Necklace by Sam Patania
I started this necklace when I made it’s sister necklace in azurite/malachite as a commission for Christmas. I like to make more than one piece at a time. I bought this Tyrone turquoise from my friend Bruce Mead a couple of months ago. Tyrone is not very common, it is from a copper producing area in Southwest New Mexico. It’s beautiful country. I have a friend who is a mining engineer who works for the mines there and I have asked him to ask around for turquoise but he won’t. Something about being professional.
I always have an eye out for American turquoise. Not that I’m a nationalist about minerals but, I got burned out by the mountains of Chinese turquoise I see every year at the Tucson Gem Show. Another material I can’t stand due to gem show burn out is fresh water pears. There is nothing special about the huge mounds of them I see at the show. Now I know most people don’t get to see all that and a strand here and there might seem interesting. I feel the appeal of them is purely price driven. They are not expensive. Chinese turquoise beads and cabs are so available and inexpensive ( I’m being kind) that I don’t want them. High quality Chinese turquoise is interesting to me. It is also harder to find, just like any interesting material.
I want to use materials that have a value to them. To me value is driven by scarcity. If everyone can have something them what value is it? Diamonds seem to be an exception, not only to me but the rest of the world. They have been so well marketed that demand has been high for many decades. I can,at any time of the day or night, call 10 different suppliers and get any diamond you can think of. If you called me to find Bisbee turquoise or Tyrone, I would have one person I can think of to call. If he doesn’t have any I don’t have another supplier to call.
The gem show is coming and I love the gem show, I have so much fun meeting people and old friends. I also get to shop the market and see new things. The big tool suppliers are also here, what more could I ask for? I do get new friends around gem show time, friends I won’t see again until the show comes. They all want to get into the parts of the show that only the trade can get in. Or they want me to tell them that the crap they bought is fantastic and can’t wait to tell me where they got it so I can also get some. One piece of advice for non trade folks going to the show, just because it is at the show doesn’t mean it is good. If you buy a ring for $5 then it is a $5 ring. I will charge you $20 to size it.
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georgeingraham 01.20.09 at 1:35 am
Just wanted to say how much I like your blog and jewelry !
I have been cutting my own cabs for quite a while and am just now starting in on some jewelry designing.
Seeing all the neat jewelry folks have been making with my stones was driving me nuts. So have actually made a few first pieces and now getting set up to do a little silversmithing for the purpose of creating some heavier bezel settings that I hope to be sort of a focal point to my future designs.
Any way…… New to this blogging community and just wanted to say hello.
Going to add you to my blog roll too..