How To Make A Dragonfly Precious? Opal.

I think this may be the perfect stone for these character pendants. Precious Opal, and Sterling Silver Dragonfly Pendants. These a one of a kind art pieces. I hand forged the silver metalwork to create unique individual pendants. The opal gemstone forms the dragonfly's body. The head is the bale including round silver eyes.Available in my etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry

My ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies

My Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
My Jewelry: http://www.lunarskies.com
My Sculpture: http://www.lunarskies.com/pages1/fineart.html
My Cabochons: http://www.gemalchemy.com
Creating The Hive Artisans Group: http://www.creatingthehive.com
Facebook Fan Page:  http://www.facebook.com/Lunarskiesjewelry.quentin.eckman?sk=app_106171216118819

http://www.facebook.com/Lunarskiesjewelry.quentin.eckman?sk=app_106171216118819

Good News-Bad News & Yuck!

This is what the stones look like after they've been tumbled. The grit and water form a slurry and the rock debris gets mixed in, yuck! That's why the stones have to be washed after each tumble. The good news is the second stage is finished and the stones are coming along nicely. The bad news is I won't have any time to tumble them again for a little over a week. It's OK, I'm a professional, I'll deal with it in my own way, sniff, sniff.

 

My Gemstone web site: http://www.gemalchemy.com
Jewelry and Fine Art web site: http://www.lunarskies.com
Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies
Creating The Hive: http://www.creatingthehive.com

It doesn't work the way I thought, WIP Wednesday

Let the games begin! I finished second cut and started tumbling yesterday.

When I first heard about tumbling stones I had a visual image of rocks inside some kind of drum bouncing around and beating each other senseless. First of all, I'm pretty sure rocks don't have any sense. Secondly, my tumbler has no drum of any kind. The tumbling action is created through vibration, and the stones slowly rotate against each other. So the tumbling action is more like the episode of the Carol Burnett Show, where Tim Conway as the old man falls down the stairs in super slow motion. But not nearly so funny, and for a much longer duration.

If you look closely you can see my dalmatian Dalmatian in the tumbler.
My Gemstone web site: http://www.gemalchemy.com
Jewelry and Fine Art web site: http://www.lunarskies.com
Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarSkiesJewelry?ref=pr_shop
ArtFire Store: http://www.artfire.com/users/lunarskies
Creating The Hive: http://www.creatingthehive.com

Holy Guacamole, ThatsAlottaRocks! WIP Wednesday

I've finally got the first cut completed and can move on to cut number two. Pictured below is about 4-1/2 lbs. of cabochons, or one and a half Mason jars (only the best high tech equipment for me).

 

The first cut includes trimming the slabs and shaping the cabochons. It's really more of a grinding process. Cut number two uses a finer grit disc and is a refinement of the first cut. Once cut number two is completed the stones can be tumbled; a four stage process that also requires thoroughly washing each stone between tumbles. So there's still quite a bit of work to do before these beauties will be finished cabochons. Then there's the reality that about 15 to 20% of the stones will have to be re-cut or discarded due to imperfections (crazes or bugs) that were not visible before the tumbling began. Crazes are cracks or fissures, bugs are pits or voids. But the 80 to 85% that finish well will make it all worth while.

One of my next projects will be to update and market my gemstone website. You can visit that web site at: http://www.gemalchemy.com

My jewelry and sculpture web site: http://www.lunarskies.com