An Earful of Curves

Posted by on Mar 16, 2013 in 2013, Archive, Brown Goldsmiths' Blog Spot, Gemstones, New from our Workshop, Newsletters, Uncategorized | 0 comments Perhaps you heard the upstairs tapping and the “ping-ping” of hammers when you last visited.  Vladimir created these delicious dimensional curves (photo at right) upstairs, just the other day.  They taper, flare, twist and spiral, reflecting light every which-way.  We heard a lot of hammering during their creation. Vlad started with a length of heavy gold wire, tapering for grace...
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Natural Spinel – from Reds to Rainbows

Posted by on Mar 13, 2013 in 2013, Brown Goldsmiths' Blog Spot, Gemstones, New from our Workshop, Newsletters, Uncategorized | 0 comments Ever hear of the Black Prince’s Ruby?  Few precious stones have such a long and storied history as this one, a large, semi-polished, crimson orb that today sits on the front of Britain’s Imperial State Crown.  SURPRISE!  It turns out that the historic red gem is a natural Spinel.  Read its history.  No wonder the confusion occurred.  Spinel frequently occurs in the same regions...
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Creating a Wax Model

Posted by on Mar 3, 2013 in 2013, Brown Goldsmiths' Blog Spot, Gemstones, New from our Workshop, Newsletters, Uncategorized | 0 comments Here’s a glimpse of some of Jim’s handiwork.  Master model maker, sculptor, and designer are a few of the roles he plays in the workshop every day.  In addition to artistic flair, engineering plays a crucial role.  Frequently a jewelry creation is designed to highlight and securely hold a special gem.    The quartz crystal featured in this pendant design offers many a challenge:...
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Emerald? Guess again!

Posted by on Mar 2, 2013 in 2013, Brown Goldsmiths' Blog Spot, Gemstones, New from our Workshop, Newsletters | 0 comments Emeralds? No! Emerald Green may be Pantone Color of the Year, but take a look at this green:  it’s Maine Tourmaline! Vladimir just put the finishing  touches on this Pendant-Earring set, hand fabricated at his upstairs workbench.  The bright green Maine Tourmaline perches center-stage, bezel-set in 14K yellow gold, to announce the imminent Spring.  Diamonds - fully-cut round...
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Upstaging the Hope Diamond

Posted by on Mar 1, 2013 in Brown Goldsmiths' Blog Spot, Gemstones, Newsletters | 0 comments As March hovers at February’s doorstep, here’s the mother of all March’s birthstones – the Dom Pedro.  This beauty is giving the Hope Diamond “the Blues!”  The 10,363 carat  Aquamarine beryl, from the same gem family as Emerald beryl, is causing quite a stir at the Smithsonian, and beyond. The Hope, long the undisputed star of the Smithsonian, is being...
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Good Morning, Sunshine

Posted by on Feb 26, 2013 in Brown Goldsmiths' Blog Spot, Gemstones, New from our Workshop, Newsletters, Uncategorized | 0 comments The polishing wheel is humming upstairs these days.  Almost daily the goldsmiths finish up a new delight.  Here’s a recent creation from the workshop – a dramatic ring, set with a breathtaking Spessartite garnet from Africa, with notes of red winking within vivid orange. Red tones in Spessartite are  highly prized - rarer than the more usual orangy browns.  Exceptionally...
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