Many of us have often wondered if geology careers were possible. Geology is so interesting… but could it be a career? Here are eight geology careers that can provide a good living and fulfilling work.

1. Museums

Museum jobs are increasing by an amazing 12 percent each year as projected over the years 2021-2031 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most require a master’s degree and the median annual salary for a curator was $50,100 according to May 2021 data. Johns Hopkins University offers degrees in museum studies.

2. Environmental Geology Careers

Environmental geology careers are growing in prevalence in many countries. Have you ever driven past a service station where a tank was being pulled out of the ground and the tank and surrounding soils were being tested and removed/replaced as needed? Did you know a geologist put together the plan for testing the soil and groundwater and determining the best strategies for remediation? The environmental geologist career is high-paying, sometimes six figures per year.

3. Geomorphologist

Geomorphologists are in demand in government and private companies. Their work focuses on understanding how landforms change over time. They perform hydraulic, hydrologic and geomorphic analyses to map resources such as groundwater and petroleum. If you love math and geology, geomorphology could be a perfect match. The career pays well too!

4. Hydrographic Surveyors

Hydrographic surveyors use instrumentation to map out the shape, contours and depth of streams, lakes, inlets and ocean bottoms. They often work for government agencies or private companies doing surveys for the government and nonprofits. For example, ecological restoration of channelized streams requires a hydrographic surveyor to determine the best approach to restoration. The median salary is around $80,000 per year.

5. Gemologist

When we buy a diamond or any precious colored stone from a fine jeweler, a gemologist was responsible for identifying, grading and selecting it. Careers include working as a lapidarist, bench jeweler, consignment director, appraiser, jewelry litigation expert witness, a fine jewelry polisher, and a precious metal tester. A college degree in geology is not necessary to get started gem cutting. There are many gemology schools with programs and diplomas.

6. Mineralogist

Mineralogists collect core logs, conduct geochemical and geophysical surveying, create geological mapping, and examine geochemical samples like petroleum, minerals or rocks using such instruments as gas chromatographs, carbon analyzers, microscopes and spectrometers. They perform original scientific research to determine the ages and other characteristics of specific soils, minerals and rocks. They oversee processes that separate minerals from their ores. The educational requirement for most mineralogist jobs is usually a master’s degree at minimum.

7. Mud Logger

Mud loggers analyze drilling fluids after they have been drilled up. They analyze the fluids in a laboratory. Mud loggers determine the position of hydrocarbons to depth. They also monitor natural gas and identify the physical characteristics of outcrops available in a given area of study.

8. Wellsite Geologist

Wellsite geologists are the next level up from mud loggers and you must be a mud logger first. Both require a bachelor’s degree in geology. Wellsite geologists classify rock cuttings removed from wells. They use rock-cutting data, core samples and specialized tests to advise gas and oil operators on how deep to drill wells. They prepare reports during and after the drilling. This is one of the highest-paying geology jobs with salaries topping six figures per year.

Geology Careers Provide Varied Work

The pay can be good. But geology careers are not just about making money. It’s also the wide variety of work and the demand for it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 4.5 percent job growth in the geosciences, including environmental geoscientists, from 2021 to 2033, a 5 percent job growth in geoscientists, not including hydrologists, overall, and a 5.4 percent job growth increase in geoscience technicians.

Consulting Geology Careers

Dennis Papa, P.E. is a principal at dpSTU-DIO LLC, Environmental Consulting and Design with offices in Richmond, Virginia and Providence, Rhode Island.

“Back in the late 1980s (seems like the Precambrian!) many undergraduate geology programs were focused on petroleum exploration and mineral resources. That is what I was originally interested in, imagining a career looking for oil-bearing formations. When jobs in petroleum and coal exploration started to become scarce, the environmental industry was just ramping up. I was drawn to the idea of a job that offered a mix of both fieldwork (doing well installation, groundwater and soil sampling) as well as office work to write reports, use software, and engage with other experts and clients to study a contamination problem.”

Many wonder if a professional geologist license is needed. “The P.G. is simply a test that each state offers to a geologist who has the requisite degree and minimum years working in the industry. A national exam is now offered to standardize the test. but not all states require it. Many states require a P.G., or working directly under a P.G., to practice geology, but it is not a requirement for all careers in geology and is certainly not required once starting out.”

Geology Tools & More…

As with any job, sometimes the fun is in the tools used. “Tools always offer that tangible connection to your trade. The geologist hammer is indispensable. A hand lens magnifier, soil color chart, and grain size chart used to compare sorting, size, etc. of sediment and rock samples are important tools to help provide useful data in standardized terms. Aerial photographs are used. We also routinely use a water level meter to accurately measure depth to water level.”

Dennis works closely with other specialists. “We rely very heavily on experienced and licensed well drillers, geotechnical engineers, wetland scientists, soil scientists, archeologists and geophysicists.”

In Dennis’ opinion, “I am partial to the environmental consulting field because it has offered me so much. However, I think there are so many geology career paths to choose from, and there have been so many advances in the subspecialties, that it just depends on your particular interests. Some offer more time in the field, others more opportunity to work in an office or laboratory. And if you can’t decide, the beauty is that many geology jobs offer a combination of both.”

Geologist

Claire Starke is a geologist with a large consulting firm with offices around the world.“I knew I wanted to be a geologist at age seven and I chose environmental geology because I felt that it would get me further in the business world and encompass different types of jobs. I graduated in the spring of 2021 so I was going to school through a time when environmental remediation and sustainability was a large chapter covered in all my major classes.”

A typical field day for Claire includes, “I mainly work with environmental sampling in groundwater monitoring wells. I use different types of well pumps to pull the water out of the well at a low flow rate. We work with drilling companies, and they will do the physical placement, but a geologist will tell them where to put the well, how deep to drill, and how deep to place the screen of the well. I have worked with hydrologists and hydrogeologists to figure out groundwater flow. I have worked with chemists to discuss the chemicals found in groundwater samples.”

What geology fields are best? “In my opinion, environmental remediation is the best geology field for the time we are in now. There are always new chemicals being found to be dangerous to human health, someone is needed to address the issue and needed for remediation, so it’s a sustainable career because the job is never done. You get a very nice blend of field and office activities. You also get to make the world cleaner and healthier in small and big ways.”

This story about geology careers appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Deborah Painter.

The post 8 Top Geology Careers first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Exactly what are the lapidary arts? Succinctly put, lapidary arts are the activities involved with shaping stones, minerals and gems into decorative items such as cabochons and faceted gems.

Access = Growth

I have been playing and working in the lapidary world for the past ten years. I facet, cab and carve gemstones, sell rough materials to other lapidary artists, teach faceting and carving, along with selling ULTRA TEC faceting machines. From 1988 to 2000, I worked as a researcher and developer on the National Science Foundation project that kickstarted the birth of the Internet. I am seeing parallels between the amazing digital communications paradigm shift and the lapidary arts’ evolution. The internet is the main catalyst driving the current renaissance of lapidary arts. The other major factors propelling lapidary arts forward are design software, new equipment and materials, and the ability for people to work from home – a unique opportunity for growth in our industry.

Now information is at our fingertips and traveling to buy rough stones and lapidary materials is a luxury and an adventure. People can travel to the Bolivia mine to buy the world’s finest ametrine for gemstone faceting, but they can alternately receive photos, videos, descriptions, and pricing via WhatsApp minutes after a request. Payment takes just seconds and a purchase can be delivered in days. This replaces the old mine-to-broker-to-exporter-to-importer-to-broker-to-gemstone cutter system and negates the additional markup of price for each of these hand-offs. Being able to conduct business online is significant because it provides lapidary artists and jewelers quick, affordable, and easy access to gemstones and rough from around the world.

Learning & Sharing

Previous generations of cutters were constrained to years of training through the apprenticeship model of instruction. The internet has freed newcomers by providing access to most of the information needed to get started and the ability to purchase the necessary materials. On a personal note, I can provide remote video faceting training globally. Follow-up questions are answered via email text and messaging. Although in-studio lessons are superior, the ability to provide a live video lesson brings the cost of learning gemstone faceting down significantly.

We can share information easily, but that does not mean that it happens. As with most trades, crafts, and artistic endeavors, processes and techniques have often been secretive. I see that the new generation of lapidary artists is more willing to share their knowledge with colleagues and beginners. We are starting to understand that knowledge is power, but only when it is shared. Social media provides rapid sharing and co-development of ideas, allowing quick development of new designs, techniques, and collaborations.

Selling Online

Easily available e-commerce gives stone dealers, cutters, and jewelers the ability to sell their materials online. Using social media, we have been able to create profitable and growing businesses. We no longer have to own a physical storefront, visit jewelry store clients, or attend gem and mineral shows. In four years, I was able to amass 60,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook. The result of this social media growth translates into my gemstone faceting business being booked nine months out. The cost of presenting and selling my finished lapidary creations is now at a minimum. My faceting students can set up and sell their gemstones six months after their first lesson with minimal sales infrastructure investment.

Digital Lapidary Design

The digital benefits of lapidary are not limited to information and commerce. Over the past years, gemstone designers have used computers to calculate the mathematical equations and geometry necessary to both improve and create better-performing and spectacular gemstones. Robert Wood Strickland developed the GemCad and GemRay programs that allow any gemstone cutter to use a computer to design and optimize their gemstone creations. The recent addition of the Gem Cut Studio has made creating gemstone designs available to anyone who has a computer, the time to read the manual, and a commitment to practice. All the basics of math, geometry, and gemstone attributes (such as material hardness and refractive indexes) have been put in the CAD (Computer-Aided Design) programs. The programs/apps shorten the learning curve in gemstone design by months if not years. Of course, knowing the basic principles of these disciplines is beneficial, but no longer an obstacle to generating cutting-edge designs. These programs are tools that put current cutters years ahead of their predecessors.

Precision Lapidary Tools & Materials

Newly developed precision tools have allowed artists to work faster, more accurately, and with finer detail. There are also new materials such as better abrasives for faceting, cabbing, and carving all varieties of rocks and gems. In addition, cutters are using instruments made for different media in their lapidary work. In Henry Hunt’s book, “American Lapidary, Designing the Carved Gemstone,” the author claims that in any artistic endeavor, originality follows the introduction of new tools and techniques. With this break from tradition, we are seeing the new generation of lapidary artists developing new processes and techniques that are innovative and exciting.

An Exciting Future for Lapidary Work

All of these innovations and advancements put new and young individuals looking to create their own lapidary art business in a unique and advantageous position. The ability to build one’s own business is a catalyst in the evolution of the lapidary arts.

We have a new generation of craftspeople and artists who grew up understanding and applying the components of this digital and readily accessible world. They find more rewarding and meaningful employment with the freedom to define their lives on their own terms. The recent development of accessible individual health care and the stay-at-home mentality that COVID-19 instilled also advanced this new breed of independent workers. These shifts enabled people to work at their home studios and within a new business model. Lapidary artists can make and sell whatever they want and whenever they want and are no longer restricted by a brick-and-mortar store, corporate structure, or marketing research reports.

Driven by Industry Pioneers

A renaissance is driven by a group of pioneers. There are dozens of lapidary artists, engineers, and free thinkers who have laid the path for the new generation of lapidary artists. It’s worth your time to look at some of the groundbreaking lapidary artists in the United States. Enjoy their creations and get inspired.

Years from now, when the next generation of lapidary artists looks back at this era of lapidary advancement, I hope that they see what I am seeing – a revolution, an evolution, and a renaissance. This is what happens when advanced technology, global trade, instant communications, social media e-commerce, and a new generational shift of the paradigm exists. I invite you to be aware, open your eyes, seek out, and enjoy the magnificent and wondrous creations of our contemporary lapidary artists during these innovative times.

This story about a lapidary renaissance appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Mark Oros.

The post Exploring a Lapidary Renaissance first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

The Impact of Light

Light is a major component of art and craft. Light is what reflects and allows us to see shape, color and the subtleties that the hand and eye created. However, the lapidary who facets (the process of turning the rough gem crystal material into a decorative gemstone) a stone has to consider light in another dimension. Light is an essential part of the medium and process, just like paint is essential to painting a portrait.

Light and the gemstone’s material are married in the creation of a jewel. Light reflects off the gemstone surface and returns to your eye like any craft or art. However, how to cut gemstones properly involves light also entering the gemstone and bouncing around, and returning from inside the gemstone. The greater quantity of light that can be captured and moved within the gemstone, the more exciting the jewel becomes. Poorly cut facet angles will allow the light to simply pass through the gemstone making a window. Correct angle facets can also be cut to break up the returning light, creating scintillation. Now, the gem sparkles! The attention given to light is a major difference between mass-produced faceted colored gemstones and performance-faceted colored gemstones cut by lapidary artists.

Learning to Work With Light

Gaining knowledge, as well as understanding and learning how to cut gemstones to apply it to faceting is complex and takes time. Like playing an instrument or learning to dance, the key element to success is practice. Through practice, artists begin to see the results of their efforts and understand the effects of subtle changes and modifications. With this knowledge and experience, a lapidary can then start to develop new and better techniques to improve a jewel’s performance.

When designing and faceting a gemstone, a designer has to consider and make decisions regarding the different performance attributes of the stone that result from various cutting techniques. These attributes include the following.

• Color depends on how to cut gemstones to enhance their natural color, resulting in a variety of saturations, hues and transparencies.

• Brightness is perceived when light enters the stone, bounces around and reflects back to the viewer’s eyes.

• Scintillation comes from different facets and their ability to create different beams of light that make a sparkling effect.

• Dispersion of light creates secondary and tertiary colors and is made by creating angles that separate the colors of the light spectrum.

• The darkness or lightness of a gemstone is determined both by how to cut gemstones using faceting angles and the depth of the cuts to darken or lighten the stone and ultimately affect the jewel’s weight.

Everything All at Once?

In a perfect world, artists try to maximize all of the performance attributes of a finished jewel. However, it is a balancing act because enhancing one performance aspect of a jewel means another may suffer. Making a stone lighter in color and also maximizing its weight by making it larger doesn’t necessarily work together.

The different attributes of light performance must be balanced and work together to create the best outcome for the jewel. These trade-offs are usually driven by the buyer. Lapidaries must consider the capabilities of each individual gemstone both in performance and the potential market value of the resulting design/ cut. With beauty being in the eye of the beholder, lapidary techniques must be applied to meet the eye of its new beholder (personal beauty) and the generations to come (timeless beauty).

Mass Market Vs. Small Business

Gemstones are cut for different markets based on that market’s perception of value. The two major attributes of the mass market for gemstones are color and weight. This is based on years of market development along with the original sizes and shapes of available rough gemstone crystals. The lapidaries that facet these gemstones are talented, but they are restricted to creating a standard and repeatable result to meet the size and color expectations of the industry. They do not have the luxury of forfeiting the gemstone’s color or weight for better light performance.

However, movement and play-of-light is the biggest component of a jewel’s performance. Many lapidaries prefer to create gemstones where light performance takes priority over weight and color. The artists and their clients see value in this. While weight and color are still top of mind, the beauty of the finished jewel is viewed from a different perspective than the mass market. It is not only the shape, design and size of the gemstone, but also how the light will play within it to create beauty for the new owner.

How to Cut Gemstones: The Science of Light

How to cut gemstones is the result of understanding and applying the disciplines of geology, gemology, geometry, chemistry and optics. Understanding the science of light and its movement within a faceted gemstone is important to get the brightest, most sparkling and most beautiful gemstone.

Material refractive indexes, dispersion and critical angles are major components to getting the best light performance from a gemstone Gemstone designer, Jim Perkins had a gemstone performance mission. He wanted to design gemstones that dazzled the beholder. He would create new and unique gemstone designs, but his forte was taking classic gemstone designs and maximizing their performance. He used to say that his designs were “10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration,” meaning that he worked harder at the gemstone performance attributes of light return and scintillation than he did at making new geometric designs.

Client Satisfaction

On a personal note, I began using Jim Perkins’ gemstone designs and started to get immediate reactions from my jewelry design and setting clients. I remember the first couple of times I brought a set of Jim’s designs faceted in quartz, amethyst, citrine and rose quartz to show my jewelry clients. They were startled. I asked them what was wrong and they all said the same thing, “I didn’t know tourmaline came in this color.” I informed them it was a quartz gemstone and they all said the same thing, “You can’t make quartz do that!” But there it was in their hands, a beautiful piece of performance-based faceted quartz using Jim Perkins’ design, born from his perspiration and affinity for bouncing the light back to the viewer.

Light performance within a jewel has always been a major component of gemstone design. Over the centuries, we have been able to use science to better understand and apply the knowledge of light performance and crystal structure to our lapidary designs and techniques. In the past 50 years, lapidary has started to look at gemstone design and fabrication differently by using increased knowledge and newly developed tools. Cutters have found a growing market willing to pay for beauty that is both innovative and performance-based.

This story about how to cut gemstones appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Mark Oros.

The post How to Cut Gemstones to Reflect Light first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Robert said he can spot someone with what he calls the “gem-cutting gene” because of their questions and the way they examine a stone. These creative souls view the intrinsic worth of an object of beauty.

Reaching Younger Artists

Want to become a lapidarist? You’re in good company. Robert says they have noticed a younger demographic’s interest in cutting gemstones. Apprenticing for how to learn gem cutting is no longer a must. It’s now possible to learn from a myriad of sources granting more access to everyone.

Part of the reason so many gem cutters turn to ULTRA TEC is because of its solid foundation.

“We help them achieve the ideas they have in their mind. At the end of the day they have something tangible,” noted Mendoza. ”Joe Rubin started with a good design that we’ve been perfecting over the years. The ULTRA TEC V5 is the best machine to cut gemstones. It carries all the precision to cut gemstones.”

Continuing to Perfect

The ULTRA TEC team enjoys hearing from its customers and often innovates based on suggestions. An example is when they created a digital angle display (DAD) that reads to one-one hundredth of a degree.

“When you are gem cutting, you deal with a lot of angles. The key is to be able to repeat the angle every single time,” noted Robert. “No one else has one that dials down as precisely. We are very proud of this device.”

Quality & Versatility

Besides the quality and versatility of the design of the ULTRA TEC machines, people appreciate that while other faceting machine companies have come and gone, ULTRA TEC supports its people and products.

“ULTRA TEC is a traditional American company. Everything is done under one roof. This company is based on ethics, honesty, and integrity,” said Mendoza. “It makes people happy. We want them to enjoy the hobby.”

The Connection of Mine to Market – Noreen Masaki

Tanzania is known for gemstones, but if Noreen Masaki has her way, it will also be the hub of lapidaries.

“Tanzania is exceptionally rich in gemstone deposits of different varieties,” explained Noreen who has been teaching lapidary classes for over 20 years in Tanzania. Her goal, besides creating beautiful pieces, is to teach people to appreciate the relationship between the rough gem and the final product. This is relevant when it comes to encouraging artisans within her own country.

Her keen mind and excellent eye made her an exceptional student. “At that time learning about gems was a completely new thing to me,” she said. “At the end of the four weeks, I loved to work with gems.”

She said they used the ULTRA TEC V2 during her initial work. “What inspired me was the outcome of a faceted gem — the light reflection, colors, overall brilliance, and irresistible beauty. Over time I learned that not all gems which are cut show their beauty and brilliance and that it had something to do with optical laws and the type of machine used. I was lucky to learn precision faceting of gemstones with the best machine and from the best teacher who respected the optical laws and procedures.”

Current Work

Noreen now utilizes the ULTRA TEC V5 for her students and her own work.

Her students go home with a finished stone on their first day and much of this is because of the quality of the machine.

“I’ve tried so many (different machines),” she said. “The ULTRA TEC V5 is really precise. I do not need surprises when I cut my stones. I like the mast of the ULTRA TEC V5, especially the cheater that helps to find any facet if correction is needed.”

When Noreen works with a stone, she said, “I give priority of the pavilions first because they are responsible for the brilliance of the stone.” She said the drawback of cutting this way is to possibly cut more of the stone than she’d prefer if the angles aren’t spot on.

”We first cut it in our heads,” she said. ”I explain the laws of light reflection within the stone before you cut it. Each stone has its own properties. If the stone has a higher refraction index you cut it at lower angles.”

Noreen sees the beauty in her stones, as well as her students, and through her exceptional talent and high-quality ULTRA TEC faceting machines, she’s creating a new generation of gemstone artists.

Answering the Call – Steven Tyler Manchini

Steven Tyler Manchini, also known as Steven Tyler the Designer, began making wire-wrapped jewelry in 2012 because “it allowed me to have a part-time job while I was in school.”

After obtaining his degree in biology, he continued making jewelry and exploring his creative side. A change in professions is not unusual for instance some go from tooth jewelry dentist to jeweler. “I love science, but every day I was there I was thinking about my bench,” Steven said.

Always Learning

Heeding his inner muse, Steven took classes and taught himself Gem Cad modeling to switch the direction of his vocation, including working with renowned designer Nolan Sponsler who taught him the art of faceting. “I’m learning as much as I can. We all share the knowledge,” he said.

The desire to learn pays off for everyone who marvels at Steven’s unique vision when gem cutting and creating jewelry. A combination of talent and dedication is the perfect recipe for one-of-a-kind pieces.

“I sit at my bench eight to 14 hours a day. I work seven days a week,” he said. ”I just sit at my bench and start the process. It’s the passion for the work that’s driving it.” He believes it’s a matter of being present and finding inspiration in the basic steps as much as anything.

“All the geometry and geometric stuff are what inspired me,” he said. “I love the Fantasy machine from ULTRA TEC. As much as I love flat faceting, the Fantasy machine inspires me.”

The Fantasy machine gives him the latitude needed to explore the geometric patterns that catch his eye. “I like the build of the machine,” Steven commented. “It has an infinite amount of styles that you can do. I had to splurge.”

Professional Goals & Favorite Gems

Steven’s goal of having a piece in a museum was realized as his piece “Alsace Aurea” (the Golden Moose) was accepted in the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum’s “Big Find” event.

Steven cut a rare 25-carat, bi-color Maine tourmaline from the Dunton Gem Quarry and off-set it with two, locally sourced, tourmalines cut with the ULTRA TEC Fantasy machine. They are all set in golden moose antlers creating the ultimate celebration of New England jewelry.

Although it’s like choosing a favorite child to pick preferred gemstones, as a true New Englander, Steven appreciates working with regional specimens. “I really like tourmaline. You can do a lot with it.”

Every generation brings something new to the cutting bench, and Steven offers an artist’s eye with a scientist’s attention to detail that breathes life into his one-of-a-kind gemstone designs.

Representing Quality – Ron Snelling

Ron Snelling’s interest in gem cutting began in the mid-1960s when the parents of his future wife started a local rock club. He is now the Colorado representative for ULTRA TEC and still belongs to a rock club. “I am one of the cutters in the group. I do not dig in the dirt,” he laughed.

Ron purchased his first ULTRA TEC in 1990 and is an admirer of the company and its products. “They keep upgrading and offering parts,” he said, including supporting the longtime workhorse, the V2, which emerged on the market nearly 50 years ago. The reality is that ULTRA TEC machines don’t become obsolete, the company simply continues to improve designs to meet the customers’ needs.

“My favorite is the VL (Classic),” Ron noted. “I got to be part of the research and development and put in a little information, among other experts, to build it.” He also owns an ULTRA TEC V5 and a Fantasy machine making him the ideal person to talk to lapidaries about what they want to do with their designs.

Ron is happy to share his knowledge about how to best adjust the machines for a given task. Whenever someone has a question in his region, he is the expert with the answers. “I do enjoy sharing this,” he commented.

The Hook & Acalling

Ron said one of the most amazing steps in cutting a gem is when the stone is finished and the cutter removes the wax, allowing the gemstone to come to life. “That’s probably the hook (for this hobby),” he mused.

Over the years Ron found his calling in bringing already-cut gems back to life. “A friend has a jewelry store and asked me if I could do repairs,” he said. “Sometimes there are stones, like tanzanite, that are pretty beat up. When you resurface it, the color comes back into it. The best part of all of this is repairs have paid for my hobby and my equipment.”

Hobby Trends

Ron has noticed a trend in the hobby. “It’s interesting how the popularity has gone up. What we’re seeing is a resurgence of 20-somethings.” He noted some amazingly talented younger artists are entering top-notch competitions and winning.

At one point there was more of a feeling of competition and some degree of secrecy in techniques in the gem-cutting community. But Ron said he views gem cutting like music. “There are only so many chords to play, but there are different ways to play them. You need to play it your own way.”

While Ron often works with whatever gemstones need his attention the most, he said given the chance to work with a certain variety, “I probably enjoy quartz the most because they’re large, they’re plentiful and you can do so much with them.”

This story about how to start gem cutting previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Amy Grisak. Sponsored by ULTRA TEC. 

The post How to Start Gem Cutting first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Keegan Ranch Tube Agate from Oregon is one of the most highly sought tube agates for lapidary work. The translucent chalcedony with beautiful wispy white tube patterns makes absolutely gorgeous cabochons. Whether cabbed on its own or backed as a doublet, its beauty stands out. This material is growing scarce and is hard to find, but it can be found occasionally at shows or in online auctions.

 Start With Slabs

It is best to buy this material in slabs so that you can see clearly what you are getting. If you do buy rough, examine the stone carefully to see which direction the tubes flow. You might need to soak it for an hour or so and scrub it with a brush to see the pattern more definitively. This will allow you to cut in a way to gain the pattern you desire. Most lapidaries tend to cut in a direction that will yield long tube cross-sections, but others cut in the opposite direction for orbicular patterns

Cabbing this material is usually straightforward, but you also have more involved options. For instance, Keegan Ranch Tube Agate is a perfect material for crafting doublets. When backed with a dark base, the clear chalcedony gives the tubes three dimensional effect with great depth.

Historically, most lapidaries have used black basanite as the backing. While this exposes the patterns really well, in recent years others have been using turquoise or other colorful materials for a decidedly different flare. I have personally used labradorite. The colorful rainbow flash shows through the chalcedony very well, and the overlying tube patterns provide a wonderful 3D effect.

I have also used Italian black marble because it has equal hardness with the agate. This is important when making doublets because if backing material is softer than the agate, girdle edges may cut unevenly, leaving an undercut seam at the glue joint.

Double Down on Doublets

Making doublets with this material is easy given that most jeweler-grade epoxies work well. Start by marking the shape you want on the tube agate and trim the shape, leaving a little space around the edges. Then apply epoxy to a slightly larger piece of backing. Spread the epoxy lightly so as not to create bubbles. Then apply the tube agate gently.

Give a slight swirl while pressing firmly to the backing. This will help spread the epoxy out to all edges in an even manner. Give the material a day to cure completely. Then take your material back to the trim saw and trim off any excess backing, and you will be ready for cabbing.

The cabbing process is easy if you used a backing approximately 3 to 4 mm thick and your tube agate was approximately 2 mm thick. Start on the 80 grit wheel and round the agate edges down to the backing material and start making your dome. From this point, you cab in the traditional way as with any other agate. As you progress and thin down the top layer, the backing color will reveal ever greater depth, clearly revealing why Keegan Ranch Tube Agate is so sought after by lapidary artists.

The post What to Cut: Keegan Ranch Tube Agate first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.