Monthly Archives: March 2020

Wire Wrapped Jewelry-Remarkable and New

During recovery from ankle surgery this winter, I’ve had plenty of time to work on new and remarkable pendants. I think I am approaching 200 new pieces of jewelry in the last couple months.

This blog will feature just some of the projects completed, and there are many more gemstones in line begging to be jewelry.

Yooperland pendant
Our “Yooperland” Pendants feature Fire Brick cut into the shape of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A Isle Royale Greenstone, from the Island is place in the general location of Isle Royale. Both stones are glued to a fine Blue Lace Agate.
Gotta love Datolite with Copper. The pink gold really brings out the red metal, don’t you think?
This Drusy (Druzy) fish was purchased at the Tucson Gem Shows, and carefully wrapped by me. Starting with a natural Quartz Drusy, the finished fish was created by a combination of dyeing and Titanium Deposition.
Isn’t nature amazing? This one is a natural Staurolite Crystal from Russia. Most of these crystals do not cross pefectly; but some, like this are perfect.
The Kearsage Lode near Calumet Michigan lies in the heart of Copper Country. Sometimes lucky digging in the old tailings piles will produce wonderful agates that have copper replacing some of the agate banding. These are not common and require a lot of work to find.
Paint overspray from car, boat, and manufacturing is commonly known as “Fordite”, but may not have anything to do with Ford. The remarkable, fully metallic pendant shown, is paint from the old Century Boat Company in Manistee, Michigan. The paint was used on their fancy ski boats back in the 70’s and 80’s. This [aint just shines in the sun. Amazing!
A perfectly patterned Petoskey Stone.
Out of this world-a Muonionalusta Meteorite piece. I use industrial two-part epoxy to seal these and prevent corrosion. The are iron meteorites after all.
A gorgeous Australian Boalder Opal. Ot’s unfortunate the color flashes, of the Opal. do not clearly show in a photo. this is really a remarkable stone.
Brown Rhodochrosite is normal Pink Rhodochrosite with impurities. I think it has more character than the usual Rhodochrosite we see.
Beautiful gem Rhodochrosite is translucent pink, and often does not have the banding that is a more common feature in this gemstone.
Dark-eyed Thomsonite from the North Shore of Lake Superior is coveted by Thomsonite officianados, especially if it is a beautiful pastel specimen like this one.
A family of Trilobites from Delta, Utah
Copper Shale from the old White Pine Mine. Copper shale requires stabilization, but certainly unique.
Very rare and sought after Rhodocrosite from the Oppu Mine on the Japanese Island of Honshu. this mine has been closed for decades and produced remarkable Raspberry Pink Rhodochrosite; often boitrioidal.
Shining a light through the above Oppu Rhodochrosite, shows the boitrioidal pattern within this material. There was no other Rhodochrosite quite like it, and this is a pretty special piece.
Mohawkite was found in several Copper Mines in the Mohawk, Michigan area of the Keweenaw Peninsula. This piece is very unusual as it appears slightly pink. I do not know what caused this hue
Leland Blue slag glass from the old Leland Foundry has become a popular jewelry making item in recent years.
Pectolite var. Larimar that I recently acquired from the guy that introduced Larimar to the world, at the Tucson Gem Shows in 1986
The reverse side of the picture above. I wrapped the pendant so either side count be out.

Some of these new items are available on line, while others are in our show inventory. Nearly all are still available. Give us a call on these scarce, beautiful, and rare gemstones. We are known to have the things no one else does.