http://taogem.com inexpensive wholesale interesting unique unusual loose cut gemstone cabochons supplies for designing custom jewelry Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:30:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 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 ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-rough-and-slabs/chrysocolla-mineral-varieties-rough-slabs-and-gemstone-cabochons-for-jewely-design/ 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 ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-jewelry-design/advantages-of-working-with-reputable-gemstone-jewelry-designer-silversmith-metalsmith/ Just received this really pretty Ocean Wave Jasper. Have cut a lot of orb Ocean Jasper, but only ever had a couple of Ocean Wave Jasper. One thing about buying the expensive Orb type Ocean Jasper is that it is hard to find at an affordable price without pitting or vugs. ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-cabochons/ocean-wave-jasper-slabs-to-gemstone-cabochons/ This was the first time I had purchased a ring blank to set a stone in. When I saw it in the magazine it appeared to have a bezel type setting with four prongs. I thought was simply going to be able and push the floral looking bezel and prongs ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-bezel-setting/my-lesson-in-purchasing-silver-ring-blank-with-bezel-prong-gemstone-setting/ I just received this pictorial guide to over 150 types of agates and jasper. "There are many excellent books currently on the market describing banded agates, but there are few with an emphasis on the other structural varieties. There are virtually no current books with images and descriptions of the wide ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-rough-and-slabs/pictorial-gemstone-mineral-guide-for-agate-and-jasper/ Wanted to share a really neat tutorial on how to set a square gemstone cabochon by one of our forum members, Bob of Bobs Premium Cabs shared with us. Bezel setting a stone with sharp corners is somewhat more difficult than an oval because if it isn't done properly the excess ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-jewelry-design/how-to-tutorial-bezel-setting-a-gemstone-cabochon-with-sharp-square-corners/ Been having fun again with more multi gemstone groups that are excellent for jewelry designing.. Especially if your a silversmith and like interesting and unique pieces.. What makes the group gemstone cabochon sets a little more interesting, is the way they are cut from the original mineral slab. Somewhat similar to ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-cabochons/gemstone-cabochon-multi-setting-jewelry-sets-for-jewelry-design/ Been a while since I have added a new entry.. All the action is on the forum ! Was finally fortunate enough to have a member from our local club come over and walk me through some basic silver soldering. She was a big help. Little things like working the torch ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-jewelry-design/rainforest-jasper-gemstone-cabochon-silver-bezel-set-pendant/ Members on my forum join in with bi monthly semiprecious gemstone cabochon contests. This time instead of picking a particular mineral this time we are doing any mineral type in freeform. Any way, as a result I ended up choosing Titainium Rutile in Quartz for my entry. Wanted to share ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-cabochons/rutile-rutiliated-quartz-gemstone-cabochon-bezel-jewelry-design/ Needed something to blog about so thought would add an entry about today's soldering project. I wanted to try another like 1Rockhounds Biggs Jasper piece with the bezel tape on the outside of the backing. Except I tried another attempt at using flattened wire for the backing again instead of cut ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-bezel-setting/todays-quartz-gemstone-silver-soldered-bezel-setting-attempt-using-flattened-wire-backing/ At year end we had thought after a portfolio evaluation, things were not going to be so bad. That has changed. Another recent evaluation shows that I am going to loose some where between 20 and 30% of monthly income. What was once a casual and non stress business/hobby now has to ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-jewelry-design/stock-market-plunge-changes-my-casual-online-venture-into-a-more-serious-business-obligation/ For most Lapidaries, cutting gemstone cabochons has most likely resulted in at least a few undercutting experiences.  For the purpose of this blog entry, I wanted to post a bit about undercutting as related in dealing with combined soft and hard mineral compositions . Different from that of flat spots ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-cabochons/undercutting-gemstone-cabochons-minerals-and-abrasives-preforming/ About a year ago I began exploring various marketing and promotional techniques for the purpose of boosting my online presence. I think just like myself, a lot of brand new online lapidary related business owners find ourselves somewhat overwhelmed with the many different possibilities that just sorta seem to present themselves ... http://taogem.com/general/joining-jewelry-design-social-networking-communities/ Just to share ..... One of my recent pieces started out so well...... I was smiling through the entire process of shaping and soldering the three step bezels for this three piece necklace. Then came the last two solders for the little bails on the top of the two hanging pieces. ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-jewelry-design/trials-and-tribulations-from-soldering-my-gemstone-necklace-with-step-bezel-setting/ A Glance at Jewelry - Scale Silversmithing Methods by William Fretz Designs  I would like to acknowledge the Lapidary Journal / Jewelry Artist magazine. Permission to do this blog entry was kindly provided by William Fretz. The original article was from the November 2007 issue.Forging is a controlled method of ... http://taogem.com/lapidary-shop-tutorials/silversmith-forging-hammers-used-for-embossing-raising-planishing-and-texturing/ Bob Rush of Bobs Premium Cabs shared this assembled gemstone tutorial with our forum members. Although not the same thing, it reminded me of the domed intarsia type cabs that a few members make and have shared. theImageOne shared his tutorial about those. Like Bobs assembled cabochons, they are ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-tutorial/tutorial-guide-making-assembled-gemstone-cabochons/ Not too long ago I fumbled my way through silver soldering my first piece of jewelry. It hardly qualifies me as a Silversmith, but sure felt good ! Over the past few days I managed to silver solder some bezel tape around a couple of more. The one is a Carved Agate ... http://taogem.com/gemstone-cabochon-jewelry-design/learning-about-basic-silversmithing-techniques-start-up-tools-and-supplies/ Buffing and Polishing Procedures Are The final steps required for finishing all metal articles. Buffing removes sanding marks and smooths out the metal in preparation for the final polishing. Any pits, scratches, or minute file or sanding marks overlooked when buffing are only accented by the polishing step. Polishing adds ... http://taogem.com/lapidary-shop-tutorials/buffing-and-polishing-procedures-for-gemstone-jewelry-with-silver-or-gold-metal-design-mediums/ Quartzsite 2009 Shows 2009 Quartzsite, in western Arizona, just 20 miles east of the Colorado River on I-10, Quartzsite has been a rockhound's paradise since the 1960s. These days, it is also a mecca to well over a million visitors each year, most of whom converge on this small town in a ... http://taogem.com/general/quartzsite-arizona-gemstone-and-mineral-show-2009/ For two weeks every winter, the world meets in Tucson as it becomes a bustling, international marketplace of buyers and sellers at the Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase. The "Gem Show" is much more than a single event at one location. Rather, there are thousands of participants and attendees at ... http://taogem.com/general/tucson-gem-mineral-fossil-showcase-january-31-february-15-2009/