Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist December 2015

MAYBE IT WAS JUST LATE in the day, but as I was reviewing Betsy Lehndorff’s Picture Perfect Heads or Tails Pendant (page 48) and read her instructions to “brush on solder stop at the base of each pin where it joins the bezel,” I suddenly pictured a Fantasia–like scene, with runaway solder pouring down by the bucketful while an overwhelmed Mickey Mouse/Sorcerer’s Apprentice of a jewelry maker frantically yells “Stop, Solder! Stop!” to no avail. Solder stop is one of those coatings designed to help prevent solder from fl owing where or when you don’t want it to, such as in an already closed join when you’re trying to solder another join closed. Which got me thinking about what else it might be nice to be able to put an…

DESIGN CHALLENGES YOUR COVER RIFFS: Designs based on Beatriz Fortes’s Hammered Silver Rose Pendant, August, 2015. YOUR SETTINGS: Designs based on a pinolith cabochon, August, 2015. LETTERS Re: “Colorful Enamel Dome Ring,” September/October 2015 I was really pleased to see the red enameled ring project in the September/October issue because it was similar in many ways to a project I’m doing now. I had questions about bezel setting an enamel piece and the soldering, but then I was disappointed when I read through it. It didn’t say anything about whether you needed to use hard, medium, or easy solder for each stage or whether it’s okay to use all hard or what. Surely this is exactly the sort of thing that other people need to know too. Amber Ravenscroft Derbyshire,…

NIKKI COUPPEE’S Emerald Drops Sterling silver, fine silver, Plexiglas “Artisan Jewelers Who Love Plastic” Page 54 LIN STANIONIS’S Penitence Brooch Urethane resin, 18K gold findings “Artisan Jewelers Who Love Plastic” Page 54 BEATRIZ FORTES’S Braided Bracelet Sterling silver, copper “Score and Fold Metal Star” Page 22 ROGER HALAS’S Dawn of the Trilobite Pendant Trilobite, sterling silver, faceted citrine “Mystical Moonstone Ring” Page 30 ARTHUR HASH’S Web Series Cuff ABS Plastic “Artisan Jewelers Who Love Plastic” Page 54 BETSY LEHNDORFF’S Flip Pendant Lapis, turquoise, sterling silver, pearls “Picture Perfect Heads or Tails Pendant” Page 48 KATE CASE’S Pendant Sterling silver, 18K gold, pearl “Mixed Metal Pebble Pendant” Page 38…

Holiday season is upon us. Gift jewelry is at peak demand and so are engagement rings. If you make rings, you probably see a sales spike this time of year. Online surveys show December is the most popular month to pop the question. Christmas Eve is the most popular day to propose, followed by Valentine’s Day and Christmas Day. With the recent Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage, this could be a banner year for wedding and engagement rings. Many same-sex couples have already been in committed relationships for decades, and it’s a jubilant time for the LGBT community, whether or not a couple decides to marry now. Quite a few same-sex marriage proposals happened as laws were passed in individual states. Many more took place in the glee of…

WEDDINGS ARE A BIG EVENT IN OUR FAMILY, and when my nephew Derek asked Megan to marry him, I volunteered to cut stones for bridesmaid necklaces. After showing her some design ideas, I created some square cushions and other designs and took a catalog of settings with me. She asked if I could make a design for a 10X12 millimeter stone, so I arbitrarily stretched one of the designs in Gem Cad and ended up with this. Since the girls’ dresses were all diff erent colors, I suggested a colorless stone. Megan decided on cubic zirconia. I also made custom pens that Derek picked out for the groomsmen and then set up an assembly line to cut all six stones. I found that they cut easily, and although I only…

HAND TOOLS ARE ENDURING OBJECTS OF DUTY. I mean beauty. The history and mystery of the jeweler’s art lies not only in our precious materials but also in our specialized tools. Fascinating to look at, learn about, and use, I mean really — who doesn’t love hand tools? I’m ever-watchful for and genetically predisposed to want them and can’t pass by a sturdy set of pliers or an old hammer without picking it up and feeling the steel in my hand. Around this time of year, my family asks what I want for under the tree, so I made a list: tool steel beats a fuzzy sweater any time. 1. Fixed Saw Frame I discovered this frame by accident; it’s funny how you fi nd love when you aren’t searching…