Category Archives: Wire wrapped jewelry

Wire Wrapping 101-NOT! ( My most Challenging Wire Wrapped Pendant)

One of the Gem Bone Slabs I found last year.

One of the Gem Dinosaur Bone Slabs I found last year.

Jewelry I made from the above slab.

Last year I bought some amazing gem dino bone slabs in Quartzsite. These particular slabs came from the estate of a famous bone collector. I love gem grade Dinosaur bone. It amazes me that each individual cell is many times an individual agate, within the agatized D-Bone. These cells can be fortification agates of just nice clear Chalcedony or some of the great colors in good gem Dinosaur bone can be vivid red, orange, yellow, pink, brown.

I cut a few slabs with a multi-stone pendant in mind, and searched out some bone-shaped dinosaur bone beads. I layed out the pieces and saw good possibilities. Bonnie has wanted me to make a pendant for myself to wear at shows, and D-Bone seemed to be a good choice for a manly pendant.

My most challenging pendant thus far.

I thought about this piece of jewelry for at least a year. With multi-stone pendants you have to know the end, and mentally work backwards. Sometimes I need a challenge, or I think I do. No matter what stage you are in your wire wrapping endeavors, you should always look for something to challenge your brain, fingers, and tools. I sometimes get bored just making simpe single-stone wraps and enjoy the challenge of multi-stone wrapping.

Even with all my experience I sometimes try things that just do not work; I have to start over, and try again. This is very frustrating at times. I can almost wire wrap a single stone with my eyes closed, but these multi-stone things are another issue entirely.

Multi stone wrapping is equal parts of engineering, art, and expertise. I find myself inventing techniques to conquer challenges when using multiple stones. A good understanding is also important as to what your wire, your tools, and yourself may be capable of. Sometimes it really upsets me when I think I can do something, and it fails. But I find the best way to learn is from your mistakes (sometimes it takes reminder mistakes).

Ahead 1 year: I laid out my dinosaur bone cabs on my workbench and was certain that I had a plan, but instead I had two complete failures which frustrated me and taught me that perhaps I should rethink this pendant. What I had in mind was extremely complicated and intricate. Can I really pull this off? Finally after being on my workbench for approximately three weeks the pieces began to come together. The big challenge was how to connect piece to piece and still make the work come together artistically.

Also you have to think about what metal to use. In this pendant I decided to use Argentium sterling, yellow gold and pink gold (three tone). I decided that twisted pink always looks nice with silver and I bound it with half-round gold. In this pendant the center rectangular dinosaur bone cabochon is the featured stone: bright red and a perfect pattern. I used another slab of dinosaur bone to fashion the top and bottom pieces with the beads coming from another piece of dinosaur bone. I worked on this off and on for three weeks so that my frustration level would not exceed my judgement. Backing off and thinking things through entirely indeed helped.

I had a larger gap between the second and third pieces than I expected, which gave me the chance to insert the two 5mm faceted garnets between which adds a bit of dignity to the piece. This entire piece is about 4 1/4″ by 1 3/4″.

The finished piece exceeded my expectations, and I will be happily wearing this piece beginning with the upcoming Tucson gem shows. It will open discussions with other wire wrappers that I meet.! I enjoyed the challenge of making this piece of jewelry, but I am elated now that it is done! I name this the Dinosaur Boneyard. So if you are at the Tucson shows and you see a guy wearing this, say hi and introduce yourself!

Speaking of the Tucson Gem shows, my daily blogs will start later this week–hope you join me for my adventures!

Top Stone Pendants of 2013

2013 was a very exciting and productive year for Snob Appeal Jewelry. I made many beautiful pendants and even though it was hard to pick favorites, I had some success picking these for your viewing pleasure. They are in no particular order, but these are my favorites:

Malachite Bullseye Pendant and Earrings

The first is a bullseye malachite set. While at the Tucson Gem Show in February I saw two unbelievable bullseye malachite slabs at a booth. I snatched them up as soon as I saw them and willingly paid by the gram for these beauties. During packaging, the vendor dropped one of the slabs and it broke in two. My heart sank, as did his. But I noticed that the slab broke perfectly i half. This pleased me, because I knew I could make a set of earrings to go with the pendant. Since he broke the slab, we renegotiated our deal, and I went away confident that I could make a gem out of a broken gemstone!

Mystic Quartz

At the Tucson Gem Show I also found a vendor selling large impressive faceted mystic quartz. Looking at these meticulously faceted gemstones I could picture what they might look like when finished in a precise wire wrap. Only one of the three gemstones I bought remain in my inventory. They are very eye-catching!

Royal Imperial Jasper

Another favorite is a double Royal Imperial Jasper pendant with Swarovski crystals around the top. Royal Imperial Jasper is the most beautiful and coveted of the jaspers because of the diverse colors and patterns. I think this pendant does justice to this regal pink and green stone set, making a striking and elegant jewelry presentation.

Dinosaur Bone Pendant

Sometimes you find something so unusual and spectacular that you just have to have it. This was the case with a piece of dinosaur bone I purchased in Quartzite. Fully banded fortification agate embedded within the dinosaur bone matrix. This stone does not need any fancy wrapping to make it shine.

Samethyst Laker Pendant

A Lake Superior Agate with amethyst, what a great jewelry combination stone. I was fortunate to have several slices of agate and amethyst to work with this year, and they all sold promptly. Only one survives for me to share with you today, Samethyst, with a combination of salmon pink outer layer and light purple amethyst in the center. Pink gold and argentium silver made this beauty stand out. I had a great run with amethyst and agate this summer, with them selling as fast as I made them. I don’t think there are any other cabochons of this in my stash, certainly not any as nice as this. An unusual combination, specimens of this are hard to find and highly coveted.

As of this writing, these are all available for sale, but are not all on the website. Contact me if you are interested. It is difficult for me to make choices as to my favorites. Every pendant I make is part of me. I hope you like these in particular. Which is your favorite?

Greenstone, Lake Superior Agates, and Custom Jewelry

I have been working on custom orders that mostly came from shows we did in the Upper Peninsula. These projects are always fun, as customers bring in Agates, Greenstones, and other U.P. rocks with ideas for jewelry.

The sister's Greenstones

After sitting in a drawer for 25 years, a pair of small Greenstones were rescued by Katherine and Judy. The Greenstones were already cut and polished, but needed a little extra work and TLC to bring them up to the standards they deserved. These lively sisters (and long-time customers) brought these stones to me and requested a wrap with “all gold and a fancy top”. A nice size for a Greenstone pendant, they converted into gorgeous jewelry . I love doing jewelry that has sentimental value, and these were not the only pieces of this nature I made this trip.

A custom piece for Nancy. Lake Superior Agate

Our buddy Nancy and her family have been long time lovers of our jewelry. She annually brings Lakers, and other interesting local gemstones, in for me to evaluate and make into pendants or polish. Nancy’s husband found what looked like a rather ordinary Lake Superior Agate (although large for a local stone), but when I cut the stone, it turned out to be a fantastic surprise. The reason the Lake Superior Agate is my favorite gemstone is the wide variations in pattern, colors, and types. The stone Nancy gave me was a mostly white, crack free, laker. I (and Nancy) were delighted with this stone. What makes this one special is the sentimental value that her husband actually found it. A great project. Thanks Nancy.

Shirley's Greenstone Geode. This one 1 3/4" across. I cannot believe someone would glue this in a spoon.

Our long-time friend Shirley has one of the most eclectic collections of my jewelry. She believes in supporting local artists, and loves U.P. rocks and minerals. I have fun sometimes in my shop when I see a certain stone, cut it, and immediately get a feeling that Shirley would like this stone. I make a pendant and when I get to a show where I know Shirley will appear immediately when the show opens, so I hide this special pendant (in plain sight) in my local pendant case. Shirley’s sharp eye and discrimination tastes, invariably spots this special pendant. The next time I see it, it’s around her neck.

This year she found a Greenstone Geode at another booth. The vendor had made a pendant with the stone glued into a spoon. I know, why would anyone do this? Shirley wanted me to free the Greenstone from the spoon and make a pendant from it. I had fun making a big, bold pendant. She likes Big, Bold, Pendants; she was very pleased with the finished results. This is a real one-of-a-kind..

Greenstone in matrix I found at a vendor booth.

The Greenstone pendant I made from that rock.This pendant is almost 3" tall. That's a biggun folks.

I found another Greenstone, entrapped in matrix, at the same vendor’ booths, and made a cash exchange with him. I put together a unisex pendant, and expect to wear it myself until someone makes me an offer I can’t refuse.

Before we went to the Keweenaw, I took a side trip to Canada to look at a rock collection. I bartered jewelry (plus some cash) for some of this large collection. One of the rocks was gorgeous;

A close-up view of a beautiful, odd, mystery rock. If you know what this is, let me know.

green and white in color, and even though it has been posted on the Lapidary Facebook site, no one has positively ID’s it. I made a pendant for John, the collection’s owner, and will make more jewelry in the future. My Facebook friends are hovering to get some of this stuff, but I think I will retain the 7 or 8 slabs I have until it is positively ID’d. It has the chatoyancy of Victoria Stone, and the color and starlike quality of chlorastrolite, but much bigger. Some of the material in this collection was obtained 75 years ago, so no telling what this is. It has been a fun research though.

Bonnie's Garden.

Amethyst in a salmon colored Laker. I called this one "Samethyst"

Our 36th Wedding Anniversary was last month. In honor of that and Bonnie’s love of gardening, I created a U.P. Thomsonite Pendant that I called “Bonnie’s Garden”. It is now in her private collection.

I have to show you a couple Laker’s I recently completed for our inventory. One is a red and white “Candy Striper” which is always a popular color combo, and one a rare Salmon colored Laker with Amethyst. Every amethyst Lake Superior Agate necklace I do sells as soon as I put it out!

It is not too early to start thinking of Christmas, especially if you have custom work for me. Now is the time to get your special stone to me; so I have time to do it justice.

Now is also the time to check out this website for special Christmas gifts.

There is so much happening right now with our business. We have grown every year, and expect 2014 will be no different. We try to treat our customers as friends, and if you order from us, like our website and/or like us on Facebook, you too can be kept up to date on all our adventures and jewelry. Let me know if I can do anything for you.

A "Candy Stripe" Laker with tubes.

Keweenaw Rocks, Minerals, and Copper Country Jewelry

Our trip to Keweenaw was great.

Wire wrapping on the top of Brockway Mountain awaiting the sunset.

Even though we are older, less agile, and spry than we used to be, we had great adventures in the Keweenaw. I hit a mother lode of SISU Agate, and spent a few very hard days banging this agate out of hard rock. I cannot give you the exact location, but it is south of Copper Harbor. Bonnie says that EVERYTHING is south of Copper Harbor. This is fairly true, so this is a nice, vague clue.

The view from Brockway Mountain in just amazing.

The art shows in Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor were very successful; as were our Demonstrations at the finest gift shop anywhere, Copper World in Calumet.

We consumed many Pasties and Vollwerth Hot Dogs, watched the Isle Royale Boat come into Copper Harbor while consuming a gourmet meal at the Harbor Haus. The waiters and waitresses do a can-can on the deck to welcome the boat each evening. In tune with the town theme, the restaurant has a huge double copper door, with warnings not to touch the Copper. It does get really hot it the sun, as you can imagine.

This is the Firebrick Pendant I made up on Brockway. It sold the next day.

We saw many old friends and met many new folks. I know we are getting a big following and a wonderful reputation, when we see women wearing our jewelry wherever we go up there. We were featured in the summer issue of the Copper-UP newspaper that featured Copper World with a color picture of our jewelry covering half the front page.

We found local miners willing to part with Greenstones, Datolite, and Thomsonite for some cash. I hand picked the best for future jewelry.

SISU (Cliff) Agate from my hole.

The only disappointment was we signed up (and paid money for) an organized hunt to the Central spoil pile that did not happen because the County had moved in a crusher and equipment. Another former fantastic greenstone and copper rock hounding location is disappearing to become asphalt, etc. Sad.

The weather was good and the bugs were sparse. Bonnie volunteers to go rock hunting and be bait for the remaining bugs, and they ALWAYS choose her. No further comments on that. She edits this, so I suspect a comment about this will be added. She is the jeweler’s wife, and is expected to suffer for being able to pick from thousands of pieces.

Random Pendants and Earrings of Lake Superior Agate, Datolite, and Firebrick.

I’m typing this as we navigate the Seney Stretch, M-28, a barren wasteland of scrub pine that is the longest straight stretch of Michigan road, flat also. You could go really fast out here except for Moose, Deer, Wolves, Bear and the like that you would be killed if you hit. The State has no bug-killing quota in the Seney Stretch. This is fortunate for all those that cross this area. An RV window can really take out a lot of bugs at once.

The roads are paved in copper in the Keweenaw.

When you look at the random pendant picture, take note of the far right pendant in the middle row.. It is a banded Laker floating in an Amethyst sea. I had four slices off this agate, wrapped them all, and sold four pendants in 5 days on this trip.

One day, while headed to the top of Brockway Mountain, I stopped to check out an outcrop on the side of the road. The roadway to the top of the mountain is in dire need of repair and is crumbling apart, but I noticed a glint in the blacktop. I was not surprised to see copper embedded in the blacktop. I have a friend that actually hunts copper on warm days with a metal detector in the roads. I will not say who this is for his protection from the law.

I have to say something about Firebrick for those that do not know what it is. When the Copper Smelters were build, they were made of brick. Over the years the Copper vapors and molten copper permeated into the brick and replaced everything except the Silica (Quartz) in the brick. When the smelters were torn down the copper bricks were disposed of by dumping them in the water, taking them to landfill, or burying them. Some were removed for landscaping or lapidary uses (bookends, jewelry, paperweights, etc.). I have a 70# piece I have been gradually cutting and making jewelry from it. This is a wonderful, rare, historic material and many purchase it not only for its’ beauty, but for its’ historical story.

We expect a return trip to the Keweenaw in October for colors and to dig more SISU. What a great time we had.

Greenstone Hunting Plus Fun and Funny Adventures

Chris Cooper makes a tool he calls a "Slammer". It is much more precise, easier, and lighter than a sledge hammer. I love it.

Our current trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula is fun filled with hunting rocks and gemstones that I can make jewelry from, Wire wrapping demonstrations at our retail outlet, Copper World, in Calumet, and art shows in Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor.

The awesome Copper World

The awesome Copper World hosted me for a couple days, and honestly we were selling jewelry as fast as I could make it. I love chatting with the tourists and locals about Copper Country jewelry and the local rocks and minerals that my pendants are made from. You can always tell the locals (they actually know what Datolite is) and we know many of them that are faithful customers year after year.

Doing my job at CW.

Greenstone (Chlorastrolite) is one of our staples on our website and here in the U.P. We have been concentrating on finding some of this rare gemstone the past couple days, but it is just not easy to find many good gemstones anymore. The good spoil piles from the copper era have been gradually crushed and hauled off for road fill. It is all very depressing. We were signed up this week for a paid hunt at the Central Mine, but it was cancelled because crushers and equipment have been moved in to destroy and remove the piles.

The impossibly rare Blue Datolite from Centennial #2 flies out of the display case at Copper World.

Wouldn't you think there were some Greenstones in this pile of poor rock? They are so hard to fine.

I think these waste piles are an historic treasure in the Keweenaw, and when they are gone, so is the history of them. The Seaman Mineral Museum (Michigan’s Official State Mineral Museum) sponsors hunts this week in an event called the Copper Country Mineral Retreat. We pay for heavy equipment to stir up the piles we have rented from the landowners. Treasures in them are then searched out.

This little bag of Greenstone suspects might produce a couple good ones.

Jacob's Falls

Also we went to the Jam Pot, a bakery run by the Monks (yes real Monks), between Eagle Harbor and Eagle River. We got there at 2pm, thinking there would be a good selection left..NOT. They were pretty much sold out of all their famous, big, tasty muffins. I have withdrawls for Carrot Raisin Muffins. Bonnie found sone Hermit Cookies and some Apricot Muffins, and I found the amazingly decadent rum soaked brownies with raisins and nuts. Right next door is a waterfall (Jacobs Falls) that you can walk over and appreciate.

The strangest thing that happened thus far: I swear this is true: We see a day glow sign advertising a yard sale. There was so much writing on it you would have had to stop in the road and spend 10 minutes reading the fine print. Bonnie saw the word “Copper” so we headed down the road where the sign pointed. Possible error in judgement after 5 miles. What the hell. let’s see where this goes. After 10 miles we see the sister day glow sign on a pole and a front yard landscape comprised of lots of random scrap metal things. The sign had printed (scribbled) on the bottom: (entry fee $2)..If you buy something you get your $2 back. Only in the U.P. has there ever been an entry fee to a yard sale. I spent $4 worth of gas to get there. I should have stopped and charged him $2 to make us even. I think I go up after dark and add a sign that says, “Entry fee ONLY $2”. By the way, I turned around in his drive and back to town we went.

We’ll probably get out today for some hunting and back to Copper World tomorrow. Come see me if you are up here. The adventures continue..stand by.

Greenstone, Datolite, and Michigan Wire Wrapped Jewelry

In preparation for upcoming shows in the Upper Peninsula I have been working on some U.P. Gemstones and Jewelry.

Centennial Blue Datoite (and one from the Isle Royal Mine)

First was the cutting of very rare blue Datolite for the Centennial Mine north of Calumet. The mine hoist is still there, but the piles are gone and Centennial #2 is completely flooded. Any Datolite still found from this mine has been hoarded from the 60’s.

Blue Centennial generally contains microscopic grains of copper shining through the blue Datolite. Over the last few years Centennal Blue has been almost impossible to buy from anyone.

Copper Included Datolite is very popular in the U.P.

I’ve been holding on to assorted Datolite containing Copper Inclusions. I finally cut and polished the majority of the pieces I have. These always make popular jewelry for my Upper Michigan customers. Even those snobbish jewelry buyers love Datolite with Copper.

Copper Datolite with Greenstone...BAM!!!

Could it be a new ring?

I also cut three remarkable little Cabochons for a future ring for myself. The ring will sport a Yellow Keweenaw Point Datolite with copper, A Copper Agate from the Kearsarge Lode, and a copper Included Greenstone. This ring will be over the top when it is finished. I’ve got to cut the wax for the ring and I have a friend that will cast it for me. Notice the “Thumbs Up” from the Yellow Datolite.

We’re headed up north for rock hunting and shows shortly. Check our home page for upcoming events. It’s always fun for us to see all our friends in the Keweenaw. Come see us at Copper World in Calumet and art shows in Eagle harbor and Copper Harbor or on a rockpile nearby.

A Lake Superior Agate of the "Paint" variety was a quick sell off our Facebook Page.

Rhodochrosite on the Workbench

We have been very busy making new jewelry for the past few weeks. The Pink Petoskey (Pink Pet) activity has also taken up time with making cabochons, wrapping them, and polishing Pink Pets for web sales. At last count there are over 30 polished Pink Pets on this site; take a look. The May/June issue of Rocks and Minerals Magazine features an article by myself and Dr. George Robinson on the illusive Pink Petoskey Stones of Northern Michigan.

I called this pendant "Brazen Vista". I think you can see why.

I daily look through my cabochon collection and choose possibilities for wire wrapping. My mood changes from day to day, so whatever inspires me, I select. Yesterday a lovely rosy pink Rhodochrosite grabbed my attention.

I knew this pendant would be a challenge because it was a rectangle. Squares and rectangles are a challenge for several reasons. The cab has to be very precisely calibrated from side to side and top to bottom or you will notice the imbalance immediately. Secondly, the wire wrapping has to be dead on from side to side and top to bottom. Thirdly, wire cannot be “pulled” around corners, so squares and rectangles must be made one side at a time. Advanced skills are required for this type of wrapping. This is why you do not see many wire wrappers doing squares, rectangles, or round shapes. This type of wire wrapping is very detailed and time consuming.

I have been looking at this large (2″ X 1 -1/4 “) Rhodochrosite cab for a few years off and on. In recent years Brown Rhodochrosite has become more expensive than normal pink Rhodocrosite. Years ago the miners in Argentina threw away Rhodocrosite containing browns as unacceptable. The value of this gemstone has substantially increased for the past several years. It is difficult to find nice Brown Rhodochrosite without pits, and this quality costs $$$. The brown coloration is a result of impurities in the stone. So finally this stone has a chance to shine.

Here are a couple other items from my workbench this week.
Bonnies new Pink Pet.

Bonnie claimed a recent Pink Petoskey Stone Pendant as her own. She normally likes all the stuff I make, and is honest in her opinions of my wire wrapping. Sometimes she just really likes a piece, and this was the case here. Click on this link to Pink Petoskey Stone Pendants as I do have lots of other Petoskey Stone jewelry available for purchase, just not this one!

Beth's new treasure. Thanks for being patient.

My good friend John gave me a geode slice a few months ago after we came back from the Tucson rock shows. During the Tucson unpacking frenzy I misplaced the stone and forgot about it until John asked me about it. This put me on a full alert to find it. I found a little silver cloth bag on my bookshelf, looked inside, and found the stone. I should have been looking for a silver bag instead of a stone. It was right where I put it, as Bonnie would say.

I had talked to John, previously, about putting a gemstone in the crystal cave of the stone, but was inspired when three Topaz’ fit perfectly in the pocket. Beth (John’s wife) loves her new piece of jewelry. Again, this piece is spoken for, but perhaps you would like to look at some other gems by following these links: Crazy Lace Agate Pendants, Ocean Jasper, Pietersite, or the every sparkly Victoria Stone.

Finding the Ent

It’s about time I showed you some of the jewelry I made from all that stuff I bought in Quartzite and Tucson in February. I have been working both in my shop and on my workbench.

This is just so wild.

Another really cool Bumblebee.

One of the most popular stones in Tucson this year was Bumblebee “Jasper”. It is not really Jasper, but is a mix of minerals in a matrix of a volcanic Tuft from the island of Java in Indonesia. Most of the Bumblebee we saw was just yellow and black, but I was lucky to find one dealer that went to Java and hand-picked some of the best material that I have ever seen. These Cabochons were bright pumpkin orange and black.

Treebeard the Ent.

I bought some wonderful Yellow Feather Dendritic Jasper from Utah. Dendrites are tree-like Manganese inclusions in a rock, and make wonderful pictures. The Pendant I show you in this blog stood out when I cut a slab off the host rock. I am a big Hobbit fan and I actually saw what looked like the Ent named Treebeard in it. “Hroom, hm, come my friends.” He’s taking Merry, Pippin, and the Ents in a charge on Isengard. Now where else can you get a totally natural depiction of a Lord of the Rings character for your stone jewelry?

Blue Biggs.

Biggs Jasper is a long-time favorite with lapidary types. It is quite scarce now but back in the 60’s the famous Blue Biggs was very popular. Biggs was re-discovered while building a road, and the best that came out was Blue Biggs. The reason I say it was re-discovered is that Native Americans made arrowheads from this Jasper for many years. Some Biggs was also used for landscaping. I found a nice chunk and this pendant is one cab from this spectacular picture Jasper.

Dinosaur Bone-WOW

There were many sellers of Dinosaur Bone at all the shows, but when I saw a D-Bone slab with a red agate inclusion, I just had to have it for a special piece of fossil bone jewelry.

Royal Imperial Jasper

Royal Imperial Jasper has just such spectacular patterns and pastel colors. I really like this stuff, found in Zacatecas, Mexico about 50 miles north of the city of Guadalajara. Does is remind you of Edvard Munch?

Smithsonite

Smithsonite from the famous Glove Mine in Arizona caught my eye. These stones had unusual colors, and made some really lovely jewelry.

It was a real pleasure to find the oldest living thing in Middle Earth in my stone pile. One of the reasons I cut rocks and make jewelry is because I love these unexpected visions. Stay tuned for the next finds!

Green Stone and Greenstone Jewelry

Drusy Quartz.

For St. Patricks, my gift to you is some of my favorite green pendants from past to present. Many of these I am very proud of as some of my best work. Join me as I look at favorite green gemstone jewelry.

Easy picking of Turquoise at the Tucson Gem Shows.

Catseye Jade is set off by Sunstone and Faceted Topaz

Jade is one of the automatic gemstones that you think of as being green. I found a rare Catseye Jade from Russia a couple years back and teamed it with Moonstone to create a striking multi-phenominal pendant.

Meta Jade.

Malachite makes an amazing designer pendant.

Malachite is another green gemstone with striking patterns.

Turquoise and its relative Variscite are a couple other great green stones that cover many shades on the color wheel.

Azurite/Malachite enhanced with London Blue Topaz, Apatite, Tourmaline.

Apple green Chrysoprase.

Chrysoprase is the most valuable Quartz and is famous for its luscious apple green coloration.

Something that resembles Jade is Meta-Jade, the rare pre-runner to Victoria Stone. You really cannot tell it from Imperial Jade.

Green Victoria Stone, Peridot, Pink Topaz, and Morganite

Greenstone/Thomsonite

Dark green Victoria Stone is one of the most sought after colors from this long gone gemstone.

Azurite/Malachite would look good for a St. Patrick’s Day Pendant.

Greenstone with Cuprite Inclusions-The only greenstone with this combination I've ever seen.

A closeup for you viewing pleasure.

Sometimes wonderful greens are present in Royal Imperial Jasper.

My favorite green stone is Michigan’s State Gem, the Isle Royal Greenstone. As you can see, you don’t have to be Irish to love green stones or greenstone jewelry.

Royal Imperial Jasper.

Variscite enhanced with Pink Topaz

Simply a great Variscite

Snoopy and the Red Agate

I haven’t written an “On the Workbench” blog in some time, but I thought I would let you see what I’ve done with some of the stuff I brought back from the shows in Arizona. Check the back blogs to review.

Bumblebee Jasper is not really a Jasper. Finding bright orange Bumblebee is uncommon.

One of the things that seemed all over Tucson this year was Bumblebee Jasper. This orange and black (but usually yellow and black) rock comes from Volcanic vents on the island of Bali in Indonesia. It is a mis-nomer to refer to Bumblebee as Jasper. It is neither Jasper, nor is it an Agate. The rock is in reality an Anhydrite/Sulfur/Hematite with welded volcanic tuft (ash). This stuff varies widely in hardness and contains many hole and flaws, so it is tricky to make a decent gemstone. It is also hard to find bright orange. The pendant I made looks like an evil mask. The stone was so flashy it did not need a fancy wrap.

Keswick Agate

I cut a Keswick Agate from Keswick, Iowa, leaving quite a bit of ordinary Quartz on the side. This was intentional. I envisioned using some of my wire over the Quartz to really enhance the eye-like pattern of the Agate. A plain wrap, like I did on the Bumblebee, would not work with the Keswick. Keswick Agate is difficult to obtain and good Keswick is hard to find.

Picture Petrified Wood from near Holbrook, Arizona

Picture Petrified Wood comes from near Holbrook, Arizona. One of our oldest and dearest friends sells Petoskey Stones in Tucson. She wanted a pendant and swapped me some of her Dendritic Picture Wood for making this pendant for her.

Faceted Aquamarine and Amethyst; simply wrapped;simply beautiful.

I wrapped a really fine faceted Aquamarine as well as another of Amethyst. I wrapped these so they can flip over while being worn.

Thomsonite of this quality is always popular.

The Keweenaw Peninsula and Grand Marais, Minnesota both supply the beautiful Ziolite, Thomsonite. Dark eyed Thomsonite from the north shore is the most coveted. I was just mindlessly looking around the AGTA (American Gem Trade Association) show and happened to glance down a side isle and spot a couple trays in the bottom of a display case. My eye immediately focused in on a Thompsonite. I could not believe such a gemstone would exist in a show full of common Diamonds, Rubies, and Sapphires. This one even has copper inclusions.

I asked the lady at the booth if I could look at the two trays. In a humorous manner she said, “Oh, you want to look in my junk box?” I for sure wanted to get at that “junkbox”, and found several other treasures as well as this Thomsonite.

When the dealer dropped and broke one of my Malachite slices, I immediately thought of earrings to go with the bullseye pendant.

I could not help but purchase a perfect slice of Bullseye Malachite. I dislike cutting this stuff, but put my mask and gloves on, and went to it. What a great Pendant I made from the cab. The earrings came from the second slice off the same rock, but the owner of the business dropped it on the floor at checkout, and the slab broke in half. He gave me the two pieces, so I used them. I hate wasting good material.

Snoopy?

Speaking of Malachite, I saw Snoopy in a piece. Cool stuff.

Watermelon Tourmaline

Not much bigger than a dime, two other fantastic little pendants of Watermelon Tourmaline and Montana Agate called me. I have seldom seen a small agate with such a fantastic natural picture. Watermelon Tourmaline is the most coveted breed of this gemstone. Good Tourmaline, like this one, are always popular, no matter the price.

A small Montana Agate with a "big sky" picture.

Yellow Cat

Cardinal Candy: Another rare red Yellow Cat.

Yellow Cat Petrified wood is from remote regions of Utah, and was used by Tiffany back in the day. Yellow Cat is the brightest red of any petrified wood. It is really an amazing and scarce agate. I was very excited to see some at one of the Tucson Shows. The dealer told me people walked by his supply all day; not recognizing it for what it was. I am happy my mind is full of knowledge on many rare rocks.

You hardly ever see Blue Lace Agate Drusy.

Bonnie is especially fond of Blue Lace Agate. Imagine her thrill when I found some Blue Lace Drusy. Drusy means it contains pockets full of millions of tiny Quartz Crystals. This one I made into a designer cut beauty.

The workbench and the shop are still busy. I am so pleased with all the jewelry grade rocks I obtained out west, and am still exceedingly busy and thrilled about making a new crop of jewelry. I also enjoy sharing with you guys.