end of the cut, maybe an inch or sometimes even two, the slab would break. Not because of any fractures. It would consistently break in line with the direction of the remaining cut. I had to cut very slowly as I moved towards the end of the cuts. Can’t say I have ever experienced this with any other material before. Just sort of odd…

The material comes from Northwestern Missouri. I have read of an Ogallala Formation through that area. The Ogallala opal can be of these same colors as well as colorless, and cherty. Some of it is called moss opal because it contains a manganese oxide impurity that forms these dark, branching deposits that look like small mosses in the opal.

Comments ?

Brand new Spokane area Social Networking Community for crafts, lapidary, jewelry, and all other related artists.

This community was started as a means to simply bring a variety of local niche artists from the Spokane area together in hopes of creating interesting and unique opportunities for all members.

Members are not limited to the few arts categories within the site title. All area artists are encouraged join up, and benefit from networking within the Community.

When we think of Artists, our minds can travel to any number of artistic niches. An attempt to categorize or list us all could be never ending.

My little artistic niche is lapidary. More specific, semiprecious gemstone cabochons that are used in custom jewelry design.

It is interesting that many arts related events, shows, festivals, fairs, etc., comfortably combine an endless mix of all imaginable artistic related niches.

Aside from selling our wares at these events, there are also golden networking opportunities between vendors and visitors. Any number of business building possibilities. Unique, often surprising, and totally unexpected opportunities can present themselves.

These events let us network face to face. Both with other vendors, and of course any local artists walking in to attend.

These “face to face” networking opportunities can turn out to be much more valuable in the long term than any single sale as a vendor at these events.

That is the goal of this community. Except, to provide an “online” social network that can potentially let these same interesting, unique, surprising, and totally unexpected opportunities unfold between area artists. Did not have any particular agenda in mind when I created this. Just sorta thought would let opportunities unfold spontaneously between members within the community.

Hey, maybe even make a friend or two while there ! If your in the Spokane or surrounding area communities, then come on over and join in !

It will be held on the grounds of a Victorian Tea House, and a lovely home just across the lane.

Admission is free, and there are 70+ vendors. Vendors will cover everything from antiques, collectibles, vintage goods, primitives and arts and crafts, jewelry and of course my gemstones. Both homes will have vendors set up… with the one across the lane featuring more artists. An expected 2500 people attending.

Another great thing is that the Tea House will be open for tea on both Saturday and Sunday for $10 per person, no reservations necessary. The hostesses will also be serving us vendors lunch those days as well, so very sweet.

Of course I will be sharing all about it once it is over (along with all sorts of pictures).

Treasures on Foxwood is located between Newport and Diamond Lake (Washington) just off Highway 2, between mile markers 328 and 329. There is a billboard right at Foxwood Drive (the road is just past the billboard if you are traveling from Newport and just before if you are traveling from Diamond Lake.

If you are in the area then stop on by and say hi and check all the vendors out. Great opportunity to see some nice gemstones up close !

Recently I did a little poll on my forum asking other lapidaries how their online sales have been doing. There were a couple of comments that stood out. First, although the number of folks utilizing the poll were few, online gemstone and jewelry sales seem to be in decline past few months. The month of July stood out the most for myself.

One comment that really stood out was how it is local artists, various shows, and events that a great deal of sales as well as new business opportunities are coming from. I do know from experience not related to lapidary how successful attending local shows  can be. Both from sales and equally important… Networking ! Meeting local artists and lapidaries ! Online social networking can be very successful towards these. A comment was made on another forum about the importance of utilizing “local” online social networking from a “networking” perspective.. Not to focus on “local” online social networking for sales, but concentrate on using it as a local networking tool..

What do some of these thoughts and experiences have to do with the title of this blog entry? For myself it is obvious the importance of getting involved socially on a local level.

If we think about it, not everyone has access to computers, or many that do, are not using them to introduce themselves to national and international online businesses related to their artistic niche. A couple of months ago I had a sale from someone local.. The very first in three years of selling various items online. I am sure there are a whole lot more than just this one who share common interests with me !

Yes, we are certainly in a recession/depression.. No question. It has hit home for myself, family and friends in many significant ways unrelated to my online business.

“When things are tough, the tough get going” ! In other words… Get out there and socially meet some folks from my community !

I think there is kind of a separation for many online business owners like myself. Many are solely selling online as compared to a storefront on Main street. We maintain and operate our online businesses.  A store on Main street operates with many of the same promotional/marketing trials and tribulations except one is online and the other is on Main street. Many brick and mortar type stores utilize online sales right along with their store. Then again, many do not.. An ideal way to close the gap on that separation as an online business owner would be to combine online social networking with selling at local niche events / shows.

I think you get where I am going. Most likely your already well aware. Maybe much like myself we realize what we need to do, and just need to get out there and become locally active within the arts community.

I hear a lot of successful events/shows cheers from many online jewelry designers, and artists after completing their shows.

There are some things that I started to do a couple days ago, and perhaps you can do if your interested in learning how to become more active locally.

Searching online for as many local crafts type events as I could find. Some are “juried” events. Meaning a business license and State tax number are required. Plus we have to be voted or somehow accepted into these juried events. Fees are required just like a non juried event.

I used key search words/phrases like, “Spokane Washington gemstone jewelry shows”, “Spokane crafts hobbies shows”, “Spokane arts festivals shows”, etc…

I found many ! From little events at various jewelry and bead shops, park events, and larger shows at fairgrounds. Both local and in near by communities.

So for myself, I feel it is important to get busy. Get out there and start socializing locally. Network with other lapidaries, jewelry designers and other gemstone related artists who may be interested in my business just as I am in theirs. Trading, and bartering are possible outcomes. Business building and networking possibilities are another and will likely present themselves quickly. Any number of things can happen when business owners who share interests within a common niche network, share new ideas, products, and services.

I decided to take the advice of another CST forum member and am in the process of creating a Spokane area social community within the Ning network. It is brand new and much work to do yet, but it’s a start ! A Ning site that will be completely devoted to, and focuses upon various related and common interest niches for Spokane, and surrounding communities.

So…,  the purpose of this blog entry is sort of both a kick in the butt for myself and of course create some discussion and feedback from other online gemstone and jewelry designers/artists who are presently, or may be considering the same things.  How to bring some of those local artists who visit the areas community stores into our online world.. Consider local community social networking to compensate for declines in our online businesses.

Forgive much of the repetitive rambling. Thanks too for stopping in and reading through.

Don’t be shy.. ! Please reply with any suggestions, comments, feedback, personal experiences,  info about shows and events in the Spokane area, etc… !

Have a great day !

After uploading the videos, realized that the audio on most did not pick up my voice. So will type out as best I can a description of what is going on in each video. I can hear them much better using my headphones.

As always, what works best for me can be different for someone else. So please critique, add too, point out, or anything else that you find works for you so it can be added here for others to take in.

A lot of this really applies to most any cabbing.

One of the first things I like to take the rough edge off the perimeter of the preform.. I take it down through the 400 diamond bonded wheel. I don’t want to be grinding on it later after I have my doming complete because it will result in changing the girdle height. So all I really want to have to do is touch it up with the silicon carbide stages.

Ok here we go…. ! Smiley

This first clip shows the grinding down of a bevel. Not a finish bevel. A bevel that will determine the girdle height and also the outside/lowest part of the low dome. Depending on the size of the cab or rather the surface area will depend on how little you will need to bevel. You can get away with a lot less of a bevel because no need for as much doming. A larger surface area will require more.. Make sense ??

No need to actually go though any additional beveling steps for the corners. The bevel from doing the sides will join nicely at the corners.

Here are a couple of pics showing the results. I leave the corners sharp cornered until the very end of the cabbing. Then I will round them off. If for some reason I want the cab to wind up with sharp corners, then I have to pay extra close attention to them as shown a bit later.

This next clip try’s to show how to begin getting the contour of the dome uniform across the entire surface.

A while back someone mentioned how they listened to the grinding. As what ever grit your working progressively removes bumps and ridges the grinding sound will subside into a smooth almost quiet grinding action. Meaning the surface is uniform so to speak with the flat surface of the grinding wheel. So I work each wheel until I can go around the entire surface of the stone to the point where there is really no grinding going on. Hard to explain. Just think about it while your working the surface of the cab. It will come to you !

I noticed that it appears in the clip that I am pressing harder than I actually am.. I am hardly pressing at all and the wheels are running a lot faster than these videos depict.. Just a video thing I guess..

I have come off the initial 80 grit and this step is on the 220, then moving on to a somewhat worn 220.

Again, mostly working the outer part of the surface of the cab and spending little time hitting the inner part or highest part of the dome. Don’t want to grind down what little dome we are working to have in the end. Although I do have to spend a bit of time on the center just so as to include it in the grit processes. Most of the grinding is needed around the outer part of the cab. That is where the ridges were left which is covered more in the clip just following this next one below.

I notice too that my camera crew did not do a great job of showing a lot of the cabbing action.. Hopefully you will get the idea.

This next clip starts out going through the same process except on a 400 grit. Again, listening to the sound of the grinding.. Just like any other progressive grinding or sanding steps.. Need to work it until the previous abrasives grit marks are removed. Pressing fairly lightly.The pic below shows a close up of the problem I run into on the corners.. The accidental excess grinding on them.

This next one shows how sometimes I have to go back over the girdle so as to keep it uniform. Sometimes as a result of going through the grinding process the girdle will become thicker in the center and have to re-bevel and then smooth out the surface a bit. Again.. A bit hard to explain.. Sorry. !

Next I move on to some silicon carbide papers. I start off on the 80 with this agate. Running up through the 220, 400, 600 and finally a worn 600 just like any other hard mineral cab. Other softer minerals, I may skip the 80 and start off with the 220.I listen to the sanding just like I do the grinding..

You can see I have not tried Old Hickory’s belt slipping trick yet.. !

This next one shows rounding the corners.

Finally…, Lets try beveling ! Something commonly seen on a flat or very low domed cab.

After going through all the silicon carbide grits for the bevel and girdle, here are the results !

Be sure to add any suggestions for me here or visit the forum thread and share with us there.

Thanks for stopping in and reading this blog entry !

Chrysocolla is right up there among my most favorite minerals for cutting cabs from. Most all Chrysocolla makes for some stunning jewelry. Then there are some that are truly a bit more unique than others.

We have been sharing a whole lot of different Chrysocolla varieties on my forum.

I especially like a Chrysocolla with Hematite, Tenorite, Silver, Copper, and even Gold.. I love a beautiful metallic finish that these offer.

Then when we start talking about a druzy Chrysocolla…….. Well, ya gotta love a neat druzy cab !

I don’t really want to post pictures of all the different Chrysocolla that has been shared on the forum here. Would rather each member who shared have the same opportunity for you to see them as they were posted by each member. Plus if your as excited about Chrysocolla as we all are, you may well like to join in the conversation and share some of your own pics as well !

One of the members did send me a slab of some with Gold in it.. Can’t hardly add a blog entry without at least one image ! Never knew Chrysocolla even had Gold in it..

Thanks for stopping by !

I have blogged before about “Advantages for Gemstone Jewelry Designer who Develop Relationship with Lapidary Shop”. Much of the same really does apply when considering a reputable gemstone jewelry designer/silversmith. Your extremely lucky to find not only a reputable and qualified designer, but a designer who’s unique ability to work with precious metals place them well above what can be found within our own communities.

I know of one such designer. He is a valued member of my Lapidary forum. Extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of jewelry design.
Michael Johnson of Cosmic Folklore Studios goes well above and beyond run of the mill jewelry designers.

Just like when a designer takes the time to work with a lapidary on a regular basis for unique and unusual gemstones, folks who are truly shopping for interesting and unique jewelry designs also know the importance of looking beyond their immediate community. It is the only way we can own the most interesting of handmade jewelry.

Michael teaches and has a large following of students who attend his valued silversmithing / metalsmithing classes at his studio in Helena Alabama.

I watch Michael’s store several times a week in anticipation of seeing newly added designs within Cosmic Folklore Studios. He enjoys creating pendants, necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, and many other interesting pieces.

Michael will tell that it is the Lapidary/gemstone cutter who contributes so much to beautiful jewelry designs. Yes, we do our part, but in the end it is the designer who brings everything together. That is what I like so much about Michael’s jewelry designs. His ability to take unique gemstones and match them up with a variety of metalsmith and silversmithing mediums that result in absolutely stunning pieces.

Maybe you already have a unique gemstone and have a design idea for a piece of jewelry. Or maybe you have an idea for both a type of gemstone mineral and jewelry design, then contact Michael….

I am going to borrow a statement that Michael made about Lapidaries in a recent blog post. As it applies exactly the same when choosing a jewelry designer as well.

“Yes, it may cost more, but it is funny how some people strive to buy the cheapest for the ingredients for their art, when they would never just buy the cheapest car on the lot, the cheapest house in the neighborhood, or the cheapest shoes on the rack.  Some things are just worth the extra it takes to get quality and uniqueness”.

Let me tease you just a bit with a couple of his recent pieces..

Need I say more !

As always, thank you for stopping in and letting me share..