The transformation from a found piece of rough to a cabbed or faceted gem is beautiful and dramatic. Sometimes the finished piece bears little resemblance to its humble beginnings. Here are a few before and after photos of the beauty of nature’s treasures from mine to mine.

Hematite Hematite is one of the most important sources of iron because of its high iron content, wide distribution, and abundance. Hematite derivс its name from the blood-red color of its powder. It has been used as a paint pigment since prehistoric times.

Malachite Malachite derives its name from a Greek word meaning “mallow green color.” Copper can be obtained from malachite using the smelting process. Malachite was used as an eye paint by the Egyptians and as a paint pigment starting in the 7th century.

Agate Most of the Tennesee Paint Rock agate deposits are located on the west side of the Cumberland Plateau near the Tennesee-Alabama border. Agate is a common variety of chalcedony and is found with bands of different colors and transparency. Agate often gets their name from the location where they are found.

Smoky Quartz Smoky quartz is produced when clear quartz is exposed to natural radiation. It is transparent to opaque and has a brownish-gray color. With a Mohs hardness of seven, it is a good candidate for use in the jewelry trade.

Tiger’s Eye Tiger’s eye is a variety of cryptocrystalline chalcedony quartz. Its chatoyant property (cat’s eye effect ) makes it popular with collectors. Tiger’s eye is naturally golden brown. Other colors, such as red, are sold in stores and have been treated to achieve different colors.

This story about rough gemstones to jewelry appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Richard Gross and Pam Freeman.

The post From Rough Gemstones to Jewelry first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Exploring Emerald Colors

Emeralds can actually be a variety of hues from bluish-green to green and yellow-ish green. There are also green beryls that are not “true” emeralds.

Chromium and vanadium play the biggest role in an emerald’s color, with iron playing a role occasionally. Emeralds need ingredients from both felsic and mafic rocks to get their color, preferably close in proximity, quite a rare condition in the field.

The quantities and proportions of chromium, vanadium, and iron dictate the specific hue, and thus richness, of an emerald. Green beryl has a pale appearance because iron (both in Fe+₂ and Fe+₃ forms) is, by far and away, the dominant colorant.

Given that iron is far more abundant in the crust than chromium and vanadium, green beryl is far easier to find. The world-famous Colombian emeralds owe their specific tinge to a total lack of iron while being chromium-dominant, whereas Zambian emeralds (arguably Colombia’s chief rival on emerald quality) is also chromium dominant but display a blue undertone because of trace amounts of iron.

Emerald Inclusions

With the richness of color being the primary driver of these gems on the world market, the second-place value factor is the degree of inclusions emeralds contain. In the gem market, inclusions are acceptable (unlike how diamonds in the jewelry industry are treated).

Emeralds are classified as a type III gemstone, meaning inclusions are very common and acceptable. Type I gems are inclusion-free more often than not, such as topaz and aquamarine, and type II gems are usually included such as rubies and sapphires.

The unique set of inclusions an emerald gem has is often referred to as its jardin. This is Spanish for “garden” since the term is most often used in Colombian emeralds. Such inclusions are typically elongate and rod-like, resembling tree branches and roots, hence the moniker.

If an inclusion-free emerald is spotted on the market, you are probably dealing with a fake.

Aquamarine vs. Emerald

Some ask how aquamarine and emerald can be on opposite ends of the inclusion spectrum if they are both beryl? The answer lies in the environment where the gems form.

Emeralds are found in sedimentary shale-limestone sequences and boundary zones between pegmatites and high-grade metamorphic rocks such as schists.

Aquamarines are generally confined to just pegmatites. The shale-limestone sequences usually involve a brine solution where a variety of dissolved elements and inclusions persist, and the boundary zones involve the exchange of multiple ingredients from each source (so it gets quite crowded).

Individual pegmatite melts are often supercritical fluids, meaning that distinct liquid and vapor phases no longer exist. These fluids are generated at more than around 375°C and 240 atmospheres of pressure, for water, and possess enhanced solubility of a pure liquid yet the permeability of pure gas. So, when some pegmatites cool to form gems (like type I aquamarine), there is high selectivity of what gets included in the developing crystal structure (hence giving a higher purity).

Colombian Emeralds 

So far, the Colombian deposits are the only well-known examples of the gems forming in the shale-limestone sedimentary environment. This area is divided into western and eastern belts separated by 110 kilometers, where the acclaimed Muzo and Chivor mines reside, respectively.

The gems were worked there by indigenous tribes in the 4th century, with Conquistadors arriving in the early 16th century undertaking more extensive mining. It did not take long for them to realize that their finds would be more attractive than Egyptian emeralds back in Europe (their closest source).

The regional geology is composed of lower Cretaceous-age organic-rich shale and limestone beds that have been intensely folded and intruded by reverse faults during an orogenic event that built up the Colombian Andes.

How Colombian Emeralds Formed

With Colombia being such a unique and important locality to the worldwide emerald market, there have been numerous models to explain the gem formation. In general, the geologic recipe boils down to multi-step fluid reactions, rich carbon contents, the presence of evaporite sedimentary rocks and space to grow.

Seated deeper than the noteworthy shale and limestone formations are sequences of evaporitic sedimentary rocks, rock salt (NaCl) and rock gypsum (CaSO₄*₂H₂O).

The term evaporitic comes from the formation of these rocks, via high evaporation rates of briny waters, that leaves behind the minerals when the remaining solution becomes supersaturated with the dissolved elements. Such past environments are typically deserts and lagoons.

Iron Removal

During mountain building, deep-seated hydrothermal fluids are forced upwards along faults, while interacting with the evaporitic rocks along the way. These fluids also contain Be-F complexes derived from basement granitic rocks.

As they arrive closer to the surface, where the shale-limestone sequences are, the interaction with the carbon in the organic-rich shale reduces the dissolved sulfate (SO₄–₂) and iron to produce pyrite (FeS₂) and elemental sulfur. The transported fluorine also reacts with the calcium in the shale limestone to produce fluorite (CaF₂).

The removal of aqueous iron into pyrite is key to the signature grass-green hue in Colombian emeralds.

Rare Columbian Surprises

If the abundant organic matter that dominates the Colombian shales gets entrapped in the growing crystal at the right time, flakes can orient themselves along crystallographic axes intersections. If this is combined with an inconsistent growth rate of the gem, a unique pattern called trapiche emeralds form (the word also refers to a Colombian grinding wheel).

The other Colombian surprise is rarer even yet, in the form of fossil replacements. If fossils are lucky enough to be rapidly buried, their shells can be replaced by minerals such as hematite, pyrite, quartz, and calcite. A few gastropod fossils found in the shale beds have had their shells replaced by emerald.

Zambian Emeralds

African Zambian deposits occur in a rather rare host of talc-magnetite-actinolite-chlorite schist that was born out of a metamorphosed komatiite (ultramafic lava flows that are too hot to erupt today) around 1.6 billion years ago. The komatiite provided chromium along with iron.

Fast forward to 530 million years ago during the Pan-African orogeny, which saw the development of pegmatite igneous intrusions, that provided the beryllium. The emeralds then grew in a reaction zone along the boundary between the two rock types. Many Zambian gem specimens show a quartz matrix, with some showing solely a mica matrix, but specimens showing both on the matrix are exceptionally rare.

Zambian vs. Columbian Emeralds

Even though Columbian emeralds have more inclusions, they are more valuable than Zambian emeralds. This goes to show that a desirable color, and the historical brand name of Colombian emeralds, takes precedence over having much fewer inclusions but with a slightly less ideal green.

Brazilian Emeralds

Brazil is the source for roughly 10% of world emerald production. The Carnaíba Mine is a part of the largest emerald deposit in the world, in terms of physical size, and was only been discovered in the 1960s with other locales such as Minas Gerais, contributing alongside Carnaíba. Emeralds here tend to be heavily included, and rarely transparent, but still make desirable matrix specimens.

The Brazilian matrix is Precambrian mafic biotite schist that is in proximity to pegmatite intrusions of Proterozoic age. The schist formations themselves are spatially close to chromite mines further to the west, where the chromium chromophore got remobilized during matrix rock intrusion, with the beryllium being delivered from the pegmatite.

The Largest Emeralds

Carnaíba emeralds are nothing to shake a stick at as some major record-breakers have been mined from this area. The first was discovered in the summer of 1974 when a cut specimen weighed in at a whopping 86,136 carats (nearly 38 pounds)!

The largest natural uncut single emerald crystal was found in Colombia (1969) weighing in at 7,205 carats (nearly 3 pounds), called the Emilia Crystal. In more recent times, Carnaíba struck the record books again when a 794-pound, 4.3-foot high, matrix specimen was unearthed in 2017. It took a team of ten, a week, to transport the specimen from 200 meters (656 feet) underground. With an estimated value of $309 million.

The specimen serves as a very close cousin to the infamous Bahia emerald, which was found in 2001 and only 100 meters (328 feet) away. The Bahia was once a subject of a decade-plus long legal battle over its rightful ownership.

Emeralds from Southern China

Somewhat like Brazilian emeralds are those produced from the Dayakou Mine in southern China. As with Carnaíba, the Dayakou emeralds are hosted in traditional mica schist and are typically opaque and heavily-included. The geological scene was initially set by Proterozoic metamorphic basement, followed by the emplacement of Silurian-age gneisses and granites, and finally by the intrusion of Cretaceous-age pegmatites supplying heat and beryllium for emerald formation.

Chinese emeralds here are unique for three reasons. First, vanadium, rather than chromium, serves as the dominant chromophore. Second, the gems precipitated out in two different vein orientations; one trending northwest that formed during the Silurian, and the other trending northeast formed during the Cretaceous. Thus, it is plausible that there were two separate gem-forming episodes. Three, a unique association with scheelite (CaWO₄), gives some areas of some specimens a nice lemon-lime contrast.

Emeralds Around the World

In considering regions a bit further northwest, there are the famous Mingora deposits in northern Pakistan. The Mingora Mine is a part of the nation’s most prolific emerald producer, being the Swat Valley District. Although the emeralds here are derived from a classic convergent plate boundary setting, Mingora emeralds are unique from a big-picture perspective. They are confined to an ophiolite mélange zone (otherwise known as a suture zone).

Ophiolites are slivers of “foreign” lithosphere (crust) that get compressed or stitched, onto the edges of continents, at convergent-ocean plate boundaries where subduction occurs. The “gluing” occurs since the sliver is too thick to be subducted and is often composed of a myriad of rock and sediment types in a chaotic assemblage (the word mélange is derived from the French word to mix – “mesler”). The mélange zone is known as the Indus Suture situated between the Eurasian plate and the Kohistan Island Arc. This specific mélange contains magnesite (MgCO3), chromium-rich and dravite tourmaline, fuchsite – K(Al, Cr)₂(AlSi₃O₁₀)(OH)₂, serpentinite, and talc-dolomite schist.

In parts of the oceanic crust, chromium is typically found in elevated amounts at its base where gabbroic rocks predominate. Hydrothermal activity and element mobilization are generated by the creation of new magma from the subduction process, with gem deposition found sporadically and within numerous thrust faults created by compressional forces in the mélange.

Emeralds in North Carolina

The longstanding epicenter emeralds in the United States is in North Carolina. Colombia and Zambia may have the best gemmy emeralds, and Brazil the largest, but those from the Tarheel State may have the most mystique to them. The deposits are split between two areas; around the town of Hiddenite, and the Crabtree Mine, outside of Little Switzerland 90 miles to the west, and the occurrences are vastly different.

Hiddenite Emeralds

The Hiddenite area has been responsible for the biggest and best finds (so far) in North America. The area can be further divided into the Emerald Hollow Mine, the North American Emerald Mine (the NAEM, a.k.a. the Rist Mine), and the Adams Mine. The general setting places gems in quartz veins alongside siderite, muscovite, calcite, dolomite, albite and rutile all contained within intensely folded biotite gneiss and schistose rocks. A good number of emeralds from this locale bear a distinctive light mint hue. Also found in the area is the titular gem spodumene that also gets its color from trace chromium. The first piece of mystique here is that hiddenite and emerald are rarely found together in the same localized cavity or vein, despite needing the same colorant.

Also, the entire area seems like a mystery in that the source of the beryllium and chromium is still unknown. The lack of scientific answers has not quenched the desire for discovery on all levels. Since operating the NAEM in 1998, the regional king of emeralds, Jamie Hill, has extracted more than 20,000 carats of crystals. The very next year, more than 300 of those carats were cut into legendary beauties such as the 18.8 ct. “Carolina Queen” and the 7.85 ct. “Carolina Prince.” The former was appraised at a million dollars, while the latter set the record as the most paid per carat for a North American cut gem (just shy of $63,700/ct.). The green luck struck again four years later when a record 1,869-carat crystal was successfully extracted and sold to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Lastly, in 2006, Hill made history again with the longest crystal extracted, measuring ten inches. Subsequently, it sold for $155,000 during a Beverly Hills auction. One more record was set, in August 2009, at the Adams Mine, where Terry Ledford unearthed a 310-carat specimen that would yield the continent’s largest cut emerald (at nearly 65 carats) called the “Carolina Emperor.” Despite the recent success stories, a systematic way of exploring for the region’s gems is lacking, with veins and pockets randomly coming and going, adding again to the mystique (and drive).

DIY (Dig it Yourself) Emeralds

The only mine in the region where rockhounds can try their luck at finding the green gem is at the Emerald Hollow Mine (www.emeraldhollowmine.com). In general, North Carolina emeralds are typically not known for being as large as their international cousins. Thus, when the next record-keeper is unearthed, it is guaranteed to generate quite the headliner in the rockhounding community.

Crabtree Mine

The Crabtree Mine area possesses an entirely different stage for finding gems and the form they come in. Like with most of the discussed locales, the gems grow along a boundary zone between pegmatite and biotite schist. Finding solid three-dimensional crystals is quite tough, whereas most of the eye-popping specimens are displayed as small patches of green en cabochon, alongside feldspar, quartz, black tourmaline, and garnet. The claim is managed by the Mountain Area Gem and Mineral Association (M.A.G.M.A.), and collecting visits can be arranged by visiting wncrocks.com.

With probably the most erratic and random geological distribution, save for probably diamondiferous kimberlite pipes, the precious green gem has captivated humanity for millennia, for better and for worse. It’s only a question of where the next major emerald deposit will be located; it will be striking the geological lottery.

This story about emeralds previously appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Mark Leatherman.

The post All About Emeralds first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Wolfgang and Diana Mueller, known by their company name DiWolf, is a dynamic couple, with lots of knowledge and years of experience in lapidary and jewelry artwork.

Wolfgang Mueller is a retired geologist, mineral collector, and a very active lapidary. He has rockhounded in many places around the country, especially for his favorite wulfenite and copper ore minerals. He is famous for his hand-cut spheres and eggs, as well as rare gem material cabochons and one-of-a-kind beads.

Career and Collecting

Wolfgang was born in 1942 in the same town (Belgrade) as the person for whom the naming of wulfenite is based, Franz Wulfen, a Jesuit born in 1725. Wolfgang earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in geology at the University of California. He worked at San Manuel Magma Copper, which was once a surface and underground porphyry copper mine in San Manuel, Pinal County, Arizona. During this time, he gained a deep understanding of all copper-related minerals, including the associated oxide minerals of chrysocolla, malachite, native copper, and cuprite. Later, he worked for the Magma Copper Company’s corporate entity Newmont Mining in Danbury, Connecticut.

Wolfgang moved back to Arizona, to the town of Oracle just north of Tucson, some 25 years ago, with his wife, Diana. She was born and raised in Ulster County, New York. The two met in the early 1990s and formed an amazing life and work partnership. They both love going rockhounding and mineral collecting, and are active members of two local clubs- the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society (TGMS) – Wolfgang joined in 1975 and Diana in 1995- and the Old Pueblo Lapidary Club (OPLC). Wolfgang has led several field trips for both clubs. He can still swing a 20-pound sledgehammer, which I saw him do when my husband and Wolfgang tried to break-up a considerable boulder to extract precious chrysocolla, during a TGMS field trip to the Asarco Mine in 2010.

Wolfgang also serves as Curator of Minerals at the Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum, which is in historic Miami, Arizona, about a two-hour drive north of Tucson. It is a great little museum with large mining equipment outside, and a terrific mineral exhibit inside featuring minerals and fossils from the Globe-Miami area and beyond. Wolfgang worked very hard for the proper display of the museum’s exhibits.

Lapidary & Jewelry Artwork

Wolfgang and Diana have joined forces in all aspects of rockhounding and lapidary work. They are always together from the field to the shop to the show. The years of ore mineralogy and mineral collecting has contributed to the duo knowing what is best to collect and cut. They both developed a high level of craftsmanship that distinguishes their lapidary artwork. Wolfgang has a great way of cutting and polishing copper ore specimens as cabochons, eggs, and spheres, along with unique gem marbles.

The two specialize in unusual, rare, obscure, and difficult-to-cut gemstones. The more challenging examples include those made of complex materials like chrysocolla, cuprite, eudialyte from Canada, as well as Crabtree emerald from North Carolina, and fluorescent materials from New Jersey and Canada. The Muellers love cutting rare Arizona materials, such as cambellite from Bisbee, bohmeite from Globe, copper in quartz, and gem chrysocolla from the Ray Mine. Besides, they enjoy working with orbicular jasper from Quartzsite, and petrified wood from Holbrook in northern Arizona.

Diana’s specialty is creating beautiful hand-crafted jewelry, often with the cabochons and focal beads they’ve cut. I love her delicate necklaces and earrings woven with small gem beads. Her jewelry features many different types of Arizona turquoise and pink tourmalines from the Pala District in California, gem chrysocolla, and kyanite. The variety of her selection of artistic jewelry changes depending on their newly-cut stones.

Diana sets some in high karat gold -18K and 14K, others appear in copper, gold-filled,

bronze, and sterling silver, and still more, are set with mixed metals, resulting in a wide range of unique jewelry. It’s the natural patterns in the stones that fuel Diana’s inspiration for jewelry design. Additional influences include living in a small community and the typical presence of sunny weather, which, according to Diana, “allows for more changes in design and components.”

Through their company, DiWolf—Fine Stone Emporium, the couple participates and exhibits in several gem mineral shows, noticeably the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show® and the Denver Gem & Mineral show. We are grateful our booth is close to DiWolf—Fine Stone Emporium during the annual Tuscon show, as it provides time for us to touch base with one another.

My husband and I visited their studio a few years ago, and we were planning to return following the 2020 Tucson show. However, with the restrictions and precautions set in place to avoid the spread of COVID-19, we postponed our visit for the time being. As you can imagine, the Muller workshop is as full as any other lapidary shop. The equipment includes the primary grinding and sphere machines suited for each of their crafting projects, but it is the magic they create, using the machinery, that is most extraordinary.

Competitive Exhibits & Presentations

Wolfgang is always happy to share his wealth of knowledge with anyone who expresses interest. He does this as a guest speaker, discussing topics that range from mineral collecting to lapidary. He has presented several programs to clubs in Tucson and many other clubs across the country. His educational programs, exhibits, and writings have earned him countless awards and recognition.

Among the honors is an award-winning presentation about wulfenite and vanadinite for the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS) slide competition, best-of-class award at the 2019 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show® for his exhibit of a self-collected wulfenite specimen, and publication of his article about Arizona gemstones, appearing in Rocks & Minerals magazine, as part of the Arizona Centennial issue. Also, photographs by the Muellers have appeared in dozens of articles and on covers of mineralogical publications.

This fall, Wolfgang will be the speaker-in-residence for the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical & Lapidary Societies (EFMLS) Wildacres Workshop at Wildacres Retreat in North Carolina (www.efmls.org/wildacres). Diana will accompany Wolfgang to the workshop, marking her third time visiting Wildacres, and Wolfgang’s fifth. They will make the long cross-country trip to North Carolina, and on their return trip, they will go to Denver for the September gem show. Workshop participants will most certainly have a fabulous time, learn a lot, and enjoy their guests’ humor and personalities.

For more information about the Muellers, two truly amazing lapidary and jewelry artists, and their artwork, visit their website, www.diwolf.com.

The post Visiting with Geologists and Lapidary Artists — DiWolf first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

In my previous columns about the wax pen and flexible wax that I use, I have focused on just using the flexible wax for the projects. This post will focus on how to use a combination of two different types of wax. Though you can make multiple types of wax patterns exclusively with the flexible wax it has limitations on how it can be used.

Understanding Different Types of Wax

If your design calls for large flat surfaces, making them flat with the wax pen and flexible wax just isn’t feasible. In this month’s column and project, we’ll combine the use of flat sheets of wax with flexible wax to make the base and bezel walls for the stone. The inspiration for this project is a ring I made about 40 years ago. I chose it because it incorporates the use of sheet wax, flexible wax and a wax pen tip found in a kit, to texture the sheet wax.

Preparing the Subject of Your Wax Work

I made a cabochon from carnelian for this project. I started by making a paper pattern for the ring base that was the shape and length I needed to fit the cab. I placed it under a pink wax sheet measuring 1.5mm and used an Xacto knife to cut. I wrapped aluminum foil around a large dowel that was the same diameter as the ring I desired. I wrapped the wax pattern around the dowel and sealed the seam on the back of the wax with the wax pen.

Wax-Work Process

1. With the wax model mounted on the foil-covered dowel, I placed the stone where I wanted it to appear upon completion. I placed double-sided clear tape

   

   on the back of the stone because it wasn’t staying in one place.

2. Then I coated the stone with a noticeably light layer of mold release to keep the added wax from sticking to it. The tape on the back of the stone held it in place as I started the build up of the wax bezel around the stone.
3. I drew multiple rows of flexible wax under the edge of the stone and up to about halfway on the girdle of the stone.
4. When this process was complete, I used a dental tool with a small flat tip to pry the bezel wax away from the stone.
5. Then I removed the stone by poking it out of the bezel through the wax sheet beneath.

Because a wax model shrinks during the casting process, I used an Xacto knife to trim about 1/16-inch from inside the bezel all the way around and checked the fit of the stone. It must fit easily into the cavity. Next I trimmed the sheet wax from under the stone, leaving a 1/16-inch shelf for the stone to sit.

Assessing the Results

I used the wax pen to add some of the wax sheet material to blend between the bottom of the bezel and the wax sheet beneath. I wanted to texture the surface of the sheet wax around the bezel and down the sides of the band. Additionally, you can modify one of the extra brass tips in the kit to any random shape by grinding or filing it to suit your needs. Because the wax sheet melts at a very low temperature you must dial the thermostat back significantly.

Testing Tip: Use one of the sheet wax pieces to experiment with texturing before trying to texture the wax ring.

The final step in this process is to add a design over the textured surface with the flexible wax. Again, this will be up to your imagination to develop.

The post How to Combine Wax to Create Dynamic Lapidary Designs first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

I really like the word ‘jubilee’. According to Merriam-Webster, one of its definitions is “a season of celebration.”

Given that definition, a couple of weekends a year spent interacting with fellow fans of geological treasures, learning more about geology, and enjoying the opportunity to purchase rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, and lapidary creations certainly sound like a wonderful example of the word.

Evolution of the Jubilee

The organizers of the twice-yearly Gem Miner’s Jubilee, a Rock & Gem advertising partner, believe so, and it’s the reason they formed the event and continue to enhance the jubilee with each year and each season. I connected with Teresa Schwab, co-organizer of the event, along with her husband, Marvin to learn more about this ‘season of celebration.’

The first Gem Miner’s Jubilee took place in August of 1998, and the addition of a Holiday Jubilee (every year in November) occurred in 2008. This year the Gem Miner’s Holiday Jubilee is scheduled for Nov. 16-17 and will take place at the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center & Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

In asking Teresa about the origins of the Gem Miner’s Jubilee, and the sponsoring organization the Mid-Atlantic Gem and Mineral Association, her response brought to mind an insightful quote by the inspiring young writer, Mattie Stepanek, “Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”

Driven By Quality

“The Mid-Atlantic Gem and Mineral Association LLC (MAGMA) dba Gem Miners Shows was founded in 1997 by a group of vendors who wanted to raise the level of gem and mineral shows by providing quality merchandise from quality vendors,” Schwab explained. “No one knows what works at a show better than the vendors who exhibit! The founders had experience at all levels, from gemology to conference management.

“The result is a premier quality show that draws vendors and attendees from all over the country.”

The Holiday Jubilee offers visitors the traditional specimens, displays, and demonstrations of a rock show, as well as specialty items perfect for holiday gift-giving, such as craft items including textiles, honey, artisanal products, and offerings of a regional winery, Schwab explained. Among the rockhounding treasures people can expect to find at the show are minerals, micromounts, precious stones, and gemstone jewelry, beads, cabochons, and a master wire-wrapper working on site.

The post Preparing for Gem Miner’s Holiday Jubilee first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Our team is excited to share details of a new place and program where we help you sell rocks, gems, minerals, cabochons and other lapidary art and jewelry.

As you may have heard, we’ve added to our brand community with the addition of MyRockHub.com, a sister site to RockNGem.com. MyRockHub is about supporting, inspiring, and empowering the global community of rockhounds. Our belief is, regardless of your area of interest, level of knowledge or experience, you are welcome and there is a ‘seat at the table’ for you in today’s rockhounding community.

The exciting element of our MyRockHub site that will be live soon is the Marketplace. Our goal is to help anyone who seeks to sell rocks, minerals, gems (rough and polished), cabochons, lapidary jewelry, art, and natural carvings by providing a space to sell. The MyRockHub.com Marketplace is slated to be live by the middle of October 2019.

Most importantly, as part of your vendor membership, we will work with you and create individualized plans to promote your business and items you are selling.

Promotional Plan Benefits

With a 3-month vendor membership (any level) we’ll tailor promotions to your business using these promotional vehicles:

• A profile of your business – posted on MyRockHub.com, RockNGem.com, and scheduled to appear in our Weekly Review newsletter.

• Promotion of items you are selling at the Marketplace through our social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) — three times a month

• Creation and deployment of two dedicated email blasts, during the 3-month term, featuring only your items.

• Your items will appear in regular rotation of featured products on the Marketplace slideshow.

With a 2-month vendor membership (any level) we’ll provide:

• A profile of your business – posted on MyRockHub.com, RockNGem.com, and scheduled to appear in our Weekly Review newsletter.

• Promotion of items you are selling at the Marketplace through our social media platforms — twice a month

With a 1-month vendor membership (any level) we’ll provide:

• Promotion of items you are selling at the Marketplace through our social media platforms — twice a month

Vendor Partnership Plan Costs

There are three Vendor Partnership Plan Options. The options are based on the number of items you are offering for sale. The cost is a monthly fee as well as a processing and sales fee, and the plans are as follows:

The additional processing fee is 2.9% regardless of the plan, and the sales fee is based on plan, as explained below.

For more information about MyRockHub.com and the Marketplace opportunity and to reserve your space as a vendor partner, please contact me, Antoinette Rahn, editor of Rock & Gem and director of MyRockHub.com at arahn@beckett.com or call 715-721-0532.

The post New! MyRockHub.com Marketplace Vendor Partnerships first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Juvy Andres’ quiet, polite, compassionate, and kind-hearted way of chatting could easily make you fast friends. If you are fortunate enough to know her well, you would also learn, this amazingly talented lapidary artist has courage beyond measure. Enjoy her beautiful work and conversation with Juvy. 

Erin Dana Balzrette: Where is this material found? What drew you to this material?

Juvy Andres: This (Souris agate) was collected last year in Souris, a small town in Manitoba, Canada. When I found this material, I knew it was different from the other agates I found in that area. There was a circular pattern that was quite noticeable on the surface of the rock.

EDB: How long have you been a rockhound and/or lapidary artist, and what attracted you to cabbing?

JA: I was attracted to rocks starting in childhood. I was always fascinated by their colors. When my son was about five years old, we went to a town called Hecla Island in Manitoba. The ground was just full of rocks, mostly granite and a few obsidians. I collected the rocks that I thought had beautiful coloring, hoping to draw my son into collecting. I even bought him a rock tumbler and books.

My official rockhounding days started about five years ago. I make jewelry, and I previously bought cabs to set, but I got frustrated when I couldn’t find the right sizes and shapes that I wanted. That’s when I decided to try my hands on cabbing. That was eight years ago.

EDB: What general creative process do you use when creating cabs? Is there any special technique you would like to share that was used when creating the Souris agate featured here?

JA: I examine the slab; find what I think is its best feature, and start from there. For this particular cabochon, as soon as I slabbed it, I saw right away the pattern I wanted.

EDB: What is one bit of advice you’d share with someone considering learning about cabbing?

JA: My advice for new cabbers is to practice patience, patience, and patience. Do not rush your work. Quality, over quantity, is always better.

EDB: What is a new cabbing technique/process/approach you’ve picked up recently that is bringing you great excitement?

JA: I like to try to cab different shapes. I’ve done a few cabs with concave curves lately, and I’m pretty happy with the outcome. In the future, I’d like to try carving.

EDB: What motivates you to create, and what part of the entire process from finding the rough, to the finished cab is your favorite part of this lapidary process?

JA: What gives me the motivation is finding new materials to work on. Something different and unusual. My favorite parts of the process are the early stages of grinding and forming the dome. It’s just like peeling the cab layer by layer until it reveals its true beauty.

WHERE TO FIND JUVY

Company Name: JC Cabochons (for cabs) and JayCi Gems (for jewelry)

Facebook: JuvyAndres52

Facebook: JC Cabochons

Facebook Groups: Cabs and Slabs

Author: Erin Dana Balzrette

The post Just off the Wheels: Juvy Andres first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

I first encountered a “splash” in a Michigan rock shop. Michigan is historically famous for its copper deposits, and the shop had many pieces described as “native copper from Michigan.” However, I had seen and collected native copper, and these didn’t look quite right to be natural specimens. As it turns out, they were—and they weren’t!

The copper in the pieces did come from Michigan (most likely), but their shapes had a little help from man. Several artists today create free-form sculptures called “copper splashes” by melting the metal in crucibles at 2,200°F. The liquid copper is poured into trays containing straw and water or is simply dripped onto a steel surface and then shoveled up and quenched in a water trough. The copper cools quickly and forms any number of interesting shapes.

Some artists apply a copper carbonate mixture to their pieces. This imparts a verdigris (green) coating, and once that has set, they buff the surface to polish raised areas, producing shiny copper highlighted within a verdigris patina. Other artists craft an oxidized “heat patina” by swiping the flame of an acetylene torch across a cooled copper splash, resulting in iridescent colors that shimmer like peacock feathers.

To see these and other techniques, look up “copper splash sculpture” on the web. You’ll find a number of videos on Facebook and YouTube on how these interesting pieces have been produced and transformed into sculptures or jewelry.

Enjoy this video of a sculpture…

Although you’ll most often find splashes made from copper, other metals—for instance, aluminum and steel—have also been used to craft free-form sculptures. A similar technique for producing pieces to use in jewelry is called broom casting, or straw casting, with sterling silver. Search the web by entering “straw casting” to find some really neat YouTube videos showing the process in action!

The post Metal Splashes first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

By Antoinette Rahn

Inspiration is at the core of how artists create and who they are. For some, like D. Robert Smith, after decades of forging a creative path, they may find themselves (happily) returning to their roots, in many ways.

Smith’s roots include an intriguing lineage of artistic influence, nearly 60 years of experience in the rock, gem, and mineral world, and completion of more than a quarter-million pieces of lapidary jewelry. And while he has formally “retired” from an in-shop studio setting at least once, he has no plans of leaving the bench for good. As he explains it, his career continues to “morph.”

“I’ve spent most of my life in the mineral business – since I was about 12,” said 67-year-old Smith, who lives in Durango, Colorado, and retired to take a four-year hiatus for medical reasons between 2012 and 2016. “When I restarted my business [in 2016], I made a conscious goal of doing things differently. To get back to the basics and re-educate me. I’ve come full-circle, in a way.”

Getting Back to Roots

Today he sells his jewelry, polished stone, and other inventory at select shows and by way of the online site of his business, Dancing Raven Stoneworks, LLC at www.dancingravenstoneworks.com. Spending most of life living in the West and Southwest, Smith describes much of his hand-made work as having a contemporary Rocky Mountain Western feel. He has decades of experience in jewelry repair and restoration as well, but it’s not the bulk of what he’s seeking to do in this phase of his creative journey.

“I believe if you pay attention to what is around you and what you look forward to doing, what you do as an artist will tell you where you will go next,” Smith reflected.

There are many themes that could apply to this Tucson-native’s life journey, but that statement above might be most accurate. He’s been paying attention to what is around him since childhood when he was first introduced to rockhounding. As a child, whenever he and his family would travel anywhere that had a rocky terrain, there was an effort to take time to dig for rocks. More than once, the floorboard of the family’s vehicle would be lined with the rocks found by Smith and his siblings.

While discovering the thrill of rockhounding as a child isn’t necessarily unique, for this fourth-generation artist, the years preceding certainly leaned more toward uncommon and, we’d dare say, fascinating.

At the age of 8, Smith participated in his first Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. To be fair, he was a member of a local Tucson Boy Scout troop and their job was to set up the tables for the vendor booths at the show. This was in the early 1960s, about five years into the Show’s operation, and it opened his eyes to the magnitude of the world of minerals, gems, rocks, and lapidary.

Mindful Mentorships

Although early on his focus admittedly was minerals, the opportunity to learn at the bench of an icon opened the door that much further.

“I really started to learn about cutting stones with James Moody when I was around 10,” Smith said, reflecting on time spent with the co-founder of the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, a friend of Smith’s father. “I learned so much from Jim, and still today my process centers around the stone, as he taught me. I like simple designs, where the stone is the focus and I work from there out.”

The interest in cutting stone and incorporating stone into jewelry began as a hobby for Smith, but in reality, it was a business in the making. Over the years he studied and learned various skills of the jewelry trade from a variety of people, including noted experts such as Merle Stookey and Michael Durkee. Each step in the journey has helped shape his knowledge, appreciation, awareness, and respect for the rock, gem, mineral, and lapidary world and those it attracts.

“Over the years I’ve had some wonderful and interesting mentors and a lot of sound influence,” Smith said. “It really started with my family.”

Artistic Ancestors

As stated earlier, he is a fourth-generation artist, and his lineage aptly reflects

the interesting influence he speaks of. Smith’s great-grandfather and grandmother, who became his adopted mother, were both artists (Samuel L. Camp was a mural, billboard, and landscape artist during the Great Depression, and H. Irene Smith (Camp) was a respected wildlife and landscape painter, among other accomplishments). His step-grandfather, Donavan Smith, who became his adopted father, was a master gas and arc welder, who taught him skills of working with wood and metal to create artistic pieces. Plus, his biological mother and father were skilled in writing, beading, and carpenter, respectively.

The creative and inquisitive spirit passed on from his family remains at the center of Smith’s work today. Part of getting back to the roots of his approach to jewelry-making involved purchasing new-to-him tools and equipment, Smith said. A big part of that has involved exploring new technology and machinery and sharing ideas and opportunities with fellow lapidary jewelry artists.

“There are some really nice machines out there, and people are doing incredible things with those machines,” added Smith, who recalls the early years of working with sanding blocks and sandpaper on stones. “I’ve also learned over the years that business is better when we share our ideas, as well.”

Grateful To the Core

As he continues to create new pieces, discover new material, travel and sell at shows, and remain a student of his craft and life, Smith points to having a grateful heart as key.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to experience many things, meet many wonderful people, and have been blessed in many ways. I keep using what God has given to me to give a little beauty back to others.”

For more information about D. Robert Smith’s work, visit his website, www.dancingravenstoneworks.com.

The post Evolution of A Lapidary: D. Robert Smith first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

In many examples of lapidary work, colors and silver work are both given the room to shine for themselves. Heather is one of my favorite artisans and someone who uses both color and silver to create stunning pieces.

Not only is she a kind and caring person, good friend, and generous in nature and spirit, but her work speaks of all things real, elegant, honest, and beautiful. I hope you enjoy learning more about Heather in this “Just Off the Wheels” profile.

Erin Dana Blazrette: Where is this material from, and what drew you to it?

Heather DiLello: Blue Mountain Picture Jasper is from Oregon. It is one of the “Porcelain Jaspers.” I love the glass like finish it takes and the subtle orbs and simple linear patterns. It has a quiet elegance about it.

EDB: How long have you been a rockhound and lapidary artist, and what attracted you to cabbing?

HD: I’m primarily a silversmith. I learned metal fabrication and a bit of casting at the University of New Mexico as part of my undergraduate degree in Fine Arts. I’ve been making jewelry to sell for almost 12 years. I discovered the amazing world of natural hand cut stones not long after I started my Etsy store. I have been incorporating cabs into my designs ever since.

I started doing my own lapidary work about five years ago while living in Chicago. I discovered that the city’s Parks District had lapidary equipment that was available for use by jewelry students. I signed up for their entry level jewelry class so that I could learn lapidary. I got a little bit of guidance from the jewelry instructor, but mostly I am self-taught through trial and error. I think the fact that I’ve purchased many cabs, (possibly too many), and set many different styles of cabs, gives me a great foundation for cutting stones for my own use and for resale.

EDB: What process do you use when creating cabs? Is there any special technique used when creating the featured cab?

HD: Because I am a bench jeweler, I always approach cab making with the intention of the finished product being made into a piece of jewelry. If I’m working from a slab, I look at the patterns in the rock and find a section of the stone that I think looks interesting. When I place shape templates on that spot to get an idea of what shape works best with the pattern. As I am deciding shape and size, I am usually also thinking along the lines of what the piece will be once it’s done, a ring, a necklace, a bracelet? How is this material going to be best represented? Even if I’m cutting a cab for resale and not going to set it myself, I still take these things into consideration.

EDB: What is a new cabbing approach that is bringing you great excitement?

HD: What brings me excitement is finding new materials to work

with or getting my hands on some of the harder to find materials like Peanut Obsidian or Tahoma Jasper/Agate.

EDB: What advice you would like to give new lapidary artists?

HD:I still consider myself somewhat of a newbie. My best advice would be, don’t rush the process, and always use protection. This would be my same advice for jewelry making. Always be aware of fumes, and dust, wear an apron, wash your hands, and protect your eyes!

EDB: What is your motivation to create, and your favorite part of the process?

HD: I love being creative. In lapidary my favorite part of the process is probably grinding the preform on the diamond wheel and seeing the shape take form.

WHERE TO FIND HEATHER

Company Name: Starving Artist Stones

Etsy.com Shop: StarvingArtistDSGNS.Etsy.com

Instagram: @starvingartiststones

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Starving-Artist-Designs-43517225925/

Facebook Groups: Cabs and Slabs

Author: Erin Dana Balzrette

The post Just Off the Wheels: Heather DiLello first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.