Vendor Spotlight: Archy's Rock Shop

Archy of Archy's Rock Shop has to be one of the most personable guys you will ever want to meet - he is willing to answer source questions - cuts his own rocks and is a real delight to work with.

This was one of the days that I got to hang out with the lovely and talented Maureen Brusa Zapellini of CosmosMoon,which was a treat in itself (girl's only - we took Cosmo to a different show).

You could literally get lost in the number of gorgeous cabs in almost every variety you could be looking for...Maureen peruses the beauty.

Lets's get a little closer...this is a family operated business that Archy runs with his sons.

For those of you that are into re-purposing...Archy's has Fordite, Boatite, and Bowling Ball Cabs...

This is one of the reasons I really love the Tucson Gem Shows - you get to meet the person behind the website...so...check out Archy's Rock Shop next time you are looking for something different.

No Catalog In Motion From Rio In Tucson 2011!

Those of you who have been attendees at Rio Grande's Catalog In Motion in Tucson received a letter this week from CEO Alan Bell.

"As you are a prior attendee at Catalog In Motion, I wanted you to be among the first to know that after 23 consecutive years, we won't be taking Catalog In Motion back to Tucson in 2011.

Our first Catalog In Motion^® back in 1988 created a whole new way for you to see, touch and learn about jewelry-making products. The show has been hugely successful because of you and all the others who joined us in Tucson each year. We are grateful for your past attendance and hope you got as much out of Catalog In Motion^® in Tucson as we did.

While we’ll no longer be taking Catalog In Motion^® to Tucson, we’ll be bringing Catalog In Motion^® to you every day of the year, any time of day.

As new technology continues to stride forward, we find ourselves in an ideal position to extend our availability to our customers worldwide. We can allocate the very same resources which made Catalog In Motion^® so successful—expertise, passion and commitment to education—in a way that will ignite your collaborative spirit and nourish our industry like never before.

Our plans include the continued growth of our educational library, including instructional videos and creative projects that you can access whenever the need arises. We’ll produce webinars and visual training demonstrations that will be available to you any time the creative spark hits. Internet-based user groups for our high-tech equipment and specialized lines will invite and encourage collaboration and innovation. You will be able to gain a wealth of knowledge, network with colleagues and try new processes in the comfort of your own studio—you could be watching Phil Poirier’s Bonny Doon hydraulic press demonstration over your morning coffee while a fellow jeweler across the globe watches at the end of his day.

We’ll continue to offer the support and educational opportunities you’ve come to rely on. Get hands-on training at any one of our jewelry-making classes or events, or drop in anytime right here at our Albuquerque facility; we’ll be featuring the best experts available. Just a few weeks ago, Argentium^® Silver expert, Ronda Coryell, joined us in Albuquerque to teach fusing and granulation! And of course, you can get live support for the tougher challenges by calling our expert Technical Support Team that boasts more than 15 decades of combined experience. And while we won’t be in Tucson, we’ll still offer special-pricing promotions on select items during the Tucson Gem & Mineral show.

We thank you for your prior participation in Catalog In Motion^®. We’re excited to move forward with you, to be a growing part of the creative spirit that draws us all together and continues to move our industry forward.

Whether you come visit us here in Albuquerque or on the web, we’ll be here for you with products, service and know-how every day of the year."

What Rio Grande plans is to take advantage of the new technology available to produce instructional videos, webinars and visual training demonstrations as well as Internet based user groups and a continuation of live workshops in their Albuquerque workshops.

I have to say that this makes me very sad - I understand the costs of putting on a show the size of the Catalog In Motion is tremendous - but I personally was a convert to Rio following the 2008 CIM - I was able to get hands on time with the larger equipment as well as the opportunity to talk first hand with the people who create and invent the tools.

The one-on-one between you and the tool or the demonstrator - the relationship building...this is something that a video can't do.

So while I am sad today - I expect to see a change in these plans in 2012...this is such a unique concept and the results should be measurable...while I am wishing you the best Rio - I will miss your show immensely!

Andesine - The Final Chapter

Probably the most significant presentation at the 2010 Tucson Gem Show was from Robert James of the International School Of Gemology.

You may remember that Mr James claimed at the 2009 Tucson Gem Show that the recent flood of Red Andesine was instead treated Feldspar...his report started a rumble in the Industry that has resulted in a trip to the "mine" - lawsuits - the discrediting of an Olympic Games collectible gemstone (did you buy the Chinese Andesine Olympic Gems from DSN as natural?)...and now in 2010 Robert James was back with his latest report "Andesine - The Final Chapter".

This event was attended by a virtual who's who of the gemology field, US feldspar miners, luminaries of the international mining industry and some reporters we haven't seen in quite some time...

I am not going to repeat the information - just give you some of the high points.

Have I peaked your interests? If you are interested in seeing how Robert James and the ISG research team came to these conclusions...complete with emails from the Mongolian Mining Office, see below.

A DVD of the presentation is available from the ISG (proceeds will support future research by ISG). To purchase a copy from the ISG click here.

Galatea - the Art of the Pearl!

One of the most amazing and popular booths in the Designer Pavilion at the AGTA GemFair was

Galatea: Jewelry By Artist.

What Chi and his carvers are doing with pearls is elegant and extraordinary! His new line of White and Golden South Seas are nothing short of jaw-dropping gorgeous!

Unfortunately it was impossible to get a free minute to photograph the booth...so when I saw this video by the Pearl Outlet I was excited to be able to share the story of Chi and his passion - Galatea!

Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show at InnSuites - Part 2: The Hall of Fossils

The Hall of Fossils is a big attraction at this show...









































These shots are from my friends Suzy and Tom Parrish...that is Suzy examining the Baby Woolly Mammoth...




























...there are also large fossil specimens throughout the grounds...


























Raelene and Geoff are friends from the Southern Rockhounds a Gem & Mineral Club from Adelaide in Australia.

Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show at InnSuites

This show at the newly named Hotel Tucson City Center is a FULL day - there is a company in almost every room of the hotel and all of the meeting areas are filled in this large 10 acre resort in the heart of Tucson.

I am going to break this into several pieces...lets start with what is outside as you enter the property...

The larger items are outside:

Setting Fancy-Cut Gems: MJSA - At the Bench Live

At the Bench Live
Feb. 4, 11 am-12:30 pm
Lee Krombholz presents
Setting Fancy-Cut Gems:
A Traditional Approach

Feb. 5, 11 am-12:30 pm
Lee Krombholz presents
Setting Fancy-Cut Gems 2:
A CAD/CAM Approach

As I mentioned in an earlier post - the "MJSA - At The Bench" presentations were some of the finest and most professionally presented programs I have ever seen at AGTA.

Having the opportunity to literally look over the shoulder of a Master Goldsmith as they work at the bench is - well as MasterCard says "Priceless".

This particular presentation was a two day event based on an article that Lee did for the MJSA Journal in which he looked at setting a paisley shaped stone. In part one on the first day he did this using traditional methods of building and carving a wax...then on day two he took the same design and created his wax using a CAD/CAM program.

Lee Krombholz is a third generation jewelry artisan with years of experience in designing jewelry for his retail customers in his Cincinnati store.

What I found interesting (as a novice to CAD/CAM) was the difference in the finished product in the photo you can see the finished CAD/CAM wax and pendant setting on the left and the setting built and carved by hand from wax on the right. While the CAD/CAM mounting is crisp and clean...I think I like the traditionally built one better, it has a hand finished feel...just my opinion, what are your thoughts? Click the photo for a larger image - which do you like best?

Listening to Lee was both educational and entertaining, he was really great about audience questions and his explanations were easy to follow. He managed to bring an already well presented magazine article to life...Good Job Lee Krombholz.

In an audience made up of everything from students and new jewelers just starting out to bench jewelers who have been in the field for a number of years...I think that everyone took away useful info and a couple of new techniques from this event.

As a side note: one of the reasons for the success of this idea of watching a Jeweler "At The Bench Live" was the generous donation of tools and equipment from Southeastern Findings.

photo credit: last photo taken from the MJSA: Make It. Sell It. Profit. page on Facebook.