From the bench today: Our customer wanted us to create rustic-style pendants for his wife and daughter using these elk teeth. This might seem like a simple task, but there is much more to it than meets the eye.
First step: reinforce the tooth. you can see how rounded and worn the chewing surface is, but what you can't see is that the root-end of the tooth is thin-walled and hollow, way too fragile to squeeze into any kind of metal setting. So we filled the cavity inside the tooth with epoxy.
Second step: create a wax model of the "cap" as directed by our customer. using several photos of other organic type jewelry (other elk teeth, shark's teeth, etc) our customer communicated the details that he hoped to include in this setting, specifically the one-piece nature of the bail and the cap, and the overall size and ratio of cap to tooth, as well as the distressed nature of the metal surface. Normally we use cad software to create an image and then a wax model, but with something organic/freeform like this, doing it the old fashioned way is the only option! So we wrapped thin layers of soft, flexible wax sheeting, melting it to bind the seams and shaping it to fit like a glove.
third step: cast the waxes into silver, and then clean up the castings and fit them to the teeth. We also called our customer at this point to come and negotiate the exact placement of the tooth into the cap to be sure he liked the positioning before we finalized the fit.
last step: set the tooth into the setting! We also selected a short wheat chain on which to wear the new pendant.
while this project may not suit your tastes, it is an excellent example of the very individualized jobs in which we specialize. every customer has specific preferences, materials to use, budget, lifestyle and purpose, and we do our best to meet all of these criteria.

So this year not only do I get to be the at the bench presenter at mjsa expo, i am also the technical editor for the new book mjsa is publishing. the book is full of jewelry making skills and techniques.
​MJSA ExpoThe Show for Professional Jewelry MakersMarch 11-13, 2018 • Jacob K. Javits Center, New York City 

This is an ENGAGEMENT ring that was posted on a FB page I follow. UNFORTUNATELY some jewelers think this is acceptable work. notice THAT the far right prong DOESN'T ACTUALLY touch the diamond. it is also way too thin, allowing it to catch on fabric and probably break off. not good.
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When your child survives a horrific car accident, what do you do? after alternately hugging and scolding (not necessarily in that order) you pick up the pieces...literally! Our customer picked up a piece of the broken windshield and brought it to us to make a little memento. together we designed this silver medallion featuring atlas shouldering the weight of the world, balanced on a platform made of broken glass. it's designed so the glass is set in such a way that you can see it from both sides of the piece, although you can't see through it anymore. Hand engraved on the reverse side is a personal inscription.
Jewelry should capture the emotions of the memorable events in your life. harness our experience, skill and creativity to help you create the most personal pieces of jewelry you will ever own.

There's nothing like the warmth of rose gold. No wonder it's made such a comeback in popularity. people are even copying the look with rose colored silver to avoid the cost of gold, but let's face it, nothing feels like real gold. read on to learn more about the exquisite custom rose gold and champagne diamond wedding ring set below!

How much more gorgeous is it when you set champagne diamonds in rose gold! we styled the engagement ring for our customer last year with her initial as the supporting gallery for the center diamond and two deep cognac diamonds on the shoulders, so it was a natural choice to go with a rose gold and champagne diamond eternity band as its mate. The eternity band features the same richly-hued cognac colored champagne diamonds, beadset by hand into the 14-karat rose gold. although it's a relatively standard anniversary ring style, we custom made this setting to ensure that the rose gold alloy matched the engagement ring, and we wanted to be certain that the setting was a nice, solid, sturdy mounting to support all those diamonds and to stand up to everyday wear and tear. you can easily find cheap, lightweight eternity bands online, but they won't last like a good, hand-crafted custom eternity band. we make our jewelry to be well-loved and worn hard, not to live a sad life trapped in a jewelry box. 

What is the value of jewelry anyway? is it just a dollar value based upon supply and demand? is there any truth to the saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder?" what about the saying "one man's trash is another man's treasure?"

traditionally, the value of a gemstone is based on three things: 1. the rarity 2. the durability 3. the beauty. So a rare and beautiful sapphire is worth considerably more than a simulated stone.
metals of course are divided into base metals and precious metals whose value is determined by the world market.
some pieces, because of the prominence of the artist, rise above this method of valuation of materials. others accrue value over long periods of time as they become antiques or collectibles.

in the end, the real value of jewelry has much to do with the way it was acquired and how much the owner likes it. a trinket gifted by a loved one may have more value than a genuine jewel in an unattractive setting.

​tHIS IS A SIGNED vintage Schreiner brooch - a collectible in like-new condition! online you will find comparable pieces ranging from $395 to $800. this one has a coppery hue which is very popular now, and an interesting array of colored stones. i have not seen one exactly like this particular piece.
it's an outstanding one of a kind!

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​while this textured and appliqued brooch is pretty, it is not a signed piece and is not collectible. the center purple stone is not genuine. the pin itself is brass and is fairly substantial in weight and appears to be well-made. 
online prices for such a piece range from $10-40.

stamped "made in west germany" and plated with a gold-colored metal but not stamped, assumed to be base metal. The stones are very sparkly because they have foil on the backside (hence the name "foilbacks") and some of the smaller stones are missing. The plating is worn off on one part. probably from 1960's - if it were in better condition, it might be worth $30.

Shopping online. We all do it nowadays. Let's face it, it's the best place to compare prices and get the lowest price you can find. It's also convenient - you can shop at 2am in your pajamas, and your stuff gets delivered sometimes overnight.
But what do you do when you need help with something...when you need real, in-person customer service? That's a serious concern when it comes to jewelry. 
don't worry - we got it. that's what we're here for. 
Take this ring for instance. our customer purchased the diamond online. he did his homework and checked with us to see what we thought, and we were happy to advise! Then he brought the diamond to us and expressed his wishes and concerns about what he wanted for the setting. you may not notice, but there is a tiny fleur des lis in 18-karat gold inside the ring, as well as in the detail work of the gallery under the stone - so what seems like a fairly plain-jane setting has more to it than what you see at first glance.
This is the culmination of our joint efforts - needless to say, she said yes!
That's what we're here for - all the little details that make your jewelry as personal as possible. and we're here for you after the fact, too, with that customer service that no one else seems to have these days.
​we want to be your jeweler.