#STR - Sharing The Rough - Private Screening... #SharingTheRough

"Through the eyes of gem miners, a precision faceter, and a visionary jewelry designer, 

we will reveal a powerful story that follows a gem from mine to market."

Join us for a private test screening of Sharing the Rough, 

hosted by Dave McConnell, owner of The King's Jewelers in Walnut Creek.

This will be the very first showing to a public audience, 

Q & A follows with Director Orin Mazzoni and cast members Roger Dery  & Dave McConnell.

Imagine my disappointment when I received this invitation and was unable to make it to the event.  Well after thinking long and hard I remembered that my Tucson roommate Ann Marie might be available - YAY!!!  

While in Tucson this past February for the gem shows, I was privileged to view the teaser sample of Sharing The Rough, a unique movie directed by Orin Mazzoni about the gem industry. After that small taste, I was eager to see the completed movie. I had the opportunity to do just that last night at a private test screening. 

Sharing The Rough tells the story of a green Garnet gem (affectionately called “The One”), from its birth as a piece of rough in an East African mine through the faceting process with gem cutter Roger Dery and then its creation into a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry by designer, Mark Schneider.  

All of these scenes expose priceless bits of knowledge that many people in the jewelry industry don’t even know about, much less the average person. Through this film the viewer will get to witness it all first hand.

Along the way you are taken into a basic mine, you meet the miners and their families and learn about their passions and the incredible struggle to find the gems in the earth. You are witness to the buying process from gem brokers and you come to understand how rare and special a large quality gem really is. Once “The One” is purchased, you observe the creative process of the gem cutter deciding on the shape of the final stone and taking down the 49 carat rough to a 13.65 carat faceted beauty.  The story wraps up with the designing and fashioning of the final piece.

After the screening, Orin Mazzoni (Director), Roger Dery (Faceter) and Dave McConnell (Associate Producer) took to the stage to answer questions and ask for feedback. They all seemed to take to heart the advice and constructive criticism that was offered from the audience. 

The film, as it was screened last night, was a gem in the rough itself. The photography and sound are well done and hold a lot of promise. There were typos in the subtitles, the color needs correcting and the sound needs to be sweetened. It is way too long and drags from too much talk at some points. The reason for last night’s screening was for the film’s creators to get feedback from the audience. 

Their passion for telling this story is obvious. In fact, they hinted at making a sequel with another gem from another location. 

I look forward to seeing the results of this next phase of editing the film which I hope will involve faceting its raw edges and designing it into a polished finished piece.

AGTA's 2011 Spectrum Awards™ "Cutting Edge" Winners

If you read yesterday's report on the AGTA announcement of the Winners of the 2011 Spectrum Awards™, you know that the announcement included the "Cutting Edge" Awards.

Unfortunately photos of the winners haven't been released yet - so I didn't add it to my post. Seriously - what good is a list of winners if you can't see them....

I want to give a HUGE thank you to the awesome John Dyer - Gem Artist ! We have John's winning entries! ...the Object of Art entries were announced with the Jewelry Awards.

(BTW - if you are a cutter that won an award in 2011 free to submit photos to my email at robynahawk at yahoo dot com)

AGTA Cutting Edge Awards honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, other gem materials and objects of art. Categories included: Open Category - Classic Gemstone Division, Open Category – All Other Faceted Gemstones Division, Open Category – Phenomenal Gemstones Division, Pairs & Suites, Faceting, Carving, Combination and Objects of Art.

The 2011 Cutting Edge Awards Winners

Classic Cut Gemstones:

A1 - Open Category Classic Gemstone - 1st Place

Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp.: 8.04 ct. pigeon blood Ruby.

A1 - Open Category Classic Gemstone -2nd Place

Sailesh Lakhi, Lakhi Impex, Inc.: 43.42 ct. cushion-shape, step-cut blue Sapphire.

A1 - Open Category Classic Gemstone - 3rd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.: 6.66 ct. cushion-cut pink Sapphire.

A1 - Open Category Classic Gemstone - Honorable Mention

Gonen Abrahami, ABC Gems: 4.93 ct. emerald-cut Emerald.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - 1st Place

Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems: 9.59 ct. trillion-cut red Spinel.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - 2nd Place

Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems: 32.58 ct. oval-shape tsavorite Garnet.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - 3rd Place

Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc.: 12.91 ct. princess-cut Rhodochrosite.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - Honorable Mention

Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc.: 15.28 ct. ct. oval-cut Imperial Topaz.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - Honorable Mention

Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC: 49.24 ct. Asscher-cut Aquamarine.

Phenomenal Gemstones

A3 - Open Category Phenomenal - 1st Place

Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals, Inc.: 36.73 ct. Mexican fire Opal cabochon.

A3 - Open Category Phenomenal - 2nd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.: Pair of oval Alexandrites (3.25 ctw.).

A3 - Open Category Phenomenal – 3rd Place

Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC: 15.0 ct. oval cat's eye Chrysoberyl.

Pairs & Suites

B - Pairs & Suites - 1st Place

Clay Zava, Zava Mastercuts: Suite of pastel Cuprian Tourmalines (127.40 ctw.).

B - Pairs & Suites - 2nd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.: 15-piece round blue Sapphire necklace layout (68.75 ctw.).

B - Pairs & Suites - 3rd Place

Hemant Phophaliya, AG Color, Inc.: Pair of pear-shaped cabochon Tanzanites (41.62 ctw.).

B - Pairs & Suites - Honorable Mention

Darrell Jang, Darrell Jang: Aspen-shaped leaves cut from a 15.09 ct. Peridot and a 11.15 ct.

Heliodor

Faceting

C – Faceting - 1st Place

(Shown Left)

Jeff L. White, J.L. White Fine Gemstones:

48.83 ct. square, cushion-cut Morganite.

C – Faceting - 2nd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.: 14.43 ct. cushion-cut pink Tourmaline.

C – Faceting - 3rd Place

Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc.: 13.78 ct. sunburst-cut Sphalerite.

C – Faceting - Honorable Mention

Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc.: 50.20 ct. kaleidoscope-cut Kunzite.

Carving

D – Carving - 1st Place

Joseph August Voss, Joseph August Voss: 220.30 ct. crystal Quartz carving.

D – Carving - 2nd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.: 62.64 ct. "Golden Reflections" Beryl.

D – Carving - 3rd Place

Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs: Carved white Opal sculpture (149 grams).

Combination

E – Combination - 1st Place

Thomas Trozzo, Trozzo: 66.48 ct. square, dimple, concaved, scissor-cut Aquamarine.

E – Combination - 2nd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.: 50.92 ct. trillion custom-cut Morganite.

E – Combination - 3rd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.: 9.50 ct. Umbalite Garnet.

Objects of Art

F - Objects of Art - 1st Place

Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers: Kokeshi Princess featuring white Opal (83.98 ctw.), Basinite (36.29 ctw.), rubellite Tourmalines (2.91 ctw.) and Diamonds (.72 ctw.) with 18K white gold and platinum on a base of silver, brass and wood.

F - Objects of Art - 2nd Place and Best Use of Pearls

Llyn L. Strelau, Jewels by Design: Sculpture titled "Who Are You" featuring two-tone gold and silver with freshwater baroque Pearls, South Sea keshi Pearls, akoya seed Pearls, demantoid Garnets (.25 ctw.), .20 ct. Ruby and cognac Diamonds (.03 ctw.) on a crystal Quartz base (242 ctw.).

F - Objects of Art - 3rd Place

Tigran Lementsyan, Repair Restoration Center: "Dandelion" featuring Quartz and Diamonds (.36 ctw.) with silver, 18K yellow gold and gold-plated leaves.

F - Objects of Art - Honorable Mention

Darryl Alexander, Alexander's Jewelers: "Got Paint?"- opalized wood with a sterling frame in a black marble base. The paint is Sugalite, Mookite, Turquoise & Onyx, with Quartz dish & sterling tube with Coral. The brushes are Onyx, Agate, Hematite, Quartz and multiple woods.

JUDGES SET FOR AGTA SPECTRUM AWARDS

July 8, 2009 – Dallas, TX: The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) announced the judges for the 2010 AGTA Spectrum Awards™ competition. They are:

Design consultant/writer Marlene Richey

Gem artist John Hatleburg

Jewelry designer Mish Tworkowski of Mish New York

Jewelry editor Nicole Keating of Women’s Wear Daily and W magazine

Antique jewelry expert Ben Macklowe of The Macklowe Gallery

Jewelry designer Cecelia Bauer.

"We really wanted to bring a broad range of perspectives to the judging process," stated Douglas K. Hucker, AGTA CEO. "This panel of judges brings a wealth of knowledge and keen sense of jewelry design."

The AGTA Spectrum Awards™ is the premiere colored gemstone and pearl jewelry design competition in the world. The competition is in its 26th year of existence and sets the bar for jewelry designers and lapidaries. The winning designs are featured in consumer and trade press. Furthermore, all entries get tremendous exposure through the competition’s Editor’s Day in New York City, where many pieces are requested for subsequent photo shoots.

The competition judges jewelry designs in five categories: Evening, Business/Day Wear, Classical, Bridal and Men’s Wear. Once again this year, Platinum Guild International (PGI) will select a design from each category to receive Platinum Honors, with the winners receiving an incredible value-added promotional package. The Cutting Edge division judges excellence in gemstone faceting, carving and objects of art.

For more information and entry forms for the 2010 AGTA Spectrum Awards™, please visit www.agta.org/awards or call 1-800-972-1162. The deadline for entries is September 25, 2009.

Masons Studio Jewellers

...jewellers in the true sense of the word, who hand-fabricate one-of-a-kind pieces...

http://www.masonsjewellers.com.au/

This logo is the maker's mark for Masons. It represents the hand and eye, which is the basis of making work. It is registered with the Gold and Silversmiths Guild of Australia.

The Masons

Phill is the father; Tyrus the son. In between laughing and entertaining each other, they work very well together side by side; like two peas in a pod.

Phill and Ty work before the public, separated from them by a pane of glass. Nothing is hidden; even their award-winning pieces are made with an audience. Some viewers stand for long periods of time, watching a piece being produced. On a few memorable occasions, the piece produced was purchased by the viewer, after hours of following its fabrication...

Because they work before the public, they must restrict their use of machinery, and largely confine their efforts to working by hand at the bench. Fortunately, this suits their interest, which is hand-fabrication, rather than mass production; so, very little use of machinery is called for, anyway.

With inspiration from the Cosmos – to the Tasmanian environment they live in – this father and son team exhibits a variety of styles. The cosmic feel of the “Saturna” collection, the poignant statements made by the “Three Blades” and “Art of Whaling” collections, to the classic jewelry designs of the modern jeweler...make Masons a company to watch!

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COMBING THE COSMOS... This is a tale as much about technique and material, as it is about motif and theme. In the late 'eighties, Phill began playing with differentially colouring titanium, and with setting gems into it, commencing with combs as a form.

Initially, the combs were treated much as 'samplers', to work out the technique of colouring the titanium only in the insets. The rest of the titanium is left the natural grey colour. The recesses in the comb above are predominantly one colour only, in order to simplify mastering the process. As this was acheived, the range of colours was broadened, as in this piece.

Eventually, the combs evolved into brooches, with a larger diversity of set stones than just citrines representing the sun. Moonstones, garnets, etc., were used in conjunction with suitably shaped and coloured insets, to represent saturns, comets, and so forth.

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Faceting the Stones
Phill facets all the major stones used in Masons studio jewellery. This is considered unusual for a goldsmith to do, and has several advantages, which give leverage to the pieces Masons make, compared to other makers.

Firstly, the scarcer gem rough can be sourced and imported directly from the mine. This allows Masons to sidestep the usual fare offered by wholesalers to jewellers. Phill travels overseas annually to maintain contacts, and then regularly imports such seldom seen stones as colour-change and green garnets, and blue tourmalines, or even more common stones of uncommon clarity, including facetable moonstone and opal.

The second advantage of Phill faceting the stones is that the larger sizes can more frequently be gleaned, and more economically, in the rough, than already cut.

20 carat green garnet rough, dopped ready for cutting
Thirdly, more satisfying cutting designs can be used. Even with the traditional cuts, the number of facets can be maximised, increasing scintillation; whereas many professional cutters cut only the minimum number of facets, and still consider the job done...

The 5.85 carat gem cut from the above rough, and set as a ring.
Moreover, new cutting styles can be employed, producing gems which, for instance, show the appearance of checkers in the stone, or other visual illusions.
And, best of all, stones can be cut in Masons own designs.

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Three Blades: the Pen.., the Sword..., the Ploughshare...'
The blades were linked by the two biblical quotes; that the pen is mightier than the sword; and that swords were to be beaten into ploughshares.

The blades were wrought from titanium. The handles were polished silver-oxidised bones: a bird leg for the pen; a dolphin vertebae for the sword; and a cow rib for the plough.

The case with display fronts was especially made for the 'Three Blades...', based on the expertise Phill gained after a workshop with Ms. Penny Carey-Wells, who taught at the University of Tasmania School of Art on all things to do with paper, bookbinding, etc.

In that International Year of Peace, Phill was awarded the 'Mobil (Australia) Award for Excellence in Craft, for this sculpture.
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The Lapidary
Both Phill and Ty have a deep and abiding fondness for stone. Perhaps it comes from bearing the name 'Mason'...

Phill first joined a lapidary club - the Parramatta Lapidary Club - in 1965, and has been a member of such a club ever since. He remembers in those early days of easy pickings, club members driving direct from Agate Creek, Far North Queensland, back down to Sydney towing a trailer overloaded with world-class agates, directly to the club rooms in time for the monthly meeting, just to awe everyone. And it was awesome in those days when fine stones could be picked from the surface of the earth without digging...Agate Creek has been visited by Phill and Ty since, but it now involves deep digging in the tropical heat.

Photo Above: Phill casting harsh shadows, deep digging at Agate Creek, Queensland, 2004

Petrifactions attract Ty more than agates. He collects the rare petrified manferns (Osmandacaulis) that occur in Southern Tasmania at Lune River. In contrast to the conditions at Agate Creek, digging manfern can be muddy, wet and cold.

Photo: Phill retrieves a chunk of petrified wood from Lune River, Tasmania.

Travelling overseas every year, Phill has seized opportunities to source interesting stone, and maintains a stockpile or rough which varies from opal to chrysoprase, and about a ton of his first lapidary love - agate.

Finessing the cutting of stone, and innovation in its setting, is a pursuit of Masons. Rather than simply cutting cabochons - smooth, round-topped shapes - Phill prefers tablets and columns; and Ty prefers stone-carving. Ty was awarded third prize in the international Opal Jewellery Design Awards, 2002, held at Lightning Ridge every two years, for an innovative opal carving and setting.

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The MaSON - Ty

Ty's enthusiasm for the sport of Skateboarding translated into avant garde motifs as he became a jeweller.

Tyrus won the Tasmanian Fine Craft Award, 1997, with this bangle, entitled 'Skating Rink', . The piece was acquired by the Burnie Regional Art Gallery.

The wonderful thing about the design was that the skateboard was held on to the bangle by the pavilions of the gemsetting, in such a way as to allow the board to be spun around the 'rink'. The accompanying ring was entitled 'Ramp Ring'. The finger is actually supported by the four boards resting in each corner.

Don't hesitate - GO - check out their website...this Father and Son team are originals!

http://www.masonsjewellers.com.au